This Sunday begins a series of three Sundays where the faithful prepare to enter into the season of Lent. These Sundays are still celebrated in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite and are known as Septuagesima Sunday, Sexagesima Sunday, and Quinquagesima Sunday. During these three liturgical days the celebrant will wear violet vestments and the Gloria will be suppressed at our 2pm Mass to remind us of the penitential season that we are about to enter into.
I draw attention to this because Lent will be here before we know it. Lent officially begins with our observance of Ash Wednesday which falls on February 26. With this in mind I encourage each of you to begin to think about your Lenten practices now. Traditional areas of concern should be fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. The Lenten season should assist us in coming to see Christ more clearly as we come to rejoice at the Good News of the Resurrection and thus the triumph over the tomb of sin and death.
To the men of our parish I invite you to join us for the February Evening of Recollection. This will be held February 11 at 6:45pm. It will include prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, an opportunity for confession, and a brief talk on the writings of Saint Josemaria Escriva.
In Christ,
Fr. Dustin Collins
