Dear Parishioners,

How is your Lent going? Has it been a time of renewal for your relationship with God? It is good to examine yourself every so often. Otherwise it is easy to miss any progress you have made. Or you might realize when you are stagnating in the faith. So, I offer for you this short Lenten examination of conscience for your personal growth.

• Have you been able to keep your Lenten penance?
• Have you fasted on Ash Wednesday? And will you fast on Good Friday?
• Have you abstained from meat every Friday in Lent? (Except St. Patrick’s Day this year)
• Have you prayed more often?
• Have you fasted?
• Have you given alms or participated in some other form of charity?
• Have I gone to confession at least once this year?

If you have done most of the things on this list, then that’s great. If you missed most of this but did better than last year, that’s also very good. If you have done hardly anything, then that should be a wake-up call and I hope that you practice your faith more earnestly. God can and does forgive any sin. But, He wants us to participate in His life and become more and more like His Son Our Lord Jesus Christ. Lent is a special time of year to practice becoming more Christ like. So, I hope we all use that time well. No one is a saint instantly. So, we should not be frustrated by our sinfulness. Instead, we should rededicate ourselves to God and ask for His help. That is the first step we take to become more holy.

God bless!

Fr. Carter

P.S. Just a reminder: This Thursday is the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7 pm. I need 12 volunteers to have their foot washed as part of that ceremony. Please use the signup sheet on the table in the gathering space. Please see the bulletin for the rest of the Triduum schedule.