In the Gospel on Ash Wednesday we heard Our Lord speak about almsgiving, prayer and fasting. These are the three traditional practices of Lent. But there are many ways of carrying them out, and we looked at many of them in the newsletter last weekend. Some of those may have surprised you, but here are some more traditional aspects of our annual journey through Lent.

Stations of the Cross

We have two opportunities each week to follow the last journey of Our Saviour, the way to Calvary. Each Friday at 9am we follow the traditional format at St Paul’s. Each Saturday at 9.30am we follow the Stations step by step, a few stops each week, pausing to reflect with thoughts from parishioners, quiet, and music.

Reconciliation

In addition to our normal Confession times of Friday 10am at St Paul’s, Saturday 10 at St Brigid’s and Saturday 5.40pm at Christ the King, there will be a Reconciliation Service at St Paul’s on Wednesday 15th March at 7pm.

Fasting and Almsgiving

CAFOD Family Fast Day is Friday 3rd March this year. You may like to support our monthly free Food Market, with a donation, or contribute towards the earthquake fund for Turkey and Syria.

Holy Week

Make sure in good time that you are able to attend the very special services of Holy Week. The Mass of the Lord’s Supper will be on Maundy Thursday evening 6th April 7.30 at St Brigid’s. The Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion is on Good Friday afternoon 7th April 3pm at Christ the King and St Paul’s. The Easter Vigil and First Mass of Easter will be at Christ the King Saturday 8th April.

There are many other ways to observe this season. Do not let it slip by – listen to the plea of the Lord in the first reading on Ash Wednesday “Come back to me with all your heart.”

Fr Matthew