Dear Parishioners:
Lenten greetings from the rectory! Believe it or not, Lent has arrived! Easter is very early this year: March 31! This Wednesday, February 14, is Ash Wednesday. Please see below for our Ash Wednesday Schedule.
Pope Francis has said, “Lent comes providentially to reawaken us, to shake from our lethargy… The Lord is knocking at the doors of our hearts. Have we put up a sign on the door saying: ‘Do not disturb’?”
Pope John Paul II noted: “Lent is a time to put life back in its proper place and to remember two things about ourselves: we came from God, and we are journeying back to God through the resurrection. Our Lenten acts place us before God and help us to recognize this profound truth about ourselves.”
Here, at St. Patrick’s Church, we are offering a number of spiritual opportunities this Lent. Every FRIDAY AFTERNOON (12:45pm) and every FRIDAY EVENING (7:30pm), we will be praying the Stations of the Cross. Come join us as we meditate upon the suffering and death of Jesus for you and me.
We are planning a PARISH MISSION, centered around 40 Hours Devotion. There will be more information in the future but carve out Monday, March 4th to 6th. We will give a longer explanation of 40 Hours Devotion in the weeks to come but, briefly, 40 Hours Devotion consists of continual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament with prayer, spiritual talks and confession throughout the 40-hour time period.
These Lenten opportunities are simply that: Opportunities. As with all opportunities, we can choose to take advantage of them or choose not to take advantage of them. Take advantage of these opportunities. These opportunities are the Lord knocking at the door of your heart: Answer the knock! Do not put out a “Do Not Disturb” sign. Allow God to love you!
Remember: Together, we can do something beautiful for God!