Know where you're going in life - October 9, 2022

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village,
An American tourist complimented a Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked him how long it took him to catch them.
“Not very long,” answered the Mexican.
“But then, why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more?” asked the American.
The Mexican explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family.
The American asked “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”
“I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings, I go into the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs. I have a full life.”
The American interrupted, “I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat.”
“And after that?” asked the Mexican.
“With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York City! From there you can direct your huge new enterprise.”
“How long would that take?” asked the Mexican.
“Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years,” replied the American.
“And after that?”
“Afterwards? Well my friend, that’s when it gets really interesting,” answered the American, laughing. “When your business gets really big, you can start buying and selling stocks and make millions!”
“Millions? Really? And after that?” asked the Mexican.
“After that you’ll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife and spend your evenings drinking with your friends.”

Know where you’re going in life... You may already be there.

The Story of the Butterfly - October 15, 2022

butterfly

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly.
One day a small opening appeared.
He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours
as it struggled to squeeze its body through the tiny hole.
Then it stopped, as if it couldn’t go further.

So the man decided to help the butterfly.
He took a pair of scissors and
snipped off the remaining bits of cocoon.
The butterfly emerged easily but
it had a swollen body and shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch it,
expecting that any minute the wings would enlarge
and expand enough to support the body,
Neither happened!
In fact the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around.
It was never able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand:
The restricting cocoon and the struggle
required by the butterfly to get through the opening
was a way of forcing the fluid from the body
into the wings so that it would be ready
for flight once that was achieved.

Sometimes struggles are exactly
what we need in our lives.
Going through life with no obstacles would cripple us.
We will not be as strong as we could have been
and we would never fly.

CANDLES - October 23, 2022

candles image for website
When the people of Israel offered worship, in the Old Testament they did so amid the flicker of many lights. “So Solomon made… the lamp stands of pure gold, five on south side and five on the north, before the inner sanctuary” (1 Kings 7:48-49). So important were these candelabras that the main one, the Temple menorah, became the most recognizable symbol of all Judaism. In the New Testament, we find St. Paul preaching in a crowded room. St. Luke notes that ‘there were many lights in the upper chamber where we were gathered’ (Acts 20:8). Lights are so important that St. John warns us in the book of Revelation that if the Church is falling slack in its devotion, God will remove its lamp stand (Revelation 2:5).

The lamp was itself a symbol of Jesus Christ, who consistently spoke of His gospel and even of Himself in terms of light; “I AM the light of the world, he who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). As such, during the Easter Vigil liturgy, the priest holds aloft the paschal candle and proclaims, “Christ out Light” three times!

St. Jerome, who is probably the greatest scholar in the ancient world, states; ‘whenever the Gospel is to be read, the candles are to be lighted…’. Additionally St. Jerome also stated, ‘Your Word is a lamp unto my feet’ (Psalm 119:05). Finally, we have all noticed that a candle is constantly lit next to the Tabernacle; signifying HIS presence! This comes not only from Scripture (John 8:12), but from Tradition as well. As you will note from the sketch below, according to Jewish Traditions, the Priest of the Temple maintained a lit Menorah next to the veil, covering the Ark of the Covenant! The same is true today in Mother Church.

All Saints’ Day - October 30, 2022


On November 1st, the Feast of All Saints' Day, some Dioceses and/or Parishes have a custom of Blessing the Catholic cemeteries or individual graves. This practice reminds the faithful that our departed brothers and sisters in Christ are in need of our prayers, especially those who are still in Purgatory.

 

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.

How Old Is Your Church? - November 6, 2022


If you are a Lutheran, your religion was founded by Martin Luther, an ex-monk of the Catholic Church, in the year 1517.

If you belong to the Church of England, your religion was founded by King Henry VIII in the year 1534, because the Pope would not grant him a divorce with the right to re-marry.

If you are a Congregationalist, your religion was originated by Robert Brown in Holland in 1582.

If you are a Baptist, you owe the tenets of your religion to John Smyth, who launched it in Amsterdam in 1605.

If you are of the Dutch Reformed Church, you recognize Michaelis Jones as founder, because he originated you religion in New Your in 1628.

If you are a Protestant Episcopalian, your religion was an offshoot of the Church of England founded by Samuel Seabury in the American colonies in the 17th Century.

If you are Methodist, your religion was launched by John and Charles Wesley in England in 1744.

If you are a Unitarian, Theophilus Lindley founded your Church in London in 1774.

If you are a Mormon (Latter Day Saints), Joseph Smith started your religion in Palmyra, NY, in 1829.

If you worship with the Salvation Army, your sect began with William Booth in London in 1865.

If you are a Christian Scientist, you look to 1879 as the year in which your religion was born and to Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy as its founder.

If you belong to one of the religious organizations know as “Church of the Nazarene”, “Pentecostal Gospel”, “Holiness Church”, “Pilgrim Holiness Church”, or “Jehovah’s Witnesses”, your religion is one of the hundreds of new sects founded by men within the past one hundred years.

If you are Roman Catholic, you know that your religion was founded in the year 33 by Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and it is still the same Church.

“O God, I humbly beseech thee to teach me thy true religion, that leads to everlasting happiness, through Jesus Christ thy Son, our Lord. Amen.”

The Struggles of Our Life - November 20.2022

PotatoesEggsCoffee
Once upon a time a daughter complained to her father that her life was miserable and that she didn’t know how she was going to make it. She was tired of fighting and struggling all the time. It seemed just as one problem was solved, another one soon followed.

Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen. He filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Once the three pots began to boil, he placed potatoes in one pot, eggs in the second pot and ground coffee beans in the third pot. He then let them sit and boil without saying a word to his daughter. The daughter moaned and impatiently waited, wondering what he was doing. After twenty minutes he turned off the burners. He took the potatoes out of the pot and placed them in a bowl. He took the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. He then ladled the coffee out and placed it in a cup.
Turning to her, he asked. “What do you see?” “Potatoes, eggs and coffee,” she hastily replied.

“Look closer”, he said, “and touch the potatoes.” She did and noted that they were soft.
He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.

Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. Its rich aroma brought a smile to her face.
“Father, what does this mean?” she asked.

He explained that the potatoes, the eggs and coffee beans had each faced the same adversity – the boiling water. However, each one reacted differently.

The potato went in strong, hard and unrelenting, but in boiling water, it became soft and weak. The egg was fragile, with the thin outer shell protecting its liquid interior until it was put in the boiling water. Then the inside of the egg became hard. However, the ground coffee beans were unique. After they were exposed to the boiling water, they changed the water and created something new.

“Which one are you?” he asked his daughter. “When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a potato, an egg, or a coffee bean?”

The Season of Advent in the Catholic Church - November 27, 2022

christmas advent wreath for website

In the Catholic Church, Advent is a period of preparation, extending over four Sundays, before Christmas. The word Advent comes from the Latin advenio, “to come to,” and refers to the coming of Christ. This refers, first of all, to our celebration of Christ’s birth at Christmas; but second, to the coming of Christ in our lives through grace and the Sacrament of Holy Communion; and finally, to His Second Coming at the end of time.
Our preparations, therefore, should have all three comings in mind. We need to prepare our souls to receive Christ worthily.

First We Fast, Then We Feast
That’s why Advent has traditionally been known as a “little Lent.” As in Lent, Advent should be marked by increased prayer, fasting, and good works. While the Western Church no longer has a set requirement for fasting during Advent, the Eastern Church, both Catholic and Orthodox, continues to observe what is known as Philip’s Fast, from November 15 until Christmas.
Traditionally, all great feasts have been preceded by a time of fasting, which makes the feast itself more joyful. Sadly, Advent today has supplanted by “the Christmas shopping season,” so that by Christmas Day, many people no longer enjoy the feast.

The Symbols of Advent
In its symbolism, the Church continues to stress the penitential and preparatory nature of Advent.

The Advent Wreath
Perhaps the best-known of all Advent symbols is the Advent wreath, a custom which originated among German Lutherans but was soon adopted by Catholics. Consisting of four candles (three purple and one pink) arranged in a circle with evergreen boughs (and often a fifth, white candle in the center), the Advent wreath corresponds to the four Sundays of Advent. The purple candles represent the penitential nature of the season, while the pink candle calls to mind the respite of Gaudete Sunday. (The white candle, when used, represents Christmas.)

Celebrating Advent
We can better enjoy Christmas—all 12 days of it, from Christmas Day to Epiphany—if we revive Advent as a period of preparation. Abstaining from meat on Fridays, or not eating at all between meals, is a good way to revive the Advent fast. (Not eating Christmas cookies or listening to Christmas music before Christmas is another.) We can incorporate such customs as the Advent wreath, the Saint Andrew Christmas Novena, and the Jesse Tree into our daily ritual, and we can set some time aside for special scripture readings for Advent, which remind us of the threefold coming of Christ.

The Immaculate Conception - December 4, 2022

child mary

The Immaculate Conception is one of the most Catholic, most mysterious, and most misunderstood Catholic dogmas. The Immaculate Conception has nothing to do with the conceiving of Jesus within the womb of Mary - even though the Gospel reading at Mass that day is the account of the Annunciation, when the Archangel Gabriel told Mary that she was to be the Mother of Jesus. It’s within the text of that Gospel that Catholicism gets the Immaculate Conception.

Catholics believe in the Immaculate Conception, which means that from the first moment of her conception in the womb of her mother, St. Ann, Mary was kept free from original sin by the power of divine grace. So the Immaculate Conception is about Mary’s conception in her mother’s womb. The Incarnation, on the other hand, refers to Jesus’ conception in his mother’s womb.

When the Archangel Gabriel addressed Mary in the first chapter of Luke’s Gospel, he said, “Hail, full of grace.” (kercharit men in Greek, from the root word charis, meaning grace). She was full of grace because of the Immaculate Conception, a divine gift to her from God. She didn’t earn or merit it. He freely gave it to her, so she could provide a worthy, spotless, and pure human nature for Jesus.

The Color For Joy - December 11, 2022


A pink candle that signifies joy makes sense since it is lit on Gaudete Sunday-names for the entrance antiphon for that Sunday’s Masss: “Rejoice (gaudete) in the Lord always, again I say, rejoice.” The joy is subdued, however, as the penitential violet of the other weeks lessens to rose as we move closer to Christmas.

As Advent is patterned in part after Lent, Gaudete Sunday is similar to the Lenten Laetare Sunday, which also represents joy and falls at the midpoint of Lent.

And that finally leads to the explanation for the pink candle. In the ancient Church on Laetare Sunday in Lent, the Pope gave a citizen a pink rose. The tradition has contined, as Popes bestowed golden roses on Catholic rulers and now more commonly, on places of devotion.

Following the papal rose custom, bishops and priests began wearing rose-colored vesments on Laetare Sunday. The Church then brought the Lenten practice of rose vestments to Advent on Gaudette Sunday. As a result, the pink candle gained a place in the Advent wreath.

Although the culture tells us it’s already Christmas, the Church reminds us through the pink candle of Advent that there is an appointed time for everything (Eccl. 3:1). The time now is for rejoicing-because the Lord is coming soon!

Contemplating with St. Joseph - December 18, 2022

 

jesus helping st joseph


...My dear son, I will always be proud to be called Your father. I may not be here when Your Heavenly Father fulfills His plans in You. As long as I can be here, we will live together as a family of faith. Every single day, no matter what trials and challenges come our way, let us trust in God’s way for us. Let us be patient with each other, honest with each other. Let us support each other when we eed it and strenghten each other with God’s own loving patience. Let us learn God’s ways by loving others, forginging others and healing all who suffer. If You are to save Your Heavenly Father’s people from their sins, may God develop Your heart to love as God loves.

But for this moment, I cherish this time holding You, sleeping against my chest. As I await the singing that is the sign of Your mother’s return from the well, I know the angel was right: I will put my fears aside. For now the future is simple: I will teach You as my father taught me: to be a carpenter and to be a story teller. Together, we will love Your mother. Shaloam, my Son. Shaloam each day.

Christmas December 25, 2022

 

christmas front altar 2022

The Christmas Poinsettias & Decorations on the Altar this Christmas Season are in Memory of...

Garret Matass & Deceased Family Members, Le’Roy Courteaux, Joey Gautier, Russell & Dot Thompson, Russell Thompson Jr, Dominick Cuti, Joe & Frances Currier, Mr. and Mrs. Leon Gelé, Etienne Gelé, Ghale Gelé, Mr. and Mrs. Leonard J. Scheurer, William F. Scheurer, Lenny Scheurer, Nancy & Joey Bellavia, Donald & Marie Schillaci, Verda & Maggie Dunn, Jack Stidham, Wanles Kellem, Harold & Linda Brown, Deceased Members of the DeLatte and Hamberger Families, Deceased Members of the Trosclair & Currier Families, Earl Dees, Penny Dees McDowell, Sid Coxwell, Corky & Chris Coxwell, JoJo and Vera Currier, Dennis Konzelman, Michelle Lynn Helton, Mike Murphy, Billy Higgins, Carl Faust, Ronald Hill, Michael Henry, Evie Ponson, Dolores Levy, Lloyd Ponson, Mike Neal, Mario Scramuzza, Warren Lepine, Marian Lepine, Penelope Ponson, Pamela Ponson Helmstetter, Judy Ponson, David Paul Delaune, Colby Delaune, Bobby Mixon, Juanita & Gerney Hall, David LeJeune, Lurline & Ernest Babineaux, and Pat Roberson

Presentation of Jesus in the Temple - January 1, 2023

simeon holds jesus
 
Joseph is waiting for Her at the foot of the steps with a little grey donkey. He looks at Mary and smiles at Her. When Mary arrives near the little donkey, Joseph places the animal’s bridle on his left arm, he takes for a moment the Child, Who is sleeping peacefully, and thus allows Mary to sit more comfortably on the donkey’s saddle. He then hands Jesus back to Her and they set out.
 
Joseph is walking beside Mary, holding the bridle all the time and ensuring that the donkey goes straight on without stumbling. Mary is holding Jesus in Her lap, and lest He might feel cold, She spreads the edge of Her mantle over Him. Joseph and Mary speak very little but they often smile at each other....
 
At first, they turn their steps towards an arcade where the merchants are, to whom Jesus later will give a good lashing: the vendors of lambs and doves and the money-changers. Joseph buys two little white pigeons. 
 
...A priest approaches them, I do not know whether he was called by Joseph or whether he did so of his own accord. Mary offers Her two little pigeons ...
 
I am watching everything. It is a most ornate place. Sculptured angels’ heads, palms and decorations adorn the columns, the walls and the ceiling. Light comes in through strange long narrow windows, obviously without panes, built diagonally with regard to the walls. I suppose the idea is to keep the rain out...
 
I now realize that I thought I was in the Temple, instead I was in the part surrounding the real Temple, that is the Holy, beyond which no one can proceed, apparently, except the priests. What I therefore thought was the Temple, is but an enclosed vestibule, which on three sides encircles the Temple, in which the Tabernacle is enclosed...
 
Mary offers the Child, Who has woken up and is turning His innocent eyes towards the priest, with the astonished look of infants a few days old. The priest takes Him in his arms and raises Him, with arms fully stretched out, towards the Temple, standing against the kind of altar placed on top of the steps. The rite is over. The Child is handed back to His Mother and the priest goes away.
 
There is a group of onlookers. Amongst them a little old man, bent with age and limping, makes his way leaning on a stick. He must be very old, I would say over eighty. He goes near Mary, and asks Her to give him the Child for one moment. Mary satisfies him, smiling.
 
Simeon takes the Child and kisses Him. Jesus smiles at him with the typical smile of sucklings. He seems to watch him inquisitively, because the old man is crying and laughing at the same time and his tears form a sparkling embroidery running along his wrinkles and beading his long white beard, towards which Jesus stretches His little hands. He is Jesus, but still a child, and whatever moves in front of Him, draws His attention so that He wants to get hold of it to see what it is.
 
Mary’s smile fades into paleness when Simeon mentions sorrow. Although She knows, that word pierces Her soul. She goes closer to Joseph, to be comforted, She presses Her Child to Her breast passionately and like a thirsty soul, She takes in the words of Anna of Phanuel, who being a woman, has mercy on Her suffering and promises Her that the Eternal Father will soothe the hour of sorrow with a supernatural strength. 
 
Woman, He Who gave a Savior to His people, will not lack the power to send His angel to console Your tears. The great women of Israel never lacked the help of the Lord and You are far greater than Judith and Jael. Our God will give You a heart of the most pure gold to withstand the storm of sorrow, so that You will be the greatest woman in Creation: the Mother. And You, Child, remember me in the hour of Your mission.
 
 And the vision ends here. 
 
(Chapter 32. 
Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. 
Vision of Maria Valtorta on 
01-Feb-1944.)

 

The Blessings of Homes at Epiphany - January 8, 2023

house blessing epiphany

 

The Blessing of Homes at Epiphany

This is a tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages, done on (or near) the Feast of Epiphany. Using chalk, mark your main door (or its lintel) with:

20 + C + M + B + 23

where 2023 is the current year. The following prayer may be said while making the marks:

The three wise men
(C) Casper, (M) Melchior, and (B) Balthasar followed the star of God’s Son
Who became human (20) two thousand and (23) twenty three years ago.
(++) May Christ bless our home (++) and remain with us throughout
the new year. Amen.

*Chalk is a incarnational image reminding us of the dust of the earth from which we were made. The initials CMB stand for the legendary names of the Magi, as well as Christus Mansioneum Benedicat,
“May Christ bless this house.”

Who am I - January 15, 2023

john the baptist

 

Who am I

According to legend, he was given nine special privileges; his birth was announced by the same angel who gave the message to Mary, he leaped in his mother’s womb upon meeting Jesus, at his birth he was taken in the arms by Mary, he restored his fathers ability to speak, he instituted the baptism, he announced the mission of Jesus, he baptized Jesus, Jesus praised him, he made know the imminent coming of Jesus to those in Limbo.

His name means, “Yahweh is propitious”!

Often times, he is depicted wearing a garment of camel’s hair, eating locust, carrying a banner with the words “Ecce Agnus Dei” (Behold the lamb of God).

He is the Patron Saint of many groups; Tailors; because he made his own garment of camel’s hair in the wilderness and furriers belt-makers and tanners; because he wore a leather belt.
Hotel keepers and innkeepers; because of the banquet of Herod in which he participated, albeit in an unusal way.
Prisioners; because he was condemned to death.
Sword makers and those who make knives and scissors; because he was beheaded with a sharp sword.
Chimmney sweeps; because of his hairy appearance.

In paintings I am often times depicted wearing a garment of camel’s hair, a red cloak for martyrdom, a banner and a shell, from which he pours out water...

I am... John the Baptist

Do You Know Me - January 22, 2023

st andrew

 

Do you know me....?

I have a brother, who was an Apostle of Jesus Christ! Yet I am the first of John the Baptist’s disciples to be called by Jesus. Truth be told, I actually led my brother to Christ.

When it came time to evangelize, I headed to Scythia, which is present-day Russia. According to tradition, an Angel appeared to me and sent me to Matthew in Ethiopia; I reached him in a miraculous fashion. He was in prison and was now totally blind. I prayed over him, until he regained his sight of him. Not long after, I too was imprisoned by Quirinus, the governor of Macedonia. I was charged with inciting people to destroy the temples, and not to worship their ‘gods’. It was also a belief, that I was condemned by Quirinus and thrown to a wild boar, a bull, and a tiger -- all of which spared my life. Ultimately, I was bound to a cross that was in the form of an ‘X’, and died two days later after much suffering.

I am the patron saint of rope makers, for two reasons; one, for I was tied to my cross, and two, because as a fisherman, I often used ropes for my nets. People often call upon me to intercede for them, when they are suffering from gout, cramps, stiffness of the neck, and dysentery, which is known as my sickness.

I am..........St Andrew

I'm sorry for the mistake... - January 29, 2023

jesus fish cross 29a6pu1

 

A man was being tailgated by a stressed out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beated the red light by accelerating through the intersection.

The tailgating woman was furious and honked her horn, screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection, dropping her cell phone and makeup.

As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, finger printed, photographed, and placed in a holding cell.

After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.

He said, “I’m very sorry for the mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the ‘What Would Jesus Do’ bumper sticker, the ‘Choose Life’ license plate holder, the ‘Follow Me to Sunday-School’ bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk. Naturally... I assumed you had stolen the car.”

There is God - February 5, 2023

There is peace in the midst of pain,
There is joy when it starts to rain,
There is happiness in the midst of a fall,
There is understanding when we don’t know all,
There is hope when we cast down our burdens,
There is grace when we walk God’s journey,
There is love when it hurts like hell,
There is endurance as we excel,
There is patience when we don’t see a way,
There is perseverance when we start to sway,
There is God doing what He knows best,
There is peace in our hearts so our minds can be at rest,
There is mercy in Jesus’s name,
There again is God who remains the same.

St Valentine - February 12, 2023

st valentine image

 

Saint Valentine, officially known as Saint Valentine of Rome, is a third-century Roman saint widely celebrated on February 14 and commonly associated with “courtly love.”

Although not much of St. Valentine’s life is reliably known, and whether or not the stories involve two different saints by the same name is also not officially decided, it is highly agreed that St. Valentine was martyred and then buried on the Via Flaminia to the north of Rome.

One common story about St. Valentine is that in one point of his life, as the former Bishop of Terni, Narnia and Amelia, he was on house arrest with Judge Asterius. While discussing religion and faith with the Judge, Valentine pledged the validity of Jesus. The judge immediately put Valentine and his faith to the test.

St. Valentine was presented with the judge’s blind daughter and told to restore her sight. If he succeeded, the judge vowed to do anything for Valentine. Placing his hands onto her eyes, Valentine restored the child’s vision.

Judge Asterius was humbled and obeyed Valentine’s requests. Asterius broke all the idols around his house, fasted for three days and became baptized, along with his family and entire 44 member household. The now faithful judge then freed all of his Christian inmates.

St. Valentine was later arrested again for continuing to try to convert people to Christianity. He was sent to Rome under the emperor Claudius Gothicus (Claudius II). According to the popular hagiographical identity, and what is believed to be the first representation of St. Valentine, the Nuremberg Chronicle, St. Valentine was a Roman priest martyred during Claudius’ reign. The story tells that St. Valentine was imprisoned for marrying Christian couples and aiding Christians being persecuted by Claudius in Rome. Both acts were considered serious crimes. A relationship between the saint and emperor began to grow, until Valentine attempted to convince Claudius of Christianity. Claudius became raged and sentenced Valentine to death, commanding him to renounce his faith or be beaten with clubs and beheaded.

St. Valentine is the Patron Saint of affianced couples, bee keepers, engaged couples, epilepsy, fainting, greetings, happy marriages, love, lovers, plague, travellers, and young people. He is represented in pictures with birds and roses and his feast day is celebrated on February 14.

What are you doing for Lent? - February 19, 2023

1. Give up Sin
Show your love for God by keeping his commandments. Turn away from sins.

2. Fast
An empty stomach can lead to more attentive prayer. Give the money you saved on food to others in alms.

3. Pray
Be in constant prayer. Pray for your family and friends, for those who suffer, and for the Church and the world.

4. Do Good Works
Help those in need. Pray for them and be ready to serve them in their time of need.

5. Give alms
Help the poor and support the good works of the Church. Give cheerfully to God who has given us everything we have.

6. Abstain
Give up meat or other desirable foods during Lent, especially on Fridays, the day of Christ’s saving death on the cross.

7. Do Meditative Reading
Nourish your faith by spending time in quiet reading and reflection.

8. Control Desire for Possessions
Build up treasures in heaven rather than on earth. Cut down on material possessions, lessen wants, and share yourself- your time and your talents- with others.

9. Control Desire for Entertainment
Too much entertainment and other distractions can lead to less or no time for the works of the Lord.

10. Carry Out Duties in Life
Serve God by living out your vocation in love each day. Offer your daily life through Christ!

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We, at St. Helena Catholic Church, are concerned with educating, directing, and sustaining all who visit. 

In particular those who draw near to the teachings and traditions of Holy Mother Church. 

We strive to achieve this by utilizing the Cardinal Virtues of Justice, Prudence, Temperance and Fortitude.