Dear Parishioners:
It's Lent! St. Francis de Sales reminds us: "Lent is the autumn of the spiritual life, during which we gather fruit to keep us going for the rest of the year. Enrich yourselves with these treasures, which nobody can take from you and which cannot be destroyed. I am accustomed to say that we will not make Lent well unless we are determined to make the most of it. Let us, therefore, spend this Lent as if it were our last, and we will make it well." These are wise words for us to live by as we begin the forty days of Lent.
Fr. Henry Stephan, OP
Making the Parish Mission this week is one way to make the most of Lent. Fr. Henry Stephan, OP, is our Mission Preacher. Fr. Henry is a Dominican friar ordained a priest in 2018 for the Order of Preachers, St. Joseph Province. He is a native Californian who grew up in San Jose. Father received his A.B. in Politics from Princeton University and an S.T.L. from the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of Studies. He later served as a parish priest in Cincinnati, Ohio, and is pursuing a doctoral degree at the University of Notre Dame. Please give him your usual warm welcome to OLM!
Father Henry is preaching all the weekend Masses this weekend. He will give a Mission Talk this week at 7:00 PM on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights. Four priests will be available for Confession at 6 pm each night before the Mission talk. This year's Mission Theme is "Supernaturalization: Becoming a Citizen of Heaven."
“ Lent is a time of grace, a time for conversion, a time to come home to God.”
It is customary for every parish and a long tradition at OLM to invite a missionary priest to preach a Mission at Lent. The goal of the Mission is to help lukewarm Catholics renew their faith, convert tepid souls to greater fervor, and encourage pious souls in their good resolutions to serve God. Just as Jesus and His Apostles went from town to town preaching the Kingdom of God, so the missionary comes to our parish to encourage us to repent and renew our Catholic faith.
Father Henry is a fine priest and an outstanding preacher, so I encourage you to make the Mission. Try to make the entire Mission, but please join us any night for Mission Talks. Pray for Father Henry and our parish family that our time of Mission will be fruitful.
Lent is also a time to go to Confession. There are ample opportunities for Confession at OLM. Each night of the Mission this week, every Monday at 6:00 pm during Lent with two priests available, and on Saturdays at 3:00 pm. We go to Confession during Lent because it's a penitential season. It is a time to focus on repentance of our sins and renewal of our faith. Making a good Confession is the best way to cleanse ourselves from sin and start fresh with a renewed focus on Christ before celebrating Easter. As we were reminded on Ash Wednesday, "Repent and believe in the Gospel."
Pope Francis said: "When one is in line to go to Confession, one feels all these things, even shame and guilt, but then when one finishes Confession, one leaves free, full of grace, beautiful, forgiven, and happy."
Our First Communion Class are making their First Confessions this Saturday and next. It is a wonderful way to prepare for their First Holy Communion by experiencing Jesus' love, mercy, and forgiveness in the Sacrament of Penance. Pray for them as they prepare to receive the Lord truly present in the Eucharist.
We also pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, during his continued illness and hospitalization. We pray Christ the Good Shepherd may accompany our shepherd, Pope Francis, in his illness. May God grant him strength and peace as he endures pain and discomfort. May his faithful and humble service as our Holy Father continue to be a beacon of hope for each of us who continue to serve the Kingdom of God.
Our Lenten Mission is a time of retreat from our regular schedule as we seek to deepen our relationship with the Lord, convert our hearts more fully to Christ, and cleanse our souls of sin. Make the Mission! St. Maximillian Kolbe said: "Lent is a time of grace, a time for conversion, a time to come home to God." Be well. Do good. God Bless. "Come home to God" this week! See you at the Mission!