As we transition into the midpoint of January, I am figuring many of us have already slipped up on our “new year’s resolutions”. But that is okay because Lent is right around the corner ;)
I wanted to take the opportunity then to highlight a number of the prayer opportunities we have at Our Lady of Hope. Of course, we start off with our Daily Masses Mon, Wed-Saturday at 9 am and our Sunday schedule Vigil at 5 at the Chapel and 8 am ,10:30 am and Spanish Mass at 1 pm. All of our Daily Masses are followed immediately by the daily rosary.
On Mondays starting at 10 am there is a group that hosts Mondays with Mary at the Chapel where they pray bilingually. It runs from 10 am -11 am. We also have an evening group at the Chapel from 5 pm -6pm put on by the Fatima Prayer group where they offer the Rosary and other prayers.
On Tuesdays the Our Lady of Perpetual Help devotion is offered in the morning at the chapel at 10 am and there are two evening opportunities starting with the Spanish Cenacle group at 5 pm followed by the English Charismatic prayer group at 7 pm. The Cenacle prayer group centers around prayers for Priests and the Charismatic group is comprised of song, prayer and Holy Spirit led worship and praise. The Eucharist is exposed during the evening prayer groups on Tuesdays.
We again have Adoration on Wednesday evenings hosted first by our Men’s Forged Ministry which prays a Holy Hour from 6 pm -7 pm and follows up with either a presentation or fellowship depending on the week. From 7 pm -9 pm we have a group that prays formal evening and night prayer as well as having time for silent Adoration.
Thursdays we will be starting a Divine Mercy Cenacle group in February. They will be having an informational meeting on January 26th at 6 pm in St Mary’s Hall, the room under my rectory. In the Evenings on Thursdays, we have Adoration staring at 3 pm hosted by different parishioners and supported by a group from the Knights of Columbus. Adoration runs from 3 pm-9 pm and is primarily time for silent Adoration. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday ends with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. This is a special blessing in which the Exposed Host is lifted in the Monstrance for a blessing facilitated by a Priest or Deacon.
On Fridays we start Adoration at 10 am and Our Lord remains Exposed until 4:15pm on Saturdays before our Vigil Mass. Most of Friday is dedicated to silent Adoration but our Hispanic Charismatic prayer group meets from 7 pm -9 pm and offers different prayer experiences in Spanish in front of the Exposed Blessed Sacrament.
Saturdays we have confessions during Adoration from 9:45 am -11 am and
3 pm -4pm
As we get closer to Lent, I would encourage each of you to consider joining one of our groups for the 40-day period of preparation. I know that is how a lot of my prayer routines started, I would try them for 40 days to see if it was something I wanted to continue or not. Some stayed and some went by the wayside. Once Lent starts we will also be adding Stations of the Cross and extra Confession times.
