We often think of Lent as being 40 days long, but if you were to count the days from Ash Wednesday through Holy Saturday, you arrive at 46 days instead… What's that about?

Dear Friends,

As I reflected on the readings for this second Sunday of Lent, the theme of this article, inspired by my American Mom, came to my mind. She often told me, “Fr. Robert, you’ve got to give to get.” It made me wonder further how you would feel if an authority you deeply respect asked you to give up something you value above all else? Would you? You would likely find yourself torn between loyalty to that authority and love for what you hold dear. Would you be ready to let go of something precious to secure a relationship?

Mass practically begins with a “penitential act.” It’s the first order of business, right after the Sign of the Cross and a basic greeting. It says, “first things first”—let’s acknowledge our sins. We should not discount that immediacy. The Penitential Act signals an indispensable element of right worship and liturgy: man’s moral standing before his God. God is holy; man is not. That dissonance is the barrier to right worship because it is the barrier to the divine-human relationship.

Dear Friends,

Lent is a season within the Church's Liturgical Calendar. Lent is a graceful period lasting 40 days, during which the Church invites all her members to pray, fast, be reconciled with God and with one another, and be grateful in anticipation of Christ's redemptive passion, death, and Resurrection. During Lent, we are challenged to share with others what we have received from God. This requires a proper attitude and faith commitment. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Thursday of Holy Week.

“The main current of Lent must flow through the interior man, through hearts and consciences. The essential effort of repentance consists in this. In this effort, the human determination to be converted to God is invested with the predisposing grace of conversion and, at the same time, of forgiveness and of spiritual liberation.”

Dear Friends,

We live in an age of unprecedented connectivity. With a swipe of a finger, we can see what is happening on the other side of the globe. Yet, as our digital worlds expand, our physical worlds, the ones inside our own living rooms and dining tables, are often shrinking. The reality of this was powerfully brought home to me at a recent workshop Fr. Paul and I attended at the diocese as part of our priests’ ongoing formation.

While a bit of a dry topic, it can be helpful for Catholics to know some basic information about how the Church handles legal matters, especially in regards to the administration of the Sacraments.

Dear Friends,

As your pastor, I am often asked about the Church’s stance on celebrating weddings during Lent. While the Universal Church law (Canon Law) grants the faithful a right to the sacraments, liturgical guidelines specify that any wedding held during Lent must be significantly "toned down" to respect the season of penance.

There are few facts known about St. Blaise except that he was a fourth-century bishop in the city of Sebaste, Western Armenia, and died as a martyr. A physician, he was regarded as a righteous man and, at an early age, elected bishop by the citizens of Sebaste. He was martyred by beheading in the year 316. Beyond those few facts, much of what we know of Blaise comes from legends. He became, during the Middle Ages, one of the most popular of all the saints and today remains highly esteemed.