Originally Lent started out as only a few days of fasting and in some Christian communities, 40 hours of preparation before Easter. In time the Church adopted a 36 day Lenten period of preparation, a “tenth” of the calendar year. In the fourth century the Church set the proper calculation of Easter: the first Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox. Lent commemorates Jesus’ forty days in the desert, with the six Sundays leading up to Easter not considered part of the Lenten fast (as every Sunday is a remembrance of Christ’s Resurrection). To reiterate, the Church sets forth the obligations of “fasting,” encouraging this Lenten journey to renew our personal and community prayer life, and offer help to others in need be it by our outward actions or almsgiving of the blessings we have to share. Fasting. Beginning on Ash Wednesday and on all Fridays during Lent, we are abstain from eating meat. On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday we are obligated to have just one full meal, and no ‘snacking.’ Prayer: Prayer is conversation with God. Pope Francis said, “Lent is a privileged time for prayer.” In prayer, we draw closer in relationship with God, with gratitude for the blessings we have received and can share. grateful for the blessings we have received. Renewal of our personal prayer lives is the cornerstone of our Lenten journey. Almsgiving. Such can be in the form of sharing our monetary blessings with charitable organizations or individuals in need. At the same time it is our actions of outreach. (A good friend would visit individuals in the local care center each week as part of her ‘Almsgiving.’) Personal resolutions we set during Lent are a means to free us from unhealthy or negative habits, fortify our spiritual character, and free us to recognize God’s grace in our lives. 
Penance. Lent is a journey with God, taking account of ourselves, calling forth the times we have been self-serving, negative, thoughtless, unfaithful, and harming others by our speech or actions. Seeking forgiveness and the blessing of peace through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and within our personal prayer. There will be opportunities to receive this Sacrament throughout Lent and beyond, and too during Mass we pause to ask for God’s mercy, reconciling our relationships. Though the Rice Bowl program has traditionally been a part of the forty days of Lent, supporting our Church’s outreach—through Catholic Relief Services—to impoverished and marginalized individuals and communities overseas, we are emphasizing this form of Almsgiving this season. Catholic Relief Services’ funding has been severely cut and they need our continued and generous help to maintain outreach to the most devastated and struggling individuals and communities. Thus, we have placed the “Rice Bowls” in the pews for easy access. You may give/sacrifice a certain amount each week of Lent or give a one time donation in the Rice Bowl. Your Rice Bowl could be placed on the kitchen table so all members of the family could give each week, each day. Practically 25 percent of donations received by Catholic Relief Services goes  back to local charities. At any time during Lent or Holy Week you may bring your Rice Bowl and leave it by the altar, put it in the collection, or return it to the office. Whatever you determine, thank you for your generosity toward this outreach of our Catholic Church. We will be offering Stations of the Cross (Lenten prayer journey so to speak) at all three church.
We will be offering Stations of the Cross (Lenten prayer journey so to speak) at all three church locations. At St. Malachy the Stations will be offered after the 5:30pm evening Mass on Thursdays with soup meal afterwards. On Sunday the Stations will be offered after the 8:30am Mass at St. Malachy, after the 10:00am Mass at Sacred Heart. At St. John church the Stations will be offered after the 9:15am Mass on the 7th and 21st. For those who are working the Stations of the Cross will be offered each Friday evening, 6:00pm, with simple soup meal following, at St. John. As you enter into Lent, I leave you with these Lenten experiences from two individuals. 
 “One of my best Lenten practices was begun when my children were in elementary school and I was a working parent. It seemed as though we were struggling to find time to eat dinner as a family and this was greatly disturbing to me. I decided that if we were unable to hold the dinner hour sacred due to work schedules and after school activities, I would instead hold the breakfast hour sacred. I made sure to get up each morning during Lent just a little earlier so that I could not only provide breakfast for my family but actually sit together, pray our meal prayer and begin each day with some conversation. It began in Lent and didn’t end until my children went off to college many years later. I learned that Lenten habits could carry far off into the future with my family. The impact was dramatic in that each day was started with a prayer and positive attitudes.” (Roberta, Illinois)
 “Instead of listening to music or talk radio in my car going to and from work, I decided to take that time for prayer and to listen to God. At first, it was a difficult transition; the silence was deafening. But soon, I began to enjoy the quiet time. I prayed for people who I knew needed my prayers. I prayed for my family and myself. I also thanked God for my many blessings. I found that I became much more calm and peaceful during this time. This reflective time grounded and centered me to do my best.” (Don, North Carolina) Loyola Press. God Bless, Fr. Tim