Dear Friends,

In a few short days Lent begins. What is this season about? For some people it means a restricted diet (no meat on Fridays) and deprivation from some of the little pleasures like sweets or alcohol (or coffee if you are really brave). Acquiring self-mastery through these self-denials is undoubtedly a very important part of the Lenten season - but not the only one.The next six weeks can be an excellent time to do a spiritual examination (much like our yearly physical). How is our relationship with the Lord? Am I setting aside time daily to pray? Is my prayer time distracted or perfunctory? Am I entering into His presence and experiencing God speaking into my life? What is taking up my discretionary time? Does watching sports and movies leave me little time for spiritual reading or visiting with old friends and family members? What are my priorities? How about my finances? Am I generous to those in need?

Dear Friends,

Deacon James Carbajal, who is with us this weekend is a friend to many here at OLMC. He also comes to us with an important invitation. He and his associates will be showing how you can include OLMC in your estate plans.

Why would this be necessary? The Catholic attorney Mark Henry wrote Finish Well, a short book in which he shows how important it is for faithful Catholics to include their parish in their wills. He interviews a number of people to discover why they were not planning on doing so. Some said that the idea hadn’t occurred to them; others weren’t sure the parish needed the money. In one case, when a pastor found out that a well-known, active couple in the parish had planned to leave $5 million to the Boy Scouts, he was stunned to find out that they had no plans to include the parish in their estate. When he brought it up to the couple, they simply said that they were never asked.

Today’s readings speak of an essential quality for the Christian steward— hope. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Hope is thetheological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven andeternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises andrelying not on our own strength but on the help of the grace of the HolySpirit (CCC 1817).” In many ways, this is the very definition of astewardship way of life — focusing on eternity as we live our daily livesand relying on God to provide for our needs and satisfy our deepestlongings for meaning and happiness right now.

Dear Friends,

Next Sunday, millions of Americans will be thinking about the yearly football pageant-extravaganza, but in our Diocese, there is another focus that Catholics are asked to embrace—the Charity and Development Appeal.

This annual fundraiser is our opportunity to participate in the mission of our Church in many important ways. Not only will our giving support charitable outreaches like St Vincent de Paul and Catholic Charities, but essential ministries like the Crisis Pregnancy Services, Catholic schools and parishes in low-economic areas and the formation of our future priests.