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 | August 21, 2022
Thank you for your birthday wishes, gifts, and prayers. You always make me feel so special. Thank you again for your prayers and support for my mother. Read on to learn more about her condition.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | August 7, 2022
August 15th is an important and memorable day for all Catholics. It is the Feast celebrating the Assumption of our Blessed Mother. Learn More about the the theology and the catechism of the Assumption of our Blessed Mother
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | July 31, 2022
St. John Vianney feast day is celebrated annually on August 4th St. John Marie Vianney was a priest who Pope Pius X proposed as a model and patron saint of all the priests because of his extraordinary devotion and life. A life which he committed to the church ministry. St. John Marie Vianney was born on May 8, 1786 …
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | July 24, 2022
Mass is God’s Food for Our Soul, come and partake. I am glad and delighted to witness many coming back to the church in person, which is great! I am looking forward to witnessing all our people back at the church. I thought maybe it would be good to do a little catechism as my thankfulness.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | July 17, 2022
A second collection for the Parish Projects will be the last weekend of July. Some of you were proposing to me to have a second collection for the Parish Project that we are undertaking. There are very many of you already supporting it. I thank each one of you for your love and support. No matter how big or small…
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | July 10, 2022
Thank You for Your Continued Support of our church. I really want to thank each and everyone for your financial support. God bless you all! Thank you also to all those who are praying toward the completion of this project. Please continue to do so. I do understand that it’s a most trying of times now…