First Sunday of Lent

News and Notes:  Don’t forget our Meet the Bishop event with Bishop Mark O’Connell, Regional Bishop of the North Region of the Archdiocese of Boston, this coming Tuesday, March 7, at the OLA Church Hall, beginning at 7PM.  All members of the Collaborative are invited to attend this gathering during which Bishop Mark will be available to try and answer any questions or concerns you may have about the Church.

Next week, we will welcome Deacon Fran Burke and Kathy Cullen, both from the Chelmsford Catholic Collaborative, along with students from Lowell Catholic High School, all of whom will lead us in our annual Lenten Mission.  The theme for our Mission this year is Gratitude, and the Mission will take place on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings (March 13-15) at 7PM at OLA.  All are welcome.

Next weekend we will all have the opportunity to make a pledge to the Catholic Appeal, the 2017 Archdiocesan Campaign that supports over 50 Central Ministries throughout eastern Massachusetts.  Last year, both OLA and SMG exceeded their respective fair share assessments by a wide margin, resulting in rebates of more than $10,000 for each parish.  I have already made my pledge, as have many of our parishioners, so please consider a generous in-pew or online pledge to the 2017 Catholic Appeal this coming week.  Once again this year, 60% of the funds pledged and paid for over a parishes’ fair share assessment will come back to that parish (65% if a parish reaches its goal of a certain number of in-pew donations next weekend).  Thanks for your steadfast stewardship of our Catholic life together, and blessings to all of you as we begin our Lenten journey!