Lent 2014 Special Section

Lent

FEBruary 27, 2014 • www.TrentonMonitor.com

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Pope: Sacrifice key to reaping wealth of God’s love, fighting misery

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service

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ourageously follow Jesus in seeking out the poor and sinners, and in making difficult sacrifices in order to help and heal others, Pope Francis said.

Christians are called to confront the material, spiritual and moral destitution of “our brothers and sisters, to touch it, to make it our own and to take practical steps to alleviate it,” the Pope said in his first message for Lent, which begins March 5 for Latin-rite Catholics.

Saving the world will not come about “with the right kind of human resources” and token alms, but only “through the poverty of Christ,” who emptied himself of the worldly and made the world rich with God’s love and mercy, he said.

Released by the Vatican Feb. 4, the text of the Pope’s message focused on the theme of Christ’s poverty, with the title: “He became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich,” which is from a verse from St. Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians.

Pope Francis said he chose the passage to explore what St. Paul’s references to poverty and charity mean for Christians today.

There are many forms of poverty, he said, like the material destitution that disfigures the face of humanity and the moral destitution of being a slave to vice and sin.

But “there is only one real kind of poverty: not living as children of God and brothers and sisters of Christ,” he said.

People experiencing the spiritual destitution of believing they don’t need God and can make it on their own “are headed for a fall,” the Pope wrote. “God alone can truly save and free us.”

“The Gospel is the real antidote to spiritual destitution,” he said, and the greatest treasure of all is “boundless confidence in

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God” and the desire to always do his will.

All Christians are called “to proclaim the liberating news that forgiveness for sins committed is possible, that God is greater than our sinfulness, that he freely loves us at all times and that we were made for communion and eternal life.”

Spreading the joy of the Gospel, consoling broken hearts and offering real hope means “following and imitating Jesus, who sought out the poor and sinners,” and by opening up “new paths of evangelization and human promotion” with courage, he said.

Imitating Christ also includes confronting the abuses, discrimination and violations against human dignity, which often cause the material poverty suffered by those who lack the basic rights to food, water, work, development and “equal access to education and healthcare,” he said.

Sometimes the unjust social conditions that rob people of their dignity lead to moral destitution – a kind of “impending suicide,” he said.

Think of how much pain is caused by people, especially the young, when they turn to alcohol, drugs, gambling, pornography or other vices because they “no longer see meaning in life or prospects for the future,” he said. “How many have lost hope!”

“By loving and serving the poor, we love and serve Christ,” he said, but such service also entails conversion.

“When power, luxury and money become idols, they take priority over the need for a fair distribution of wealth. Our consciences thus need to be converted to justice, equality, simplicity and sharing,” he said.

While Lent is a time for “self-denial,” don’t forget that real sacrifice and poverty have a

Bishop O’Connell: Lent is a path to holiness “As with so many traditions in the Church, Lent evolved over the years. People began to emphasize more “giving” rather than “giving up.” … The obligation to sacrifice something ceased to be the first or most immediate item on the Lenten agenda. … For me Lent is a holy season of penance when I feel called, as a Catholic, by the very nature and purpose of Lent, to both “give up” and to “give” something. …

“Give time to God, give time to others. … Perhaps this Lent, whether we are young or old or somewhere in between, we can give some prayerful thought to “time” and how we can use it in our pursuit of holiness. • L2

Also, see Lenten instructions • L3

“dimension of penance” and pain, he said.

“I distrust a charity that costs nothing and does not hurt,” he said.

“God did not let our salvation drop down from heaven, like someone who gives alms from their abundance out of a sense of altruism and piety,” the pope said.

God operates according to “the logic of love, the logic of incarnation and the cross” – to be with those who need him most, “to take upon himself the burden of our sins” and to comfort, save and free people from their misery.

“What gives true freedom, true salvation and true happiness is the compassion, tenderness and solidarity of his love, Christ’s poverty, which enriches us,” he said.

Cardinal Robert Sarah, president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, the office which handles the pope’s charitable giving, presented the Lenten message at a Vatican news conference.

The cardinal said the pope’s message reminds people that their “bourgeois consciences” cannot be put to rest merely by “denouncing the lack of resources for others” or denouncing the structural underpinnings of poverty.

The only way to truly help people is to care for all their needs – spiritual, material and moral – the cardinal said, and not “pretend to solve a person’s problems just because one has solved the problems related to his physical and material wellbeing.”

“I think the Holy Father does well to insist on these three types of poverty and destitution,” the cardinal said.

“There’s the destitution of material poverty that’s easier to solve because it takes a bit of money and one can find ways to resolve this problem. But it’s much more difficult to (address) moral and spiritual destitution,” which is why Cor Unum and the Church put added emphasis on that area.

The Church urges people to choose the poverty of Christ in order to fight the misery and destitution in the world – not for ideological reasons, the cardinal said, “but for the love of Christ.”

From Mardi gras through holy week • During the Living

Stations, a student in St. Raphael School, Hamilton, holds a replica of the veil of St. Veronica, which tradition holds bears the imprint of the face of Jesus.

Across the diocese, schools offer myriad opportunities for students to observe Lent. • L6 Photo courtesy St. Raphael School

Lenten Light Fare • Msgr. Sam A. Sirianni, pastor, St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, Freehold, describes soup as the perfect meal for Lenten days of fast and abstinence, explaining how simpler eating melds with the practice of faith. Recipes included. • L5 Ken Falls photo

Also… Mercer County parishes adapt the ancient tradition of pilgrimages to station churches during Lent to celebrate Mass and see the treasured art and architecture unique to each parish • L4 The Northern Burlington Regional Adult Faith Formation Ministry will sponsor a retreat and a parish mission during Lent • L7 Across the diocese, parishes, retreat houses and ministries offer programs to nourish faith during the Lenten season. • L8

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Lent

The Monitor • FEBruary 27, 2014

A reflection from

Most Rev. David M. O’Connell, C.M. Bishop of Trenton

The Time of Lent … a path to holiness

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“... for me Lent is a holy season of penance when I feel called, as a Catholic, by the very nature and purpose of Lent, to both ‘give up’ and to ‘give’ something.“

hen I was a boy growing up in a Catholic family, Lent was a big deal.

Ash Wednesday was the beginning of a special time of the year unlike any other.

My Mom, like her German mother before her, would make doughnuts on the Tuesday before — “Faschnaut Day” — clearing out kitchen cabinets and the ice box to make way for the forty days of sacrifice and penance that stretched out ahead of us. Those doughnuts were great and very different from the kind you get at doughnut chain stores today. They were sinkers … you could build a house with whatever was leftover!

All of us in the family had to make the “big decision” by that Tuesday … what were we going to “give up” for Lent? For my Dad it was easy: cigarettes or beer; for my Mom, some special treat she enjoyed; for us kids in the house it wasn’t so easy. Candy or desserts were usually at the top of the list. No matter what we chose, however, the point was always clear: we had to make a sacrifice during Lent and we had to stick to it until Easter! Add to that the required fasting and abstinence, and you know what? We survived. Lent didn’t kill any of us.

As with so many traditions in the Church, Lent evolved over the years. People began to emphasize more “giving” rather than “giving up.” The sober and serious tone of the forty days of Lent, beginning with Ash Wednesday, became lighter and less intense. Sure, the Church continued to accent the penitential nature of Lent but it did so in different ways, stressing things that were more positive rather than negative. The obligation to sacrifice something ceased to be the first or most immediate item on the Lenten agenda.

I am a great believer in the “both/and” rather than the “either/or” approach to life.

And, so, for me Lent is a holy season of penance when I feel called, as a Catholic, by the very nature and purpose of Lent, to both “give up” and to “give” something.

In my own prayer and reflection as Bishop of the Diocese, I recognize my responsibility to guide the faithful of the Diocese — clergy, religious and laity alike — in living out our Christian life in pursuit of holiness. Lent is a time to intensify the pursuit of holiness as we prepare to celebrate Christ’s own passion, death and resurrection, the central mysteries of our Catholic faith. And, so, together — bishop and clergy, religious and laity — let us focus our attention on the call to holiness that is at the heart of our Lenten journey and at the heart of our life’s journey.

Each weekend we profess our common belief in “one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church.” I discussed these “four marks of the Church” at length in my first pastoral letter as Bishop. There, I reminded us of the

Making time for god • A

couple prays together in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton.

Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., has called the faithful to prayer, fasting and almsgiving this Lent, which begins March 5.

John Blaine photo

scripture passage that says: “As he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct, for it is written, “Be holy because I am holy (1 Peter 1: 15-16).” The Church gives us the season of Lent as an aid in that process. And here’s the motivation: … the Church’s call to holiness is rooted in Christ’s own invitation to be holy in imitation of him. The holiness of the Church is not merely a reflection of but, rather, an identification with the very holiness of God. Can the Church be anything less than what God calls her to be in imitation of him (Pastoral Letter, August 28, 2012)?

That is a strong motivation to give Lent, and the growth in holiness it offers, our best shot. Yes, “giving up” something and making sacrifices are an important part of the Lenten experience in the Church but if they don’t lead us to deeper holiness, a closer, lifealtering identification with Jesus Christ and his Gospel, they are empty gestures. It’s like going on a diet for a while. We’ll lose some weight for sure but if we don’t make up our minds to change our eating behaviors or if we lose our motivation, the weight will only return and more.

Lent and its sacrifices should connect us on a deeper level with the Lord Jesus Christ, should lead us in a more profound way to a closer identification with him who suffered and died on the cross for us. Giving up. Sacrifice. Every individual Catholic has to decide this Lent “what MORE can I do, can I give up for him?” Lent should help us say, “With Christ, I am nailed to the cross. And the life I live is no longer my own. It is the life of Christ who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians, 2: 19-20).”

And the other part of the Lenten “both/

and” equation — giving something — needs to be addressed. As with sacrifice and penance, our Lenten “giving” must lead us to holiness in Jesus Christ. He is the reason why we give. It is his face we see in the face of others. “Whatever you do for the least of my brothers and sisters, you do for me (Matthew 25: 40).”

As Bishop, I would like to offer a thought on something that can bring the “both/and” of Lent together for us and that is: time. Giving up my time so that I can give my time to others and grow in holiness.

As a boy, time seemed to hang heavy on my hands. I had a lot of it. I often wasted it.

From what I hear from parents, that is not as true today. But as I grew into adulthood, time

“... our Lenten ‘giving’ must lead us to holiness in Jesus Christ. He is the reason why we give.” seemed to move more quickly and became more valuable, more precious.

Perhaps this Lent, whether we are young or old or somewhere in between, we can give some prayerful thought to “time” and how we can use it in our pursuit of holiness.

First, give time to God. Slow it all down and make time for God in prayer. Who could be more important than making time for the One who created us, who loves us as See Lent • L-3

Lent

FEBruary 27, 2014 • www.TrentonMonitor.com

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Lent a time to ‘give and give up something’ “Lent may be the time to give time as a path to holiness.”

Continued from • L-2 we are, who cares for us every moment of the day, who promised to be “with us all days (Matthew 28:20),” who will call us home after this life is done? I mean, really. I can make time for just about anything else. Why can’t I find time for God? Why can’t I give up some time for him.

1. Go to Mass. Less than 20 percent of Catholics in the Diocese of Trenton go to Mass every Saturday/Sunday. What else is so important, more important than giving up an hour or so once a week to hear God’s Word, to receive him in the Eucharist, to bring our children and families to the Lord, to reflect on what is truly important in life, to join other Catholics in what the Second Vatican Council calls “the source and summit of the Christian life?” It takes time but, honestly, not that much. Can I go to the gym

Gift of Time • Teens participate in a Day of Service, visiting individuals with special needs. Spending time helping others is one way Catholics can observe Lent this year, suggests Bishop O’Connell is his Lenten reflection.

Joe Moore photo

Bishop issues instructions for Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, “These forty days of Lent, O Lord, with you we fast and pray.” This line from a popular hymn we sing in our parishes during the season of Lent contains a very important truth.

During the days and weeks of penance that lie ahead — from Ash Wednesday, March 5th until Holy Thursday, April 17th — it is with YOU, Lord, with YOU we fast and pray. The model Jesus gave us for “these forty days” was his own experience of the desert and the temptations that followed him there where he encountered Satan face to face. And yet, Jesus, there in the desert — alone, fasting and in intense prayer — beat back the devil and triumphed over temptation, as strong and as unrelenting as it was throughout those forty days.

We enter the desert of Lent like Jesus, led by the Holy Spirit, to face our devils, our temptations head on. But we are not alone. “With YOU we fast and pray” is our song. The Lord Jesus Christ is with us. And so, too, is the Church, the entire community of faith observing Lent. “With YOU, too, we fast and pray.” Here is what the

or exercise later? Will the mall or grocery store still be there when I leave church? Will things that I need or want to do around the house disappear if I go to Mass for an hour once a week? Aren’t there several times each week when Mass is offered in my parish or another parish close by so that I can still do these other things?

Let me recommend that this Lent is a time for the decision to commit ourselves to give time to God and to get to church. Mass is not an option for the Catholic, it is an obligation and for good reason. We are faithful to other obligations. Why not give up some time to be faithful to that one? Lent is the perfect time to re-connect.

2. Personal prayer. One of the easiest things we can give up is the distractions that push God away. Prayer isn’t difficult. It is as simple as closing our eyes for a moment or two and just remembering that God is present everywhere, especially within us. God gives us everything and we are so blessed. Stop and say thanks. We also have many challenges and concerns in life, things that even cause us suffering and heartache. Offer them to God and ask his guidance and help. We may feel alone at times.

Remember that God is always with us. We sin.

Ask God’s forgiveness. Go to confession even if it’s been a long time. Why hold on to sins like they are some hidden treasure? Let go. The old saying is on target: “live as though everything depends upon you but pray like everything depends upon God.” Say prayers that you know.

Pray in your own words. Give up a little more time for God this Lent.

Second, give time to others. Everyone is busy. Everyone has things to do. But everything that we are in life, everything that we have in life bears the ”fingerprints” of someone else. Our parents; our children; our friends; our neighbors; our co-workers. Do we

give them enough time? Could they use or do they really need just a little bit more time?

1. The elderly, especially elderly parents or members of the family. Would it hurt to call or visit them, to give them some time?

Sometimes they just want someone to listen or to talk to them to remind them that they matter. Is our time so important that we cannot do this?

2. Our children. The world in which we live is sometimes a scary place. Our children don’t come with a set of instructions. There are forces out there willing or, worse, eager to drag them down or lead them along the wrong path. Alcohol. Drugs. Sex. Relationships.

Bullying. Peer-pressure. A little more love and attention — a little more time — could make all the difference. They may act like they don’t want or need us. But they do.

3. People we know who are sick or alone or struggling. How about a call or visit to them or just making the time to sit down and write them a note or letter or even an email?

Are we that busy, too busy? It only takes a few minutes of our time.

4. On a larger scale, have we ever thought about giving our time as a volunteer to those with special needs? Not all our time, no, but some of it. The poor. The hungry. The homeless. The sick. Lent may be the time to give time as a path to holiness.

The scriptures tell us that there are two great commands: love God and love our neighbor as ourselves. Jesus Christ tells us that “the command I give you is this: love one another as I have loved you (John 15: 12).”

Love takes time. Are we willing to give it up?

Are we willing to give it? This Lent is the time to give an answer.

Most Reverend David M. O’Connell, C.M. Bishop of Trenton

Lent 2014

Catholic Church in the United States asks of us as baptized Catholics: 1. The days of fast (only one full meal) and abstinence (no meat) The penitential season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, March 5, are Ash Wednesday and Good this year.

Friday.

2. All other Fridays of Lent are days First Sunday of Lent, March 9th to Trinity Sunday, of abstinence (no meat).

June 15th. However, the Church’s law does permit Those between the ages of 18 and 59 are obliged this precept to be fulfilled at another time during to fast (only one full meal) as above. From the age the year when there is a just cause. of 14, people are also obliged to abstain (no meat: I want to encourage Catholics to get to confesthis obligation prohibits the eating of meat, but not sion and to make use of the sacrifices and tradieggs, milk products or condiments of any kind, tions that have always been part of our Lenten practices in the Church. even though made from animal fat).

We do, indeed, fast and pray with the Lord JeThe obligation to observe the laws of fast and sus and with our fellow Catholics. May this Lent abstinence is a serious one for Catholics. Failure be a time of penance, grace and joy for us all. to observe one penitential day in itself is not considered a serious sin. It is the failure to observe Sincerely yours in Christ, any penitential days at all, or a substantial number of days, which must be considered serious.

The obligation, the privilege really, of receiving the Eucharist at least once a year — often called Most Reverend David M. O’Connell, C.M. “Easter duty” — for those in the state of grace Bishop of Trenton should still be fulfilled during the period from the

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Lent

The Monitor • FEBruary 27, 2014

Soup’s On

‘Tis a gift to be simple this Lent

By Lois Rogers Correspondent

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oups always had pride of place as a staple in The Monitor’s Lenten Recipe series and this year is no exception.

In fact, at a recent interfaith presentation explaining dietary laws observed by Catholics, Jews and Muslims, Msgr. Sam A. Sirianni, director of the diocesan Office of Worship, described soup as the perfect light meal for Ash Wednesday, March 5, and all days of

fast and abstinence.

As the first presenter in the Feb. 18 meeting of the popular Freehold area “Three Faiths Dialogue” series, Msgr.

Sirianni, pastor of St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, Freehold Township, noted that Lent was close at hand.

Msgr. Sirianni observed to the very diverse audience that while Catholics aren’t bound by the kind of stringent dietary restrictions many Jewish and Muslim faithful observe, beginning Ash Wednesday, they are called to enter into a season where simpler eating melds

Lenten Soups Vegetable Broth Directions: In a very large stockpot, put in a melange of fresh vegetables you have on hand or like – I used chopped onions, celery, carrots, chopped peppers and tomatoes, sliced fennel (one of my favorite ingredients) sliced zucchini; green beans; sliced cabbage; mashed garlic cloves, salt and pepper and herbs (especially parsley) to taste.

Pour in one gallon of water – I like to use bottled water for soup – and heat to boiling then lower to simmer, stirring occasionally for at least an hour. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the broth to cool, then pour it through a strainer. You should have enough broth two make both of the following soups:

Vegetable Barley Ingredients 1 ½ cups barley ¼ cup olive oil 6 diced carrots 4 sweet onions, diced

6 diced celery stalks 4 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes 2 15.5-ounce cans drained chickpeas 8 cups vegetable stock

Directions: Cook the barley according to package directions; meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pot; add the carrots, celery, onions, 1 tsp. salt, and ½ tsp. pepper. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, 20 to 25 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices and 8 cups of vegetable stock. Simmer until the soup has thickened a bit – 45 to 60 minutes. Stir in the chick peas and cooked barley and cook until heated.

Curried Squash Soup Ingredients:

6 cups cubed butternut squash or two boxes of frozen butternut squash, thawed Olive oil to taste 1 tsp. butter salt to taste 1 large sweet onion, chopped

2 tsp. yellow curry powder dash of ground cumin 4 cups vegetable stock 1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger ½ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt parsley or cilantro for garnish

Directions if using fresh squash: Heat 1Tbsp. olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the butter and then, if using freshly cubed squash, add gently to the pot, spreading it out evenly and letting it cook until it gets (slightly) browned. Remove from pot and set aside.

To the pot, add another tablespoon of olive oil and the chopped onions and cook until softened. Add the curry powder, cumin and ginger and cook for a minute or so.

Return the squash to the pot, add the vegetable stock and 1tsp. salt and simmer for 40 minutes or until the squash is tender. Then blend the soup in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth.

Directions if using frozen squash: When squash is thoroughly thawed, combine olive oil and onions in the stock pot and cook until softened. Then add the curry powder, cumin and ginger and cook for a minute or so. Add the squash, vegetable stock and 1 tsp. salt and simmer for about 20 minutes. Then blend the soup until smooth.

Serve with dollops of sour cream or yogurt.

with the practice of faith.

Msgr. Sirianni, whose family owned and operated “Sirianni’s Friendly Cafe,” once a popular restaurant in the West End section of Long Branch, sent a wave of nostalgia cascading among a number of his parishioners attending the session in Manalapan’s Temple Shaari Emeth, as he described the foods that once were the hallmark of Lenten meals: scrambled eggs; fish sticks; macaroni and cheese and of course, soup.

As he went on to describe the Ash Wednesday culinary discipline of one simple meal and two smaller meals, he stressed that the key word is “simple,” noting to the knowing chuckles of the Catholics present – that dishes featuring shrimp and lobster really don’t meet the guidelines.

In interviews a few days later, Msgr.

Sirianni spoke of entering the Lenten season with the ideal of “really making an effort to make simple meals. A hearty soup – lentil or vegetable barley – is ideal,” said Msgr. Sirianni.

He added that another ideal is to “come away from the meal not being stuffed but feeling a bit of hunger to be filled by the Lord. …” Faithful should ask themselves, he said, “do we go hog wild with lobster or shrimp or pull back for simple fare: eggs and toast with no butter; simple fish in a basic recipe.”

Eating simply on days of fast and abstinence is not to punish us, it’s to make us mindful of our dependency on God,” he said.

Since soups are such a staple at parishes and in the home throughout Lent, Msgr. Sirianni suggested a staple vegetable barley soup, and I added a butternut squash soup with curry that friends and family have been enjoying since I started sending them the recipe a couple of months back.

Underpinning them is a simple, nutritious and healthy basic vegetable broth that can be the baseline ingredient for just about any Lenten soup I can think of.

Time and again in the 18 years I’ve been writing Lenten recipes for The Monitor – with Msgr. Sirianni as a liturgical consultant – I’ve followed the Church guidelines which permit the use of broth made from meat, fowl or fish. But the use of these ingredients has always prompted reader reaction from those who say it’s not in keeping with Church teaching.

So this year, I researched and came up with a “how to” on making vegetable broth. Use it for the two soup recipes included here.

New CRS Rice Bowl features bring Lent to life CRS Rice Bowl, Catholic Relief Services’ Lenten program known for its colorful cardboard rice bowls that help transform the lives of those in need, has been revamped with the addition of three new features: a free CRS Rice Bowl App for iPhone and Android devices; a new, simple meal cooking show series called CRS Rice Bowl Global Kitchen; and a photo challenge called “How Do You Rice Bowl?”

The new Rice Bowl App can aid users to schedule delivery of daily reflections to their mobile device, set and track their progress towards a personal Lenten goal, view simple, meatless recipes to prepare and serve on Fridays during Lent, and read or watch stories about the people whose lives have been changed. The free app can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play Store or at crsricebowl.org/app.

This Lent, Father Leo Patalinghug of Grace Before Meals will host a series of five shows called CRS Rice Bowl’s “Global Kitchen,” in which he prepares recipes from the program’s featured countries, like Kenya, Guatemala, the Philippines, Malawi and Haiti. The recipes come with stories, photos and videos that help participants relate to the lives of people in developing countries and in dioceses around the U.S. who are supported by the program. The “Global Kitchen” series will debut Feb. 17 on CRS’ YouTube chan-

nel and on crsricebowl.org/recipe-archive.

CRS Rice Bowl will also feature a digital photo challenge on social media, “How Do You Rice Bowl,” aimed to document the various ways individuals and communities bring Lent to life.

Beginning March 5, Ash Wednesday, digital photographs showing how CRS Rice Bowl is shaping participants’ Lent can be submitted online through Instagram or Twitter using #VivaLent; through the CRS Rice Bowl Facebook page; or crsricebowl.org/photo. One grand prize winner will receive a CRS Fair Trade Easter Basket.

CRS Rice Bowl is in its 39th year with more than 13,000 Catholic parishes and schools are participating in the program. Last year the program raised more than $7 million to support CRS programs overseas. Twenty-five percent of Rice Bowl donations remain in the dioceses where they are raised to address local needs.

For more information visit crsricebowl.org.

Lent

FEBruary 27, 2014 • www.TrentonMonitor.com

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Station Churches a Lenten pilgrimage for Mercer County parishes A list of the dates and times of the Station Church visits follows or can be found on the website: churchofsaintann.net or by calling 609.882.6491.

By Mary Stadnyk Associate Editor

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very year during Lent, Catholics living in Rome made an ancient pilgrimage to the basilicas and churches located throughout the city. A different “station church” was designated each day for Catholics from around the city to gather for Mass early in the morning as a visible reminder of the unity of the Church.

This Lenten season, Catholic parishes in Mercer County are once again adapting the Roman tradition that traces its roots as far back as the late second and early third century, by inviting others to visit their churches and celebrate evening Mass during Lent.

“The Station Churches of Mercer County” provides an opportunity for Catholics on journey • St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, to visit churches, celebrate a Trenton, will be one of 17 Mercer County parishes to parLenten evening Mass, get a ticipate in the 2014 ‘Station Churches of Mercer County’ little history of the various initiative. Faithful are invited to journey to the various churches in the county and parishes where Mass will be celebrated and tours of the have the opportunity to tour church will be offered. Craig Pittelli photo the church and see some of the treasured art and architectively received by the pilgrims. ture unique to each parish.

As the Year of Faith was observed Msgr. Michael Walsh, pastor of St. last year, he said the Station Churches James Parish, Pennington, commented initiative “offered a great opportunity to that “the idea of visiting different show that we are one Church working churches to celebrate with the commutogether to enrich our faith and to allow nity will serve to strengthen the Cathoour parishioners to meet one another and lic identity of the county and encourage show them that the parishes are working more working together.” collaboratively with one another.”

Reflecting on last year’s introduc“Although each parish has its own tion of “The Station Churches of Mercer history and personality and each church County” effort, Msgr. Vincent Gartland, building may be quite different, we as pastor of St. Ann Parish, Lawrenceville, Catholics are still one Church working said that 14 parishes joined in the to build up the Body of Christ in Mercer initiative and the experience was posiCounty,” he said at the time.

Thursday March 6 Sacred Heart, Trenton ( 7 p.m.)

343 South Broad St., Trenton Tuesday March 11 St. Paul ( 7 p.m.)

214 Nassau St., Princeton Wednesday March 12 Incarnation-St. James ( 7:30 p.m.)

1545 Pennington Rd., Ewing Thursday March 13 Our Lady of Sorrows-St. Anthony Parish at Our Lady of Sorrows 3816 East State Street Ext., Hamilton ( 7 p.m.)

Tuesday March 18 St. Raphael-Holy Angels Parish at St. Raphael ( 7 p.m.)

3500 South Broad St., Hamilton Wednesday March 19 Our Lady of the Angels Parish at St. Joachim ( 7 p.m.)

21-23 Bayard St., Trenton Thursday March 20 Blessed Sacrament-Our Lady of the Divine Shepherd ( 7 p.m.)

716 Bellevue Ave., Trenton Tuesday March 25 St. Michael ( 7 p.m.)

1106 Brunswick Ave., Trenton Wednesday March 26 St. Hedwig ( 7 p.m.)

72 Brunswick Ave., Trenton Monday March 31 St. David the King ( 7 p.m.)

New Village Rd., Princeton Junction Tuesday April 1 St. George ( 6:30 p.m.)

1370 River Rd., Titusville Thursday April 3 St. Anthony of Padua ( 7:30 p.m.)

251 Franklin St., Hightstown Monday April 7 St. Vincent de Paul ( 7 p.m.)

555 Allentown Rd., Yardville Tuesday April 8 St. Ann, Lawrenceville ( 7:30 p.m.)

1253 Lawrence Road (Route 206 South), Lawrenceville Wednesday April 9 St. Alphonsus ( 7:30 p.m.)

54 East Prospect St., Hopewell Thursday April 10 Divine Mercy Parish-Holy Cross ( 7 p.m.)

201 Adeline St., Trenton Monday April 14 St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral ( 7:30 p.m.)

Chrism Mass • 151 North Warren St., Trenton Looking forward to the 2014 Mercer County pilgrimage which will bring together 17 county parishes, Msgr. Gartland stated “Lent is a time of pilgrimage, and the Station Churches provide an opportunity to move as a pilgrim throughout the county, visiting and praying with others.”

The Station Church pilgrimage will

begin March 6 in Sacred Heart Church, Trenton, and conclude with the Chrism Mass to be celebrated by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., April 14 in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton.

For more information, contact St. Ann Parish, at 609-882-6491 or visit: www.thechurchofsaintann.net.

Regional Adult Faith Formation Ministry to offer RCIA retreat, parish mission

By Mary Stadnyk Associate Editor

I

n fostering its continued mission of building up the people of God in Burlington County, the Northern Burlington Regional Adult Faith Formation Ministry is sponsoring two events in observance of the holy season of Lent.

A pre-Lenten retreat for all Burlington County parish Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults groups will be held March 1 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, 42 West Main St., Moorestown. The retreat is open to all catechumens, those who are preparing to receive the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist) at the Easter Vigil; candidates who are preparing for full communion in the Catholic Church through the reception of the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist, sponsors and team members.

Retreat leaders will be JoLynn Krempecki director of lay ministry formation in the Camden Diocese, who will facilitate the adult track and Jennifer Schlameuss Perry, pastoral associate in St. Aloysius Parish, Jackson, who will facilitate the children’s track.

Conventual Franciscan Father David Stachurski, pastor of Resurrection Parish, Delran, and director of the Northern Burlington Regional Adult Faith Formation Ministry, explained that the idea of offering a pre-Lenten RCIA retreat will help to prepare and “set the tone” for the catechumens and candidates as they enter into the period of Purification and Enlightenment, which in the RCIA process is observed during Lent and the Holy Week Triduum and for them should be a time of prayer and reflection as they anticipate receiving the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil, which this year will be celebrated April 19.

Father Stachurski noted that last

year, the ministry sponsored its first pre-Lenten retreat for RCIA groups in parishes that comprise the Northern Burlington deanery. Based on last year’s success, the ministry team members decided to broaden the retreat to all parishes in Burlington County.

“Bringing the RCIA groups together, especially the catechumens and candidates, for this day of recollection will give them an opportunity to see that there are others who are making the same journey,” he said. “For the sponsors and team members, the retreat can give them a chance to network and learn from one another.”

As a follow-up to the pre-Lenten retreat, the ministry looks forward to bringing together the newly initiated Catholics in Burlington County, their sponsors and RCIA team members for a day of reflection on May 3 in Resurrection Parish-Holy Name Church, Delran. The day, which will have as its theme, “Unpacking the Easter

Vigil Experience,” will feature speaker, Martin Arsenault, campus minister and chairman of the religion department in Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, Princeton, and a Mass celebrated

by Father Stachurski.

“In their having gone through the momentous event of the Easter Vigil which is so packed with symbols, the retreat will offer the newly initiated an opportunity to reflect on this very important event that has happened in their lives.”

The Regional Adult Faith Formation Ministry will sponsor a three-day Lenten mission to be held March 18-20 each evening at 7 p.m. in three Northern Burlington Deanery parishes – March 18 in St. Charles Borromeo Church, 2500 Branch Pike, Cinnaminson; March 19 in Jesus the Good Shepherd Parish-St. Joseph Church, 524 Warren St., Beverly, and March 20 in Resurrection ParishSee Mission • L-8

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Lent

The Monitor • FEBruary 27, 2014

‘We Walk by Faith’

From Mardi Gras to Holy Week, Catholic schools make a Lenten journey

By Rose O’Connor Correspondent

T

hroughout the Diocese, students in Catholic elementary and high schools are preparing to walk with Jesus, as Christians around the world observe the liturgical season of Lent.

Prior to Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, many schools observe Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, a day that traditionally celebrates with eating the foods that will not be eaten during the fasting and penitential season of Lent.

Holy Cross School, Rumson, celebrates the holiday complete with a King’s Cake and festive beads. St. Denis School, Manasquan, prepares a parade with floats and a feast organized by the 8th grade students.

Students in the Lower School of Trenton Catholic Academy, Hamilton, “bury the Alleluia,” an act of faith recognizing that the word of praise will not be “resurrected” liturgically until Easter Sunday. They design cards with “Alleluia” written on one side and their Lenten promise transcribed on the other. After Mardi Gras is over, the masks are put away allowing the students’ true selves to be revealed during Lent.

“…prayer, fasting and almsgiving, become evident and fully incorporated into the students’ daily life.

For students in Red Bank Catholic High School, Mardi Gras is more than just a celebration. It is an opportunity for students to remember their special connection to the people of New Orleans. Five years ago, the Casey volunteers were organized to help in the on going recovery effort from Hurricane Katrina. Students engage in a week long service project that has included repairing homes for residents who have been displaced. The school’s Mardi Gras celebration includes a bread and bake sale to help defray the cost of traveling for the Casey volunteers.

On Ash Wednesday, ashes are distributed to the students and faculty in school communities and the three pillars of Lent: prayer, fasting and almsgiving, become evident and fully incorporated into the students’ daily life.

Many schools offer additional prayer services and Masses throughout the season. As Peter Santanello, principal, Christian Brothers Academy, Lincroft, acknowledged, “Mass is offered four days a week,” and the opportunity to encoun-

ter Christ through Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is also provided.

Opportunities for students to enrich and develop a more meaningful prayer life are afforded through retreats, prayer services and daily reflections.

Mary Henrichsen, religion coordinator in St. Mary of the Lakes School, Medford, shares how the students “prepare a Lenten calendar of how they will live out this season of Lent in their homes, in school and in their communities.”

In St. Benedict School, Holmdel, daily prayer includes a Lenten chant, “Girls Jam,” led by girls in the Middle School. Members of the school community of Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, Princeton, take the opportunity to remember the prayer intentions of one another as they journey through Lent as a school family.

Additional retreat days for both faculties and students are also part of the Lenten preparation for many schools in the Diocese.

The faculty in Incarnation-St. James School, Ewing, prepares a retreat opportunity for students concentrating on the Paschal Mystery. In Sacred Heart School, Mount Holly, a “Purple Passion Day” is provided for the students as a time to reflect on the holiness of Lent.

The practice of giving alms and doing good works is fully embraced by the students, not only during Lent but also throughout the entire school year.

Upper School students in Trenton Catholic Academy work with the children of Mercer ARC during Lent, and students in Pope John Paul II Regional School, Willingboro, donate filled Easter baskets to Catholic Charities.

Visual representations and symbols of the penitential season are palpable both in and out of the classroom.

In Holy Cross High School, Delran, students are daily reminded of the sanctity of the season by a cross, draped with a purple cloth, topped by a crown of thorns and placed in the entrance to the building. It is the first and last sign students see as they enter the building in the morning and exit in the afternoon.

The kindergarten and first grade classes in Our Lady of Sorrows School, Mercerville, place a cotton ball on a lamb. As principal Donald Constantino explained, “At the onset of Easter, each kindergartener proudly brings home their Lamb of God and can talk about the steps they have taken during the days of Lent.”

Older students in OLS are also challenged to grow in their faith through a friendly competition called “Your Lenten I.Q.” The students in St. James School, Red Bank, create their own Stations of the Cross to help them “appreci-

Mardi Gras • Students in Sacred Heart Sign of Faith • Trenton Catholic AcadSchool, Mount Holly, enjoy a colorful celebra- emy students receive ashes on the first day of tion before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. Lent, Ash Wednesday. Photo courtesy TCA Photo courtesy Sacred Heart School

Artful Stations • Colorful student-created Stations of the Cross, in St. James School, Red Bank, are a creative addition to a time-honored Lenten tradition. Photo courtesy St. James School

Century to Century • Monsignor Donovan High School students, Toms River, “Walk with Jesus “ and pray the Stations of the Cross on the school’s football field. Photo courtesy Monsignor Donovan HS

ate Christ’s sacrifice, relating it to the struggle in their own lives,” Marian Cavanaugh, marketing director, offered.

Among the very meaningful opportunities for students to demonstrate their love for Christ is to portray Christ’s Passion in the Living Stations.

In Monsignor Donovan High School, Toms River, students “Walk with Jesus” and pray the Stations of the Cross on the football field.

A new feature of Red Bank Catholic’s Lenten experience is also focused on Christ’s Passion. Students are invited to sign up to view the movie, “The Passion of Christ,” followed by a reflection by the school chaplain and a period of discussion about what the film meant to them personally.

The Living Stations has become an annual tradition at many schools, including St. Veronica School, Howell. As vice principal Joanne Nelson explains, “This

is a long standing tradition in St. Veronica School and each year things are added to enhance the production. The seventh grade class starts looking forward to this usually once they see the Living Stations as 6th graders. By the time they start school in the fall, they already start asking the questions of who will play what part. It a wonderful tradition within the school community of St. Veronica and is eagerly anticipated each year.”

Traditional Lenten practices such as Stations of the Cross and abstaining from meat are also observed in our schools during these forty days.

Catholic school students in the Diocese of Trenton travel through the season of Lent with each other, their families and their parish communities. Whether the student is seven or 17, opportunities are provided to grow in their faith as they prepare their minds and hearts for the holiest day of the year – Easter.

Lent

FEBruary 27, 2014 • www.TrentonMonitor.com

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Parishes, retreat centers, ministries offer Lent programs The following parishes have announced programs and/or retreats for Lent: Holy Innocents Parish, Neptune, will sponsor a series of spiritual talks on Thursday evenings during Lent in the church at the corner of Rt. 33 and West Bangs Avenue at 7 p.m.

The following are the dates, presenters and topics to be discussed; March 13, “Jesus – Suffering Servant of God,” presented by Father Father William Garry Koch, parochial Bausch vicar of St. Joseph Parish, Toms River and Scripture columnist for The Monitor; March 20, “The Life and Death of Yeshua ben Joseph: A Meditation,” presented

by Father William Bausch, former pastor of St. Mary Parish, Colts Neck, and noted author; and March 27, “The Evangelical Virtues: Spreading the Gospel by the Way You Live,” presented

by Father Bryan Page, parochial vicar of St. Barnabas Parish, Bayville. All are welcome. For information, call 732-922-4242.

Sacred Heart Parish, Bay Head, will offer Lenten programs to lead us into a deeper intimacy with Jesus and our faith. Stations of the Cross will be held in the church every Friday after the 9 a.m.

Mass followed by a six-week Lenten Soup and Scripture Study at 10 a.m. beginning March 7 in the parish hall. The series will study texts Sister Pat of Jesus’ Bread of Life McClure discourse, the Last Supper, Crucifixion, the breaking of the bread with two disciples in Emmaus and the treasure of the Eucharist. A Lenten retreat will be held April 5 at 9:30 a.m. in the parish hall. St. Joseph Sister

Pat McClure will lead a Lenten journey with Christ on his way to Calvary. She will discuss how to learn from Jesus’ suffering, benefit from forgiveness and reach victory with his Resurrection in people’s daily lives. Refreshments will be served. All are welcome. The parish is located at 751 Main Avenue. To register, contact the parish office at 732-899-1398 or email Dawn Rusinko Dawnrusinko@yahoo.com.

St. Ann Parish, Browns Mills, will hold a Lenten Mission “Come, Follow Me! The Call to Discipleship” March 16, 17 and 18 at 7:30 p.m. in the church at 22 Trenton Road. Deacon Alex Jones will share his journey of faith from the Pentecostal church into the Catholic Church, and Christ’s call to the “person in the pew” to follow him in the joys and sacrifices of Deacon Alex Christian discipleship.

Jones Deacon Jones is a graduate of Wayne State University with a bachelor’s degree in art education, and masters in pastoral studies from Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit, and taught in the Detroit school system for twenty-eight years. He was a Pentecostal minister in Detroit before beginning a two year journey into the Catholic Church as a permanent deacon and evangelization coordinator for the Archdiocese of Detroit which he retired from as of July 1, 2013. Jones is also the author of a book chronicling his journey into the Church, “No Price too High!” The goals of the mission are to “fan into flame” the gift of life given to us at our Baptism, and to lay the groundwork for becoming intentional disciples of Jesus Christ.

A promotional homily will be preached at all weekend Masses March 15 and 16. For information, contact the parish at 609-893-3246.

St. Leo the Great Parish, Lincroft, will hold a Lenten Renewal “Living the Gospel Today” March 10, 11 and 12 in the church at 50 Hurley’s Lane, Lincroft. Each of the three days

will include Mass at 9 a.m. with a short presentation, followed by quiet reflection and ending with coffee. The three evenings will include prayer at 7:30 p.m. followed by a presentation and quiet reflection.

Babysitting and light refreshments will be provided. Presenter will be Jesuit Father Walter Modrys, director of Ministries at Loyola Father Walter House of Retreats, Modrys Morristown, who will speak on the topics: “Encountering Jesus Anew,” “Three Levels of Morality” and “Who is Pope Francis?” Father Modrys will speak after Masses March 8 and 9 and will be available throughout each day for private meeting and Reconciliation March 10, 11 and 12. For information, contact Janice Campbell at jcamp98765@aol.com.

St. Joan of Arc Parish, Marlton, will host a Lenten Mission “A Time of Grace” four consecutive evenings beginning March 16 at 7:30 p.m. in the church at 100 Willow Bend Road. The presenter will be Augustinian Father Michael P. Sullivan, who has served as pastor of two parishes in New York and as a member of Worldwide Marriage Encounter, and currently serves full time in retreat work and parish renewal preaching. The dates and topics to be covered are as follows; March 16, “To Be Born Again;” March 17, “The Healing Love of Jesus;” March 18, “The Call to Be Church;” and March

Sunday, March 30th, 2014 10:00 AM Until 2:00 PM

USCCB offers online resources for Lent WASHINGTON — A variety of resources to help Catholics observe Lent, which this year begins on Ash Wednesday, March 5, is being provided by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

With the theme “Give Up, Take Up, Lift Up,” resources include a new series of audio retreat podcasts in English and Spanish for the Sundays of Lent, video reflections on Lenten themes, and a downloadable Lenten calendar with quotes from Pope Francis’ Message for Lent and other teachings, and suggestions for taking an active approach to the three traditional pillars of Lenten observance: prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

The website, www.usccb.org/lent, also includes facts about saints whose feast days or memorials fall within

Lent, a reflection on fasting, information on rediscovering the Sacrament of Penance, and a section on Holy Week observances.

The Lenten audio retreats were produced for the USCCB in association with Franciscan Media and are hosted

by Elia Castillo. The 2014 retreat leaders are Bishop Joe Vásquez of Austin, Texas; Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services; Bishop Liam Cary of Baker, Oregon; Archbishop José Gomez, of Los Angeles; Bishop William Michael Mulvey of Corpus Christi, Texas; Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Texas; Archbishop Dennis Schnurr of Cincinnati; Archbishop Joseph Tobin of Indianapolis and Bishop Michael Pfeifer, OMI, retired bishop of San Angelo, Texas.

4,

19, “Our Response to the Call.” A goodwill offering will be accepted. Refreshments will be served on the final evening. For information, call 856-983-0077.

St. Rose Parish, Belmar, will celebrate Stations of the Cross March 14 at 7 p.m. in the church at 603 Seventh Avenue. For information, call 732-681-0512.

St. Thomas More Parish, Manalapan, in partnership with Oregon Catholic Press, will present a free Lenten Mission March 23, 24 and 25 at 7:30 p.m. at 186 Gordon’s Corner Road. Presenter will be Grayson Warren Brown, an internationally known liturgical composer, author and recording artist. His many years of workGrayson Warren ing in a multicultural Brown parish have given him a unique insight into the power that good liturgy can instill in people of all backgrounds. Brown now divides his time between writing, composing and traveling the country giving workshops, speaking and conducting parish missions. For more information, call the parish office at 732446-6661, ext. 3.

Visitation Parish, Brick Town, will hold a free Soup and Scripture for adults March 4, 11, 18, 25 and April 1 and 8 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

See Programs • L-8

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Lent

The Monitor • FEBruary 27, 2014

Programs offered to enrich Lenten experience, spirtuality Continued from • L-7

in the church auditorium at 730 Lynnwood Avenue. The evening will include soup and bread for sustenance, with Scripture reading for reflection. The presenter will be Dee Bringhurst from the Adult Faith Formation Office. For information, contact Dale Zanetti in the Adult Faith Formation Office at 732-477-7059, ext.

214 or email dale@visitationchurch.com.

The following parishes have announced additional Confession times during Lent: St. Catharine Parish, Middletown, will offer Confessions during Lent every Monday from 6 to 6:50 p.m., Mass and Novena at 7 p.m.; Fridays from 6 to 6:50 p.m., Mass and Stations, 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 3 to 4 p.m. in the church at 130 Bray Avenue. For information, call the parish at 732-787-1318.

St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel, will offer Confessions in the chapel 8 p.m. during Lent after Stations of the Cross and Benediction at 7 p.m. every Friday during Lent, March 15, and April 16; April 17, 7:30 p.m.; April 18, following Mass of the Lord’s Supper and procession at 3 p.m.; April 19 at 4 p.m. For information, call the parish at 732-264-4712.

The following retreat centers have announced Lenten programs and/or retreats to be held in their centers unless otherwise noted; Francis House Diocesan Spiritual Center, Rancocas, will begin its Lenten journey with an Ash Wednesday retreat of some silence and prayer to help us listen to God’s direction

for our Lenten prayer, fasting and almsgiving March 5 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Donation is $20. Bring a bag lunch.

A Lenten Retreat for Men using Scripture in Today’s World will be held April 6 from 1 to 4 p.m.

Explore using the Scriptures through a process called Lectio Divina to meet the demands of today’s world. See what God has in store for us through his Word as it relates to being a husband, father, leader at work and in our finances.

Presenter will be Rich Vosler, a widowed father of nine whose areas of expertise are grief and single parent coaching and coaching from a Catholic perspective. Donation is $20.

The Francis House Diocesan Spiritual Center is located at 30 Springside Road. To register, call 609-877-0509 or email FHOP@verizon.net.

Maris Stella Retreat and Conference Center, Harvey Cedars, will hold a Lenten Weekly Holy Hour: “An Hour with God� March 5, 12, 19, and 26; April 2, 9 and 16 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the chapel at 7201 Long Beach Boulevard.

The hour includes Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, prayer for peace and silent prayer. For information, call Sister Pat at 609-494-2917.

The Upper Room Diocesan Spiritual Center will offer several Lenten programs throughout the coming month beginning with an Ash Wednesday Day of Reflection March 5 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Upper Room Spiritual Center, 3455 West Bangs Ave., Neptune. The presenter will be Father Richard Rento, chaplain at Seabrook Village, Tinton Falls and a regular broadcaster on Station WPAT. Rento will discuss what the Spirit has in

Mime Stations

The sixth grade students of St. Paul Catholic School, Princeton, will perform a moving presentation of the Mime Stations of the Cross, a 26 year tradition, April 11. Through a series of frozen images, or tableau, the students will depict each scene from the 14 Stations of the Cross. The devotional of the Stations is to help the faithful make a spiritual pilgrimage to the chief scenes of Christ’s suffering and death through prayer and meditation. A form of this devotion is held in St. Paul Church every Friday at 7 p.m. during the Lenten season.

Pictured are St. Paul School students participating in last year’s presentation of Mime Stations of the Cross. Here they portray the Fourth Station, Jesus Meets His Mother.

Photo courtesy of St. Paul School

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store for us as we continue walking, listening and looking ahead. The cost is $50-$60 and includes Mass and a light lunch.

A Lenten concert will be held March 7 at 7:30 p.m. and a workshop for pastoral musicians featuring David Haas, co-sponsored by the Trenton Chapter of the NPM March 8 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. both in St. Anselm Church, 1028 Wayside Rd., Wayside. Haas is highly regarded as one of the outstanding liturgical music composers in David Haas the world. He has produced over 40 original recordings of liturgical music including: “Gather Us In,� “You Are Mine,� “Blessed are They,� “Table Songs� and “We Have Been Told.� His music appears in many hymnals of various denominations and languages throughout the world. The cost for the concert is $15-$25; workshop is $30-$40; both programs are $45.

A Quiet Time to Heal – A Lenten Evening of Reflection so that we can be still in order to hear and to heal will be held March 18 from 7 to 9 p.m. The presenter will be Father Richard Rento, chaplain at Seabrook Village, Tinton Falls and a regular broadcaster on Station WPAT. The cost is $25-$35.

Sanctity and Soup to nourish the body and soul will be held March 20 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. This mini Lenten retreat offers spiritual reflection on a Lenten topic, quiet time, Eucharistic Liturgy, and a light lunch.

The presenter will be Mercy Sister Maureen Christensen, co-director of the Upper Room.

The cost is $35-$45.

A Lenten Directed Prayer Weekend will held March 21 at 7:30 p.m. to March 23 at 3 p.m. This is an opportunity for individuals to spend time with God in a personal way and to enjoy an atmosphere of prayerful silence. Each person meets with a spiritual director daily. The cost is $160.

A Lenten Taize Prayer, an evening of communal contemplative prayer will be held March

31 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. The evening will use the format of the Taize community in France, psalm singing, Scripture reading, silence and prayer around the cross. Free will offering accepted.

The Upper Room Spiritual Center is located at 3455 W. Bangs Avenue, Bldg. 2, Neptune. To register, call 732-922-0550 or email office@ theupper-room.org.

Stella Maris Retreat Center, Elberon, will hold a Lenten Soup for the Soul series four Monday evenings to nourish our soul and enrich our faith with food for thought for our Lenten journey.

Simple Soup and Bread Supper will be served at 6 p.m. followed by the program from 7 to 8 p.m. each evening. The program topics are as follows; March 10, “Change Our Hearts, Lord,� presenter will be Redemptorist Father Kevin O’Neil; March 24, “People of the Passion (Part 1),� presenter will be Sister of Charity Anita Constance; March 31, “People of the Passion (Part 2), “ presenter to be Sister of Charity Anita Constance; and April 7, “No Greater Love: Taize Prayer Service.�

A Lenten Day of Reflection “We Are Eucharist: Taken, Blessed, Broken, Given,� will be held March 29 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with registration and coffee at 9:30 a.m. This retreat is for extraordinary ministers, readers, music ministers, ushers, greeters and parishioners looking to deepen their understanding of the Eucharist. Presenter will be Sister of Charity Anita Constance. The cost is $50.

Stella Maris Retreat Center is located at 981 Ocean Ave., Elberon. To register, call 732-2290602, email retreats@stellamarisretreatcenter. com or visit www.stellamarisretreatcenter.com.

The following ministry has announced a Lenten event: Outside Our Diocese Christ Our Light Young Adult Ministry, Cherry Hill, will hold a Lent series March 12, 19 and 27 at 7 p.m. in the meeting room on Kings Highway for young adults 20 – 39. Immediately following the presentation the group continues the night at a local restaurant or bar.

For information, contact Kathryn Wallace at kathrynwallace22@gmail.com or visit facebook. com/groups/colyoungadults.

Mission focuses on the Beatitudes

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Holy Name Church, 260 Conrow Rd., Delran. Retreat leader will be JoLynn Krempecki, director of lay formation for the Camden Diocese. “JoLynn will lead the retreat through the lens of ‘Beatitude living,’� said Father Stachurski, as he reflected on the topics that Krempecki will present: “Lord, When Did I See you in Myself?� March 18; “Lord, When Did We See You in My Church and Community?� March 19: and “Lord, When Did We See You in the World?� March 20.

Noting that a parish Lenten mission is designed to provide faithful with an opportunity to set aside specific time to pray, meditate and most importantly, to journey through the Lenten season together as a parish community, Father Stachurski said that having several parishes collaborate in hosting the parish mission allows for them to share resources, welcome members from surrounding parishes and

create for the people in attendance a sense of journey as they travel each evening to a neighboring worship site. “Hopefully the notion that we are all Catholic and are coming together as one will be conveyed as the people journey from one parish to another,� said Father Stachurski. “The mission theme is geared to help people not only focus on the Ten Commandments, but the other commands that Jesus gave us – the Beatitudes. Hopefully people will look to the Beatitudes and try to live their lives according to these set of principles.� “The parish mission should be a time of renewal in our relationship with God and each other,� said Father Stachurski. “It’s a time for us to open our eyes to new light and life.�

For more information about the Northern Burlington Regional Adult Faith Formation Ministry, contact Father Stachurski at dstack1@comcast.net or call 856-461-6555.