We begin our Lenten 40 Hours Devotion this weekend. Please take part! At 7:00 on Sunday evening, March 23, we will begin with a solemn Evening Prayer. We will have another solemn Evening Prayer on Monday at 7 p.m. and a closing Mass on Tuesday at 7 p.m. Fr. Herb Weber, a priest from the Toledo diocese will be here to preach for all three. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed in a monstrance on the church altar from Sunday evening through Tuesday evening, with the exception of the times of morning Masses on Monday and Tuesday. We are in need of people who are committed to be here during the 40 hours, particularly during nighttime. Sign-up sheets are found in the Gathering Space and also an electronic sign-up is found on our parish website. We are especially grateful to those who can be here during the nighttime hours. This is a beautiful time to spend in a quiet church with the Lord.
Because of the 40 Hours Devotion, there will be no evening Mass on Monday, and the Tuesday evening Mass will be at 7:00 rather than 6:30.
Next weekend is Laetare Sunday, the halfway mark of Lent. It is a time for us to stop and consider what we have done this Lent in order to come closer to the Lord. The 9:00 Mass will be a very special event. We will welcome a group of baptized Christians into the Catholic Church at that Mass. After their profession of faith they will be Confirmed and then receive the First Communion. Please keep these good people in prayer.
For the next three weekends we will have Scrutinies at the 11:00 Mass. Those adults who are preparing for baptism will be brought before the congregation, asked about their intention to enter the Church, and offered prayers of blessing. At those three 11:00 Masses, the Mass readings will not be the usual readings. We are using Cycle C readings at all of our other Masses, but for those three 11:00 Masses, we will use Cycle A.
We add new members to our Parish Council each spring. The council meets monthly to talk about the spiritual life, social life and outreach of the parish. Council members agree to a three-year term, with Wednesday evening meetings. (Our meetings are usually finished in an hour.) If you would be interested in serving on the council, please contact me. We will pray over names and have a discernment of new members in May. My e-mail is fathertom@scbfw.org.
