What is Lent?
According to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops:
Lent is a 40 day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday. It's a period of preparation to celebrate the Lord's Resurrection at Easter. During Lent, we seek the Lord in prayer by reading Sacred Scripture; we serve by giving alms; and we practice self-control through fasting. We are called not only to abstain from luxuries during Lent, but to a true inner conversion of heart as we seek to follow Christ's will more faithfully. We recall the waters of baptism in which we were also baptized into Christ's death, died to sin and evil, and began new life in Christ.
ASH WEDNESDAY
February 22, 2023
Ash Wednesday Schedule
No confessions
6:30am Mass
8:30am Mass
12:10pm Liturgy of the Word & Ash Distribution
6:00pm Mass (new time)
8:00pm Mass in Spanish
Additional Confessions During Lent
In lieu of a Lenten penance service, additional confessions will be heard from February 23 - March 30, 2023, immediately following the 6:30pm Thursday Mass until the line of people runs out.
Regular confession times are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 7:00-8:00am and on Saturday from 2:00-3:30pm.
Stations of the Cross
Fridays during Lent at 7:00pm (English) and 8:00pm (Spanish) in the Sanctuary, February 24 - March 31, 2023.
The Stations of the Cross are a 14-step Catholic devotion that commemorates Jesus Christ's last day on Earth as a man. The 14 devotions, or stations, focus on specific events of His last day, beginning with His condemnation. The stations are commonly used as a mini pilgrimage as the individual moves from station to station. At each station, the individual recalls and meditates on a specific event from Christ's last day. Specific prayers are recited, then the individual moves to the next station until all 14 are complete. —from Catholic.org
Pray the Stations of the Cross at Home
The Stations of the Cross is considered a private devotion. If you are unable to pray the Stations with us in church, here are a few resources to help you pray them on your own. You are also welcome to come to the church during the day and pray the Stations on your own in the Sanctuary. FORMED resources are FREE for our parishioners. Please contact us for the access code.
What is Holy Week?
Holy Week is the height of the liturgical year. It begins with Palm Sunday, continues through Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and ends with Holy Saturday. Easter is not part of Holy Week, but rather the beginning of the Easter season of the Liturgical year.
Learn more about Holy Week and each celebration by watching the videos below.
HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE
Liturgies for worshiping at home are also included below.
Palm Sunday, APRIL 2
Regular Saturday/Sunday Mass Schedule
Holy Thursday, April 6
No confessions
6:30pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper
Adoration in the Bread of Life Hall following Mass until 10:00pm
Good Friday, April 7
No confessions
3:00pm Veneration of the Cross (English)
7:00pm Veneration of the Cross (Spanish)
Holy Saturday, April 8
No confessions
10:00am Blessing of the Easter food in the lower church foyer
8:30pm Easter Vigil (bilingual), in church
(Easter Vigil is about 3 hours long)
Easter Sunday, April 9
7:00am Mass, in church
9:00am Mass, in church and in Bread of Life Hall
11:00am Mass, in church and Bread of Life Hall
1:00pm Mass (Spanish), in church
Lenten Activities and Events
Knights of Columbus Friday Fish Fry
Fridays during Lent, February 24 - March 31,
5:00pm-7:00pm. Drive-up or dine-in service.
For Drive Up please enter from Tyler Avenue, proceed to the front doors of the church, place your order, then turn left to pay and receive your order by the sidewalk to the Veterans Memorial Shrine. Exit the parking lot onto 12th St.
Dine in seating will be from 5:00-7:00pm in St. John’s new Bread of Life Hall. Walk-ins welcome, no reservations needed.
Menu
The Knights of Columbus invite you to enjoy the best fish in town!
All meals include coleslaw, dinner roll, and rice or French fries.
Take-out menu prices:
1 fillet meal = $ 9.00, 2 fillet meal = $13.00
Shrimp meal includes 6 jumbo shrimp = $15.00
Shrimp and fish meal includes 3 jumbo shrimp & 1 Fillet = $14.00
All shrimp will be deep fried. Fish fillets can be ordered either deep fried or baked.
Dining Room, eat in prices, are $1.00 more for the same meal due to provision of condiments, drinks & Napkins for the dining room experience.
Mac & Cheese and desserts are $2.00 per serving.
Increase your understanding of the Sacrament of the Eucharist at the Knights of Columbus Lenten Program
The Knights of Columbus Council 3434 will present a three-part Lenten program called Presence – The Mystery of the Eucharist. The sessions have been carefully designed to help participants discover the powerful way that God is present to us in the Eucharist, inviting us into an intimate union with himself. We will examine the effects of the sacrament and its setting in the Mass, explore the scriptural foundation of the sacrament, and discover the beauty of Holy Communion and the transformative power of the grace God offers us in this sacrament.
Each approximately 1-hour session will consist of an opening prayer, a 40-minute video, discussion and closing prayer. The sessions will be held in the Bread of Life Hall.
Session 1 - God is with us -Wednesday March 1st 6:30PM
Session 2 – The Story of the Eucharist – March 8th 6:30PM
Session 3 – Bread for the Journey – March 15th 6:30PM
PARISH LENTEN RETREAT
“Come to me you who are weary…”
Saturday, March 4. Starting with the Healing Mass at 8:30am and ending at 3:00pm. Continental breakfast provided. Lunch sponsored by RUNZA. Space is limited, registration required. No charge to attend, but donations are appreciated.
Are you weighed-down and weary from the burdens of life? The season of Lent offers us a time of prayer, reflection, and the hope of Christ’s saving grace. Join your fellow parishioners for presentations and discussion with Father Shannon, Deacon Denny, Deacon August, and Brian Wallisch, our Director of Adult Formation.
Find peace in Christ this Lent.
“No Greater Love” Lenten Book Study
Beginning on Wednesday, March 22nd at both 9:30am and 6:30pm. The group will meet on Wednesdays for 4 weeks, March 22, 29, April 5, and 12.
We will have a book study on “No Greater Love” by Dr. Edward Sri. You can attend either session, as the morning and the evening sessions will be the same material. The morning session will meet in St. John’s Hall, and the evening session will meet in the Bread of Life Hall.
Best-selling catholic author Edward Sri guides you through the last hours of Christ's life. You will walk step-by-step with Jesus from the Garden of Gethsemane to the Mount of Calvary. Every step of the way, Old Testament prophecies, messianic expectations, biblical symbolism, and historical context shed light on the mystery of Christ's suffering and death. Experience a deeper understanding and appreciation of God’s immeasurable and unconditional love as you draw closer to Jesus than you ever have before.
· What was Jesus going through at each moment?
· How did the Old Testament foretell of Christ’s death?
· Why did Christ die for us? What did it accomplish?
· What was the meaning behind of the tearing of the temple veil, the crowning with thorns, the, and other events during Christ’s Passion
· What do the cryptic last words of Jesus mean?
Adoration
Lent is a great opportunity to improve your prayer life and spend quiet time with Jesus in Adoration.
Adoration offers time for growth by focusing on your faith! Please consider making the commitment to spend a Holy Hour in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Serve, weekly, monthly, or as your schedule allows.
We are especially in need of Adorers during the overnight hours every day of the week.
Please sign-up using our online We Adore Him software or by calling the Parish Office. For the chapel access code, please contact Business Manager Carol Woefle at carol@saintjohns.net or (970) 635-5816