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 | October 02, 2022
“Francis, go and build up My house, which is falling into ruin”. To fulfill this command of our Lord, St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) began by restoring physical churches and continued by building up the spiritual Church in souls…
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | September 23, 2022
International Eucharistic Congress 2022 – Miami! Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary invite you to our IV International Eucharistic – Marian Congress Oct 7-9, 2022.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | September 18, 2022
Saints of the Catholic church of Korea Remembered – Saints Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang, and Companions. Celebrated on September 20th
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | September 11, 2022
The cross today is the universal image of Christian belief. Countless generations of artists have turned it into a thing of beauty to be carried in procession or worn as jewelry. To the eyes of the first Christians, it had no beauty. It stood outside…
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | September 4, 2022
“I called to the Lord, the Lord heard my cry, and He answered me and delivered me from all of my affliction.” – Ps:34:4-6. I believe very strongly that our prayers will never go in vain. I came to India crying and praying to our Lord to lift my mother up from her sickness…
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | August 28, 2022
The Feasts of the Holy Archangels, Saint Michael, Saint Gabriel, and Saint Raphael, Celebrated on September 29. Learn more about the Archangels