Lent Liturgy Schedule
2.14.24 | Ash Wednesday
8:00 AM Mass & Ashes at St. Elizabeth Seton
& streamed on Facebook
12:00 PM Prayer Service & Ashes at St. James
7:00 PM Mass & Ashes at St. James
2.18.24 | First Sunday of Lent
2.25.24 | Second Sunday of Lent
3.3.24 | Third Sunday of Lent
3.10.24 | Fourth Sunday of Lent
3.17.24 | Fifth Sunday of Lent
3.24.24 | Palm Sunday of Our Lord’s Passion
Daily Mass
Monday | 8:30 AM at St. Elizabeth Seton
Tuesday | 8:00 AM at St. James
Thursday | 8:00 AM at St. James
Friday | 8:30 AM at St. Elizabeth Seton
Lent Prayer and Devotions
Taizé Prayer Service
2.25.24
7:00 PM | St. James
& streamed on Facebook
Learn more here
Evening Prayer
Monday — Friday
5:00 PM | streamed on Facebook
Little Black Books
For daily reflection
available in both church foyers
Rosary
Saturdays
3:20 PM | St. James
Tuesday & Thursday
8:30 AM | St. James
Reconciliation
Mondays
6:00 PM | St. Elizabeth Seton
Tuesday 3.26.24
6:00 PM | St. James
Wednesday 3.27.24
6:00 PM | St. Elizabeth Seton
Lent Reflection Series
Wednesdays
February 21, 28, March 6, 13, 20
10 AM | St. James
7 PM | St. Elizabeth Seton
Learn more here
LENT ALMSGIVING
Catholic Relief Services
Operation Rice Bowl
&
Easter Food Baskets
Stations of the Cross
Fridays
5:30 PM | St. James
7:00 PM | St. Elizabeth Seton
not including Good Friday
Tenebrae prayer service
3.29.24
7:00 PM | St. Elizabeth Seton
& streamed on Facebook
Includes Veneration of the Cross
Lent Almsgiving Opportunities
Catholic Relief Services Operation Rice Bowl
Each Lent, Catholic households across the country unite to put their faith into action through prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Through the CRS Rice Bowl Program, we learn about how our sisters and brothers across the globe overcome hardships like hunger and malnutrition, and how through Lenten alms, we have the power to make the world a better place for all. Rice Bowls are available in both Church foyers. Fill them with your Lenten alms and return them at Easter time. Our parish will send all our collected donations to Catholic Relief Services. Learn more about the Rice Bowl Program, discover meatless recipes from around the world and watch weekly stories of hope at www.crsricebowl.org.
Easter Food Baskets
Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish will be collecting Easter food “baskets” for families within our community on the weekend of March 23-24, 2024 so that they can be delivered before Easter. Rocky Hill Human Services is asking for "generic" baskets for families of four to six people. If you would like to donate a basket, please sign up on the sheet located in the Foyer of either church so we know how many to plan for. If we get enough, some will also be donated to The Catholic Worker in Hartford. Please bring your basket (any container is acceptable as long as it looks nice) to the Rectory garage at Saint Elizabeth Seton or Father Shea Hall at Saint James on Saturday afternoon or Sunday Morning. A list of suggested items is available here to help you with your shopping. Please do not include perishable foods. People will be given gift certificates to use for their fresh foods. During this weekend we will also be collecting grocery store gift certificates which Rocky Hill Human Services will add to the baskets when they are distributed. Please bring the gift certificates to Mass March 23-24, 2024 and place them in the collection basket.
Pray With Us Virtually This Lent
The Rosary ~ Sorrowful Mysteries
Pray the Rosary with Fr. George Couturier. By meditating on the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, we accompany Jesus through the final hours of his life leading to his crucifixion on the cross. Prayer time: 20 min.
Lenten Prayer Service
Join members of the Saint Josephine Bakhita Music Ministry as we sing, reflect and pray with moving selection of Lenten pieces in our Reflections on the Passion of Christ. All music used with permission: ONE LICENSE Streaming, under License A-700307. Find the prayer aid here. Prayer time: 37 min.
The Stations of the Cross
Pray The Stations of the Cross with Fr. George Couturier. This devotion invites us to use all our senses as we pray with Jesus through his suffering, death on the cross and resurrection. The experience intentionally reflects our time of pandemic and features the stained glass stations from St. James Church. Find the prayer aid here. Prayer time: 19 min.
STATIONS OF THE CROSS FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES & EVERYONE
The Stations of the Cross is a special devotional prayer that helps us recall the tremendous love of Jesus Christ as He suffered and died on the cross for our salvation. Pray this special devotion with Fr. George, Ken & Lori Gosselin, Elizabeth Husmer & Joy O'Sullivan.
Prayer time: 35 min.
The Three Pillars of Lent
Prayer
“Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God.” - St. John Damascene
Throughout the season of Lent, we are called to deepen our prayer life. For some of us, we might begin a habit of daily prayer, setting aside time each day to share our hopes, joys, fears and frustrations with God. Praying first thing in the morning, while the house is still quiet, or talking to God while walking or on your commute to work are simple ways to integrate prayer into everyday life. For others Lent offers the opportunity to try a new form of prayer or extend the time we spend in prayer each day. Praying the Rosary, joining Fr. George online for Morning or Evening Prayer, visiting the Blessed Sacrament or attending a retreat may bring you to new places in your relationship with God. During Lent, our parish will be sharing a wide variety of opportunities for communal prayer and private prayer. Join in!
Fasting
The Lenten practice of fasting is modeled on Jesus' forty days of fasting in the desert. Like Jesus, we fast during Lent as a reminder of our dependence on God. Through fasting, we also align ourselves more closely with the needs of the hungry throughout our world. The tradition of abstaining from meat on Lenten Fridays allows us to walk in the shoes of the poor who can seldom afford meat for meals. As a gesture of solidarity, plan very simple, home cooked meals and set aside the money normally spent for food and drink on Fridays to give to a local food pantry or Operation Rice Bowl.
Church Guidelines for Fasting and Abstinence: The law of abstinence obliges those 14 years of age and older not to eat meat on Ash Wednesday and on Fridays throughout the season of Lent. The law of fast obliges all those ages 18 through 59 to refrain from eating between meals and to limit their eating to one full meal and two lighter meals on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
Almsgiving
The Lent practice of almsgiving calls us to a renewed commitment to charitable giving. Charitable giving is a very ancient practice; almsgiving was normative long before the time of Jesus. The Lenten call to almsgiving means making the needs of other people our own. One of the central lessons of the cross is compassion; the heavy burdens we carry help us to appreciate the suffering in others. Sharing material goods is often just the beginning of real Christian giving. We are also called to share our time tending to people in need. The Lenten scriptures correlate fasting with the Works of Mercy. Anytime we offer help to anyone, we are offering help to Christ. The need for food, winter clothing, household supplies and more is greater. Prayerfully consider ways to give generously this Lent. Our parish will be organizing a cooperative Lenten giving through Operation Rice Bowl as well as suggesting creative ways to participate in almsgiving.
