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: March 15, 2020
Safeguarding our Parish Community: Preparing and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic
The St. Anne Finance Council has formed a small task force to ensure St. Anne Parish is prepared and responsive to the COVID-19 pandemic. We assure you that protecting you, our parishioners, and our staff, is our utmost priority. We understand that our place of worship needs to be safe and perceived to be safe by all parishioners and guests seeking God in worship and Holy Eucharist.
Decisions of the COVID-19 Response Task Force are guided by the values of St. Anne Parish - to be a welcoming, caring, faith community. The Task Force includes members of our parish with experience in emergency response and pandemic planning, others with reach and experience in best practices in operations and maintenance, communications expertise, and those with contractual and employment relations experience. It is comprised of Denise Nelson, Trevor Novak, Kelly Nelson, Debbie Bailey and myself, Dick Graham.
Finance Council and the COVID-19 Response Task Force want to be very clear with parishioners that the information provided to our parish by Archbishop Donald Bolen is solid guidance and that direction should, and will, be followed. We recommend you pay attention to the guidance of health authorities and our diocese (some links are provided below for your convenience).
Our efforts intend to reach beyond that which has already been provided by Archbishop Bolen to include additional steps unique to our parish community. We want to ensure all parishioners and guests feel welcome and safe in our space especially in this difficult time in our world. Among other things, the Finance Council has asked the COVID-19 Response Task Force to explore employee safety protocols, changes to cleaning and disinfecting schedules in the parish, hall, office and to also look at protocols for those that rent our hall. You will note these efforts reach beyond the weekend church service.
We will continue to monitor health updates and will communicate with you regularly as important information becomes available. In the days and weeks ahead you may see changes intended to better protect you and help to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We ask for your patience and support in making our parish safe and welcoming.
Feel free to raise any questions you may have regarding St Anne’s COVID-19 responsiveness or call the office if you wish to speak to anyone on the topic rather than email. Please don't hesitate to speak to any of the Task Force members after mass - or at any time - if you have questions or concerns.
Finally, I ask that you pray for wisdom for the Task Force and for the safety and health of all worldwide.
God Bless you. See you at mass.
Dick Graham, Finance Council Vice-Chairperson