Lent is a period of 40 days leading up to Easter.  It is one of most important times of the year for Catholic and Orthodox Christians.  

As Catholics, we follow the liturgical year, which guides us through spiritual seasons (such as Advent and Lent) throughout the various months and weeks of the year.  While Advent is a time of celebration and prepation, Lent is more often seen as a period of solemnity, sorrow, and sacrifice.  During this time we reflect upon the suffering, death, and sorrow of Christ.  

Lent is also a traditional time for fasting, abstinence, or giving up something for the purpose of drawing closer to Christ.  Many will choose to abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent.  In addition, some will give up a "luxury" item such as chocolate, alcohol, or a TV program.  Abstinence helps us to focus our energy and thoughts upon Christ.  
Lent is the 40-day period leading up to Easter. It’s one of the most important times of year for many Christians around the world, particularly those within the Anglican, Catholic and Orthodox traditions, held at a similar level of importance to Advent – the build up to Christmas.

Sundays during Lent are very important to Christians around the world. Where the Monday to Saturday of each of the weeks during Lent are marked with fasting and abstinence, Sundays are seen as a mini-feast day or celebration, symbolic of Christ's bodily resurrection.  

"And though every day a man lives may rightly be a day of repentance, yet is it in these days more becoming, more appropriate, to confess our sins, to fast, and to give alms to the poor; since in these days you may wash clean the sins of the whole year." - St. John Chrysostom - "The Sunday Sermons of the Great Fathers"
 

LENTEN DISCIPLINES OF FASTING AND ABSTINENCE

Join us for the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Wednesday, March 17th from 8:00 PM to 9:30 PM.  We will be joined by 7 priests to make sure there is capacity for everyone. 

On March 26 and 31, all parishes in the Catholic Diocese of Dallas will have their "lights on" for confession and quiet prayer so that Catholics can come to or return to this incredible source of God’s grace, mercy and healing. We will be offering extended Reconciliation times on March 24th & March 31st from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM. 

The God Minute is a daily prayer podcast to center your day in God. Led by a Catholic priest it blends music, scripture and a thoughtful, spiritual message in a peaceful 10 minute prayer that goes where you go. Listen with your coffee in the morning, on your way to work, during an evening walk. 

​

See how easy and beautiful prayer can be.

Click here to check it out.  

Lent is the Church's primary penitential season in the liturgical year.  Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts until the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday.  The season has six Sundays: the final one, known as Passion (or Palm) Sunday, begins Holy Week. 

The origin of Lenten observances dates back to the fourth century or earlier.  The length of the season reflects the forty days Christ spent praying and fasting in the desert (see Matthew 4: 1-11) and is a time of preparation for the great feast of Easter.

Daily Reflection to Read:
Art and Faith

Podcast/In the Car Reflection:
UMD Catholic Campus Ministry
(Fr. Mike Schmitz)

Scripture Study for Lent:
Speak in the Light

Lent is a ritual-rich season that lends itself to inviting children (and families) to engage with the life and death of Jesus. And there’s no need to “edit” Lent for children because all of it is crucial to our and their faith.

Daily Reflection to Read:
Catholic Mom's Daily Gospel Reflection

Podcast/In the Car Reflection:
Adoration Help with Vinny Flynn

Scripture Study for Lent:
Lent Devotionals 2021
 

Video Reflection

Catholic Brain 
- Please note our parish has a subscription to Catholic Brain.  If you need help logging in, using the parish subscription, please contact Julie Buchanan. 


St. Jude Children’s Ministries has extended membership to Catholic Brain. All families are invited to join and enjoy the activities and videos that are provided. No fee to access. · Go to catholicbrain.com. · For users who created an account for Advent, click the “SIGN-IN” box on the upper right corner of the main page. Use the same login information. · For new users, click the yellow box, "ENTER CODE" to create an account. Use our School Code STJ93834.

Podcast/In the Car Reflection:
Pray as You Go

Scripture Study for Lent:
Speak in the Light

The Lenten Mission with Fr. Edwin Leonard will be held in the sanctuary from 7 PM to 8:30 PM starting Monday, March 15th.  Fr. Edwin is the Vocation Director for the Diocese of Dallas. Confessions will be available Wednesday night at 8 PM as part of the mission. 

All services will be livestreamed via our Facebook page. 
 

Mary, the Mother of Jesus, made the first way of the cross. In these stations we see through Mary’s eyes what Jesus was going through on the way of Calvary. 

We will begin with a rosary in the sanctuary with the stations of the cross to follow.  
 
Thursday, MAR 25
6:45 pm, Church
Sponsored by Daughters of Mary
 
Friday, MAR 26
9:45 am, Church
Sponsored by Women of St. Jude