Our Lenten Journey
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.
Happening This Lent
Holy Rosary
Ash Wednesday | February 18
8:30am Mass (with the school)
12pm Service of the Word with Distribution of Ashes
6pm Mass
Stations of the Cross - Each Friday in Lent
2:45pm (with school) and 6pm
Soup Suppers - Following 6pm Stations of the Cross
Penance Service - Wednesday, March 25 at 6pm
Lenten Mission - TBA
CRS Rice Bowl - For Lent, For Life. Click here to give.
St. Thomas More
Ash Wednesday | February 18
8:30am Mass (with the school)
12pm Service of the Word with Distribution of Ashes
6pm Mass
Stations of the Cross - Each Friday in Lent
2:45pm (with school) and 6pm
Knights of Columbus Fish Fry - Following 6pm Stations of the Cross on February 20, March 6, and March 27
Soup Suppers - Following 6pm Stations of the Cross on February 27, March 13, March 20
Penance Service - Saturday, March 21 10am
Lenten Mission - TBA
CRS Rice Bowl - For Lent, For Life. Click here to give.
Holy Week / Sacred Triduum Schedule
Palm Sunday | March 29
Regularly scheduled Sunday Masses at 8:30am & 10:30am,
Vigil Mass Saturday at 5pm
Palm Sunday | March 29
Regularly scheduled Sunday Masses at 8:30am & 10:30am,
Vigil Mass Saturday at 5pm
St. Thomas More
Holy Rosary
Wednesday of Holy Week | April 1
Parish Family Celebration of Tenebrae at 9pm in the Church at Holy Rosary Campus
Holy Thursday | April 2
Parish Family Celebration of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 6pm at Holy Rosary Campus
Good Friday | April 3
Living Stations of the Cross at 12pm
Passion of the Lord at 7pm
Good Friday | April 3
Tre Ore at 12pm
Stations of the Cross at 2:30pm
Passion of the Lord at 6pm
Celebration of Easter
“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
St. Thomas More
Holy Rosary
Easter Vigil | April 4
Parish Family Celebration at 8:15pm at St. Thomas More Campus
Easter Sunday | April 5
Masses at 8:30am & 10:30am
Easter Sunday | April 5
Masses at 8:30am & 10:30am
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
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.
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
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
Almsgiving
Helps our brothers and sisters in need
Reminds us of our duties to others
Reminds us of our duties to others
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