2/19/2023

Lent arrives this Wednesday, with changes meant to prepare us for Easter and the celebration of the Resurrection. This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, with Masses here at 8 AM (school) and 7 PM, then a service without the Mass at noon. We as a community will fast (2 small meals which do not equal to the one larger one that day) on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and will abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesdays and all Fridays. The exception to “all Fridays” is that on March 17th, St. Patrick’s Day, when the Bishop has said that one may substitute a different penance than abstinence, perhaps in order to enjoy corned beef and cabbage. We have a communal Penance service on March 27th in the evening, and our small groups are watching the series called FEARLESS by Chris Stefanick. These and many other things are listed on a separate sheet included with this Bulletin. I doubt there has ever been a time when so many resources have been made available to develop one’s faith and especially knowledge of the faith. Things like FORMED.ORG, Dynamic Catholic, Word on Fire, St. Paul’s Institute, Ascension Press (Fr. Schmitz’ Bible or Catechism in a Year) and others provide us with innumerable choices to help us grow in our faith. Come to this banquet and feed your mind and soul.
Lent is a time of preparing for Easter by doing “good works.” There are three categories: 1) prayer, 2) fasting, and 3) alms. 1) Prayer is about improving your relationship with God – spending more time in prayer, learning a new way of praying, doing a better job at preparing for and celebrating Mass, reading a good spiritual book would be some of the things one might do. 2) Fasting refers to doing some sort of penance, something to increase our self-control/self-discipline and ability to love others. If one can lose some weight, I will have more energy to give to the loved ones or the parish. If we give up watching TV then we can devote that time to prayer or helping others. 3) Alms refers to giving to the poor or to those who are in need. Here the Rice Bowl program comes into play, as we give up something that costs money and give the money to the Rice Bowl collection. That collection then goes to Catholic Relief Services, where your money will go a lot farther than it would here in the USA. We are encouraging participation in the Rice Bowl program as something we can do together. At the monastery, for instance, we often will give up desserts as a community, calculate the money saved, and then give it to the poor or to something like Rice Bowl who will give it to the poor. It is important to recognize that we are truly blessed, and that means we are expected to bless others. Happiness comes from sharing not possessing, loving not controlling,
May we all enter into the Passion and Death of Christ this Lent so as to reap the joys and benefits of the Resurrection.
It is a joy to be your pastor.

Father Albert, O.S.B.