A Message from Father Nathan
My dearest people who are all close to my heart
Lots of love, blessings, and prayers to you all.
Understanding The Lent discipline of Fasting…
Let us try to understand. First, all Catholics are called to fast for at least two important dates. One is Ash Wednesday and the other is Good Friday. Let us try to understand the details. Fasting, prayer, and helping the poor are the three spiritual disciplines of Lent.
How to Fast for Lent
Images Courtesy of St Joan of Arc Catholic Church Hershey, PA
Why Fasting
Prayer, fasting and giving work as a three-fold conversion practice as we prepare for the joys of the Easter season. Fasting adds a serious edge to your prayer life. It is a prayer practice that involves denying yourself something in order to increase your spiritual awareness, strengthen a commitment, or petition God for something you or another person needs.
Fasting is also about detachment – separating yourself from something that you have become overly attached to. It’s a way of reclaiming your spiritual strength and regaining some balance in your life.
Practicing some denial of our wants and needs in small ways can help us grow in self-discipline and the ability to put off momentary comfort for a larger more important goal.
Fasting should not be misused to gain praise or sympathy, to manipulate, or to harmfully affect the body. Done correctly, it can be a spiritual practice that can take your prayer to a new and different level! It is all about you and your relationship with God.
Who Should Fast
Lenten Fasting
Catholics ages 14 or older do not eat meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays during Lent, including Good Friday. Instead of meat, many Catholics choose to eat fish – which is why many parishes around the country have fish fries on Fridays during Lent. These are great opportunities for a parish community to come together to pray and fast.
On Ash Wednesday and Good Fridays, Catholics aged 18-59 also limit the amount of food they eat. The exemption is allowed for pregnant women and those who need regular meals for medical reasons.
May you all have a meaningful and spirit-filled Lent
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
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Past Messages from Father Nathan
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | April 23, 2023
Christ is Risen. Thank You For your Full Participation During Holy Week & thanks to all who make the liturgy of Lent special.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | April 16, 2023
Christ is Risen. Thank You For your Full Participation During Holy Week & thanks to all who make the liturgy of Lent special.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | April 2, 2023
As Holy Week begins, may I request all of you for your active participation in all the liturgy next week? Beginning with Holy Thursday at 4:00 p.m. Good Friday Stations of the Cross 12:00 noon…
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | March 26, 2023
Pontifical Good Friday Collection which helps Christians in the Holy Land. Pope Francis has asked our Archdiocese to support the Pontifical Good Friday Collection which helps Christians in the Holy Land.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | March 19, 2023
Today is the Solemnity of St. Joseph. This is the primary and highest feast of St. Joseph and is celebrated annually on March 19th. Because this feast is a solemnity, even though it falls during Lent, the faithful are dispensed of their Lenten obligations on this day…
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | March 12, 2023
Confess your sins. The second precept of the Church commission that guides us states “you shall confess your sins at least once a year: Lenten Confession times…