Notes to Parishioners
Ash Wednesday: Mass at 10 a.m and 6.30 p.m . Ashes will be blessed and distributed during Mass.
This year, because of the virus, the ashes will be sprinkled over the head.
Sundays of Lent: Holy Hour from 5 p.m—6 p.m.
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of Fast and Abstinence
People between 21 and 60 are obliged to observe these days of fast —one full meal, eat less at other times.
Abstinence : All over 14 abstain from eating flesh meat.
These two days of fast and abstinence are special in the sense they are communal—i.e. all in the community are fasting together
The other days of Lent are also days of penance — we observe these days as individuals, not as a community.
“Lent Extra “ available in the porch. This Redemptorist magazine is a guide to making good use of Lent. £2.
SCIAF Boxes in porch. Not another collection, but the small acts of penance, e.g., by not eating that chocolate biscuit , by abstaining from that pint, we save money , and it can be put into the SCIAF Box –this connects our acts of penance with almsgiving—two birds with the one stone, so to speak . The SCIAF Boxes are brought up in the offertory procession on Holy Thursday as a sort of sin offering —Holy Thursday is traditionally the night for the reconciliation of sinners, before the great Paschal Feast.
The contents in the SCIAF Boxes are used to alleviate poverty in the third world.
Booklets of Divine Mercy . Free. Please take one. We have plenty. You may be able to distribute them to others
Synod
This year our main project is the Synod, as proclaimed by Pope Francis. We will learn about our involvement as we go along
Watch this space.
1st Sunday of Lent : Second collection for the Sick and Retired priests of the diocese.
Three Activities of Lent
Prayer Fasting Acts of Mercy/Alsmgiving
Prayer: Many people think that prayer is speaking to God; so it is, but it is also listening to Him by reading Holy Scripture –His Divine Word, His wonderful conversation with us. Why not set aside a period of time each day during Lent, say 15 minutes, to read with faith a portion of the Bible, especially a part with which you are not familiar –the books of Genesis or Exodus are especially important for understanding the Old Testament; or a Gospel ; or the letters St. Paul, especially his letter to the Romans. Better still, read with others—members of your family or friends—in that way we encourage each other. Read it slowly as a prayer—with faith and reverence—it does not have to be a long extract—the Lord can speak to you in a brief sentence.