Lent 2024
Ash Wednesday, 14th February to Maundy Thursday, 28th March 2024
Lent is a 40-day fast — a reference to the time Jesus spent being tempted in the desert. It’s a time when we can prepare our hearts for the remembrance of Christ’s death. Our observance of Lent culminates in the solemn celebrations of Holy Week when on Palm Sunday we follow Christ from his triumphant entrance into Jerusalem to the foot of the Cross as sorrowful bystanders to His Passion, before rolling back the stone of the empty tomb and the joy of the Resurrection. The six-week period is dedicated to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving in preparation for this great celebration of Christ’s Paschal Mystery in the Easter Triduum.
“Lent is a spiritual springtime. It’s a joyful season, as the Roman Liturgy puts it, a time when God wants to give us new grace and new life.” Rt Rev. Philip Egan, Bishop of Portsmouth
Prayer and Reflection:
What we can all do is pray!
When we see what is happening in Ukraine, Gaza and the Middle East and so many other places, we can feel helpless to do anything for the families who are caught up in or trying to escape or deal with events. But, as we say every week in our website Family Room – What we can all do is pray!
Ecumenical Stations of the Cross:
Once again we will be joining with members of our fellow local churches on Fridays at 7:30pm: Friday 23rd February CAFOD Stations and frugal supper at St Peter’s; 1st March Holy Trinity; 8th March Holy Innocents; 15th March Holy Trinity; 22nd March St Peter’s – check Newsletter for venues.
Evening Mass on Tuesdays
On Tuesday evenings at 7pm and afterwards in the presbytery with Fr David looking at the different articles of the creed and aspects of our faith.
All Day Adoration on Fridays in Lent
On Friday mornings after morning Mass in church until 11am Intercede for our parish and its many needs.
Reflecting on Scripture
One practice for Lent is to spend some time reading from the Bible. In Year B, one can spend more time on Mark than is usual with hearing the gospel only on Sundays. Two short books by Rowan Williams, Meeting God in Paul and Meeting God in Mark have selections for each day of Lent, plus an introduction. Every daily mass will have two readings on a Lenten theme: these may be found in a daily Missal online.
CAFOD’s online Lent resources
The 2024 CAFOD online Lent calendar of daily prayer and reflection offers a way to pause, reflect, pray and take action as we prepare for Easter and journey through Lent with our global family. Sign up for daily Lent calendar reflections straight to your inbox. On the CAFOD website you can also find prayers and reflections for yourself and for families. https://cafod.org.uk/pray/prayer-resources/lent-prayer-2024
The Bishops’ Conference website
The Bishops’ Conference website provides a variety of materials for prayer and reflection including Stations of the Cross based on the experience of inmates in UK prisons and their families.
‘We Dare To Say’
‘We Dare to say’ is a faith-sharing resource on The Lord’s Prayer.
“At every moment of every day, somewhere in the world, Christians are praying the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples. The Lord’s Prayer is a like a gentle, multilingual hum of heartfelt praise and petition. St Thomas Aquinas once wrote that ‘The Lord’s Prayer is the most perfect of prayers…’ Pope Francis has asked us, as part of our preparation for the Holy Year in 2025, to make this year into a time for refreshing our prayer, and especially our appreciation and use of the Our Father. I am pleased, then, to commend to you We Dare To Say, a five-week faith-sharing resource on the familiar and powerful words of the Our Father. May you come to a deeper appreciation of what the Lord Jesus himself has given us in response to the disciples’ request ‘Lord, teach us to pray’.” Vincent Nichols. https://www.cbcew.org.uk/we-dare-to-say/
Confessions (Sacrament of Reconciliation)
Every Saturday 6.00pm to 6.20pm.
More dates will be advertised closer to Easter.
Fast and Give:
Fasting, making a special effort to give up or stop doing something – usually something we like, reminds us of our hunger for God. We can also give our time, effort or money to those who need help in our world. And Pope Francis suggests we Fast from hurting words, sadness, anger, pessimism, worries, complaints, pressures, bitterness, selfishness, grudges and words.
As alternative suggestions for Fasting, we offer you these ideas from Pope Francis, which suggest ways of ‘fasting’ from negative actions and emotions and doing something positive. Or you could try to fast from social media, technology, gossip and excessive screen time!
Cardinal’s Lenten Appeal
As the cost of living crisis continues to present challenges to families across our Diocese, all funds raised by the Cardinal’s Lenten Appeal this year will go towards the initiatives run by parishes and Caritas Westminster, helping some of the most vulnerable people in our society. A gift this Lent made online or using the wall safe at the back of church will help fund initiatives in parishes, schools and charities in the Diocese. There are also envelopes at the back of church – please return in the collection. Please be generous.
The Big Lent Walk
Walk 200km in 40 Days to help fight Poverty. Challenge yourself and walk when and where you choose over 40 days, alone or with friends to raise money to help people overcome poverty. Sign up on CAFOD’s website.
Lent Fast Day
Eat frugally on Friday 23 February and give what you save to the work of CAFOD online or through the parish retiring collection on 25th February.
Volunteering
“One of the golden threads that runs through our Christian faith is that of loving service.” Cardinal Vincent Nichols
Take a moment to imagine parish life without volunteers. No flowers, choir, altar servers. No catechists, musicians or readers. Unimaginable! We today face the real need to fill some key parish roles and allow some of our current volunteers to step down. So, if you feel called to give of your time and skills, there are many ways to get involved. Why not take the first step and contact Fr David to find the perfect opportunity for you!
Food Bank donations:
You can find details about the times when you can donate to Holy Trinity and other local foodbanks here.
Poor Box
If you wish to support those in need in our parish and the local area as well as our parish Soup Run please place donations in the Poor Box by the church main door.
Soup Run
Our Soup Run provides practical ways to give, whether by donating provisions – tinned tuna, cheese, ham etc. or by giving your time on a Saturday afternoon as a member of one of the teams that make and distribute sandwiches to the homeless. To find out more about how you can help, contact Kit 07057 138582 or kit.greveson@gmail.com.