Lenten Bible Study

02-05-2021Weekly Flocknote MessageFr. James Aboyi, V.C.

The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 17, 2021. A season of intense interior spiritual preparation for the solemn celebration of Easter (Suffering, Death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ). DO YOU EVER WISH YOU COULD “GET MORE” OUT OF MASS? Every liturgical action is by its very nature steeped in sacred Scripture….all that we do in Mass receives inspiration and substance from Scripture. We have organized a six-week bible study with the theme: A BIBLICAL WALK THROUGH THE MASS to avail all parishioners of St. Benedict the opportunity to reap fruits of the Holy Mass.

This bible study will be facilitated by Fr. Wilfred Yinah. We shall watch a short video and share with one another our experience or inspirations and answer questions. Join us for the first evening on February 18, 2021 from 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm in the Church. You are invited to this in-person Bible study, we shall try to stream it for those who cannot attend in person.

First Reconciliation

Please join me in praying for our children who will be making their first reconciliation here in our parish tomorrow, Saturday, February 6th. About 45 students and their families are planning to make their reconciliation tomorrow. They had a very successful retreat on January 23rd in preparation for this Sacrament.

Lenten Liturgies and Activities

It’s hard to believe the Lenten season is already upon us. We had a Staff Liturgy meeting this morning to plan ahead for the Lenten season which begins on Ash Wednesday, February 17th. First of all, I am glad to inform you that Nick and Nikki, our Music Director, have volunteered to help coordinate our parish Liturgy moving forward. I thank them for their willingness to respond to the needs of our parish community. I ask for your prayers and support for them as they begin to serve in this ministry this week.

A few Lenten activities will be modified this year to meet the current health protocols. Some of our Lenten plans are subject to change to meet the needs of our community at any given time. Here are some things to expect during the Lenten season this year:

Ash Wednesday. Masses will be at 7am, 9am, 5pm and 6:30pm. Please Note! There will be a Liturgy of the Word Service and distribution of Ashes at noon. All Masses will be live-streamed, and Holy Communion and Ashes will be offered for 30 minutes following each Mass at the main entrance of the Church. Please note! Only ashes will be offered during and after the noon service. Holy Communion will not be offered during or after the service. Ashes will be imposed on the forehead using fresh cotton balls for each person. This is to avoid any contamination by the touching of hands.

Stations of the Cross. The Stations of the Cross will be held on Fridays at the usual time of 6pm in the Church. The Stations will be live-streamed on our parish Youtube channel. We anticipate that different ministries will lead the stations as we usually do, but with slight modifications to the number of people that participate at each station and the text used. We are also looking at a possibility of holding an outdoor Stations of the Cross but this is not conclusive yet.

Holy Week and Lenten Retreat. We are planning on having a two-day virtual retreat during Holy Week. We will communicate the details of the retreat and Holy Week Liturgies to you in the upcoming weeks.

Charity and Development Appeal

It is the time of year again when we are all called to participate in the annual Charity and Development Appeal (CDA). This weekend is designated as Announcement Weekend in all the parishes in our Diocese. I thank all of our parishioners who participated in the appeal last year. Despite the pandemic, we went beyond our goal of $85,000 by up to 117%. A total of 213 families in our parish participated in the CDA last year with a total gift of $99,625. I also thank those who have already participated in the appeal this year. Our parish goal remains the same this year at $ 85,000.

The CDA provides critical funding to more than 70 programs and agencies across four counties in our Diocese. These groups serve the people in our parishes, Catholic schools, and local communities. You become the heart and hands of Jesus to children, families, and individuals with your gift to the CDA. You may have already received your donation envelope directly from the Diocese. If not, we will be providing you with an envelope next weekend. I invite you and your family to pray about how you are going to support the CDA this year.
Have a wonderful weekend and Remain Blessed.

Fr James Aboyi, VC
Pastor