Love God. Love others. Make disciples.
Why We Should Accept the Call of Lent
Philip Kosloski - published on 02/15/24
St. John Paul II urges us all to accept the call and challenge of Lent, embracing it with our entire being, instead of brushing it off as too difficult.
For many of us, we may want to embrace the season of Lent, but find ourselves at the end of Ash Wednesday already breaking our personal disciplines.
St. John Paul II urges us all to see Lent as an opportunity for growth and to accept it. He reflected on this call during his Ash Wednesday homily in 1981:
Accepting the call of Lent means accepting the call to a particular cooperation with Grace. This call is pronounced with the words of the liturgy, but it must resonate deeply in the heart and consciousness of each of us.
He goes on to say how, “accepting the call of Lent means accepting the call to a particular cooperation with Christ: “Working together with him, then, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, ‘At the acceptable time I have listened to you and helped you on the day of salvation'” (2 Cor 6.1-2).
Lent is a time to accept God’s call to conversion, where we evaluate our lives and see where we need to improve, so that we can receive God’s many graces.
Sacrifice and God’s love
Above all, the various sacrifices we make during Lent should all go back to the love of God imitating his sacrifice on the cross:
[T]he cross is revealed before the eyes of our soul, that is, love.
Proclaiming fasting means remembering this Love with all its force! Remember the cross!
Accepting fasting means accepting the revelation of this love: finding oneself in the dimensions of this love-mercy.
Everything during Lent returns to the cross, which is God’s most clear sign of his love for us.
As we go through Lent, may we accept the spirit of prayer, fasting and alms giving and see it as a response to God’s love.
Posted on: February 2, 2021
Announcements February 2, 2021
Preparing for Ash Wednesday
Every year before Ash Wednesday, Parishioners are encouraged to return their old Palm branches to the church.
These palms are burnt into ashes and used on Ash Wednesday after blessing them.
We therefore encourage you to drop your old palms in the church from now till the end of January.
On Wednesday, February 17, we will begin the 40 days of Lent.
Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, the reception of Ashes on our Forehead as a sign of Penitence.
This year on Ash Wednesday, we will have 2 Masses: 8:30 am and 6:00 pm.
Kindly phone the parish office to register or you can register through our website.
Every Friday in the season of Lent, we will have Stations of the Cross in the church at 6pm.
Thanks and God Bless
Fr. Amedee.
PRAYER CHAIN
Janet Barber has been leading a prayer chain ministry in our parish. If you would like prayers said for you or a loved one - or for any special intention - please call her at 306-584-1010. There is a community of people ready to include your intention in their daily prayers. (If you would like to be a part of the Prayer Chain and pray for others please contact Janet.)
Thanks so much.
God bless!
Anita
Posted on: July 12, 2020
Clergy Moves 2020
Effective October 1, Rev. Amedee Ainemon, sma has been appointed as Pastor of the parishes of St. Anne and St. Jean Baptiste. (This appointment is for six years unless the good of the Archdiocese requires otherwise.)