Lent is a time to consider the graciousness of God toward us despite our own sinfulness. God’s goodness is evident at various times in the history of the chosen people and it culminates in the blessings won for us by Jesus Christ. Through our Lenten prayer, fasting, and almsgiving we are seared by the fire of divine love and our penance can be seen in its proper light. Let us embrace Lent and follow Christ.
Prayer
This Lent, we have added a weekday Mass during Lent Monday-Friday at 6:00 PM in the Church.
Stations of the Cross will be held on Fridays at both 12:00 Noon and 7:00 PM in the Church. We will also have Living Stations of the Cross on Friday, April 12 at 7:00 PM in the Church. Journey with us through the final hours of Christ’s life on earth in this powerful interactive prayer experience reflecting on the passion and death of our Savior. The USCCB also has several versions of Stations on their website, such as Stations for Vocation, Scriptural Stations, and Stations for Victims of Human Trafficking. They can be found HERE.
The Workers of St. Joseph will be hosting our Novena to St. Joseph, Husband of Mary after 8:00 AM Mass March 10-18. Please see the bulletin for location information. Feast Day Prayers will take place immediately following the 8:00 AM Mass on Tuesday, March 19. Join in our Novena to our Patron Saint!
We also encourage you to use our Parish Subscription to Formed.org to deepen your faith all year. There are movies, studies, and materials for all ages. We now have our own dedicated page, so the parish code is no longer needed. Just go to www.stjosephhom.formed.org and register for an account or sign in.
Our Parish Penance Day will be held on Thursday, April 1 from 9:00 AM-1:00 PM, and 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM. Please join us for this opportunity to have your Confession heard before Easter!
Stations of the Cross will be held on Fridays at both 12:00 Noon and 7:00 PM in the Church. We will also have Living Stations of the Cross on Friday, April 12 at 7:00 PM in the Church. Journey with us through the final hours of Christ’s life on earth in this powerful interactive prayer experience reflecting on the passion and death of our Savior. The USCCB also has several versions of Stations on their website, such as Stations for Vocation, Scriptural Stations, and Stations for Victims of Human Trafficking. They can be found HERE.
The Workers of St. Joseph will be hosting our Novena to St. Joseph, Husband of Mary after 8:00 AM Mass March 10-18. Please see the bulletin for location information. Feast Day Prayers will take place immediately following the 8:00 AM Mass on Tuesday, March 19. Join in our Novena to our Patron Saint!
We also encourage you to use our Parish Subscription to Formed.org to deepen your faith all year. There are movies, studies, and materials for all ages. We now have our own dedicated page, so the parish code is no longer needed. Just go to www.stjosephhom.formed.org and register for an account or sign in.
Our Parish Penance Day will be held on Thursday, April 1 from 9:00 AM-1:00 PM, and 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM. Please join us for this opportunity to have your Confession heard before Easter!
Fasting
As Catholics aged 18-59, we abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent. We practice fasting, as Jesus did during his 40 days in the desert. We also practice the tradition of giving something up for Lent, and/or adding a spiritual practice into our day. Why do we do these things?
Lent is a time for a spiritual work-out. Most of us are familiar with the idea of a physical work-out: we go to the gym to increase our ability to perform feats of strength. By doing small acts of sacrifice, we strengthen our spiritual muscles to be more able to perform greater acts of sacrifice. Fasting, like prayer and almsgiving, strengthens our relationship with God for we imitate the love Christ showed when he revealed himself as the Way to the Father. It further strengthens our relationship with God by increasing our ability to sacrifice our wants and live for and in Him.
Join us for Simple Lenten (meatless) Meals prepared by the Knights of Columbus on Fridays during Lent from 5:00-7:00 PM in the parish hall.
Lent is a time for a spiritual work-out. Most of us are familiar with the idea of a physical work-out: we go to the gym to increase our ability to perform feats of strength. By doing small acts of sacrifice, we strengthen our spiritual muscles to be more able to perform greater acts of sacrifice. Fasting, like prayer and almsgiving, strengthens our relationship with God for we imitate the love Christ showed when he revealed himself as the Way to the Father. It further strengthens our relationship with God by increasing our ability to sacrifice our wants and live for and in Him.
Join us for Simple Lenten (meatless) Meals prepared by the Knights of Columbus on Fridays during Lent from 5:00-7:00 PM in the parish hall.
Giving
During Lent we will have second collections during Mass for Catholic Charities, Catholic Relief Services, as well as Christians in the Holy Land. This is just one of many ways to give this Lent:
- We have Rice Bowls, benefiting Catholic Relief Services. Take a cardboard bowl and fill it with change and money saved from fasting. Proceeds are used to feed the poor around the world.
- Our Outreach Ministry here at St. Joseph has two Food and Layette Collections, as well as an Easter Basket Collection that support area charities, as well as many opportunities to give of your time. Details of Outreach activities are posted weekly on page 8 of our bulletin.
- Our St. Joseph’s Table blessing and baked goods sale will take place on Sunday, March 17. A Traditional Pasta Meal will also be served from 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Proceeds go to feeding the poor. Donations of baked goods are also greatly needed for this event!
- You can give of your time on Tuesday, March 19. On the Feast Day of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary, our parish goes to Catholic Charities to serve a community meal in the dining hall from 9:15 AM - 12:30 PM. We need your help, as we have 85 spots to fill! To sign up to volunteer, please visit: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a044bacae2da7f94-stjoseph.
Lent on Social Media
This Lent, we have some extra Lenten activities on our Facebook and Instagram pages. We have a Reverse Lent Calendar based on the three pillars of Lent: Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving. Our Lenten Photo Challenge daily words are listed on our Facebook page, and pictures can be tagged on either Facebook or Instagram. Like and follow our page to stay up-to-date with all things SJHOM! You can find us on Instagram at @SJHOMLV. Find us on Facebook by searching us at St. Joseph, Husband of Mary Roman Catholic Church or by going to our direct link at: www.facebook.com/SJHOMLV.
Why is Confession so Important?
“Peace be with you!” With these words, the Risen Lord greeted his frightened Apostles in the Upper Room on the day of his Resurrection. They were troubled, anxious, and fearful—much like each one of us at some point in our lives. Christ repeated the words, “Peace be with you.”
But then he added, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them” (Jn 20:19-23). What an extraordinary gift! The Risen Lord was proclaiming that all the suffering he had just endured was in order to make available the gifts of salvation and forgiveness. He wanted the Apostles to receive these gifts. He wanted them to become apostles of this forgiveness to others.
In the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, also called Confession, we meet the Lord, who wants to grant forgiveness and the grace to live a renewed life in him. In this sacrament, he prepares us to receive him free from serious sin, with a lively faith, earnest hope, and sacrificial love in the Eucharist. The Church sees Confession as so important that it requires that every Catholic go at least once a year. The Church also encourages frequent Confession in order to grow closer to Christ Jesus and his Body, the Church. By the grace of the Holy Spirit, we seek forgiveness and repentance, let go of patterns of sin, grow in the life of virtue, and witness to a joyful conversion. Since the graces of the sacrament are so similar to the purpose of the New Evangelization, Pope Benedict XVI has said, “The New Evangelization . . . begins in the confessional!”
Priests are eager to help you if you experience difficulty, hesitation, or uncertainty about approaching the Lord in this sacrament. If you have not received this healing sacrament in a long time, they are ready to welcome you. Below is a Confession how-to for you to take with you. Come to the Lord and experience the extraordinary grace of his forgiveness!
But then he added, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them” (Jn 20:19-23). What an extraordinary gift! The Risen Lord was proclaiming that all the suffering he had just endured was in order to make available the gifts of salvation and forgiveness. He wanted the Apostles to receive these gifts. He wanted them to become apostles of this forgiveness to others.
In the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, also called Confession, we meet the Lord, who wants to grant forgiveness and the grace to live a renewed life in him. In this sacrament, he prepares us to receive him free from serious sin, with a lively faith, earnest hope, and sacrificial love in the Eucharist. The Church sees Confession as so important that it requires that every Catholic go at least once a year. The Church also encourages frequent Confession in order to grow closer to Christ Jesus and his Body, the Church. By the grace of the Holy Spirit, we seek forgiveness and repentance, let go of patterns of sin, grow in the life of virtue, and witness to a joyful conversion. Since the graces of the sacrament are so similar to the purpose of the New Evangelization, Pope Benedict XVI has said, “The New Evangelization . . . begins in the confessional!”
Priests are eager to help you if you experience difficulty, hesitation, or uncertainty about approaching the Lord in this sacrament. If you have not received this healing sacrament in a long time, they are ready to welcome you. Below is a Confession how-to for you to take with you. Come to the Lord and experience the extraordinary grace of his forgiveness!
