After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God.
~Mk 1:14
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Pope Francis’ Letter for Lent
Pope Francis has issued a letter for this season of grace entitled, Behold, We are Going up to Jerusalem. Lent: A Time for Renewing Faith, Hope and Charity. I encourage you to read his letter, which can be found HERE.
Lenten Observances
Abstinence – Catholics 14 years of age and older must abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all the Fridays of Lent.
Fasting – Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 inclusive are required to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. On these days one full meal is allowed. Food may be taken at two other times during the day, in order to maintain strength according to each one’s needs, but together they should not equal another full meal. Eating between meals is not permitted. Liquids, including milk and fruit juices, are allowed, however.
Sacrament of Penance – All the faithful who have reached the age of reason (second grade) are bound faithfully to confess their grave sins at least once a year. Lent is a good time to fulfill this precept of the Church. Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion without previously having been to sacramental confession (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1457). Of course, frequent confession, even of venial sins, is highly recommended to grow in God’s grace (CCC, #1458).
Other Lenten Observances – Each weekday of Lent, with the exception of Solemnities, is also an obligatory day of penance and should be marked by prayer and increased devotion to spiritual practices. Some recommendations to fulfill this obligation include the participation in daily Mass, increased personal prayer time or spiritual study, self-imposed fasting or abstinence, works of charity, financial generosity to programs which benefit others, especially the poor, and participation in traditional Lenten Devotions (Stations of the Cross, Rosary, Retreats, etc.).
The goal of all our Lenten disciplines is the conversion of our hearts. As the Catechism states, however, “interior conversion urges expression in visible signs, gestures and works of penance” (CCC, #1430). These penances help us to “repent” as the Lord asks, by redirecting our whole life toward God and away from the sin and evil which wounds our nature (CCC, #1430-1439).
Stations of the Cross
Praying the Stations of the Cross is a wonderful spiritual practice throughout the year, but especially during Lent. We will celebrate the Stations of the Cross in the church every Friday during Lent at 4:30 PM. (Please note that we will not celebrate Stations of the Cross at 7:00 PM on Fridays, as we have in the past.) In addition to the service in the church, we recorded a Stations of the Cross liturgy that is posted to our website.
Archdiocesan Resources
The archdiocese has developed some wonderful resources on prayer and faith and culture. Please visit www.archspm.org/synod for access to those resources. The archdiocese has also collected various resources, including Lenten resources, from parishes around the archdiocese. You can find those resources at www.archspm.org/events.
I wish you a spiritually fruitful Lent.
Peace, Fr. Talbot
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Confessions Heard Saturdays,
9:00 AM at the House of Mercy
Thanks to a generous donation, outdoor drive-up confessions will continue this winter with Fr. Talbot sheltered in a fish house, a.k.a. “The House of Mercy.”
Drive up and stop alongside the fish house and Fr. Talbot will hear your confession through the window.
Fr. Talbot was recently featured in The Catholic Spirit: View HERE
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Current Options for Mass at St. Mary of the Lake
Please view the guidelines for attending Mass HERE. Masks are required and seats are assigned.
Daily Masses
We have daily Mass in the church at 8:00 AM on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. There is no limit to the number of times you can attend daily Mass. Sign up is no longer necessary.
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Sunday Mass
We have Mass in the church on Sundays at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM. Sign up is required as space is limited. These Masses are for those who are unable to attend Mass during the week.
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Sign up for Sunday Masses HERE. Or you may call the parish office between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM, Monday through Friday at 651-429-7771 option 1.
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Lent Resource
The Word Among Us for Lent and other resources can be picked up at the Parish Life Center or at the church.
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Reconciliation
St. Mary’s will be having reconciliation during Lent (Form III).
Signing up to attend is required for the following dates.
· Thursday, March 18 at 6:30 PM
· Saturday, March 20 at 10:30 AM
· Wednesday, March 24, immediately after 8:00 AM Mass
· Thursday, March 25 at 1:00 PM in the parking lot
· Saturday, March 27 at 10:30 AM
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Funerals are Private
In our ongoing efforts to keep parishioners as safe as possible during COVID-19, funerals at St. Mary’s will be private. Many families choose to have the funeral live streamed so that others can participate online.
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Old Palms Collection
Palms from last year can be brought to the collection box in the Gathering Space through March 14.
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Social Justice
Advocate for peace and justice with our representatives in the Minnesota Legislature. The Social Justice Legislative Tracker provides continual status updates of important legislation impacting our shared values as Catholics. View the latest updates HERE
Take part in a survey sharing what social justice issues matter to you most. Download Survey HERE
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Join a Small Group
St Mary of the Lake encourages all parishioners to be ON MISSION—knowing, following, and sharing Jesus-- by participating in the community life of the parish. SCC’s are a helpful way to grow in faith and support each other on the discipleship journey.
Lent 2021 is the perfect time to join a group! The focus this Lenten Season, Mending Our Hearts, sets our intention on reimagining community through the benevolent eyes of Jesus.
We have a few options for groups this Lenten season:
Mending Our Hearts - daily reflections, contemplations and prayers focused on healing body, spirit and community.
The Best Lent Ever - uses journaling, the book I Heard God Laugh, and videos to guide us through Lent.
At Home with the Word - follows the Sunday Gospel reading with reflections on the practices of Hope, Faith and Charity.
All these resources are free and can be used in families, as an individual, or in a small group setting.
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Lenten Retreat
Lent is the Church’s annual nudge that reminds us to set aside time in our busy lives for prayer. This Lent Patrice Halbach and Kathryn Lien are leading an exploration of prayer through the lens of Jesuit spirituality. You are invited to this weekly virtual conversation to discover the many ways to pray.
Beginning the week of February 21 and continuing for seven weeks, you will receive an article on prayer from the treasury of America magazine. You can choose from either of two sessions offered each week, one on Mondays from 6:30-7:30 PM and one on Wednesdays from 10:00-11:00 AM. There are as many ways to pray as there are people who want to pray. Let us come together in our common desire to deepen our relationship with Jesus this Lenten season. Please take a moment to register by contacting Kathryn Lien at kathrynannlien@gmail.com.
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Young Adult Ministry
St. Mary’s young adult ministry is a faith-filled community of Catholics ranging from 21-39 years old. Young adults from all walks of life are welcome, including singles, couples, married with or without kids, single parents, and any other status you can imagine.
Please consider joining the regular weekly small group meeting time on Thursdays at 7:30 – 8:30 PM via ZOOM. The small group focus this Lent will be on the “At Home with the Word” resource which will guide participants through the Sunday readings and Gospels.
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Fused High School Ministry
Hey Everyone! Can you believe that Lent is already approaching? Some super exciting things in the works as we journey through this season. Also, very keen to announce that we will be having a LIVE social event on Saturday, February 20. Join us for Ice Skating and outdoor games on White Bear Lake. Download the remind app to get message updates and more info @fusedhsm. Also, feel free to email cobryan@stmarys-wbl.org or call 651-429-8001 ext 233 Carley anytime! Can’t wait to connect with you!
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Prayer Network At
St. Mary of the Lake
Please call your prayer requests in to the Parish Office 651-429-7771, option 1 or Terry (651) 429-4972.
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Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis monthly prayer request for priests:
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Blessed Sacrament Chapel - Adoration Hours
The 24 hour Eucharistic adoration chapel at church is now open for parishioners. Please call our main number 651-429-7771 from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM weekdays for the three-digit code to get in the chapel. You will be asked to provide your name. Only one or two worshipers are allowed in the chapel at a time, to ensure social distancing. You must wear a mask in the chapel.
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Parish Office Information
The parish front desk is open from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM Monday–Friday. During office hours, the door from the front entryway towards the front desk (to the right) will be unlocked. However, pick-ups and drop-offs are still available without approaching the front desk itself. If you would like our answering service to pick up your call when the front desk is closed, please call 651-429-7771.
Note to Our Parishioners
Assistance may be available for parishioners who need some help during these uncertain times. Email cjgreen@stmarys-wbl.org or call the parish office at 651-429-7771 option 1 and ask for Casey Green. Thank you to parishioners who have made a donation to our Emergency Assistance Fund.
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How To Subscribe to Our Parish Bulletin on Parishes Online
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Go to www.parishesonline.com.
- Enter your church name and your city, state or zip. Click the search icon.
- Find your church on the search results page and click on the name of the church.
- Under recent publication, click subscribe.
- Enter your email, first name and last name in the pop-up box. Click subscribe.
You will now receive alerts in your inbox when new publications become available for your church on parishes online.
View this process step-by-step with visuals HERE.
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Subscribe to St. Mary of the Lake on YouTube
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Consider Remote Giving to Support Our Parish
There are currently three ways to give electronically:
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Monthly amount transferred from your bank account (click on the DONATE button on our website home page to find a form). It would be better to mail the form to us, since you need to include a voided check.
- Weekly, monthly, or one-time checks sent by your bank or other financial service organization (contact your bank to set up a plan that works for you). It is helpful to have your envelope number on the check your bank sends to us.
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Weekly, monthly, or one-time gifts charged to your credit card (click on the DONATE button on our website home page to set up your gift).
There is a way to give remotely that is not “high tech”: Simply mail us your check. Our address:
4690 Bald Eagle Avenue, White Bear Lake, 55110.
Thank you so much for your support in this difficult time.
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FRASSATI CATHOLIC ACADEMY NEWS |
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Valentine Celebrations!
Frassati's 2021 Valentine's Day classroom celebrations were all about the Valentine mailboxes! From the youngest grades to the older grades, students showed off their creativity and art capabilities with some very impressive designs!
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Falcon Feed Blog
Stay in the loop on Frassati news and Falcon activities, be sure to subscribe to the Falcon Feed Blog. Have new blog posts sent directly to your inbox. Subscribe HERE
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White Bear Area Food Shelf
will have “To-Go” Bags, Monday-Friday
No Appointment Necessary, any and every household is eligible to receive them. Food helpline 1-888-711-1151. Curbside Pick Up Hours:
Monday: 4:00 – 7:00 PM
Tuesday: 4:00 – 7:00 PM
Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Thursday: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Friday: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Mahtomedi Area Food Shelf: 651-395-5350
Vadnais Heights Community Food Program: 651-746-4158
Questions about “ Meals On Wheels” 651-653-3123
National Alliance on Mental Health: 651-645-2948
Northeast Youth & Family Services: 651-429-8544
Medicare/Health Insurance – Senior Link – Age Line: 1-800-333-2433
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YMCA Food Distribution
The YMCA is partnering with Loaves & Fishes and United Health Group to serve free healthy meals to families in need. These organizations believe that supplying healthy fresh food is critical to supporting families in our communities to alleviate food insecurity and hunger. Together they combine the YMCA region-wide distribution network, Loaves & Fishes internationally recognized program, and United Health Group efforts to cover the more than $2 million in food costs and wages for the cafeteria employees preparing meals for people in the Greater Twin Cities.
Families may pick up food from Noon – 1:00 PM Monday through Friday at select YMCA and choose a meal package for a family of four including a protein, vegetables and other fresh food. Also, lunch bags with a sandwich, snacks and fruit are available. The White Bear Lake location is a designated pickup spot. Go to
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