Lent 2024
The Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time is the last one before Lent. We are about to begin this blessed liturgical season to prepare us for the Paschal Triduum and Easter. Lent encourages us to slow down and reflect about essential aspects of our live. Moreover, there are many opportunities during Lent to reflect on our relationship with God and our neighbors. Perhaps there is a hurt or even hatred in our heart. The liturgy of Lent and Jesus’ example will encourage us to face these and forgive. The three spiritual pillars suggested by the Church for Lent, prayer, alms giving, and fasting, will make sense if they help us to reconcile with God, our neighbors and ourselves.
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday, similarly to Good Friday, is an obligatory day of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. Additionally, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence. There are three Masses on Ash Wednesday at our parish at 8:30am & 6:30pm in English, and 8pm in Vietnamese. Please join us for our Ash Wednesday liturgy to begin the journey of Lent with prayer and God’s blessing.
St. Martin of Tours parish offers many celebrations and events to practice our faith and prepare well for the Pascal Triduum and Easter. I will just mention a few.
Traditional Stations of the Cross will be led by various groups (including youth and children) on Fridays at 6pm. A Lenten Retreat will be facilitated by a guest speaker on March 6 at 6:30pm. Penance service and Sacrament of Reconciliation are scheduled twice, 6pm on March 6 and March 18. Holy Week liturgies, especially the Pascal Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday) culminate our Lenten Journey. It will be solemnly celebrated at our parish in similar form and time as last year. The details and time will be provided soon.
Additionally we have a few formation and social events during Lent and Holy Week. We encourage families to join the Children and Youth Mass on March 3. We will pray and explain to children the meaning of Lent. Everyone is invited to join the adult formation sessions on Thursdays about Eucharist and then, about the Bible with discussion and practical implementation. I am grateful to the Adult Formation Ministry for organizing these sessions for us. There will be a parish dinner on March 2 and traditional brunch on Palm Sunday.
We invite families to join us for a parish outing to cheer the Milwaukee Wave on March 10. This kind of social events bring us together as one community and give fraternal support to each other.
There are many other ministries, prayer and social events during Lent. Please see the parish kiosks, boards, and website for more information and details.
Let’s pray for each other as we begin this blessed season to make it more meaningful, effective, and holy.
“Grant, almighty God, through the yearly observance of holy Lent, that we may grow in understanding of the riches hidden in Christ and by worthy conduct pursue their effort. May bountiful blessing come down upon your people that hope may grow in tribulation,virtue be strengthen in temptation, and eternal redemption be assured”.(Roman Missal, First Sunday of Lent)
Blessed Lent,
Fr. Andrzej





