Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Blessed Laetare Sunday! and Adoration this Weekend! Similar to “Gaudete Sunday” in Advent, Lent has its halfway point, a little oasis. On this day we wear rose vestments at Mass and there is more allowance for the organ to be played as we rejoice - a little - in anticipation of the Easter festivities. We are reminded of the goal and purpose of our penance, which is redemption and resurrection. In honor of this day, we are making an adjustment to our adoration schedule. Rather than wait until the first week of April, we will have adoration time after Masses this weekend. What better way to rejoice than to spend a few extra moments in prayerful adoration?

Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Don’t Wait! St. Expeditus, Pray for Us! There is a story of an early saint who was a roman soldier. He desires to become a Christian but kept putting off his baptism again and again. This was especially dangerous because of his profession where his life could end without much warning. Thankfully, he finally responded fully to the Lord’s grace and was baptized and lived the remainder of his life with heroic virtue.

Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Faith Formation on Sunday March 16 @ 9:15-10:15 Flourishing in the Desert: Lenten Discipline, Apophatic Worship, and the Bishop’s Letter This month’s Faith Formation will review excerpts of the Bishop’s Apostolic Letter in relation to the Lenten Season. We will discuss the importance of Liturgical participation as well as private devotion. We will share practical tips in navigating this wonderful penitential season that we may grow in grace and charity. Having read part one of the bishop’s letter (See below) is helpful but not necessary.

Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Lent is Underway! “What are you giving up?” is often the question we hear at this time of year. This is well and good, but I invite us to ask another question, “what are you doing for Lent?” I grant that giving up something is a “doing” of sorts in that it takes effort, but we must not forget there are three ways of penance in Lent - we give up stuff as we are fasting, yes, but there is also the doing of almsgiving, and especially prayer.

Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Bishop’s Pastoral Letter Everyone should have received in the mail Bishop Malesic’s Pastoral letter: A Flourishing Apostolic Church. His expectation is that this letter be at the forefront of conversation for parishes. The bishop is our diocesan pastor and our spiritual father, so we owe him the respect to take his letter seriously and implement his vision as best we can. We will take his opening recommendation to heart by praying with his letter in front of the Blessed Sacrament.