Lent is upon us… and that means that the Spirit of God is upon us! – inviting us to grow closer to Jesus and to our God, the Source of Life. At our Ash Wednesday services, I commented on the First Reading from the prophet Joel that calls the nation as whole to repentance and conversion. His words are still appropriate today as our nation faces its own identity crisis, so fractured and divided over policies that negatively impact so many at home and abroad. Our U.S. Bishops and Cardinals are speaking out more forcefully against such policies. I encourage all of us to pray and fast this Lent for our country.
I’m happy to say that we are offering an abundance of programs, activities, and resources this Lent that you can take advantage of to support your own growth in God. You can find an overview and calendar of Lent in our eNewsletter sent on Feb. 17, or on the front page of our website. I’ve also provided a 3-minute video introduction to Lent here.
I’m excited to connect our Lenten reflections with a contemporary cultural phenomenon, “The Chosen” streaming TV series which is being viewed by millions around the world. Next week I’ll post another short video to introduce our three spirituality evenings that will open up the Lenten Gospels as portrayed in “The Chosen“ episodes.
But up first is Young Adult Book Club on Feb. 25, and then Stations of the Cross, accompanied by a simple soup supper, on all the Fridays of Lent. The Stations will alternate between the two churches in our Family of Parishes: on February 27 the service will be at Gesu Church; then on March 6 at our church led by our Inclusion Committee. The location will alternate on Fridays thereafter. Our two parishes have made special efforts to share the Stations this year, so I hope we can put in a good showing at each other’s churches – beginning with a strong turn-out by us at Gesu on Feb. 27.
Lent originated as a season when the church fasted and prayed for the adult candidates preparing for Baptism, Confirmation, and First Eucharist at Easter. So let us pray especially for our own two: Tia VanSuilichem and Klark Waterman. Tomorrow (Feb. 21) a number of us will accompany them for their enrollment in the Rite of Election at the Cathedral. Parishioner Santino Visocchi is also preparing for Confirmation in a separate ceremony with his classmates.
This will be our last eNews during Black History Month. In the previous edition I provided a link to the stories of six African-Americans who are candidates for sainthood in the church. Since then I discovered that there is now a seventh! – Friar Martin de Porres Maria Ward (1918-1999). You can read short bios about them all HERE, and get more information and videos HERE.