what is lent? - thomas more is lent & yes to jesus2015.pdf · what is lent? •ash ... •...

What is Lent?

What is Lent?

• Ash Wednesday to

Holy Thursday

afternoon

• 40 weekdays + 6

Sundays

• Laetare Sunday

• Holy week

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

February 15 16 17 18 ASH

WEDNESDAY

Fast & Abstain

19 20 21

Rite of Sending

Rite of Election

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

March 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15

LAETARE

SUNDAY

16 17 18 19

St. Joseph

20 21

22 23 24 25

Annunciation of

the Lord

26 27 28

29

PALM

PASSION

SUNDAY

30 31 April 1 2

HOLY

THURSDAY

3 GOOD

FRIDAY

Fast & Abstain

4 HOLY

SAT.

Easter

VIGIL

5

EASTER

SUNDAY

6

OCTAVE

7

OF

8

EASTER

9

- - - - - - -

10

- - - - - - - - - -

11

- - - - - - - - - -

Season of Lent

• Season of conversion and repentance

• Season of purification and enlightenment

• Season of preparation for Easter

sacraments

Lent is the season of Penance

• What is penance?

– Penance is what we freely offer to God to help

make-up for sin in our own lives and in others’

• Why do penance?

– to express our sorrow for sin

– to strengthen our ability to resist temptation

– to uproot habits and tendencies that are

against God’s will

• Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation

• During Lent, the Church calls us to

personal penance, which we may choose

for ourselves, and…

• …public penance, which we do in

communion with the Church around the

world.

• Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are

days of public penance, as are all Fridays

of the year

Traditional Forms of Penance

• Prayer

• Fasting• giving up a good thing, usually

food

• Almsgiving • giving to the poor

• Leads to conversion in

our relationship with God


our relationship with self


our relationship with

others

Prayer

• Scripture reading

• Other spiritual reading: saints, popes, etc.

• Daily Mass

• Liturgy of the Hours

• Rosary, Stations of the Cross, other devotions

• Learn a new prayer or devotion

• Silence

– Desert time

Desert Time(yeah that’s desert not dessert!!)

• After slavery in Egypt, Israel wandered in the desert for

40 years before entering the promised land

• Jesus fasted in the desert for 40 days before beginning

his mission

• We need “desert time” to hear God’s voice

• Enlightenment is an action of God. Sometimes we may

need to spend quiet “desert time” in order to be open to

that action

Almsgiving(giving to the poor)

• Jesus had a very special place in His heart for the poor,

as Pope Francis reminds us

• Money saved by fasting from food (and fasting from

other things such as entertainment, alcohol, etc) should

be given to the poor

• Annual parish collection for “Together We Serve” – the

collection for the charitable work of the archdiocese of

Edmonton – occurs in Lent

Abstinencefrom Meat

*14 and older

* Ash Wed. & Good Fri.

*all Fridays unless replaced

Fastingfrom Food

*1 full meal +2 snacks

*18 to 60

*Ash Wed. & Good Fri.

“Giving

something up”*Penitential exercise

for all of Lent

*optional on Sundays

ALMSGIVING

FASTING

PRAYERPENANCE

You are NOT required to fast if you are pregnant, nursing, ill, or if you

require more nourishment to do your work

Fasting from Food(this one is about dessert!)

• Traditional definition:

– 1 regular meal + 2 small meals that together do not make up a regular meal; no snacks

• The Canadian Bishops call us to fast by reducing the amount and richness of what we eat

• Hunger can remind us of our hunger for God

• Hunger can help us to be in solidarity with the poor

• Hunger can create a clarity of thought that helps us hear God’s voice in our hearts

Abstaining from Meat

• Because Jesus gave his flesh for us, we

don’t eat the flesh of warm-blooded

creatures on certain days

• No meat, no poultry, but fish and dairy are

OK

• Those over 14 years of age are required to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

• Those between 18 and 60 years of age are alsorequired to fast on those days.

• The Law of Fast and Abstinence on these 2 days is an obligation just like attending Sunday mass.

• Does not apply if you are pregnant, nursing, sick, etc.

Keeping FridaysJesus died on a Friday and the Church offers penance on all Fridays in sorrow for sin, in gratitude for Jesus’ sacrifice, and to share with Jesus in his work of saving the world. Yes, you can save the world.

All Fridays of the year are days of abstinence from meat, but Catholics can substitute special acts of charity or piety on this day. Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops

Friday observance is decided by each national Bishops’ conference and the American Bishops have called on Catholics to abstain from meat on Fridays in Lent

Choosing abstinence from meat is a form of communion with others, and with our past

Odds & Ends• We never do penance on Solemnities (March 19

Feast of St. Joseph, March 25 Annunciation)

• We do not do penance on Sundays (although you

may choose to keep up your Lenten observance, and SHOULD if it

is aimed at eliminating a sinful tendency or bad habit)

• Remember why you observe Lent: conversion,

repentance, purification, enlightenment

More Lenten “Stuff”

• Ashes

• Colours: Purple, Rose, Red

• Veiling of Images

• No flowers near altar

• No music except to accompany singing

• No Gloria, no Alleluia

• Way of the Cross

• Etc.

Resources

Publications of the CCCB National Liturgy

Office:

• Living Lent

• Celebrating the Season of Lent

• Keeping Friday

Sun Mon Tues Wed Thr Fri Sat

29 30

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 14 25 26 27

28


4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

18 19 20 21 22 23 24


28 30

11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27


22

23 24 26 27 28 29

30

1

2


30

3 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

28 29

Sep 2014 Oct 2014 Nov 2014 Dec 2014

Jan 2015 Feb 2015 Mar 2015 Apr 2015

17

5

3 4 5 6 7 8

9

RCIA 2014 - 2015: Program-at-a-glance

1210 11 13 14 15

16

Advent

Stat

Thanks

giving

18 19

31

1

2725 26

20

2

2928

Christmas

5 6 7 8 9 10

21

29


1310 11 12

May 2015

1514 16

17 18

27 28 29 30

31

1 2

21 22 23

24 25 26

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Stat

Victoria

Day

19 20

25

4

30

EASTER SUN!

HE IS RISEN!(attendance optional…Easter

Vigil is 1st Easter Mass)Sessions (Chapter Rm 7-9 pm)

Presentation/Scrutiny (Youth Rm for BOW. 8 Mar:10-11am; 15 Mar: noon-1pm; 21 Mar:5-6pm)

31

1 2 3

Snow date (use as alternate date if storms impact schedule; otherwise free night)

Rites/Blessings

Pot-luck (Chapter Rm)

Reconciliation - TBA

Retreat Day (9 a.m. - 3 p.m.)

Breaking Open The WORD (Youth Rm 10-11 am)

Lent; Triduum

Martha’s Kitchen

1

31

2 3 41 2 3 4 5 6


24

7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 25 26 27 28

Ash

Wed

Stat

Family

Day

31 652 4


25

6 7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24


27

4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26

26 27 28

29 30 31

2

Chrism

Mass

Optional

1

28 29 30

1 2 3

Palm

Sun

5Holy

Thurs

4Good

Fri

3


24

7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 25 26 27 28

Ash

Wed

Stat

Family

Day

31 652 4


25

6 7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24


27

4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26

26 27 28

29 30 31

2

Chrism

Mass

Optional

1

28 29 30

1 2 3

Palm

Sun

5

Holy

Thurs

4

Good

Fri

3

Mar 2015 Apr 2015

Feb 2015

ALL participate in BOTH as

“PRAYER SUPPORT”

for each other!

Rite of LENTEN RENEWAL

(for BAPTIZED)

•This Sunday! (15 Feb) 10 am Mass

•CANDIDATES with candles &

Sponsors process in with Priest

• Ashley, Sia, Coralie, Trisha, Ian,

Jason

•Catholic Candidates: Jay,

Michael, D.J.

•After Homily, CANDIDATES will be

called by name to the steps of

Sanctuary

•See handout

Feb 2015


24

7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 25 26 27 28

Ash

Wed

Stat

Family

Day

31 652 4

ALL participate in BOTH as

“PRAYER SUPPORT”

for each other!

Community

(God)Catechumens

& Candidates

accept?

accept?

Willing but??? Willing no matter what!!

truthPower

&

fame

Examine your life: Christ asks are you...

Willing but??? Willing no matter what!!

Internal

commitment

to CHRISTTRUE identity

GENUINE security

Unlock this question

ALL THINGS take on their

TRUE meaning only when

following CHRIST is

central to your life!

familyrelationships career

life things

RITE OF SENDING

St. Thomas More Parish

21 Feb 2015 5 p.m.

(Parish “sends” Catechumens

to the RITE OF ELECTION at St. Joseph’s Basilica)

Rite of Sending involves (see Annex A):

Presentation of the Catechumens (adults & children) to the Community

Group Testimony by Sponsors/“Godparents” (hereafter known simply as Sponsors) as to the readiness of the Catechumens

Declaration by the Catechumens of their readiness

Declaration by the Community to support the Catechumens

Inclusion of intentions for the Catechumens in the Prayers of the faithful (Annex B);

Brief “light lunch” prior to departure for the Basilica for the Rite of Election

The blessings of the Catechumens are a sign of God’s love and of the Church’s tender care. They are bestowed on them so that,

even though they do not as yet have the grace of all the sacraments, they may still receive from the Church courage, joy, and peace as

they proceed along the difficult journey they have begun. (paraphrased from Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, CCCB 1987, p. 48)

4:40 p.m.

Candidates/Catechumens gather in entrance with Sponsors & RCIA Team

5:00 p.m.

All will join the Procession into Mass & be seated as per rehearsal

Celebration of the Word will proceed as per normal

Rite of Sending as per Annex A (after Homily)

Dismissal - as per normal (remain in pews until Priest & altar servers have departed)

6:00 p.m. (approx)

brief “light lunch” for Candidates/Catechumens, Sponsors, RCIA Team & associated families in big Hall

no later than 6:45

Get on Bus at front of Church & depart for St. Joseph’s Basilica (10044 -113 St) for Rite of Election beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Please bring desserts/finger food to basement Hall of Basilica for reception after Rite of

ElectionFilename: Rite of Sending-Election.ppt

Document dated 4 Feb 2013

Presentation of the Catechumens

Representative: Your Grace, Easter is drawing near, and so these catechumens, who are now presented to you, are completing their period of

preparation. They have found strength in God’s grace and support in our community’s prayers and example. Now they ask that after the

celebration of the scrutinies, they be allowed to participate in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist.

The Representative invites the coordinators of the parish RCIA teams to come forward to call the names of their catechumens. When all of the

coordinators are in place the Archbishop continues:

Archbishop: Those who are to be chosen in Christ, please stand when your name is called, together with your godparents. (Sponsors!)

The coordinators, in turn, call the name of each of their catechumens. As their name is called the catechumen and his/her godparent(s) stand and

remain standing until the names of all catechumens are called. After calling the names of their catechumens the coordinators return to their seats.

Affirmation by the Godparents (ie: Sponsors)

Archbishop: God’s Holy Church wishes to know whether these catechumens are sufficiently prepared to be enrolled among the elect for the

coming celebration of Easter. And so I speak first of all to you their godparents and parish delegates. (He addresses the godparents) And so I ask

you, godparents and parish delegates, have these catechumens faithfully listened to the Word of God proclaimed by the Church?

Godparents: They have.

Archbishop: Have they responded to that Word and begun to walk in God’s presence?


Archbishop: Have they shared the company of their Christian brothers and sisters and joined with them in prayer?


Invitation and Enrollment of Names

Archbishop: And now my dear catechumens, I address myself to you. Your godparents, sponsors and teachers, and the entire community have

spoken in your favor. The Church in the name of Christ accepts their judgment and calls you to the Easter sacraments. Since you have already heard

the call of Christ, you must now express your response to that call clearly and in the presence of the whole Church. Therefore, do you wish to enter

fully into the life of the Church through the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist?

Catechumens: I do.

Archbishop: Then offer your names for enrollment.

Rite of Election - Highlights

Filename: Rite of Sending-Election.ppt


Catechumens

Sponsors

Fr

Catechumens sign The Book of the Elect

(sign above printed name)

Sponsors stand beside their Catechumen

Archbishop’

altar

St. Thomas More

RCIA seating??..or

wherever assigned

a

g

f

e

d

c

Photos: Archbishop + catechumens (now called the

ELECT) then with whole group

...(remove nametags & smile!!)

Refreshments downstairs

RCIA Rite of Election - St. Joseph’s Basilica (10044 - 113 St)

Return to seats

Coord

podium

b

•Coord announces

name of Parish & calls

Catechumens by name;

• Catechumens &

sponsors stand &

remain standing;

•Coord goes to sit with

Parish group

Coord



Jasper Ave

114 S

t

113 S

t

100 Ave

Victoria Park Rd

114 S

t

Connelly-McKiniley Funeral Home

10011-114 St

Free parking if no funeral

St. Joseph Basilica

10044 - 113 St

112 S

t

111 S

t

Or pay for parking at

Edmonton General Hospital

111 St and Jasper Ave

or

111 St and 100 Ave

102 Ave



Bus will leave St. Thomas More Parish

at 6:45 p.m.

for St. Joseph’s Basilica (10044 -113 St)

for

Rite of Election beginning at 7:30 p.m.

what is lent? - thomas more is lent & yes to jesus2015.pdf · what is lent? •ash ... •...

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