Dear Parishioners:
► Alert! Alert! ◄
We’re one week away from “Daylight Saving” time on Sunday March 8
(set clock forward).
… …WELCOME TO THE SEASON OF LENT … …
We continue living the Mystery of the Incarnation of Jesus (Christmas) in our world and in our lives to imitate and follow Jesus daily, so that, we can ultimately receive the second greatest gift from Jesus in the “Mystery of the Salvation – Redeemed to New Life in Christ”. To this extend, last Wednesday, February 26, the Church led us into a new Season called LENT, began with Ash Wednesday to the Holy Week that will lead to the great Feast of Easter (the Resurrection of the Lord) on April 12, 2020.
The quality of this Lenten Season will depend, to a large extent, on how deeply we respond to Jesus’ imperatives: PRAY, FAST and GIVE ALMS. It is one thing to be given those commands; it is another to know “how” to implement them.
- Reflect on Scripture for this First Sunday of Lent: Living Lent this week - Pray Psalm 51 slowly and carefully this week – “Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned”. Find a word or phrase that catches your eye. Close your eyes and reflect on it over and over again. Use it as an intercession or a blessing for your community, your church, or someone you love.
Read the moving account of Jesus’ struggle with and victory over temptation (Matthew 4:1-11) and the gift of New Life in Christ in the letter to the Romans 5:12-19. Here the early Church gives us the model of Jesus, our compassionate high priest, who can help us in the midst of our struggles.
- Congratulation to the newly Elects. These are Catechumens who are called and chosen by the head of the local Church to prepare for the Easter Sacraments (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist at Easter Vigil). This past Saturday February 29, Bishop Eusebio Elizondo, on behalf of the Church called all the Catechumens from our Olympic Deanery, including our two parishes – Gabriel and Prince of Peace, in a celebration called the “Rite of Election” at St. Cecilia Parish in Bainbridge Island.
With our own journey of “conversion” in this Lenten Season, please remember to pray in a special way for these newly Elects in our parishes that they will be more open and readier to prepare for the Easter Sacraments. Their particular path in this Lenten Season will take them through the three “Scrutinies” on the third, Fourth and Fifth Sunday of Lent at 11:00 AM Mass.
At St. Gabriel:
***Daily Mass is at 11:00 AM (Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday);
***Every Wednesday Mass is at 1:30 PM at Retsil Veteran’s Home.
***Friday: 6:00 PM - Soup Supper and 7:00 PM Station of the Cross.
Individual Confession will be heard after Stations.
At Prince of Peace:
***Thursday 10:00 AM – Mass
***Friday 5:00 PM – Stations of the Cross (in English) and then,
follow with a soup supper in the Parish Hall downstairs and
6:00 PM – Stations of Cross (in Spanish).
- Please see the Lenten Calendar inserted in the bulletin last week for other scheduled activities for this Lenten Season. Extra Lenten Calendars are available at the entrances of the Church.
- One of the ways our Lenten Season can be more meaningful is to support “Home Mission Collection”. This is the support of the U.S. Catholic Church and U.S. Territories to assist parishes in providing the tools and personnel for passing on our living Faith. This collection of support will be taken as a second collection at all Masses this weekend February 29 & March 1.
Christ’s Peace,
Fr. Phuong Hoang