The Great Season of Lent began last Wednesday.    Lent is a "desert experience"!   It is a time to retreat from many of the activities of life.   It is a time to spend some extra moments examining one's walk with the Lord.     Not merely examining one's journey with the Lord, but taking positive steps to live a better, fuller life with God.   

Further, the Great Season of Lent is a time of penitence.    Parties and such events should be curtailed.    Our schedules should be re-adjusted so as reflect the mood of this season in our daily activities.      It is a time to give-up legitimate foods, drinks and activities, as a way of making reparation for our sins.     Also included, must be some practices to draw us closer to the Lord!     Such practices as reading and reflecting upon a passage from Scripture each day, participating in daily Mass, visiting Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament daily, doing a kind deed each day for someone as if he/she were the Lord Himself, etc.

This Great Season is also a time to join with those preparing to receive the "Sacraments of Initiation".     I.e., those who are preparing to become Catholic Christians through the RCIA programs.     Those children preparing to make their First Holy Communion.      And those teens and adults preparing to complete their Sacraments of Initiation by being confirmed.      All those making these Journeys of Faith should be part of our daily prayers.

All Fridays of Lent are Days of Abstinence: All 14 years of age and over are required to abstain from eating any meat of any kind this entire day.       This form of penance involves not eating meat of any kind from any warm-bloodied animal.     It obliges all that are 14 years of age and over.      However, persons whose health would be seriously effected by not eating meat are dispensed; but they should do some other form of penance.       Personal dispensations can be obtained from the Pastor or from your Confessor for a good reason, but anyone doing this must do some other form of penance.     Days of Abstinence are Ash Wednesday and All the Fridays of Lent.

During the Great Season of Lent we are encouraged to meditate on the Mysteries of the Paschal Mystery of our Faith: the Lord's Passion, Death, Resurrection, Ascension, and Glorification at the Father's right hand.     One very good way to do this, is by making the Way (Stations) of the Cross.     Any manner of prayer may be said while walking the Way of the Cross.     Some read passages from the Gospels while walking the Stations.

Friday Evenings at 7:30 p.m. during Lent we will make the Way of the Cross together in the church.