To My Spiritual Family of Holy Redeemer and St. Anthony, It’s Time for our Lenten Mission: its here! The time for our Lenten Mission has arrived! I am so excited to welcome Fr. Ben Daghir and to begin these days of grace! Here’s a reminder of the Mission schedule:
Monday, March 13 “Given Up/Poured Out” + Eucharistic Adoration Tuesday, March 14 “Transubstantiation” + Confessions Wednesday, March 15 Holy Mass + Social
Each evening begins at 6:45 pm with music. Rachel Harvey will be with us throughout the Mission to share her musical talents. The Youth Choir she has formed will be featured on Wednesday night. Please join us for the Mission! Bring a friend. Bring a family member who may have drifted away from the faith. In a special way, I want to invite our families to attend. We love you and we want to share the gift of this Mission with you. God is so good! No doubt, he will be pouring down blessings from above during these days of grace. Please open your heart and let the love of God enter deeply into your life!
The First Scrutiny: Our catechumens and candidate are drawing ever nearer to the moments at the Easter Vigil when they will be fully welcomed into the Catholic Church! Those who await Baptism and full initiation into the Church (catechumens) are Tanner, Brianne, Shelly, Leslie and Keith. Awaiting Confirmation and First Eucharist (candidate) is Erica. Please continue to soak them in your prayers! Today, at the 8:15 am Mass, and as a ritual step in their preparation, our catechumens and candidates will receive what is called the First Scrutiny. The Scrutinies trace their roots back to the early days of the Church. They occur on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Sundays of Lent, with each one being linked to the gospel reading for that day. In the Scrutinies, we can imagine God taking a close, loving look (scrutinizing, if you will) the person who wishes to enter the Church. God scrutinizes them – and us as well – not to lay bare our faults and failings (after all, God knows our souls better than we do ourselves), but in order to celebrate all that is beautiful and good and true in the person preparing to draw more closely into the embrace of Christ and His Church. Please, continue to pray for our catechumens and candidate. They will celebrate the 2nd and 3rd Scrutinies at St. Joseph Church in the Sundays ahead.
Lenten Perseverance: Finally, I want to encourage us all to persevere in our Lenten prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. We do these things for love of God, for love of neighbor, and for our own spiritual nourishment. Whatever penances we may have taken up, God will give us the grace to persevere, if we only accept his divine assistance. This Lent, may we cling to the Cross of Christ.
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!