Dear Friends,
One of my memories of a Lent long ago was the theme that Saint Pius the Tenth Parish used one year.
It was “Pardon My Lenten Smile.”
From my recollection it was to remind the people of faith that even in the season of Lent where we fast, pray and give alms to deepen our relationship to Jesus who freed us from sin and gave us salvation, there is cause to smile. Certainly knowing we can be freed from sin and have been invited to go forward on the path of eternal salvation is cause to smile.
There are other reasons to smile as well because of the Lord’s presence and goodness to us.
This Sunday, at Saint Catherine of Siena, the Victor Community Chorus will present a concert to benefit Honor Flight of Rochester. They will be joined with area Choirs and Guest Artists.
Honor Flight invites our Veterans to a weekend visit to the National Monuments in Washington, D.C. It is free to the Veterans and the guest they invite to accompany them. Maybe you have been an Honor Flight honoree. Perhaps you, like myself have known these special people who have served our nation. The concert is free but donations are welcomed to help support this worthy gift to our Veterans The concert begins at 2 PM and will be in the church. Please come and support Honor Flight.
Monday and Wednesday are two special Feast Days for many of us.
March 17th is the Feast of Saint Patrick. Many a soul will be celebrating this saint and wearing a bit of the green! There will smiles all around and may the following words bless you all.
“May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face, and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.”
Saint Joseph, the husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the foster father of Jesus, is celebrated with a feast on Wednesday, March 19th. This beloved man was blessed with the presence of God inviting him in a most cherished role as husband and father.
Here is a prayer to Saint Joseph you may like to use.
“Blessed Joseph, husband of Mary,
be with us this day.
You protected and cherished the Virgin;
loving the child Jesus as your son,
you rescued him from the danger of death.
Defend the Church, the household of God,
purchased by the blood of Christ.
Guardian of the Holy Family,
be with us in our trials.
May your prayers obtain for us
the strength to flee from error
and wrestle with the powers of corruption
so that in life we may grow in holiness
and in death rejoice in the crown of victory.”
AMEN.
May your Lenten Journey as “Pilgrims of Hope” be blessed with spiritual growth and many smiles knowing how beloved each one of us is by our brother, the Lord Jesus!
Blessings,
Fr. Rob