From the Desk of Father Nathan

A Message from Father Nathan

My dearest people who are all close to my heart

Lots of love, blessings, and prayers to you all.

The Holy Season of Lent Begins with Ash Wednesday — February 22, 2023

This week as we start the Holy Season of Lent with Ash Wednesday, let us begin this season with Mass.

Ash Wednesday Masses

We have Masses on Ash Wednesday at 8:00, 10:00, 12:00, and 7:00 p.m. please plan to participate.

Stations of the Cross

Understanding our situations and needs, we will have Stations of the Cross at 4:00 p.m. every Friday.

40 Days of Lent Begins

Let us have a 40-day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday.

It is a period of preparation to celebrate the Lord’s Resurrection at Easter. There are various ways and means, we can plunge into this time of year. During Lent, we seek the Lord in prayer by reading Sacred Scripture, we serve by giving alms: and we practice self-control through fasting.

We are called not only to abstain from luxuries during Lent but to a true inner conversion of heart as we seek to follow Christ’s will more faithfully. We recall the waters of baptism in which we were also baptized into Christ’s death, died to sin and evil, and began a new life in Christ.

As Psalm 34/8 beautifully talks about it, it’s the time to taste and witness the love of the Lord in a deeper manner.

Lent Traditions & Meaning

We have the greatest tradition of abstaining from meat on Fridays during Lent, but we are also called to practice self-discipline and fast in other ways throughout the season.

Contemplate the meaning and origins of the Lenten fasting tradition in this reflection. In addition, the giving of alms is one way to share God’s gifts – not only through the distribution of money but through the sharing of our time and talents.

As St. John Chrysostom reminds us:

“Not to enable the poor to share our goods is to steal from them and deprive them of life. The goods we possess are not ours, but theirs”. (Catechism of the Catholic Church No 2446).

All these are means. They are not the end. The end is to love the Lord in a greater manner and model and mold our life as better Christians.

Above all to understand, appreciate and relish THE LOVE OF CHRIST for you and me and for the universal mother Church.

ABCD Update

Thank you for your continued support in regard to ABCD. We reached $70,000.00 but we are still short $55,000. I am still waiting for your generous heart. Please continue to pledge so we are able to accomplish our goal of $124,711.

Please continue to pray for me. I continue to hold you in my prayers.

God bless you all.

With lots of love and blessing.

Ever wanting to be faithful to your service.

—Fr. Sahayanathan Nathan