2009 LENTENPROGRAM

FOR Mary Help of Christians Parish

911SwanwickStreet . Chester, lllinois 62233

(618)826-2444

http://www .maryhoc.org/ LENTEN

God of all compassion, Father of all goodness, T0 heal the wounds Our sins and selfishness bring upon us You bid us turn to , prayer, and sharing With our brothers and sisters.

We acknowledge our sinfulness, Our guilt is ever before us: When our weakness causes discouragement, Let your compassion fill us with hope And lead us through a of repentance T0 the beauty of joy.

Grant this through Christ our Lord.

AMEN LENT 2009 The Lenten Season

Lentis the penitential season of the Church's year. Lent is forty days in duratlon not by whim or accident. The forty days symbolicallyreminds us of an amount of time necessary for preparation, as himselfwandered inthe desert for forty days and forty nights fasting and prayingbefore His ministrybegan. Thetradition of the CatholicChurch begins Lenton Ash Wednesday and ends withthe beginningof the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday. Lenthas six Sundays. Followingthe Church's tradition Sundays are a commemorationof Easter Sunday and are not days of fast or abstinence. Additionally,they are not counted in the forty days of Lent.Thesixth Sunday of Lentholds specific importance as it is called Passion Sunday or more commonlyknownas PalmSundayand marks the beginning of HolyWeek.

The Easter Triduum(three days) as stated above begins with the evening Mass ofthe Lord's Supper on HolyThursday. Itcommemorates the Lord's passion and death on , reaches its high point at the Easter Vlgiland ends with the evening prayer on Easter Sunday. Duringthe three days of the Easter Triduumofthe Church, the only sacraments to be administered are the three primaryliturgles.Inother words no other Masses are permitted.In the regrettable situation of a funeral duringthese days, no Funeral Mass is permitted.A Funeral Servicewithout Mass and the Intermentrituals are pennitted withthe anticipationof a MemorialMass after Easter Sunday.ln addition no Baptisms, Weddings, Confirmations, Ordinationsor Confessions are to be administered.

Traditionally the Lenten Season is a time of penance throughout the Catholic Church. Penance is performed not only for individual wrongdoing but also communal and national sin. Lent is a season in which prayer, the reception of the sacraments, charity and almsgiving are emphasized. Fast and abstinence are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. AII the Fridays of lent are days of abstinence from meat.

Ash Wednesday

ASH WEDNESDA Y MASSES: on February 25 are at 8:15AM & 7:00PM at Church; NO MASS at Three Springs.

ASH WEDNESDAY COLLECTION: Is for Aid and Assistance to the Church in Eastern and Central Europe. Please use the envelope that is in your packet. Let us reach out in support FOR THE NEXT GENERA TION of faithful in that part of the World. Lenten Regulations

Each year the Lord Jesus calls the entire Church to a special session of Penance and Renewal. As we begin this holy time of Lent, we should reflect on our need for conversion of heart, prayer, charitable works, and penance. The Season of Lent extends from Ash . Wednesday, February 25, to the beginning of the Mass of the Lord's Supper, April9, inclusive. 1. Everyone 14 years of age or over is bound 10 abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and all Fridays of Lent. 2. Everyone 18 years of age and under 59 years of age is also bound to fast on Ash Wednesdayand Good Friday. 3. On these two days of Fast and Abstinence, only one full meatless mealls allowed. The other two meatless meals, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken to one's needs, but all together they should not equal another full meal. Eating between meals is not permitted on these two days, but liquids, including milk and fruit juices, are allowed. When health or abllity to work is affected, the obligation of the law is modified. Because Lent is a special season for all Christians, we should not lightly excuse ourselves from these penltential practices. 4. T0 completely disregard the Laws of Fast and Abstinence is seriously sinful. 5. Lent is the principal season of penance in the Christian Year. Clergy, Religious, and Laity are strongly urged to develop and malntain a voluntary program of se.f- denial (in addition to the above regulations), serious prayer, and peñormance of works of charity and mercy, including almsgivJng.

Lenten prayer

SPECIAL 12:10PM MASS on the followingMondaysof Lent:March2,9,16,23,30 and April 6. Do you work in town - why not Come and join us? PERSONAL DEVOTIONS it Is important that in Lentwe develop or renew our personal prJvate prayer life. As Jesus himself went away by hlmself to a quiet place to pray, so should we find the time and place to follow his example. Lent Is a peñect time to renew our commitment to Traditional and Contemporary Devotionals, the Rosary, and to Reflections on Scripture Readings and the Lives of the Saints reawaken your falth. MAKE WEDESDAY EVENING FAMIL Y NIGHT during Lent!Makea special effortto do something with your family in the "Domestic Church" (your home). Gather the family together to watch a religious movie, or say the Sorrowful Mysteries of the rosary together. or read the Passion Story from the Bible.

WEDNESDAY EVENING COMMUNION SERVICE duñng lent forthose who are unable to attend Mass at the Nursing Homes. (Remember you can receive Ho.lYCommunion only once a day.) March 4,11.18, (no service March 25) & April1.

STA TIONS OF THE CROSS will be held on the Saturdays of Lent at 4:30PM before Mass. A signup sheet to lead Stations on Saturdays is available on top of the radlator in back of Church.

Lenten Sacraments of Reconciliation

ANOINTING OF THE SICK will be celebrated in conjunction with the Holy Sacrifice of the on Wednesday. March 18 Mass -10:00 A.M.@ st. Ann's; March 25 Mass -10:30 A.M.on Wednesday @ 3 Springs .Thls sacrament is available for those of advanced years. serious mental and physical illness, deteriorating health, those who are about to enter the hospital, or those in need of inner healing & peace.

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILLlA nON (confess;on) is celebrated every Saturday of Lent from 3:30- 4:15PMexcept on April11. OurCommunalPenance Servicewith an additional priest available to hear confessions will be held on Tuesday, March 30 at 7:00PM. PLEASE MAKE THIS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF YOUR LENTEN PREPARATIONS.

THE EASTER DUTY OBLlGA T/ON requires every Catholic over the age of reason to receive Holy Communion at least once during the Easter Season. The Easter Season runs from Ash Wednesday. February 25 through , June 7.lf necessary, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is also required. Lenten Almsgivin~

FOODFORFAMILlESPROGRAM/ REACHINGOUTTOOTHERS:Food collected and donated again this year wUlbe givento the Chester Area Christian Food Pantrv here in town. Bringyour canned goods and dry package items to the FOODBARRELin the center vestibule of the Church.

LENTEN SACRlFICE FOLDERS areavailable at the doors of the Church. Yoursacrifices help our School. Thank you for your caring and support. PERSONAL ALMSGIVlNGeach Catholicis asked bythe Church to answer God's call to give to the poor and needy. There are many Church and CharitableInstitutions which are in need of our assistance.

EASTER FLOWER MEMORIALS once again this year you will be able to give an offering in memory of Family, Living or Deceased. The offerina is $12.50. The deadline forthe Offering is April 5.

Other Dates & Events Coming~

FIRST COMMUNION: First Communion will be held_on Sunday, April19 @ 9:00 A.M. Mass.

SPRJNG GALA & AUCTJON: Spring Gala & Auction will be held Saturday, March 28. LENTEN SCHEDULE MASS SCHEDULE ASH WEDNESDAY (Ashes willbe distributed at all Masses) At Church: 8:15 AM 7:00PM

(NO MASS AT Three Springs) LENTEN WEEKDAY MASSES Mondays: SpecialMasstime-12:10PM Tuesdays: Children's Liturgy - 8:15AM Wednesdays: Fe..brarj ~5" r8BI I, 8 7:00PM March 4, March 18, April1 at St. Ann's -10:00 A.M. March 11, March 25, (no Mass April 8) at 3 5prings -10:30AM Communion Service: March 4, 11, 18, (no Service March 25) and April1 - 7: 00 PM Thursdays: No Mass Fridays: Children's Liturgy - 8:15AM S'I'ATIONS OF THE CROSS Saturdays,March4, 11,18,25 & April4 4:30PM RECONCILLIA'I'ION (Conæsmon~ 5aturdays: 3:30PM - 4:15PM Communal Penance Service: Monday,March30- 7:00PM ANOIN'I'ING OF THE SICK

M~rc..hj' -Wednesday, ~... J Il' 10:00 A.M. - 5t Ann's No.C"ch"J.S - Wednesday, Merlls1t 10:30 P.M.- 3Springs MINIS'I'ERIAL ALLIANCE PRAYER SERVICE T0 be announced SCHEDULE PASSION (PALM) SUNDAY WEEKEND MASSES Saturday, April4 - 5:00PM Sunday,April 5 - 9:00AM MONDAY OF HOLY WEEK April6 Mass -12:10PM Communal Penance Service March 30 - 7:00 P.M. TUESDAY OF HOLY WEEK April 7 No Moming Mass CHRISM MASS at St. Peter's Cathedral Belleville-12:30PM WEDNESDAY ÖF BOLY WEEK April 8 No Moming Mass HOLY THURSDAY April9 No Moming Mass or Confessions Mass of the Lord's Supper - 7:00PM Veneration ofthe Blessed Sacrament after Mass until11:00 P.M. GOOD ERIDAY April 10 No Moming Mass or Confessions Youth Group Participation in the Celebration of the Lord's Passion & - 7:00PM HOLY SATV.RDAY Apf!111 No Confessions EasterVigilMass~" ä:"OOPM EASTER SUNDAY April12 Morning Mass - 9:00 A.M. PRAYER

HOSANNA! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!

o strength of King Oavid, How blessed the one Who comes in your name!

Loose our tongues T0 Proclaim Christ coming And praise you in his name.

May we see the return in glory Of the king who was enthroned On the cross, Jesus Christ,

Who lives and reigns with you, In the unity of the Holy Spirit, One God,'forever and ever.

AMEN. GOOD FRIDAY PRAYER

God of mystery, The horror of the cross overwhelms us, Yet when you seem profoundly absent Your love for us is most fully revealed

Open our hearts to your mercy, Made known in the death of your Son,

May we who stand in awe . Approach and embrace the cross Of Christ, In whom our shattered lives Have been made whole.

We ask through Jesus Christ, Our healer, Who lives and reigns with you, In the unity of the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever.

AMEN.