Our Lenten Journey
“Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the dessert for forty days...” Luke 4:1
Holy Week / Sacred Triduum Schedule
Palm Sunday Mass - April 13
Vigil Mass, Saturday, 5pm
Sunday Mass, 8:30am and 10:30am
Holy Thursday - April 17
Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7:00pm
Good Friday - April 18
Live Stations of the Cross at 12:00pm
Passion of the Lord at 7:00pm
Celebration of Easter
Easter Vigil - April 19
Mass at 9pm with celebration of Sacraments of Initiation for the Elect. All are welcome to attend!
Easter - April 20
Mass at 8:30am and 10:30am
Easter Egg Hunt following 10:30am Mass
Praying
Lifts our hearts and minds to God
Lets us speak our deepest desires to God
Helps us experience the intimate love of God
Refreshes our hearts and souls
Almsgiving
Helps our brothers and sisters in need
Reminds us of our duties to others
Reminds us of our duties to others
Happening This Lent
Ash Wednesday Masses March 5
St. Thomas More 8:30am (with the school) and 7:00pm
Stations of the Cross
Each Friday in Lent at 6:00pm
April 11 Stations are outdoors.
Knights of Columbus Fish Fry 6:30pm
March 7, 21, and April 11
Soup Suppers 6:30pm
March 14, 28, and April 4
Faith Forward with Fr. Matthew - A four part series on the Christian Life
Wednesdays March 19-April 9, 6-8pm (Holy Rosary Campus)
Special Masses
Women’s Mass - March 20 at 7:00pm
Men’s Mass - March 27 at 7pm
Penance Service - Saturday, March 29 at 10:00am
Lenten Fasting and Abstinence
In our early generations of following Jesus, Catholic Christians developed our own practices of spiritual sacrifice for the Lord. Today we observe the following traditions during the holy season of Lent. Here are the basic practices, but some people observe these on Wednesdays as well as Fridays of Lent, or on every Friday or even every Wednesday and Friday during the rest of the year.
Fasting: Catholics 18-59 fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, having one full meal a day, and up to two smaller meals during the day.
Abstinence: Catholics 14 and older abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday and Fridays of Lent.
Actions With Meaning
Lent is our holy season of spiritual cleansing and purification. We take forty days to reflect on how we allow more of the grace of God into our lives, and how we can bring the love of Christ into the lives of others. From early times to the present, Christians make more time to pray, fast, and give alms during Lent, to help us in our six weeks of reflection, repentance, and renewal that leads to Easter. Here are some ideas on how we might approach these ancient practices this year.
Fasting
Eat one full meal and up to two smaller meals on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and another day of the week.
Take only what you need of food, money, etc.
Refrain from buying things you don’t need.
Ways of Fasting…
Abstain from negative talk, complaining, gossip, judging.
Abstain from Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, 24/7 news, etc.
Let go of grudges, old hurts.
Give away things you don’t need or use.
Ways of Praying …
Participate in Mass on Sundays and weekdays
Read the Bible (incl. Mass readings) every day
Pray the Rosary and Stations of the Cross.
Spend quiet time with the Lord
Spend 10-15 minutes with the Lenten booklets
Ways to Give Alms
Support charities, perhaps a new one
Listen to someone needing an ear
Give time for some volunteer work
Participate in the Rice Bowl Mission