February 26, 2023 1st Sunday of Lent To My Spiritual Family of Holy Redeemer and St. Anthony, On a Mission for Lent: The only sadness is not to be a saint, right? We are created by God to live a life of holiness here on earth and then to live in unimaginable bliss for all eternity. God offers us a pretty good deal! Unfortunately, the lure of sin and the temptation to evil is real. The desire of the devil to destroy our souls is real. Therefore, heaven is not a given, and it’s a mistake to think that it is. We must fight the good fight of faith. The crown is only given when the struggle is completed. Lent is a gift from Holy Mother Church to help us in this battle. Prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and works of charity are the weapons we yield against the forces of evil. Repentance is essential. In other words, we must turn away from the flesh, the devil, and the world, and turn toward God and his righteousness. Our Lenten Mission (March 13-15) is the centerpiece of our 2023 journey of repentance. Please continue to pray for Fr. Ben and the evangelical fruitfulness of the Mission nights. Please make your plans to be with us during this privileged time of Mission. We can be assured that God has many graces prepared! Tithing Our Blessings: Food For the Poor is the charitable organization that will receive our March parish tithe. This group, as its name indicates, works diligently to bring food and support to the poorest people of the Caribbean, Haiti, Jamaica, and other places. This is an entity that I have often personally donated to through the years. As always, thank you for your generosity. Like the Lord Jesus himself, we too must always stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in need. Prayers for Our Catechumens & Candidates: The beginning of Lent signals a period of final, intense preparation for our brothers and sisters who will be entering the Catholic Church at Easter. Today, the bishop himself welcomes these individuals at the Cathedral in Erie during what is known as the Rite of Election. We are incredibly blessed to be welcoming six new members into the Warren Catholic Community. Please continue to pray for Brianne, Tanner, Keith, Shelly and Erica. Please pray as well for the OCIA team that has been so faithfully preparing them. They are each shimmering lights in a world of darkness. Stations of the Cross: During Lent, Deacon Ray will lead us in the Stations of the Cross at 6:15 pm on Monday evenings (with the exception of Monday, March 13, the first night of our Lenten Mission). These Monday evenings provide a wonderful opportunity for you and your family to go to confession (5:30-6:30 pm), pray the Stations (6:15 pm), and then attend Holy Mass (7:00 pm). Consider making these Mondays an integral part of your Lenten experience. Catholic Services Appeal: In the next bulletin, I will provide an update on where we stand with this year’s CSA, but for now, please know that we’ve received many pledges and contributions. Thank you so much! As one of our staff members gratefully remarked: “We have one of the most generous congregations!!” True words indeed! Pledges are still being accepted. Thank you and God bless you! Mary, Mother of the Holy Redeemer – Pray for us! Our Lady of Guadalupe – Pray for us! St. Anthony – Pray for us! St. Joseph – Pray for us! Fr. Steve