Lent is fast approaching its culmination; next week is Holy Week, the holiest week in the Christian calendar. While the entire season is a time of preparation for Holy Week and Easter, these last days are especially important. An excellent way to spiritually prepare is to read the scripture readings for Holy Week now! Read the weekday Mass readings and the holy day readings (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday), several times with deliberation and reflection, and then use them in your prayer. Even if you have heard them 100 times before, read them again as if it were the first time. Another way to prepare for Holy Week is to schedule time off. Set time aside and schedule time away from work, chores, and other obligations. Set time to pray and to participate in the liturgies. Do not simply add the liturgies to your already hectic schedule as one more thing to do. Eliminate some things from your schedule so that prayer and the liturgies can take center stage. Make Holy Week holy.
As you can see, we are nearing the completion of the Caritas Center project. We thank the Lord for His goodness. While the construction is complete, there is still much work to be done – furnishings, set up, move in, etc. We are truly blessed! Some have asked about the property on the west side. This area will remain a green space, and is for future retention. In the future, we will have to replace our classroom buildings, and will need to provide space for water retention. This land will provide for this eventuality. Concerning the finances, we still have to pay for this wonderful project! Your financial contributions and generosity are absolutely essential. We are asking all of our parishioners who are able to please assist by increasing their financial support of our parish. A $10 or $20 weekly increase by every parish household would make a huge impact.
People continue to ask about when we might receive a new priest. The simple answer is not immediately. We have only three priests being ordained this year and so far, we have two priests retiring and another half-dozen past their retirement age. Please pray for many more priestly vocations.
In these last weeks of Lent, please continue to pray for those who will be received into the Church at Easter. We are truly blessed with a large number of men, women, and youth who have heard God’s call to follow Him as members of His Holy Catholic Church. These sisters and brothers are witnesses to the truth, beauty of our faith, and way of life. Their desire to become Catholics should make all of us joyful and affirmed in our Catholic Faith. Their commitment and desire to follow Christ challenges us to live our faith with greater devotion and zeal.
This Easter, bring someone to mass with you! Not just on Easter Sunday, but during the 50 days of Easter! We all know that Easter Sunday can be a bit chaotic, so perhaps spread the joy and extend the excitement of Easter by bringing someone on the Sundays following Easter. In fact, invite and bring people to church every Sunday! The Good News and the joy of our Risen Lord is not just for one day!
Now is the time for families of school-age children to register for our religious education program for NEXT year. It is also the time to sign up to serve in helping form our children in the faith as a catechist. Don’t leave it to others – be part of this ministry of helping children and youth come to know and love God. Your participation, time, and effort changes lives and impacts children for the good for the rest of their lives. Be part of the mission!