Lent

As Christian believers, we begin our annual observance of Lent on February 22nd. Using the Lord Jesus’ forty days in the desert as a template, the penitential season is a time to prepare for the solemn celebration of the Paschal Mystery: the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Church recommends three great spiritual practices for Lent: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. At St. Francis Parish, we offer the following for Lenten prayer: Mass, Stations of the Cross, Recitation of the Rosary and Liturgy of the Hours - Morning Prayer. "40 Cans For Lent" is ideal for almsgiving.

• Spiritual Opportunities for Lent 2023
  
  • Ash Wednesday, February 22nd marks the beginning of the Lenten season. Ashes will be distributed at Our Lady of the Lakes Church after the 8:30am and 6:30pm Liturgy Services and at St. Francis Church after the 8:30am Mass and the 6:30pm Spanish Liturgy Service.
  • Recitation of the Rosary at Our Lady of the Lakes Church on Tuesday and Thursday following the 8:30am Mass.
  • Stations of the Cross will be observed at both Our Lady of the Lakes Church (7pm) and St. Francis Church (6:30pm) on Friday evenings. Would you like to be a reader or candle bearer at Stations of the Cross at Our Lady of the Lakes? Contact Henry Beary or Joan Desmaris.
    
  • Recitation of the Rosary and Stations of the Cross in Portuguese is offered at Our Lady of the Lakes Church on Tuesday evenings starting at 5:30pm.
  • Liturgy of the Hours - Morning Prayer is available as a ZOOM event on weekday mornings at 8:30am. Morning Prayer is a 20 minute offering of prayers and psalms - a great way to start your day. This link will take you to a detailed explanation of the Liturgy of the Hours.
    Morning Prayer - Zoom
    Meeting ID: 975 5237 7466   Passcode: 080396
    
  • 40 Cans For Lent The Knights of Columbus is sponsoring a Lenten devotion from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. Parishioners are encouraged to donate one can of food or other food items for each day in Lent. All food donations will go to the New Milford Food Bank.
  • Bible Study - Walking through Lent with Jesus Using the structure of an armchair pilgrimage and Magnificat's 2023 Lenten Companion for Scripture, we will endeavor to encounter Jesus in a new way this Lent as we walk with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. No prior Bible study experience necessary, and the study is free Maura Pauli and Jacqui Farrell, graduates of the New England Catholic Biblical School, will present. Sessions will be on 7 Wednesdays: February 15 through March 29 from 9:30-11:30 at St. Francis Xavier Church. Sign up sheets are in the back of both churchs.
  • Tenebrae is a prayer service observed during the final days of Holy Week - Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday - commemorating the sufferings and death of Christ.