With new ashes upon our heads and a mandate to “return to God with all our hearts,” we come to this Lent 2017. We pray God walks ahead and alongside us as we begin this journey of repentance and mercy.
Lent
Lent Has Begun
One of the great Roman traditions is the Station Church Masses each day during Lent. Coming out of the traditional Mass calendar, those of the North American College, the priests of the Casa Santa Maria and the seminarians on the Gianicolo go each day to a different Roman church as a pilgrimage early in the morning for Mass at 7 a.m. Each day, many other English speakers in the city who make this a major part of their Lenten experience join at the Station churches.
Practice of Ashes Has Old Testament Roots
Almost half of adult Catholics, 45 percent, typically receive ashes – made from the burned and blessed palms of the previous year’s Palm Sunday – at Ash Wednesday services, according to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University.
Lenten Regulations
Lent begins with the celebration of Ash Wednesday, which this year falls on March 1. It is a season that urgently calls us to conversion and is a time for deepening our spiritual life, most especially through prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
This Year, Discover The Joy of Lent
by John Fitzgerald, If I had more time I would have prepared much more…. If I knew how important the event was I would have made better preparations. If I had some direction to follow I would have been better prepared.
Now Is the Time to Prepare for Lent
At Sunday Mass, Father Steve told the congregants that they should not wait until Ash Wednesday to plan how they would observe Lent. Now is the time. Many with good intentions wait until Lent begins and then before you know it, half the season is over and we haven’t even begun preparing for Easter Sunday.
Holy Week Events
Lenten events in Brooklyn and Queens through March 25.
Pope: Indifference Met Jesus During Holy Week
Just as the crowds and government officials tried to dodge responsibility for Jesus’ fate after He was arrested, so today too many individuals and countries want someone else to care for refugees fleeing violence and migrants seeking a better life, Pope Francis said.
Bishops, Priests Pray Together
Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio led a Jubilee Year of Mercy Holy Hour for diocesan priests March 13 at Our Lady of Hope Church, Middle Village. It was the last of four prayer services held for priests during Lent.
Holding the Hand of Jesus
At the annual Lenten Penance Service at St. Dominic Church, Bensonhurst, young people acted out how Jesus defeats the world’s efforts to reduce people to instruments. The message was that He is there to help people get over life’s temptations.