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Lent 2023 Schedule

Stations of the Cross will take place every Friday evening during Lent, beginning on Friday, February 24th. 

6:30 PM ENGLISH   7:15 PM SPANISH

  • February 24 – Indoor Stations

  • March 3 – Eucharistic Lenten Mission – No organized stations; (booklets available for those who want to do them outside)

  • March 10 – Spanish Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) at 6 PM

  • March 17 – Outdoor Stations

  • March 24 – Indoor Stations

  • March 31 – Outdoor Stations

  • April 2 (Palm Sunday) – Teen Living Stations at 7 PM (Youth Ministry)

  • April 7 (Good Friday) – Bilingual Living Stations at 7 PM (Hispanic Ministry)

Journey the way to the cross as you pray the stations on Fridays throughout Lent. Station markers begin at the entrance to the rosary garden and follow the path through the courtyard to end by the statue of the Pieta for the 13th and 14th stations. Prayer booklets will be available for your use throughout the day on Fridays, beginning after daily Mass, by the Chapel door. 

 

A big “Thanks” goes out to our Maintenance team for implementing the vision for a beautiful and reverent way to pray the Stations of the Cross on our Campus. To God be the glory! 

VIA CRUCIS- El Camino de la Cruz

Acompáñanos a vivir la pasión de nuestro Señor Jesucristo que se llevara a cabo el día viernes, 10 de marzo a partir de las 6 PM en el jardín de nuestra parroquia.
The Via Crucis devotion (Way of the Cross) has been practiced by Roman Catholics for many centuries. It commemorates the passion and death of Jesus Christ through the reading of prayers along a path of 14 stations. The tradition as chapel devotion began with St. Francis of Assisi and extended throughout the Roman Catholic Church in medieval times.
Please join us on Friday, March 10th at 6 PM on the parish grounds as this prayer devotion comes to life! All are encouraged to participate in this beautiful event.

Youth Ministry Living Stations of the Cross

On Sunday, April 2nd (Palm Sunday) at 7 PM you are invited to Living Stations of the Cross. This prayerful reflection is proudly produced and directed by teens in our high school youth ministry program. Please come join us!

Join us for Bilingual Living Station of the Cross on Good Friday, April 7th at 7 pm in the Parish Life Center.

Living Stations of the Cross from April 2, 2021

The Stations of the Cross, also known as the Way of the Cross or Via Crucis, commemorate Jesus’s passion and death on the cross. There are 14 stations that each depict a moment on his journey to Calvary, usually through sacred art, prayers, and reflections. The practice began as pious pilgrims traced his path through Jerusalem on the Via Dolorosa.

Later, for the many who wanted to pass along the same route, but could not make the trip to Jerusalem, a practice developed that eventually took the form of the fourteen stations currently found in almost every church throughout the world. Similarly, the 150 Hail Marys that were recited for the rosary were an adaptation of the medieval monastic practice of reciting the 150 psalms in the Psalter. (USCCB) 

If you are not able to join us to pray the Stations of the Cross, we encourage you to still pray The Stations of the Cross with your family at home, as remember how Jesus Christ suffered and died on the cross for our sins and we prepare His resurrection. Just click below to pray along with Fr. Josh and Fr. Glenn.

  STATION OF THE CROSS-ENGLISH

 VIA CRUCIS EN ESPAÑOL

 Las 7 Palabras de Jesús

Escucha, y reflexiona… Las 7 Palabras de Jesús, y descubre la Misericordia del Padre. Miercoles, 5 de abril a las 7 p.m. en el Centro de Vida Parroquial. (Bilingüe)

Listen, and reflect…. The Last 7 Words of Jesus, and discover the Father’s Mercy. Wednesday, April 5th at 7 pm in the Parish Life Center. (Bilingual)

When Jesus was on the cross, he spoke seven phrases of great meaning for those who contemplate his passion and death. Today, we recall his Seven Last Words, which have been widely used in sermons in observance of Good Friday. The tradition began in the 17th century by a Jesuit priest in Peru named Francisco Del Castillo. He developed a meditation service based on the last words of Jesus and the devotion spread around the world. The last words of Jesus, as they appear in the Gospel, became part of the church’s Lenten tradition. These often include music, prayers or reflections.

Cuando Jesús estaba en la cruz, pronunció siete frases de gran significado para aquellos que contemplan su pasión y muerte. Hoy, recordamos sus Últimas Siete Palabras, las cuales han sido muy usadas en los sermones de Viernes Santo.La tradición comenzó en el siglo XVII por un Sacerdote Jesuita en Perú, de nombre Francisco Del Castillo. Él, desarrolló un servicio de meditaciones basado en las últimas palabras de Jesús y en la devoción se difundío alrededor del mundo. Las últimas palabras de Jesús, tal como aparecen en el Evangelio, se volvieron parte de la tradición cuaresmal de la iglesia. Estas, a menudo, incluye música, rezos o reflexiones.

Lenten Resources to help you on your faith journey

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Best Lent Ever 2023

 

Join Dr. Scott Hahn for a FREE Lenten video study beginning on Ash Wednesday!
In 1 Peter 1:16, we’re reminded of our call to holiness. You shall be holy, for I am holy. But what is
holiness?
In Scott Hahn’s newest Bible study, watch as he traces the meaning of holiness from its origins in Scripture to its appearance in our own lives today. In twelve beautifully produced lessons, this study explores the Scriptural encounters with the Divine – the burning bush, the ark of the covenant, the burning coal, and more! As our fear and trembling turns to awe and wonder, you’ll come to a new appreciation of our sharing in the divine life. To learn more about this exciting new study go to stpaulcenter.com/holystudy

What is Ash Wednesday?
Ash Wednesday opens the season of Lent. It takes place 40 days before Easter commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting and praying in the desert. These 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter do not include Sundays which are solemnities. The ashes received on Ash Wednesday symbolize the dust from which God made us and remind us of penance and renewal.

Where do the ashes come from?
The ashes used on Ash Wednesday come from the blessed palms from the previous year’s Palm Sunday. On Palm Sunday, the people rejoiced at Jesus’ triumphant entrance to Jerusalem, waving palm fronds. They didn’t realize that he was coming to die for their sins. Using the palms from Palm Sunday reminds us that while we rejoice in and anticipate his coming, we also need to repent for the sins from which he died to save us.

Why do I have to give something up for Lent?
Giving something up for Lent is simply one way to rekindle our soul and reconnect with God. By making a Lenten sacrifice, we are connecting ourselves to the sacrifice that Christ made for us. Aside from giving something up, other practices can be done to bring us closer to Christ and rejuvenate our spirit:
• praying the Stations of the Cross
• praying the Rosary
• making a good confession
• offer forgiveness and prayer
• disconnecting from social media or television
• reading the Bible
• performing the Works of Mercy

The call to Lenten penance is a call to conversion—to a change of heart. It is that change of heart which best prepares us to celebrate the Easter mysteries. This shared season of repentance also points out that we are not alone. We are part of a family of faith and have many companions on our journey to Easter. As we embark on this journey together towards Christ’s resurrection, may we look into our hearts and humbly repent and return to God’s love.

Did we forget the Alleluia!?

Nope! We did not forget the Alleluia! You may notice a few differences at Mass this weekend and throughout Lent. These differences are laid out in the Roman Missal, which provides the rubrics for all Masses we celebrate. During Lent, a few of the things you will notice include more solemn and simpler musical selections. There will be no sung Gloria until Holy Thursday and no sung Alleluia until the Easter Vigil. Our liturgical environment will also look different as we use the following elements for the season:
• The color purple announces the season of preparation. Although it signifies pain and suffering of the crucifixion, it is also associated with royalty.
• Burlap fabric is a rough material that is used, representing sackcloth. The Hebrews wore sackcloth as a sign of mourning or repentance.
• Rocks and twigs will be used to remind us of the desert where Jesus fasted and prayed.
• Empty pots and vases symbolize the emptiness we feel without Christ.
All of these differences invite us into a quieter space, allowing for a deeper reflection on the season of Lent, drawing us closer to Christ’s suffering, death, and joyous Resurrection.

Lent, Fasting, & Abstinence Fasting is to be observed by all 18 years of age and older, who have not yet celebrated their 59th birthday. On a fast day one full meal is allowed. Two other meals, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken according to each one’s needs, but together they should not equal another full meal. Eating between meals is not permitted, but liquids, including milk and juices, are allowed.

Abstinence is observed by all 14 years of age and older. On days of abstinence, no meat is allowed. Note that when health or ability to work would be seriously affected, the law does not oblige. When in doubt concerning fast and abstinence, the parish priest should be consulted.

Ash Wednesday, February 22nd and Good Friday, April 7th are days of fast and abstinence. All the Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence. Fasting, almsgiving, and prayer are the three traditional disciplines of Lent. The faithful and catechumens should undertake these practices seriously in a spirit of penance and of preparation for baptism or of renewal of baptism at Easter.