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Living Lent was not meant to be easy By MSGR. JAMES J. WALSH because they seemed to be themselves spiritually and more closely to God. Help us to practice to fulfill their dreams. Last year during Lent I reading my script. They were helping others materially." love our neighbor, really love And the overweight suffer mild was talking to a middle aged still wanning "to the subject. I ASKED them if they had him more. Make our Lord more tortures in pushing the table couple who had some very "Take the children as an changed their mind on what real in our lives." away from them. Good human definite views on the penitential example," Henry said. "We Lent was supposed to do for "We can express the same motives, but none of this, on its season. So much so, that I have been telling them in Lent them. They both started idea in many ways," Henry own, would make us better made some notes, when I got to all of us should indeed 'give up' talking at once, and the wife said. "But I feel now it is the Christians. As Margaret said — my desk, to share their ideas some things. Penance for us, won out. motive that really counts here, we must live Lent to become with others this year. Let's call yes. But if it is candy or a "This is the great lesson I the inner attitude. Self-denial is better Christians, to make them Henry and Margaret. movie or whatnot, then let's use think we have learned," she very common in the world. All Christ more alive to us." Their conversation ran along the money for the poor and said. "I don't think many of us athletes have to practice it to "ONE OF our older girls these lines. needy to share what we have realized years ago that Lent an extreme degree to keep in does not go to movies, for "When we were growing with others. This makes sense was indeed supposed to change shape. Look at the endless instance, but uses that time to up and in the early years of our to them. They are helping us to some degree. Reconcile us hours musicians and singers read to an elderly lady who is married life," Henry said, (Continued on page 8) "Lent was a pretty strict, no- nonsense business. We not only — Official- had some kind of food restriction throughout, the Archdiocese week days, a restriction which made a definite change in of Miami eating habits, but in addition VOICE we were supposed to 'give up Lenten something.' Something we didn't want to give up." FEBRUARY 27, 1976 25c VOL. XVII No. 51 Regulations HIS WIFE interrupted: "I Ash Wednesday and Good dreaded your giving up Friday are days of both fast cigarettes, because it meant we and abstinence (only one full all had to do penance. You were meal; no meat). a bear to live with." All the Fridays of Lent are "By now I'm ready to Remember man days of abstinence (no meat). concede that," he laughed. Those who have reached "However, the point I am that you are the age of 14 are obliged to trying to make is that so much abstain from meat on Ash of the "giving up" seems now dust. Wednesday and all the Fridays in retrospect to have had a of Lent. vague, unsatisfactory motive behind it. I understand now, With the imposition of Those between the ages of and I think I did then, that self- ashes this Wednesday, the 21 and 59 are obliged to fast on denial is part of the essence of Church begins the celebration Ash Wednesday and Good the Gospel message. I realized of Lent, a time when Friday. that we had to do penance for Christians all over the world Taken as a whole, the our sins, that in some way we are called to a change of above regulations bind gravely. had to 'pay off the punishment heart, an inner conversion This means that failure to due them. that may make them more observe a substantial number Christ-like. They are invited to of penitential days would be "I must confess that I accompany Jesus who Him- considered a serious infraction couldn't work up much en- self spent forty days in the of the spirit of the penitential thusiasm over it all. It left me desert in fast and prayer, season. rather cold, but I kept Lent. It getting ready for his mission Catholics of all ages are was more of an act of faith, and the laying down of his life called to practice voluntary faith in what the Church was for the sake of men. self-denial during the Lenten telling me was good for me season. Participation in daily spiritually. And I don't doubt Mass is strongly urged. Also that." recommended are spiritual "I FELT the same way," reading, especially reading of Margaret added, "and I think the Scriptures, recitation of the our friends did too. I don't 1 Rosary and meditation on its regret those years, and I am not mysteries, and making the Way downgrading the Lent of that Bishops official blasts of the Cross. time. But I think what we both agree on now is that the ap- proach to Lent after the Second Vatican Council is much more 'biased' abortion report Lent opens meaningful and enkindles more enthusiasm." WASHINGTON-(NC)- that abortion is simplpyy a "The paper glosses over The U.S. bishops' secretary for medical procedure for women, the fact that 40 to 55 million Wednesday I kept listening intently, pro-life activities, Msgr. James and its acceptibility depends abortions annually is in fact the Ash Wednesday, T. Me Hugh, has blasted a solely on the safety of the killing of 40 to 55 million un- paper on worldwide abortion procedure for the women. which marks the beginning OFFICIAL conditions as "a political (Continued on page 3) of Lent, will be observed propaganda piece" that is March 3. Archdiocese of Miami "biased and misleading." The faithful are urged The paper, by Lester R. to consult their respective Appointments Brown and Kathleen Newland rtbe parish bulletins for the of Worldwatch Institute, said times when ashes will be The Chancery announces that nearly two-thirds of the distributed in the churches. that Archbishop Coleman F. world's population now lives in Carroll has made the following countries where abortion has anb appointments: been legalized. It estimated THE REV. MSGR. JOHN that the number of abortions J. NEVINS, Episcopal Vicar per year is somewhere in the INSIDE for the Clergy of the Ar- range of 40 million to 55 <§roont" chdiocese of Miami and million. Classified 18 Chairman of the Archdiocesan Editorial 6 MSGR. MCHUGH did not Gospel Truth... 12 Personnel Board, while argue with the statistics so Know Your retaining other assignments. much as with the underlying 9th Annual Edition Faith 9 Effective, Feb. 10. approach of the authors in their Movies 13 Prayer 12 THE REV. MSGR. selection and interpretation of Question 6 AUGUSTIN ROMAN, Epis- data. INSIDE THIS ISSUE! S.FIa. Scene ... 75 copal Vicar for the Spanish "The paper," Msgr. Spanish ....19,20 Speaking Peoples, while TV 73 McHugh said, "has its own Walsh 7 retaining other assignments. moral presuppositions —that is, Youth 76 Operation Rice Bowl — helps starving Operation Rice Bowl, a $100,000 was raised locally. dispensed by Catholic Relief Lenten program designed to "We ask American Services for the overseas poor. help feed the world's starving, families gathering around their Twenty-five per cent will be will be launched throughout the During Lent, families are dining room tables to make used to assist the poor and Archdiocese and the country urged to prepare one their tables an altar, to pray hungry here at home: on Ash Wednesday, March 3. sacrificial meal each week and and to eat a sacrificial meal, " The suggested menu for Families whose children offer the money saved to help said Msgr. Coll. "This will lead the family meal on the first are in Catholic Schools are feed the starving people of the them to experience the agony, week of Lent is potato soup and asked to pray a common world. The program called the pain of hunger. We ask a slice of bread. The second prayer, eat a sacrificial meal "Operation Rice Bowl" is them to place their food savings week the menu is macaroni and and make an offering at their sponsored by the 41st In- into the cardboard rice bowl cheese and vanilla pudding. own dining table once a week to ternational Eucharistic Con- that will be provided through "The cost savings between feed the millions of starving gress. The menu for the first their parish or congregation." this type of meal and our and malnourished around the week of Lent is: Potato Soup, The project has been normal four or five course world. 1 Slice of Bread. adopted by American Catholic dinner will be quite sub- Catholic schools have been Overseas Aid Appeal which stantial," said Msgr. Coll. provided with kits for children annually provides the basic "Through prayer, through to take home, from which a funding for Catholic Relief experiencing hunger, through cardboard "rice bowl" can be Lenten Mite box in that it asks said Msgr. Glorie. Services—the official overseas making this sacrifice, families punched out and used for the the children and their families ORB is sponsored by the aid and development agency of will learn an important spiritual offering at the table from the to make some sacrifice once a 41st International Eucharistic the American Catholic Bishops.

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