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ST. IGNATIUS WEBPAGE
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You can view last Sunday's Homily by clicking on link below:
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TRUTH SERUM
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This week's Truth Serum
talks about "Why Lent?"
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POOR BOX COLLECTION
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Each weekend
St. Ignatius specifies a Poor Box collection for a needful cause. This week's focus is The Franciscan Center.
To learn more click here
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MASS MUSIC
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Attached is the listing for the music selections
at next Sunday's
10:30 Mass.
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WORLD WATCH
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Weekly updates on Christian persecution around the globe. Keep a prayerful watch on what is happening with your brothers and sisters!
click here
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ST. IGNATIUS CALENDAR
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JOIN OUR LIST
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The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and Contemporary World
Lent: A Journey of Blessings Through Fasting, Prayer and Almsgiving to the Poor
My Dear Sisters and Brothers in the Faith,
Gabe Huck, former editor of Liturgy Training Publications (LTP), who was a leader in the implementation of the reform of the Catholic Liturgy in the wake of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), once wrote a very insightful column about the meaning of the Season of Lent. He offered these wise words to his readers in an essay he published in February of 2003.
"Remember this: Though each of us must get ready, must prepare ourselves as best we can for the ashes that are coming, no one does Lent alone. We go together into the fray ... or we do not go at all. The Church (God's People) does Lent. That's us; this assembly; this parish. There is no Lent except the one we do. If you are thinking your part doesn't matter, think again. I need you with me. So do we all. And you need me. Only holding to each other can we hear what is said over the smudge of the ashes: "Remember that you are dust." "Repent and believe in the Gospel." Who could bear that alone?
Huck went on to say that a parish community should be eager to find how fasting, prayer and almsgiving to the poor can fill our households and parish these next 40 days. He spoke about how this is the language we speak during this special season. This language of fasting, prayer and almsgiving will show all of us the very wasteland of our world "so that we can hear God's promise and rejoice in it (Easter)."
For Huck fasting is a rediscovering of our solidarity with the poor. It is an experience also of solidarity with the earth, with God's creation. Moreover, it is a way of confronting the demons of consumerism and greed.
As to prayer, Huck named it a special "vocabulary" of praising God at all times, including meals and bedtime, through the sign of the cross, through the words of scripture and through other "forms of praise" of God. For him Lent is a time for getting some regular little daily habits of praying into our lives.
Finally, almsgiving to the poor during Lent meant for him a time for redistributing the goods of the earth as practiced by our Jewish ancestors during their Jubilee Year. He defined almsgiving in the following three words: "It isn't mine...It never was. I have to give it back." It is a question, not of charity but of justice.
So, for all of us together it is that time once again when we are blessed by God who invites us to take up the three traditions practiced by Jesus and our Jewish and Christian ancestors in order to grow closer to God and to one another by fasting, praying and giving alms to the poor.
Gratefully in Jesus,
  P.S. - By the way...for those of you who signed up for the Jesuits' Lenten prayer program, Igniting Our Values, you should have your first issue emailed to you this evening for tomorrow's beginning of Lent. If you haven't signed up for this daily email, it's not too late. You can sign up by clicking here. |
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For Your Entrance Into This First Week Of Lent
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An A Cappella Version of 'How Great Thou Art' by Sam Robson
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Hungering For the Journey: Operation Rice Bowl
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CRS Rice Bowl Celebrates 40 years!
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Catholic Relief Services helps millions of the world's poorest people with long-term solutions to poverty, hunger, drought and disease. Operation Rice Bowl is a popular way during Lent to help contribute to this program. Pick up an Operation Rice Bowl packet from the narthex or gallery and contribute a little bit each day - what you have saved through your Lenten disciplines -to help this worthy cause.
 CRS Rice Bowl also provides prayers and reflections to guide Catholics in the U.S. on a rich spiritual journey through the 40 days of Lent, and connects participants to our brothers and sisters in need worldwide through the traditional Lenten practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Join the community at crsricebowl.org.
If you are looking for a new way to bring Lent to life, there's an app for that! Download CRS' first-ever mobile app and have daily reflections sent directly to your phone throughout the 40 days of Lent. Track your Lenten sacrifices, learn about this year's featured countries, and learn how to prepare simple native meals, all right from your phone! Learn how to download Phone App by clicking on phone to the right.
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"Giving Up" for Lent
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Why Do We Give Up Something For Lent?
by Neela Kale
You're out with your friends on a Friday night and suddenly you notice that one of them has switched from his favorite microbrew to... lemonade? Is it time for Lent already? Giving up something for Lent sometimes evokes head-scratching in non-Catholics, but what might seem like just another Catholic eccentricity can actually be a practice with deep spiritual significance.
Lent, the period of 40 days that precedes the celebration of Easter, has its origin in the early days of the Church. Converts seeking to become Christian, who at that time were mostly adults, spent several years in study and preparation. Under the threat of Roman persecution, becoming a Christian was serious business, so their process of preparation was intensive! Then they went through a final period of "purification and enlightenment" for the 40 days before their baptism at Easter. The rest of the Church began to observe the season of Lent in solidarity with these newest Christians. It became an opportunity for all Christians to recall and renew the commitment of their baptism.
Today we know Lent as a season of conversion: we acknowledge the ways we have turned away from God in our lives and we focus on turning our hearts and minds back toward God. Hence the three pillars of Lent are prayer, fasting and almsgiving. These observances help us turn away from whatever has distracted or derailed us and to turn back to God. Giving up something for Lent is ultimately a form of fasting. We can deprive ourselves of some small pleasure or indulgence and offer that sacrifice up to God. Or we might "give up" a bad habit such as smoking as a way of positively turning our life back towards what God wants for us.
So maybe your mom seemed a little crazy when she had you give up Oreos or your favorite TV show as a child. An experience of want, however temporary, can help us to appreciate the true abundance in our lives. And a small positive change can have a big impact that lasts beyond the 40 days of Lent.
Take the time now to think about what you might give up this year. Is it something you enjoy that you want to sacrifice for a while, like your daily latte? Or is it a bad habit you want to conquer, like running in late to meetings with co-workers? Or perhaps you want to turn your cell phone off for a few hours each day and not let it distract you from the loved ones you are with in real time? Find something that works for you, and whatever it is, may it help you to turn towards God in this holy season of Lent.
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A Note And A Video About How Your Efforts Have Helped.
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A Word of Thanks!We'd like to share with you this video from Nursing Heart, a group headed by a parishioner of ours, Ron Noecker. You may remember we have taken several Poor Box collections over the year to support this work. Ron is a nurse at Johns Hopkins and many of his volunteers are also from Hopkins.
Ron sent us this video and a note that said: "You (along with others) made it possible for a dynamic group of Nursing Heart members to come to Guatemala and join the people in El Quetzal in building a new kitchen for their primary school. This kitchen will provide a safe and clean environment for the parents of the community to prepare a hot nutritious lunch for the students each day."
"While in Guatemala, the team also had the opportunity to provide a wellness check for the students at LAVOSI (a school for the deaf in Jocotenango) and for the students in El Quetzal. I was so proud of their efforts but none of this would have been possible without you!"
"On behalf of the whole team here in Guatemala and all Nursing Heart members, I thank you. Please enjoy the little one minute video."
Thanks to all of our parishioners who gave...enjoy the video!
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GE Nursing Heart 2015
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| Upcoming Events |
 Women of the New Testament
- Tuesday, February 17
 The Women of the New Testament is now reading the book, Lost Women of the Bible. The Women We Thought We Knew by Carolyn Curtis James.
Our next meeting will take place on Tuesday, February 17 at 7 p.m. in Ignatian Hall We will discuss Chapter 6 - Hannah and Chapter 7 - Esther. Hope you will join us. For more information contact the committee chair, Melody Gordon-Healy, mghealy@att.net
 Note: CONFESSIONS DURING LENT
Beginning on Ash Wednesday, and throughout the Season of Lent, a priest will be available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation half an hour before every Mass, weekdays and weekends, except that it will be after (not before) the 9:00 Sunday Mass. We hope this will give everyone a convenient opportunity to avail themselves of this wonderful Sacrament of Mercy and Forgiveness.
Ash Wednesday Masses
- Wednesday, February 18
 The time has now come in the Church year for the solemn observance of the great central act of history, the redemption of the human race by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In the Roman Rite, the beginning of the forty days of penance is marked with the austere symbol of ashes which is used in today's liturgy. The use of ashes is a survival from an ancient rite according to which converted sinners submitted themselves to canonical penance. The Alleluia and the Gloria are suppressed until Easter. To learn more about the practices of Ash Wednesday, click here. To view Mass schedule click here. Lenten Retreat in Daily Life - February 19 through March 19 
Loyola University's Office of Mission Integration and The Jesuit Collaborative are offering an Ignatian Lenten retreat open to all. This retreat has as its goal finding the inner peace that comes through a direct relationship with our God. The retreat consists of five weeks of prayer using the book, The First Spiritual Exercises, by Michael Hansen, SJ. Each Thursday evening for five weeks beginning on February 19, we will gather at Loyola. Each two hour meeting will include a guided prayer exercise, time for personal reflection and journaling, spiritual conversation in small groups and instruction for the coming week's prayer. In addition to the weekly gatherings, participants will pray 20-30 minutes a day at home 4-5 days each week, and keep a prayer journal. To download retreat flyer and to register, click here. Friday Nights in Lent at St. Ignatius
- February 20 through March 27
 Join us each Friday evening during the Season of Lent for Mass in the church at 5:30, followed by Stations of the Cross, then a simple Lenten meal of soup, salad and bread in Ignatian Hall before we hear (and then discuss) a presentation on scripture by Dr. John Pilch. Click here for a listing of each week's topic.
If you are able to help with the meal by making soup or salad, or bringing bread or beverages, please contact Diane White at dwhite1@jesuits.org, or call the parish office. Please join us. And invite a friend.
Young Family Social Event - Saturday, February 21  We are kicking off the Young Families Ministry this year with a potluck get together on February 21 at 3pm at Jack & Jenny Linehan's home in Hampden. All young couples and families (including children) are welcome. If you would like more details or just want to RSVP, please email Jack directly at jlinehan02@yahoo.com. Please propose any drinks (juice, soda, beer, wine) or food (finger food or snacks) you intend to bring. Father Steve Spahn will join us as well for a lovely afternoon to connect, commune, and celebrate marriage and family. Forum on The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and Contemporary World - Sunday, February 22  By now you likely know about the Vatican's request for input from parishioners across the world as they prepare for the next Synod of Bishops in the coming October. The original document was called the Lineamenta, and contained 46 questions for consideration. Our own Archbishop Lori, with the help of his staff, has put together a summary of the questions, making it much easier for parishioners to respond. There are seven questions for your response. You will find a copy of the Archbishop's letter and the seven questions here. The questions that are pertinent to your consideration are highlighted on the last page.
 In conjunction with these questions, we want to remind you of the special Parish Forum in the Chapel of Grace on Sunday, February 22nd, after the 9:00, 10:30, and 6:00 PM Masses. Facilitated by Deacon Paul Weber, this will be an opportunity to ask questions, and let your opinions be known. All are invited. If you are unable to attend, but would like to respond to the questions, you may do so by directing your answers to Carolynn Kendall by way of her email (carolynnkendall@st-ignatius.net), or drop off your written responses at the parish office. Our deadline for all responses will be February 23rd in order to collate and send them to Archbishop Lori. He must have all responses by February 27th.
St. Vincent de Paul to Host Half-Day Lenten Retreat
- Saturday, February 28  St. Vincent de Paul Church will sponsor a morning of recollection and reflection, led by Dr. Bob Wicks, to help us prayerfully enter into the season of Lent and prepare for Easter. Held at the Shrine of St. Anthony in Ellicott City (directions) from 9 AM to 1 PM, the retreat is open to all - parishioners and non-parishioners alike - until full. For more information and registration, click here. Synods, Yesterday and Today: So What? Lecture by Fr. John O'Malley, S.J. - Monday, March 9  What's a synod? A synod is a gathering of bishops tasked with a matter for reflection - to aid the Pope in his decision-making. Pope Paul VI revitalized this tradition and Pope Francis is using it now to consider the Church's approach to matters regarding the family. A preliminary session was held several months ago - which generated quite a media stir. The final session of this Synod on the family will be held in October. To help us make sense of these Synods and this particularly important one, St. Ignatius is pleased to welcome Fr. John O'Malley, S.J. of Georgetown University. Fr. O'Malley is a renowned Church historian and the author of many books about the history of the Society of Jesus and the Church including The First Jesuits and What Happened at Vatican II. He's also a fabulous storyteller. Come hear his take on this important Synod and its place in the life of the Church today. This lecture will be held in the Chapel of Grace at 7:30PM. There is no cost for admission. March For Life - Monday, March 9  Parishioners are urged to consider joining hundreds of others in Annapolis on Monday evening, March 9th for the annual Maryland March For Life. The event will begin with a youth rally at 4:30 PM followed by a Catholic Mass at St. Mary's at 5:15 and a march through Annapolis to a 7 PM rally at Lawyers Mall. Kristan Hawkins, president of Students For Life will be this year's keynote speaker. Shuttles will take marchers back to the starting point for Chick-fil-A and fellowship. Join other Marylanders to be voices for the vulnerable in Maryland! For more details visit www.marylandmarchforlife.org. Parishioners needing rides can contact our RFL ministry coordinator Jerry Lawler at 410-804-1413 or email jlawler0@gmail.com.
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| In the Media |
 Pope to Youth: Do not reduce love to something banal, or to its sexual aspect aloneIt's a message where Pope Francis calls on the youth to rediscover the beauty of love. It's part of a message to prepare for World Youth Day, which will be celebrated next year in Krakow. Love, he says, is about commitment and about responsibility. "I also urge you to rebel against the widespread tendency to reduce love to something banal, reducing it to its sexual aspect alone, deprived of its essential characteristics of beauty, communion, fidelity and responsibility." He said that using love, just for pleasure creates a barrier that blocks 'true love.' It's one of the elements, he added of the culture that focuses on what's easy and temporary, instead of what's true and long term. "If you allow yourselves to discover the rich teachings of the Church on love, you will discover that Christianity does not consist of a series of prohibitions which stifle our desire for happiness, but rather a project for life capable of captivating our hearts." In the message, he also highlights that youth is a period where the desire to find true love is awakened. He called on the youth to avoid anything that may end up contaminating their hearts. - Full Message
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