Traditionally, Lent is a time of preparation and penitence in preparation for Easter and we began the season on Wednesday night when we gathered for Ash Wednesday. That’s the personal and spiritual dimension of Lent. But there’s also a public and political dimension to the Lenten journey. It’s been said that one should never mix religion and politics, but the Gospels don’t have such restrictions. For Mark and for the other Gospel writers, the week between Palm Sunday and Easter is the climax of the conflict between two kingdoms or, to update the language, two worldviews: the worldview of human political and social systems and the worldview of the Jesus, whom the Gospel writers see as the one true and divine ruler of the world. That conflict is evident through the whole story of Jesus, but it comes to a head here in Jerusalem during the Passover. READ MORE

We strongly believe that living intentionally allows a person to become all that he or she desires to be. Intentional living puts us in a position to experience the fullness of life.

Palm Sunday is this coming Sunday, which kicks off the week, leading up to Easter - called Holy Week. It marks the events and teachings of Jesus Christ leading to his death and resurrection. For a Christian, it is the most significant week on the calendar because it defines our faith and practices. It shapes our perspectives and

ignites our hope for a life that can be lived abundantly.

We thought it might be a good reminder to walk with Christ through next week and draw some challenging conclusions about living intentionally. READ MORE

by RJ Jacobs, SJ

Receiving ashes this year was different for me than in years past. Instead of attending an Ash Wednesday service at a church, I attended Ash Wednesday Mass in a chapel at the hospital where I typically volunteer on Sundays. That Wednesday at the hospital, I was assisting the staff chaplains with the imposition of ashes in addition to being one of the hundreds of people who were visibly marked with the cross on our foreheads. Ashes were distributed not only in the chapel but in the midst of packed waiting areas, lonely hospital rooms, and in bustling hallways. READ MORE

Hey St. Ignatius Parishioners...attached is an update report from Jesuit Refugee Service

on their "Crisis in Ukraine" drive. If you recall, we designated our Poor Box collection for a couple weeks last month to this great need. We received a phone call and letter of gratitude from JRS last week. Our parishioners have thus far contributed over $14,000 to their efforts. Are we thrilled about your generosity or what?

Our PREP children are once again rotating through Stations of the Cross on Sundays, with each grade level participating a different week. This is a new tradition or us, after introducing outdoor stations during COVId.  Children are praying using the wooden stations prepped by the Currie family, and painted by children at the Patapsco Park 2020 Outdoor Retreat. Weather permitting, the children pray in the St. Ignatius Courtyard. You can view the stations in the annex, in the PREP corridors near the Deacon's parlor, or in the courtyard on a Sunday before Mass. Let us stop at each station in our time, and reflect on how we share the miraculous story of Jesus, as one human family. Shall we watch on, or come to aide, as Jesus carries out God's plan for hope, resurrection and healing? The 15^th station - Jesus Rises.   

PREP Coordinator

Video Above: Parishes in the Archdiocese of Baltimore are supporting Afghan refugee families settling in Maryland that were evacuated with little warning when the U.S. military presence ended forcing many to leave their native country for their own safety.

by Priscila González de Doran

Having worked as an electrical engineer for U.S. military forces in Afghanistan for six years, Salimee knew all too well that his life and those of his family members were in danger as militant jihadist forces advanced. READ MORE

It would be our honor to host you as our guest at The Loyola School Open House Sunday on May 1, 2022. We will begin our event immediately following the 10:00 A.M. Mass in The Reeves Gallery at St. Ignatius Catholic Church, 740 N Calvert Street Baltimore, MD 21202 at 11:00 am. Starting with Coffee, Cake and Conversation, we will begin our 20-minute tours of the school at 11:15 a.m. The last tour begins at 12:05.

We offer this day as a special thank you to our many benefactors of St. Ignatius Catholic Church to tour our classrooms and to meet members of The Loyola School, which we refer to as “TLS” administration, faculty, staff, students, and parents.

We hope that you will decide to join us. Please RSVP to Will H. Nathan, Jr. via email @ [email protected] by Monday, April 25, 2022 or call 443-563-2589 Ext. 122.

April 10 @ 11:15 am - 12:30 pm

April 12 @ 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

April 10 @ 10:00 am - 11:30 am

April 14 @ 7:30 pm

April 15 @ 7:30 pm

April 16 @ 7:30 pm

April 17 @ 10:00 am - 11:30 am

April 26 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

by Gregory Chisholm, S.J.

I am 6 foot 4 inches tall. I am nearly 70 years old. I have a responsible position in my community in Harlem. Ninety percent of the time, I am the image of the role I hold in our Catholic Church. Most of the time, I would not allow myself to scream. It would be unseemly for me to express the pain, the anger, the disappointment that I have felt for most of this last year. But God knows that I feel like screaming. READ MORE

by Colleen Dulle

Last year, I spent about six months reporting a feature story and an accompanying podcast episode for America on how women are rising to leadership positions in the Vatican. It’s one of my favorite subjects: In 2019, when I traveled to Rome to report on the Vatican’s historic summit on preventing sexual abuse, I carved out time to interview Lucetta Scaraffia, the firebrand historian and journalist who founded Women Church World, the Vatican women’s magazine, and who, just weeks after our interview, resigned her position—along with the entire editorial board—in protest of alleged censorship. READ MORE

Parish: 'the thought' is a publication of St. Ignatius Catholic Community—Baltimore. Each edition contains articles and news feeds that are included for awareness of current topics in our world today. The positions expressed by outside authors and news feeds are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or positions of St. Ignatius Catholic Community or its staff.