PRAYER
Throughout the Gospels we see Jesus taking time to leave ministry to go and be alone in prayer with God and with his disciples. Even though Jesus is the Son of God, he still felt the need to retreat from the world and spiritually recharge.
If Jesus felt he could afford to take time away from his his work, surely we can! If we truly want to be like Jesus, we need to follow his example and make time for God.
The season of Lent invites us to do just this. How about this Lent we plan to spend 6 minutes with God at the beginning or end of our day? The Little Black Books (Adults) and Little Purple Books (Kids) available at the entrances of church are a perfect guide to help us do this. Pick one up this weekend and read the introduction before Ash Wednesday.
The Word Among Us booklets, also available at the entrances of church, provide us with the Daily Readings and reflections. Perhaps that is more your style.
Refer to our St. Josaphat Parish Prayer Guidebook for different prayer techniques and prayers. Copies are available at the entrances of church.
The Pauline Sisters from the
Pauline Books and Media Center will be here on the weekend of March 14 - 15 with Lenten and Easter titles to purchase.
Come to ALPHA! A new season will be starting on Thursday, March 12. Sign Up Here!
Bible Study with Fr. Francis - Mark your calendars for the Wednesdays in Lent (though not Ash Wednesday or Holy Week) to learn more about the Gospel of Matthew. Meetings are from 9 - 10am (after morning Mass) and from 7 - 8pm in the Fireplace Room.
Plan to attend our Lenten Evening of Reflection on Sunday, March 29 with Fr. Peter Wojcik, dynamic speaker and
Director of the Department of Parish Vitality and Mission at Archdiocese of Chicago.
Come to Reconciliation on Saturdays between 4:15 - 4:45pm or to our Grouping's Reconciliation Service on Monday, March 30th at 7pm at our church.
FASTING
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fasting and abstinence. We can take one main meal and two smaller meals. All Fridays of lent are days of abstinence, on which we don't eat meat. It may help to think about abstinence in the context of not indulging in some food or drink (which in your case, might not be meat :-)
ALMSGIVING
For over 10 years, St. Josaphat Parish has supported Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos
https://nphusa.org/donate/,
which fully supports nearly 3,100 vulnerable boys and girls in 10 homes in Bolivia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Peru. An additional 3,200 children who live outside the homes receive scholarships, meals and healthcare.
Many parishioners are "Godparents" to specific children. Each classroom at our school has a relationship with an orphan whom they support. Several parishioners have gone on mission and fundraising trips to one of the homes. We will be learning more about NPH and supporting the children with our parish Lenten Almsgiving this year. We encourage you to participate with your entire family.
We will be praying that our parish has a fruitful Lenten season!
