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Dear Parishioners,

   Ten days from now, the season of Lent will begin on Ash Wednesday. If we take the season seriously, we know that it can be a time of personal sacrifice and a time to grow in our faith. It is a special time of the year to remember Jesus’ sacrifices for us but it is not the only time of the year to do such things. In fact, the season of Lent should help us to live a deeper life of faith all year through. While it would be a good time now to think and pray about how we plan to live Lent this year, it would also be a good time to think of how we can change our faith life for the better. How can we allow Jesus to change our lives to be more like His? How can we make our Lenten practices into a way of life?

   This does not mean we have to be on our knees at every minute of every day. Not too many people do that during Lent anyway. However, it might help to be on our knees more, or at least to pray more often as Jesus did. It would certainly help to think more of others as Jesus did, and to deny ourselves of certain pleasures to make our faith stronger.

   One of the ways to be strong in mind, heart and soul is to participate fervently in the sacrifice of the Mass. Sunday (or Saturday evening) attendance is a given, but what about attending more than once a week? Wouldn’t it be uplifting to attend Mass once or more a week in addition to the Sunday obligation? I realize it is difficult for some during the week so the priests want to offer a special Lenten opportunity.

   On all of the Monday evenings during Lent, we will change the usual novena schedule in order to offer Mass. We will have the regular Novena prayers at 7:15pm from Monday, February 22 until Monday, March 29 inclusive, followed by a Lenten Mass and homily and the Prayer for the Year of the Priests (since this is the Lenten season in the Year of the Priests). We will return to the Monday Novena prayers and benediction of the Blessed Sacrament after Easter but it would be wonderful to participate in weekday Masses if at all possible.

   I pray that we may all begin even now to set our hearts once again on the ways of God in our lives and resolve to keep our prayer life strong. We may not be able to keep our Lenten practices all year long but we can make every effort to pray everyday and to walk on our journey through life with Jesus. He promised to be with us always, not only during Lent or Easter or Christmas. He is leading us to heaven every single day. We have only to listen and follow the Good Shepherd - the Shepherd of our souls.


                                                      Sincerely in Christ,

                                                      Rev.  Monsignor Joseph R. Giandurco

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