LENT BEGINS ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17th WITH ASH WEDNESDAY
Lent was originally the season of preparation for Easter. The traditional ways of preparation were fasting, praying and almsgiving. Prayer gives time to God, fasting diminishes selfishness and almsgiving helps others.
Jesus spent forty days in the desert preparing for his work, whilst the Israelites spent forty years in the desert preparing for the Promised Land.
We spend forty days of Lent preparing to celebrate the great events of our faith: the Suffering, Death and Resurrection of Christ.
ASH WEDNESDAY MASS TIMES:
8 am, 10 am and 7.30 pm.
HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS AS TO HOW WE MIGHT PREPARE OURSELVES FOR EASTER
PRAYER
Drop in to church when passing to say a short prayer.
Try to get to Mass on a weekday in addition to Sundays.
Adore Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, by attending Eucharistic Adoration on Sundays in Lent after the end of the 12.30pm Mass and ending at 5.30pm.
Take part in the Rosary: 9.40 am in church, before weekday Mass, and Thursday evenings at 7.30 pm.
Follow the Stations of the Cross on Fridays after Mass at 10.30 am and in the evenings at 7 pm.
Light a candle in your own homes, alone or with the family, and say a prayer.
Read the back of the parish Newsletter for spiritual nourishment.
Say Grace before meals.
Use the “Living as One” booklet to help with personal prayer and thought – available in the paper shop priced £1.
Come to the Lent Talks
on 23rd February
9th March
23rd March
7.30 pm in the Upstairs Meeting Room
FASTING
Abstain from some food one day a week and replace it with soup.
Battle against particular bad habits e.g. being judgemental, being critical, being uncharitable etc.
Give up one or two luxuries.
Fast (only one full meal) and abstain from any meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
ALMSGIVING
* Supply tins of food for the homeless (to be left in the box at the back of the church.)
* Put money in the CAFOD box at the back of the Church or donate to Family Fast Day (February 26th)
* Donate to LENTEN ALMS (A Diocesan Collection) – During Lent these can be donated via the box on the wall in the Porch. This year the Archbishop has chosen the St John Southworth Fund and the Thai Children’s Trust as our beneficiaries.
Other Charities you could donate to:
* Cardinal Hume Centre – giving young people a new start in life. 3-7, Arneway St., Horseferry Rd., London SW1P 2BG. Tel: 020 7222 1602.
* The Passage – helping the homeless. St. Vincent’s, Carlisle Place, London SW1P 1NG. Tel: 020 7828 4183.
* The De Paul Trust – helping youth. Freepost 11, LON8428, London W1E 3ER.
* The Bourne Trust – for prisoners and their families. 1-3, Brixton Road, London SW9 6DE.
DATES FOR LENT
Ash Wednesday – 17th February.
Fasting and Abstinence from meat.
Ashes at all Masses: 8 am, 10 am and 7.30 pm.
Anointing of the Sick – Saturday 20th February. 2.30 pm.
(There will be no 10 am Mass on that day)
Penitential Services – Monday 29th March
2.30 pm and 7.30 pm.
Good Friday – 2nd April. Fasting and Abstinence.
Stations of the Cross at 11.30 am
Liturgy 3 pm