Ready or not, it’s almost Lent. February 22 is Ash Wednesday, so if you haven’t given any thought to what you’ll be doing for Lent, now’s the time to start. If you’re wondering what we’ll be doing in the parish for Lent, below is a list of things in our calendar that we’re encouraging people to participate in as a way of entering with greater intentionality this beautiful season of Lent.
Attend Daily Mass – Going to Mass during the week is an excellent thing to do during Lent. In fact, I don’t think there’s a more effective way to grow in our Catholic faith than to attend Mass during the week in addition to Sundays. If you’ve never been to daily Mass, there’s no music and it lasts only about 25 minutes. In our parish we have Mass at 7:30am Monday-Friday at the Church of St. Cecilia. Starting February 25, however, we’ll be adding a Saturday morning Mass to our schedule. Our new Saturday morning Mass will take place at St. Gabriel Church at 8am. For those looking for something more spiritually serious than just giving up sweets for Lent, come to daily Mass and be transformed.
Stations of the Cross – For centuries, Catholics have been practicing this devotion, by which we meditate upon the sufferings of Jesus as He carried His cross to Calvary. The Franciscans started the tradition of erecting 14 stations of the cross along the inside walls of Catholic churches and by the 18th century it was common practice everywhere. During Lent, we gather for this devotion at 7pm each Friday evening at St. Cecilia Church (except 3/10, when it will be at 6pm). It typically takes 35 minutes to pray this devotion. Make it your goal to it to Stations of the Cross every Friday this year during Lent.
Lenten Mission (3/5-7) – In many places it’s a long-standing tradition during Lent to hold a parish mission. We have not had a mission in our parish over the past few years, but this year we will have a three-night series of talks by guest speakers that will take place at St. Cecilia Church from 7-8pm on March 5-7. The evenings will include Eucharistic Adoration. More details will be provided soon.
Parish Family Pasta Night (3/10) – Fridays during Lent for Catholics are meat-free. Please join us for a meat-free parish dinner in McDermott Hall (below St. Cecilia church) on March 10. We’ll have more information soon about pre-registration, which will help us prepare for the event.
Reconciliation Monday (4/3) – Going to confession is a most fitting way to prepare for Easter. We have weekly-scheduled times for confessions on Saturday afternoons, Sunday mornings, and Wednesday nights. But every year, the Bishop has declared the Monday of Holy Week “Reconciliation Monday,” during which confessions will be available at certain churches throughout the Diocese from 3-9pm. This year, Reconciliation Monday is March 3, and confessors will be available from 3-9pm at St. Cecilia Church.
Holy Triduum – This is the culmination of the Liturgical Year and refers to the celebration of Holy Thursday (4/6), Good Friday (4/7), and the Easter Vigil (4/8). Please join us for these most solemn and beautiful liturgies during which we enter deeply into the sacred mysteries of our Catholic faith.
posted 2/13/23
The Parish of St. Cecilia-St. Gabriel 