Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

New and Notes:  Lent begins this Wednesday with Ash Wednesday liturgies as follows:

7AM Mass at SMG
9AM Mass at OLA
4PM Liturgy of the Word at SMG
7PM Liturgy of the Word at OLA

I encourage all our parishioners to take a few moments the next few days to formulate their plan for observing Lent.  The plan should include spiritual reading or additional prayer time, some form of fasting (in a spirit of sacrifice, giving up food, some other pleasure we crave, or bad habit we have developed), and increased almsgiving or charity, especially in works of mercy that benefit those in need.

Join us for our Lenten Mission, this year at OLA on the weeknights of February 15-17 at 7PM.  Fr. Paul Soper and Sr. Patricia Boyle from the Archdiocesan Office of Pastoral Planning will be leading us in this three night retreat that will focus on the theme of God’s mercy and how it transforms us.  Dr. Aldona Lingertat, Director of the Master of Arts in Ministry Program for Laity at St. John’s Seminary’s Theological Institute for the New Evangelization, will offer a presentation on “The Pope Francis Effect” on Wednesday, February 17 at 10AM in the OLA Church Hall.  Our Music Ministry invites everyone to a concert entitled “From Darkness into Light,” on Sunday, February 21 at 2PM in SMG Church.  And there will be more Lenten offerings in succeeding weeks.  Lenten good wishes and blessings to all of you!