As far back as we can all probably remember, we've given something up for Lent. As a child, it was probably sweets... a sacrifice we were well rewarded for on Easter Sunday in baskets full of chocolate bunnies and candy! As an adult, sacrificing something during Lent can still be difficult. Sometimes we spend so much time lamenting how hard it is and counting down the days until Easter to get it back, that we lose focus on what Lent is truly about.
Lent shouldn't just be a time of giving something up, it's also an invitation for us to give or to add something. To deepen our relationship with the Lord. To spend more time in prayer. To look inward and reflect and to reach outward and give to those in need. To give ourselves time to pause and readjust, to shake off the old dust from our feet and take some new steps. Listed below are a few opportunities for us to do just that! We hope you will consider joining the parish in one or several of the events & activities offered below as we journey together through Lent.
Lent shouldn't just be a time of giving something up, it's also an invitation for us to give or to add something. To deepen our relationship with the Lord. To spend more time in prayer. To look inward and reflect and to reach outward and give to those in need. To give ourselves time to pause and readjust, to shake off the old dust from our feet and take some new steps. Listed below are a few opportunities for us to do just that! We hope you will consider joining the parish in one or several of the events & activities offered below as we journey together through Lent.
Simple Soup Suppers
Fridays During Lent
The first of our Lenten Soup Suppers will be this Friday, February 16th. The soup supper will start at 6:00 pm and you can expect to enjoy a simple meal of bread, homemade soup ( we'll offer 3 different kinds to choose from!) and great company!! Each week, the soup supper will be sponsored by a different ministry or group that will prepare the soup for us (see below). By fasting and eating a simple meal instead of the larger meal we would typically eat, it allows us to reflect on the hunger that some feel every day of their lives. A freewill offering will be accepted at the door and a suggested offering is what you would have typically spent on a dinner out. All offerings from the soup supper will go towards our Parish Lenten Service project where we will partner with Rise Against Hunger to package meals to support school feeding programs in developing countries. More information including how to register is below.Soup Supper Schedule:
- Friday, February 16th: Sponsored by the Social Justice Ministry
- Friday, February 23rd: Mrs. Hess' CCD Class
- Friday, March 2nd: St. Mary School Service Club
- Friday, March 9th: no soup supper - Fish Fry
- Friday, March 16th: Light of the World Retreatants
- Friday, March 23rd: 6th Grade CCD Class
Stations of the Cross
Fridays During Lent
Also on Friday evenings beginning on February 16th, we will pray the Stations of the Cross. Praying the Stations of the Cross brings us closer to Christ as we meditate on the great love He showed for us in His most sorrowful Passion! Like the Simple Soup Suppers, the Stations of the Cross will be led by a different group each week. Good Friday, March 30th, Living Stations of the Cross will take place in the Church at 3:30 PM.
Adoration
Spend Some Quiet Time with the Lord
Tuesdays: 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. in the Church
Fridays: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m in the Chapel in the Pastoral Center
Holy Thursday: after Mass
Eucharistic Adoration is an expression of our love of Jesus, who loves us and so stays with us day and night in the Blessed Sacrament. For he says, "Behold I am with you always!" Eucharistic Adoration is simply our response to Jesus' love whereby we spend quiet time in His Eucharistic presence.
The video below contains a collection of short testimonies on why people attend Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
Below are a few examples of Examinations of Conscience that can also help you prepare for the Sacrament.
Adult Education Series
Wednesdays at 7:00 PM in the Large Meeting Room
Join us for our Lenten reflections on February 28th and March 7th led by Rita St. Pierre. Our reflections will be based on the book “The Nails and the Cross” by Geoffrey Rowell and Julien Chilcott Monk. Imagination sets the scene and Scripture bids us welcome in this fresh approach to contemplating the passion of Christ.
8th Annual Lenten Fish Fry
Friday, March 9th
We will host the 8th Annual Lenten Fish Fry. on Friday, March 9th! The event was started by parishioners Bob & Judi Terry. They lived in Pittsburgh, PA for many years and attended the Lenten fish dinners hosted by various churches in the area. When they moved to Shrewsbury, they noticed that the Friday Fish Dinners were not as common and decided to bring the tradition to St Mary’s. With the support of Msgr. Mike and a team of volunteers, the first fish dinner was served in 2011. The event was an instant hit and the parish hosted a second dinner that year. Since then, it has been served just one Friday during Lent each year. Parishioners really look forward to it and have already started buying their discounted tickets for this year’s event. We hope you can join us!
Lenten Cluster Mission
March 11 - 13, 2018
Who is God? Who am I? What is Prayer? What is Love?
- St. Anne - March 11, 7:00 PM
- St. Mary - March 12, 7:00 PM
- St. Mary of the Hills - March 13, 7:00 PM
Marty is a singer, composer and a producer in the music industry. He abandoned pop music for religious songs. He lost a lot of friends and upset some members of his own family. When he heard about our Blessed Mother's apparitions, he did research on the Church approved apparitions like Fatima, Lourdes, and Guadalupe. Upon learning more about the Blessed Mother, his love for her became deeper. Through the Blessed Mother, Marty found his way back to her son Jesus. His deep spiritual inspiration made him build a Christian Music Industry that is devoted to spreading the love of Jesus through inspirational songs.
Light of the World Retreat
March 16 - 19, 2018
The Light of the World (LOTW) parish retreat gives parishioners the opportunity to grow in their faith together. The experience helps people to live the Catholic Christian life with more zeal and enthusiasm. The retreat weekend starts on Friday evening (after work) through Monday evening (after work) and during the day on Saturday and Sunday. Unlike most retreats, however, participants return to their homes each night. Men and women attend the same retreat.
