𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗻 – 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟭𝟮, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯

This Sunday the Church celebrates World Marriage Day. It is a day when the Church celebrates the many holy marriages in our midst. We give thanks to God for the witness of so many people who daily live out their vows to each other and to God. In their fidelity to the vows of being there “for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, for all the days of their lives, these people reveal to us the presence of God who is there for His People in the same way. It is not easy to keep these promises and we thank God for the many graces that are given to strengthen the witness of so many married couples. On this World Marriage Day, let us ask God to continue to bless all married couples in our parish and to thank God for the witness of these couples in our midst.

Bishop Lucia will be coming to our St. Patrick-St. Stephen Parish Community on Sunday, March 26. He will be celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation with our young people at St. Patrick’s at 8:30am. He will also celebrate Mass at St. Stephen’s at 10:15am and at Our Lady of Perpetual Help at 12:00pm that day. Mark your calendars for this special day with Bishop Lucia.

It is hard to believe that Lent begins next week. We will have Mass at 6:00pm at St. Stephen’s on Ash Wednesday with the distribution of ashes. We will also have a prayer service at St. Patrick’s at 7:00pm with the distribution of ashes. Please remember that Ash Wednesday is a day of fast and abstinence for all Catholics age 18- 59. All Fridays are also days of abstaining from meat for all Catholics during lent. We will also have Stations of the Cross on Fridays during lent. We will begin with Stations of the Cross and soup supper at St. Stephen’s on February 24. Make your plans now as we prepare to make this Lenten journey as a parish family. HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!

Fr. Jim