Dear Parishioners,

It seems that Easter should be close, especially since we are nearing the end of March. In many years past, we would be coming very close to Holy Week. But looking at the calendar this year, we do not even find ourselves at the halfway point of Lent! It’s only the 3rd Sunday of Lent and Easter Sunday is a month away.

This is the point where we start to lose “steam” in this season of Lent. Our energy and enthusiasm seem to wane around this time. We need to renew our Lenten commitments and energy this next week so that we can be ready for the second half of Lent and the holiest time of year. How do we find this energy? We can find it through prayer and the Sacraments. Try to find some quiet time this next week. Come and join us for Adoration on Thursday mornings or join us on Friday evenings for a Lenten talk and the Stations of the Cross. If you can’t find time to join us at Church, pick up your rosary, find your Stations of the Cross book and do this at home. Or come to confession here or at one of the upcoming penance services in the area. There are many ways to perk up your spiritual life and be reminded of your love for Christ. 

One of the things that is making me anticipate the celebration of Easter is the fact that my mind is turning to outside work (it must be because it is now officially Spring). Every day as I survey the church campus, I see the damage of the tornado all around me. Thankfully, it’s not the rectory anymore. But there still are plenty of things being planned (with the help of some professionals) to try to get the grounds looking better around the campus again. Maybe by the time we get to summer, it won’t look like a construction project is underway as it did most of last year. As all of us realize by now, it’s going to take a number of years for plantings to take hold and for all the natural beauty we lost to return. 

Thanks for reading!

Fr. Mark