Parish Bulletin Article: "Back to Lent!" 3-1-20

Welcome to the season of Lent!
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Here we go with another winter/spring/summer in the seasons in our area, but also 40 days in our liturgical season.

I will be honest about Lent.  On one side, at times, I love Lent, like the Fish Fry’s, turning off my cell phone or computer, trying to focus spiritually and challenge myself physically.  On the other side, Lent is not enjoyable, fun, or as a cakewalk, when the above does not occur successfully.  Kind of like running, fishing, deer hunting, or writing theses articles every week.

Or in another thought…Lent is similar to when we have a goal over many days, weeks, or years, finding a mighty achievement.  Lent is like that, though what one of our teachers told us in the seminary, “If you do not fail your goals in Lent, they are too easy.” What?

This Lent, we must get back to the basics with Jesus Christ.  Now, we do have many opportunities for Lent, both in our parishes and in the Diocese of Duluth.  Here you go:

• Every weekend Mass or trying daily Mass(es)
• 4 Saturdays after Mass, dinner, children care and learning about the Mass program by Bishop Robert Barron
• Monday mornings after Mass with men conversing about faith, scriptures, questions, etc. with me
• First Mondays of the month with women to pray together for intercessions and conversations with each other
• Friday evenings at 7:00pm for the Stations of the Cross (both at St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Columban)
• Men’s Conference in Duluth on Saturday, February 29th (all day)
• Women’s Conference in Duluth on Saturday, March 28th (all day)
• 40 Hour Eucharistic Adoration: March 31st-April 2nd, or Adoration during each week
• Bus to Duluth on Monday, April 6th in Holy Week for the Chrism Mass

Let’s begin Lent well, and please check out some of these remarkable events to support your relationship with Jesus Christ!

God Bless!