St. Benedict Catholic Church

Dear Friends,

In just a little over 48 hours, the mounted police officers of the NOPD will begin to clear the streets of the French Quarter as Mardi Gras 2019 quickly comes to a close. And then it will be time for us to turn our minds, hearts, and energy to the holy season of Lent!

Lent is a time when we prepare for our celebration of Easter through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. It is ultimately a time of voluntary self-denial to train our body and nourish our spirit so that, in prayer, we may begin to truly see the unfathomable value and riches of giving ourselves entirely over to God. This is never to be something superficial or self-centered. As St. John Chrysostom wrote in the 4th Century, no act of virtue can be great if it is not followed by advantage for others. So, no matter how much time you spend fasting, no matter how much you sleep on a hard floor and eat ashes and sigh continually if you do no good to others, you do nothing great. 

So let us always remember that Lent is about cultivating a love for Love, who St. John says is God. As we begin this time of cultivating a love for Love, I would like to suggest a few things for you to consider to help foster your spiritual growth and relationship with God:

(1) Attend Mass and the Distribution of Ashes on Ash Wednesday. 
Masses will be celebrated at 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. A special collection will be taken up for the support of social welfare and lunch ministries as a way we can give alms to the poor.

(2) Take advantage of our Parish Lenten Mission. 
Join Mr. Robert Simpson for this year's Lenten Mission on March 24, 25, and 26 at 7 p.m. in the church. 

(3) Receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available every Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., every Saturday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., and every Friday during Lent from 7:20 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (except this Friday).

(4) Participate in the Way of the Cross. Every Friday during Lent, we will pray the Way of the Cross at 7 p.m. in the church, which will be followed by Exposition and Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament until 8:00 p.m.

(5) Spend some time in spiritual reading. If you haven't already done so, pick up one the Lenten Reflection booklets in the back of the church and spend a little time each day reading the daily reflection. You may also want to consider spending 15-30 minutes reading the Bible every day.

(6) Participate in the CRS RICE BOWL Campaign. Our parish and Catholic communities throughout the United States do something amazing each Lent. We come together to pray, fast and give alms—and by doing so, we help lift families and communities out of poverty and put them on a path toward resilience, prosperity, and stability. That’s the CRS Rice Bowl effect. Rice Bowls are available in the back of church, and inside the bowls are suggested prayers, readings, and facts about the work of Catholic Relief Services

(7) For the men of the parish, consider joining the Men's Club for their annual Lenten Day of Recollection on Saturday, March 23rd at the Teresian Sister's Spirituality Center (18080 St. Joseph Way, Covington, off of Airport Road). This is open to all men, of any faith. This morning of prayer is free and will begin at 8 a.m.with a light breakfast and conclude with lunch. The Day of Reflection/Retreat will be led by Fr. Peter Hammett, O.S.B., and will consist of two conferences, times for private prayer and reflection, an opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and the celebration of the Eucharist. The day concludes after lunch. For details and to register, please contact Mel Calderone at 985-750-0650.
Let us ask the Lord for the grace to enter these days of Lent with anticipation of our meeting Him in a profound and intimate way.

Wishing you a blessed and fruitful season of Lent,

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Fr. Charles, O.S.B.