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Lent 2023

Lenten Devotions at Church

Ash Wednesday - February 22

At OLV Troy

Mass with Distribution of Ashes - 12:15 PM and 7:00 PM

At OLS Grafton

Distribution of Ashes - 5:00 PM

Stations of the Cross

At OLV Troy

Most Fridays during Lent - 6:30 PM at OLV - February  24th, March 10, 24, and 31

Good Friday - April 7 - 6:30  PM

At OLS Grafton

Wednesday, March 8 at 6:30 & March 22 at 6:30 PM

Good Friday - April 7 - 6:30 PM

HISTORY OF THIS SPECIAL DEVOTION -

"During the crusades (1095-1270), it became popular for pilgrims in the Holy Land to walk to Calvary following the footsteps of Jesus.  There are at least two reasons why more people didn't make the pilgrimage:  the difficulty of making a journey to the Holy Land and the fear that the journey was dangerous because the Holy Land had been captured by foreigners.  Meanwhile, the idea of devotion to the Passion of Jesus was becoming more and more popular in Europe.  The seeds were thus planted for physical representations of the Stations of the Cross.  The Franciscans are credited with the first presentation of a devotion to the Stations in the 14th century.  Originally done only outdoors, the Stations were allowed inside churches in the mid-18th century.  Eventually fixed at the number 14, the Stations of the Cross became a familiar feature in all Catholic churches.  The Station of the Cross are not just something that happened to Jesus.  We understand them to be something that should be happening to us as disciples of Jesus.  They are about my sacrifice, your sacrifice and the Good News that death is never the end of the story".

THE PRIEST - "The Way of the Cross" by Joseph Weigman

SIGN UP FOR ASCENSION PRESENTS FREE "The Way of the Cross" audio reflection's on Christ's journey to the Cross.

Sacrament of Reconciliation

Communal Penance Service

At OLV Wednesday, March 29th - 7:00 PM

Weekly Schedule of Reconciliation

Confession is offered in at OLV in the confessional every Saturday from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm before the Saturday Vigil Mass begins.  Every Wednesday we also offer reconciliation after the 12:15 PM Mass until 2:00 PM. 

Lent is an excellent liturgical season to go to confession and is encouraged as often during the season as you can!  Below is an Examination of Conscience before you proceed to Confession.

EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE

 

Busted Halo offers a short video on Penance (why we confess our sins) below

Christ Sun of Justice Lenten Speaker Series

At Christ Sun of Justice Parish where we Pastorally provide Sacramental support a Lenten speaker series will be offered  on Wednesdays at 7:00 pm immediately following the evening Mass at 5:00 PM, and 6:00 PM Dinner.


UNIVERSITY PARISH OF CHRIST SUN OF JUSTICE AT
THE CHAPEL + CULTURAL CENTER
2125 BURDETT AVENUE, TROY, NEW YORK 12180

 

Preparing for and Practicing Lent

The guidelines for Lent:

"'Repent and believe in the gospel.' These words, accompanied by the tracing of a cross on our foreheads, mark the beginning of Lent, a season of reflection, repentance and renewal as we turn away from sin in our lives and turn toward our Lord. Throughout these 40 days, we are asked to assess where we are in our relationship with our Lord and to observe practices that help us strengthen that relationship.

We are asked to seek our Lord in prayer, to practice self-control through fasting and to serve others through almsgiving (USCCB). While Catholics join together in fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and abstaining from meat on the Fridays during Lent, each person is invited to consider how our Lord is inviting him or her to walk with Him through Lent." (Albany Diocese)

Prayer is offered in a number of ways during the Lenten season whether privately, through group efforts or by participating in Stations of the Cross.

Fasting 

A Reflection on Lenten Fasting

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fast and abstinence. As a sign of our penance, we preserve for the Diocese of Albany the custom of abstinence from meat on Fridays of Lent. Abstinence binds all Catholics who are 14 years of age and older. Fast binds all Catholics who are 18 years of age but not yet 59. Fasting refers to the quantity of food eaten. Traditionally, fasting calls for only one full meal per day. By retaining these traditions for our Diocese we do not intend that they be interpreted as laws binding under pain of sin, but as customs from which we will not hold ourselves lightly excused. They are expressions of our desire to be converted in our hearts, to be reconciled with each other, and to love our neighbor.

Almsgiving is an act of giving alms which can be actual goods to help the poor by way of donations, food, and clothing; acts of service of our time to help those in need or monetary donations to places like food pantries, shelters, Catholic Charities and even the parish.  The Giving of our time, possession and monetary goods becomes an act of love.

 

The Triduum

Holy Thursday - Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper - April 6

7:00 PM at OLV

Good Friday of the Lord's Passion - April 7

3:00 PM at OLV  (Stations of the Cross will be offered at 6:30 PM)

Holy Saturday - Easter Vigil - April 8

3:00 PM at OLV  (Stations of the Cross will be offered at 6:30 PM)

Easter Sunday - April 9

8:15 AM and 11:15 AM at OLV 

9:45 AM at OLS Grafton

 

 

 

 

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