As we begin the month of March, I would like to share with you a few things which are important to all of us as Catholics.
The first and most obvious thing is that the holy season of Lent begins on Wednesday, March 6 with our celebration of Ash Wednesday. Lent is certainly a familiar time during which each of us has the graced opportunity to prayerfully examine our lives and correct the faults we find, but also to strengthen the many virtues we live. The proven way we do this is by faithful daily prayer, frequent and selfless good works and real acts of penance or self-mortification. These can take various forms approved by the Church and I urge you to observe them throughout Lent. The Church’s requirements for fast and abstinence during Lent are very important. All persons between the ages of 18 and 59 are obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday in Lent; a person who has achieved the age of 14 must abstain from all meats and foods made with meat and its by-products on the same days in Lent and every Friday in Lent.
Even though the Church requires us to fast on two days during Lent, I would urge you to do more than that, perhaps fast and abstain from meat every Friday in Lent or fast on a day or two each week of Lent. Of course, if one is sick or there is another compelling reason not to fast or abstain on the days appointed you should speak to your parish priest who can dispense you for that compelling reason.
Since the Solemnity of Easter is later this year, I will be announcing the transfers of some of our priests and the first appointments of our two newly-ordained priests earlier than usual. You should know just how good and generous our priests are in accepting a new assignment. It is not very easy to leave a parish or parishes a priest has served faithfully since he has come to love his parishioners. However, our priests are most willing to go where they are sent and continue elsewhere to serve you with that zeal for souls which is to be the hallmark of every priest’s life. Please watch for the April issue of the
Dakota Catholic Action for these announcements. Also, please pray for our priests and for the two men who will be ordained to the sacred priesthood on June 10—the Reverend Mr. Gregory Crane and the Reverend Mr. Brandon Wolf.
Finally, with the month of March our confirmations resume for many of our young people across the diocese. If your parish will celebrate this wonderful sacrament this year, please pray for your confirmands. Also, if you can, come and participate in the liturgy of confirmation which is most important not just for those being confirmed but for the entire parish, the diocese and the Church Universal. It is a moment of grace for all, because God the Holy Spirit strengthens and enlivens His Church through His holy young people.