Dear Friends,
This our last weekend of Ordinary Time for a while. Lent begins this coming Wednesday. February 14th is Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day. They are one and the same date this year. For us, Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting as we begin these six weeks before our Easter. The day before Ash Wednesday is called “Fat Tuesday”! It’s the culmination for some of festivities all around Mardi Gras. SO, for you folks out there torn between Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day, why not celebrate Valentine’s Day on Tuesday? It can be a Valentine’s Day blended with a Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday moment!
Our theme for our Lenten journey this year is “Strengthen the Vine – Grow the branches by Seeking Jesus.” I hope you have received in the mail the many Lenten opportunities our parishes are offering.
Ash Wednesday, to remind you, we will have mass at Transfiguration at 6:45 AM, then 9 AM and 7 PM at Saint Catherine’s. Ashes will be distributed at each mass. At 12:10 PM at Transfiguration we will offer a prayer service with the distribution of ashes. Before the 7 PM mass, we will have a Soup Supper at Saint Catherine’s in the Parish Center. Everyone is welcome to attend. If you like, bring a meatless soup. You don’t have to bring a soup, we always have plenty and a good variety of choices. Please contact Karen Luke at 624-4990 or her email Karen.Luke@dor.org if you can attend so we can make accommodations for everyone.
So, look over the many opportunities Saint Catherine of Siena and the Church of the Transfiguration will be offering these coming weeks. Mark your calendars!
One gift I hope you’ll arrange to attend is our Parish Retreat with Father Simeon Gallagher. Many of you know him and he is very well received and looked forward to whenever he is in town. He will be with us the weekend of March 16/17 at all the masses and through March 18 – 21 offering the retreat presentations.
May you have a Happy Valentine’s Day! Enjoy some Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday indulgence.
See you Ash Wednesday.
Blessings,
Father Rob