Attende Domine, et miserere, quia peccavimus tibi.
(Draw near to us O Lord, and have mercy, for we have sinned against You.)
We may have heard this chant many times during Lent; but it truly embodies this holy season. Lent, a period of 40 days beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending on Holy Thursday, is designed to be a season of repentance, spiritual discipline, and conversion. Throughout the course of Lent, we will be invited to reflect upon our relationship with Christ and what we can do to strengthen our faith.

Many people during this time give something up; and fasting, sacrifice, and mortification are indeed good practices to embrace. The importance of these endeavors is to subdue our will and passions and allow them to align with what God desires for us. In addition to fasting, the Church also promotes an increase in our prayer life, and in charitable works and support (almsgiving). Perhaps we can ask ourselves what we can add to our spiritual practice, in addition to merely relinquishing or giving up something. The Lamb of God Adoration Chapel as well as Wednesday Evening Lenten Holy Hours at Saint John Capistran afford an opportunity to spend time with our Eucharistic Lord. Our music ministry will offer a Lenten Taizé Prayer Service on Tuesday, February 28th, which is a wonderful evening to reflect upon God’s sacrificial love for us. Stations of the Cross will return on Fridays at both Churches (4:00 p.m. at STM, 7:30 p.m. at SJC), and we will offer an increased opportunity for the Sacrament of Penance as well. These 40 days of Lent are truly a gift to us, because they allow us to focus on how well we embody the love of our Lord who gave his life us a ransom for us all. (1 Tim 2:6).

Ash Wednesday: On February 22nd we will distribute ashes at the 8:30 a.m. daily Mass at SJC, 8:45 a.m. school Mass, and the 11:30 a.m. daily Mass at STM. There are also services at 5:00 p.m. at St. John Capistran and 7:00 p.m. at St. Thomas More which will be a Liturgy of the Word with the distribution of ashes. Ashes are an ancient sign of repentance and sorrow for sin. This day is not a holy day of obligation, but it is a good way to start our Lenten journey as the body of Christ collectively reflecting upon sin, mortality, and the hope that exists through the mercy of God.

New Parishioner Lunch: On Saturday, February 25th, we will have a luncheon for new families and parishioners who have joined the parish in the past two years. We have been blessed to have over 700 new parishioners join in this time frame. These luncheons will be a great opportunity to meet our newest members, welcome them, and invite them to share their gifts and talents with Resurrection Parish.

The new Parish Appeal Program (formerly Parish Share) begins this weekend. For your information, the assessment of parish offertory and donations has been lowered from 17.8% to 11%. The new program requires that there be a “cap” on the amount of money retained through “Parish Appeal” beyond the established assessment. We will retain no more than 10% in excess money of the original assessment before it is assessed. Our Parish assessment for 2023, to cover what is now the “Diocesan Management Fee,” is $299,953. Under the new process, we can retain $29,995.30 over the initial assessment. We are prayerfully asking that you consider a $350 pledge to help us meet our goal. Monies received beyond the excess will be assessed at 11%. The progress of Parish Appeal can be tracked through future bulletins.