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 | July , 2022 | Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Overturning an unjust law “For nearly fifty years,” says the US Bishops’ statement, “America has enforced an unjust law that has permitted some to decide whether others can live or die; this policy has resulted in the deaths of tens of millions of preborn children, generations that were denied the right to even be born.”
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | June 29, 2022 | The Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul
The Feasts of Saints Peter and Paul, or the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, is a liturgical feast in honor of the martyrdom in Rome of these apostles – Saint Peter and Saint Paul, which will be observed on the 29th of June. The celebration is of ancient origin…
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | June 19, 2022 | Father’s Day
Happy Father’s Day! “These commandments that I give today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and get up.” – Deuteronomy 6:6-7
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | June 12, 2022 | The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ
Thursday, June 16th we celebrate The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, also known as the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. Christ. I believe it is great that we learn and refresh our theological treaties on this experience. The Institution of the Eucharist is found in the synoptic Gospels…
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | June 5, 2022 | the Feast of St. Anthony of Padua
The Feast of St. Anthony of Padua is celebrated on June 13th. He is one of the great saints who leads innumerable back to Christ.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | May 29, 2022 | Memorial Day
It’s our church. It’s our home. We need to maintain our building and enhance our security. We cannot ignore it because it will
only get worse and cost so much more. Please help me with some financial ideas.