Ash Wednesday ~ February 22, 2023
Mass and Ash Distribution:
- 8:00am & 12:10pm ‐ St. Nicholas Church
- 12:10pm (with Livestream) & 6:00pm ‐ St. William Church
- Ash Wednesday Livestream Link (airs at 12:10pm)
Little Black Book
Pick up a Little Black Book at Mass as a companion for Lent ~ available in Regular or Large Print. Short reflections from the Sunday Gospels of Lent (Cycle C) let you spend quiet time with the Lord in just 6 minutes a day. Find out more about aspects of the Cross as the symbol of our faith, and assorted “Catholic Culture” items.
CRS Rice Bowl
Join us, and more than 14,000 Catholic communities across the US, as we pray, fast and give alms with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Rice Bowl Lenten Program. Our parish and school can come together to feed families here in our community and around the world. Click here to give!
Fridays in Lent
Join us each Friday in Lent as we pray, fast, and give, together as a parish family…
- Outdoor Stations of the Cross – St William Courtyard 5:30pm (inside Church if rain)
- Adoration & Benediction – St William Church (directly following Stations of the Cross)
- Soup Supper – St William Tent 6:15 ‐ 7:00pm – PLEASE RSVP HERE
Sacrament of Reconciliation
Lent is a great time of year to go to Confession, but for many it may be a fearful experience to think about. To make it easier, here is a simple “how-to” guide: A Guide to Confession. Reconciliation is available at these times during Lent:
- Ash Wednesday, February 22 – 5:00 ‐ 6:00 pm (Before Mass) – St. William Church
- Every Wednesday – 11:15 – 11:45 am (Before Mass) – St. Nicholas Church
- Every Saturday – 2:30 – 3:30 pm – St. William Church
- March 13, 14, & 15 – 6:15 – 7:45 pm (During Parish Mission) – St. William Church
- April 3 – 6:30 pm – Reconciliation Service with Individual Confessions – St. William Church
Parish Mission ~ March 13, 14, & 15, 2023
SIGNED & SEALED WITH THE CROSS
Presented by: Fr. Albert Haase, OFM
A member of the Sacred Heart Province of the Order of Franciscan Friars Minor
Morning: 8:30am (after 8:00am Mass) – St. Nicholas Church
Evening: 6:15pm – St. William Church – Confessions available at 6:15pm
As early as the 3rd century, Christians started to sign themselves with a cross. Eighteen centuries later, we continue the practice of making the sign of the cross when we start to pray, when we celebrate the sacraments, and when we enter a church. Done so often and usually out of habit, has this ancient gesture lost its meaning for us?
Over 3 nights, Fr. Albert Haase, OFM, will lead us in a parish mission entitled SIGNED AND SEALED WITH THE CROSS. We will explore the identity of our God proclaimed in the ancient gesture of being signed with a cross. We will also explore the challenges and responsibilities we accept when we seal our lives with the sign of our salvation.
Event is free. Please Register to help us plan: tinyurl.com/snswlentenmission2023
Virtual Prayer Practices
- The Rosary ~ Email Catherine for the Zoom Link at catherine.raffa@dsj.org
- Virtual Stations of the Cross
Blessed Palms
At Mass on Palm Sunday palm branches were set apart by a blessing from the priest and made into a “sacramental,” an object that is meant to draw us closer to the celebration of the seven sacraments. Most “sacramental” items, like palm branches for example, can be burned or buried in order to properly dispose of them. This type of disposal honors their sacred purpose and returns them to the earth in a dignified way.
Catholic Fasting & Abstinence
- Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for members of the Catholic Church.
- Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence.
- Fasting is obligatory between 18 to 59 years of age.
- Abstinence is binding from age 14 and up.
- When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal.
- According to the United State Conference of Catholic Bishops, “The Sundays of Lent are certainly part of the time of Lent, but they are not prescribed days of fast and abstinence.”
The forty days of fasting before Easter includes every day of Lent except Sundays, beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending on Holy Saturday inclusive. Thus, there are forty-six days of Lent (including Good Friday and Holy Saturday), but only forty fast days since Sundays are excluded.
When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are universal days of both fasting and abstinence from eating meat. Abstinence is also observed on all Fridays of Lent. Catholics age 14 and older are bound to observe abstinence regulations except for serious reasons; Catholics age 18-59 are bound to observe fasting regulations except for serious reasons.
For all other weekdays of Lent, the Church encourages fasting, either in the traditional sense or through some other form of self-denial determined by conscience. Other devotions, such as the Stations of the Cross, the rosary, scripture study, participation in daily Mass, and service to those in need, are strongly recommended.
Sources: CCL #1249-1253; USCCB Pastoral Statement on Penance and Abstinence