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February 1, 2024Dear friends in Christ,
We all know that February is the shortest month (though we do get an extra “leap” day this year), but we’ve got a lot going on at CtR in these 29 days. Let’s take a look at what lies ahead for us and take advantage of some wonderful opportunities to grow in faith and charity.
It begins today on the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time as we hear Jesus say in St. Mark’s Gospel, “Let us go ... for this purpose have I come.” Beautiful words from our savior, but do we take them to heart? Do we see ourselves as having a mission-driven purpose like Jesus? Is our mission in life aligned with the life of our Lord? Perhaps we resist going forward for one reason or another. Maybe we’re burned out. Maybe we need to change something within us so we can get moving again. Ask the Lord for the grace to move forward with him, and then go out to the world so that by your actions, words, and deeds others might encounter the mission of Christ in and through you.
One great way to join in that mission is by recognizing that “We Are the Lord’s,” as the theme of this year’s Diocesan Services Fund states. We kick off our 2024 DSF appeal this weekend as an opportunity to be the Lord’s hands and heart through the more than 60 ministries in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. In the narthex and at coffee and donuts in the Parish Hall after all masses we’ll show a video that details the many good ministries that DSF supports. And by the way, you’ll see some familiar faces from CtR featured in this year’s DSF video!
All registered parishioners should have received a letter from Cardinal DiNardo recently along with a personalized pledge card inviting them to participate in this year’s drive. I know I got mine at the rectory this past week. We also have the pledge envelopes in the pews this week. Please complete the pledge card or the pew envelope and drop it off today, or bring it with you to Mass next weekend. You can also return it in the mail in the envelope provided, or drop it off in the office. Personally, I think it’s easiest and fastest to go online at www.archgh.org/dsf to make your pledge. That’s what I did to make my pledge and it couldn’t have been easier.
Every parish has a goal, set by the Cardinal, to meet as part of DSF. Our goal this year at CtR is $353,000. I am happy to say we have made our goal each of the last 19 years and we definitely want to keep the streak alive. As an incentive to reach and surpass we receive a rebate of 75 percent of any overage of our goal, with the other portion going to support low-income parishes in the inner city.
I’m often asked how much a family should give to DSF. That’s ultimately up to you to decide, but perhaps I could suggest you consider giving $1 a day (a $365 yearly pledge). That’s about $91 every three months. Remember that you don’t have to pay it all at once. You can spread it out through the year, and there are options for credit card payments or bank drafts. But please do make a pledge of any size. Your gift, regardless of the amount, will go a long way in helping our brothers and sisters in so many ministries throughout our archdiocese, and thus enable us to join the Lord in today’s Gospel “to go” into the world as instruments of His mercy. Thank you for your continued support of DSF.
Moving forward in February, we are just 10 days away from the start of Lent. Ash Wednesday is Feb. 14. Yes, that’s Valentine’s Day, but no, you don’t get a free pass from fasting or abstaining from meat that day. Ash Wednesday trumps Valentine’s Day, so if you want to celebrate with your significant other, maybe plan to do so either before or after Ash Wednesday. I suggest you celebrate the day before which is, of course, Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday. Nothing says “I love you” like gumbo and jambalaya!
I’ll have more details about Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent in next week’s bulletin, but just to give you a head’s up we will have multiple liturgies on Feb. 14, beginning with a 6:30 a.m. Liturgy of the Word service for those on the way to work or school. We will only have one Mass on Ash Wednesday at 9 a.m. (The school will have a separate Mass in the afternoon, so there will be plenty of seating in the church for the morning Mass.) We will have additional Liturgy of the Word services (all with distribution of ashes) at 12 noon, 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. All services will be in the church. There are no confessions on Wednesday nor an evening Mass. Also, if you have old palm branches from past years, please bring them to Mass next weekend. We’ll collect and burn them, and use the remains as part of the ashes that will be “branded” upon us on Ash Wednesday.
We are once again participating in a parish-wide Lenten Almsgiving initiative with our friends from Catholic Extension. You will recall that last year we gave our collected alms to support the children of migrant workers in the Diocese of Yakima. This year, we’re turning our attention closer to home and inviting you to give alms to help Sacred Heart Church in the Diocese of El Paso.
We will welcome Father Rafael Garcia, pastor of Sacred Heart in El Paso’s “Segundo Barrio,” on the 1st Sunday of Lent (Feb. 17-18) to tell us about the good work his parish is doing to serve the hundreds and hundreds of migrants who arrive on their doorstep each week. They see Christ in them, and serve them with love and compassion. Where they need our assistance is helping them to help themselves – Sacred Heart Church is 108 years old and in need of much repair, and if there is one thing CtR knows, it’s how to build! Your gifts of Lenten alms will go to help rebuild the physical body of Christ, the church building, so that the mystical body of Christ, the people of God, may be served now and for generations to come. Stay tuned for more details about how we as a parish-wide community can collectively give alms this Lenten season.
Lastly, I call your attention to a very special event that will help frame our 40-day journey through the desert of Lent to the joy of Easter that awaits us. Our 2024 parish Lenten Mission will be Feb. 26-28, with Deacon Greg Kandra leading us. The theme of our mission is “Giving Up Dessert, and Entering into the Desert,” and it is shaping up as a wonderful gift for our parish. Deacon Greg, who writes a popular blog on church life at www.thedeaconsbench.com, will preach the weekend of Feb. 24-25 to prepare us for the mission and I know you’ll like him. He is a masterful storyteller and does a fine job of engaging the community and calling us to the work of living our faith in everyday life. The mission will take place over three nights, Monday-Wednesday, Feb. 26-28, at 7 p.m. in the church.
Again, I’ll have more details on both our Lenten Almsgiving project in El Paso, as well as our Lenten Parish Mission next week, but for now, I ask that you please mark the dates on your calendar and prepare for a grace-filled time as we soon begin the holy season of Lent.
Peace, Fr. Sean