Season of Lent is next week. Lent is a Catholic Liturgical Season consisting of 40 days of fasting, prayer, and penitence beginning on Ash Wednesday and concludes on Holy Thursday (not easter as most think).
Fasting part of Lent is twofold:
- Abstinence which is on Ash Wednesday and All Fridays which means not meat for anyone ages 14 or older.
- Fasting which is on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday for ages 18-59 and consists of only 1 meal per day.
Prayer part of Lent is many:
- Ash Wednesday on February 17, St. Michael’s has masses at 6:30, noon, and 7:00pm
- There are 10 days that are saints days, other St. Patrick’s Day. I invite you to learn about each of those saints on their respective day and say a prayer. (You can have a beer too and honor St. Patrick each of the 10 days too.)
- Stations of the Cross will be prayed as usual during Lent on Friday’s at 7:30PM.
- Adoration chapel is open but you must register for your hour. Currently there are 97 hours out of the 150 possible hours open for people to utilize. Meaning only 1/3rd of the time does Jesus have someone sitting with him. I invite you to pick up an hour or two and many are during the day not midnight to 5am (even though those are all open).
- Pray the Rosary Daily…its needed and can you imagine how the world can change if 2 Billion Catholics prayed the rosary every day for 40 days.
Penitence part of Lent is about self-reflection because as someone recently told me, you don’t want to travel down a road only to get to the end and find there is just a lonely barstool.
- Confessions are Saturdays from 2:30-3:30 and Fridays during Lent after the Stations of the Cross. You can also have confessions at any time by appointment
- Lents official color is Violet, not sure where I was going with that but thought you should know.
Men’s Faith and Fellowship meets via zoom from 6:45-8:15AM on Saturdays or Tuesdays 7:50-9:10PM on That Man is You (same program twice a week). For more info please check the bulletin or email bill shirk and .
The 2021 Catholic Men’s Conference is February 27th and the cost is $10. Due to the Rona it will not be held at the fairgrounds rather at various locations throughout the Diocese. You can learn more on their facebook page or their website CatholicMensMinistry.com for locations or zoom information. I was told St. Timothy’s is one location close that is allowing 80 men to be in person together for the conference.
The Columbus Catholic Young Adult Conference is April 27th at St. John Neuman if you have young adult children who are interested. Website is ccyac.org.
You have heard me talk about the dangers of sitting on the sidelines regarding Abortion and the destruction of the family unit of Man-Woman-Children. Two universal truths of the Catholic Church based on not my word, not your words. Personal ideologies or beliefs, but the word of God. The battle is not going away and the extremists on the left seam to be winning. As Catholics we must step up and face the truth while preaching about the truth till it changes or if you don’t believe it you might as well be Methodist or atheist or something. January we remembered the horrific decision of Roe vs Wade. Please read the Respect Life Corner in the bulletin which discusses where science is brought more into the discussion on the beginning of life. You know the same science where people tell you wear a mask but then say science has nothing to do with birth at conception. I advise you to check out the Respect Life page on the St Michael Website for a massive collection of resources to educate yourself as well as help others. The resources consist of links about Married Love and Gift of Life, Natural Family Planning, Human Trafficking help (including spotting it), Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia Facts, Abortion facts and resources such as healing from abortion, post abortion healing, pregnancy information and resources to avoid an abortion.
“It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish” – Mother Teresa
I will go one step farther and say “it is a poverty that a child must die but you decided to avoid the subject or think it is not important so you may live as you wish.”
If you know of someone in need during this time reach out to them and get them to the resources I mentioned before a life is taken away.