Lent begins in just a week and half, with Ash Wednesday on Feb. 14. That day two masses will be celebrated at St. Mary’s at 9 am and 5:30 pm. The evening mass will also be followed by a soup supper (there will be no Faith Formation that week).
    Each Lent is the opportunity to come closer to our Lord and grow in our spiritual life, and we are offering many opportunities to help all of us have a fruitful Lent.
    This Saturday Feb. 10, we will have a day-long mini-retreat at St. Mary’s featuring the video series “Into the Deep.” It starts with Mass at 9:30 am and will finish by 3 pm. Lunch will be provided. It will be a great way to prepare for Lent.
     In regards to almsgiving, our Parishes will be resuming our Malawi Fund collection during Lent to help the girl’s high school in Malawi, Africa. This year the need at the school is to finish an administrative building that has been under construction for more than two years due to lack of funds. They are asking for $10,000 to finish the building project that will include a larger staff room, the principal's office, and a new office for the financial manager. If we raise more than $10,000, the rest will go to the school for tuition assistance to be used as needed for students at the school’s discretion. Many students were helped last year with over $20,000 raised in 2023.

    We are making available the Magnificat Lenten Prayer companion for daily reflection - available at each parish starting this weekend. We also have daily mass available and Adoration on Fridays along with Stations of the Cross every Friday at 5:30 pm during Lent followed by Soup Supper. At Faith Night on Wednesdays we will continue the “Catholicism” series by Bishop Barron, which is an excellent and engaging presentation of our Faith and everyone is encouraged to come. Families are especially encouraged to make Wednesday Faith Nights part of their Lenten commitment as it helps focus on the season as we continue learning and growing in our Faith.
    Additionally, there is a program I am coordinating for all the men of the parish, called Exodus 90. This program is becoming very popular worldwide and is a great way to enter into a fruitful Lent. I will present on the topic at First Soup Supper on Friday, Feb. 16. It is a program where you can do things within your life to become close to God and each week there will be a short check in. There is also a women’s program similar called Fiat 90 that will be lead by Shirley Baker. See more information for all Lent programs in the special insert this week.