Time sure flies! Lent begins next week

[UrbScotty]

It seems as if just a month ago we were celebrating Christmas!

Oh, that's right, we were.

Well, Ash Wednesday is a week from Wednesday (the 9th), Palm Sunday is March 20, Good Friday is March 25, and Easter is March 27.

[Reverend_Smitty]

1. Holy cow!

You're right...looks like fish Fridays for here on out!

[meow2u3]

5. It's also OK to eat pizza on Fridays

Just hold off on all those meat toppings. Personally, I prefer the plain old cheese pizzas, only not on Ash Wednesday.

[AngryOldDem]

2. And I have to get my act together on Operation Rice Bowl

Need to write something up for next weekend's parish bulletin and get the materials ready.

Please wish me luck that the parish responds. We're doing it low-key this year, because it's just me running the show, and parish leadership is not all that enthusiastic about it.

[Maeve]

3. Remember the malnutrition that is following the tsunami

Feeding the hungry is the first of the corporal works of mercy--one of the things we have to do if we expect Jesus to welcome us into the Kingdom.

[AngryOldDem]

6. Sometimes at my parish, though,

that message barely gets through.

I had to give props to my pastor this past weekend, though. He said that for too many of us, the definition of a "good Catholic" is Mass attendance, and focus on the Eucharist. While not in the least bit downplaying that -- because it IS important -- he said that the true blueprint of being a good Catholic can be found in the Beatitudes.

It took all I had not to jump up from the pew and yell, "YESSSS!"

Early in winter the church had a euchre night, where all participants were given "play money" that they could donate to five charities that had information booths set up in the hallway. I was at the Catholic Relief Services booth. I can't count the people who came over, looked at my materials on poverty and relief efforts, then walked away and put all their money into the right to life tin. This was when the hurricanes were still in the news, and one woman came up and asked if any of this money would be going to Florida. I said, no, it's for Haitian relief because the island is extremely poor and has been devastated. "Well," she said, "people in Florida are hurting too."

Sometimes this parish makes it extremely difficult to do social action work. But we persevere.

[Hans Delbrook]

4. Yep, I have to decide what I'm giving up.

I know it's kind of old-fashioned but I think it's good for the soul. Last year I gave up discretionary spending and gave what I estimated I didn't spend to Catholic Charities. That way I did good for me and and an act of charity.