Message from the pastor

Dear Parishioners,

AWAKEN YOUR FAITH/4.5 LENTEN SEASON

Traditionally, we enter into a time of spiritual renewal during the season of Lent.

This year our parish will engage in a special program focusing on “Christian Simplicity-4.5.” In addition to the gracefilled opportunities of Mass, the Sacraments and Devotions, we will center our attention on various contemporary topics that are essential for anyone who wishes to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

My prayer and hope is that all of us, young and older, will become more aware of our place in caring for God’s creation and embracing Gospel justice. In doing so, we can nurture our spiritual selves through the practice of Christian simplicity. I urge all parishioners to give time to the topics that we will present each week.

The Earth & Spirit Center sponsored by the Passionist Order which is funded by various groups has arrived at some amazing and interesting facts. Imagine if the Earth were divided equally among all of us. Each person would receive 4.5 acres. Now imagine that everything you need—food, energy, home, clothing,gadgets—must come from those 4.5 acres. But it takes 22.3 acres to maintain the average American lifestyle. There is a new way of observing Lent that helps us care for God’s creation by taking steps toward using only our fair share of its resources.

There are three Lenten disciplines: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Lent 4.5 offers meaningful ways to fast and abstain from over-consuming or damaging God’s creation by our lifestyle. This seven week program of faith formation encourages us to care for God’s creation, embrace Gospel justice and nurture a spiritually fulfilling life through the practice of Christian simplicity. The basic program will consist of weekly handouts.Plus, you can also go online to find additional resources and a blog.

Lent is a 40-day retreat during which we prepare to renew our baptismal commitment so we can celebrate the paschal mystery with minds and hearts renewed. Along with the
disciples, we make the journey to Jerusalem to repent of our sinful, ways, to die to our selfish self and undergo a conversion. By walking in the footsteps of Jesus we hope to share in the grace of Easter, which restores peace and reconciliation to the world
and all its inhabitants.

 

Father Ralph Thomas

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Go to Lent 4.5 website

See Lent-4.5 facebook page