NEW ULM DIOCESAN COUNCIL OF CATHOLIC WOMEN Women of Faith--Women of Action March, 2014 LENT BEGINS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2014 In the poor and outcast we see Christ s face; by loving and helping the poor, we love and serve Christ. Pope Francis, Message for Lent 2014...
HISTORY OF LENT What are the origins of Lent? Early Christians celebrated several feasts and observed numerous special days. In the days leading up to Easter, it was common for the early Christians to fast in commemoration of the suffering that Jesus endured, but the duration of the fasting varied from one day to several weeks, depending on where the churches were located. The earliest mention of Lent in the history of the Church comes from the council of Nicaea in 325 AD. The council of Nicaea is best known for the profession of faith the Nicene Creed which is still recited in most parishes every Sunday immediately after the homily. However, the council issued twenty canons of a practical nature, dealing with various aspects of church life, and the fifth of these canons speaks of Lent. The first mention of forty as the number of days of preparation for Easter was in this canon. Forty was selected because forty has long had spiritual significance in regard to preparation. For example, Moses was with God for forty days and nights on Mount Sinai in preparation for receiving the Ten Commandments. BUT the primary focus for Lent is where Jesus is portrayed as fasting for forty days and nights in preparing for his ministry. Taking into consideration how Jesus prepared for His public ministry, forty was determined to be the number of days his followers should use in preparing for Easter. The actual word Lent came into use sometime during the twelfth to fifteenth centuries. The English word Lent comes from the Anglo-Saxon (early English) word meaning to lengthen. Lent comes at a time when the hours or daytime are lengthening as spring approaches, and so it is a time when we too can lengthen spiritually, when we can stretch out and grow in the Spirit. The forty days of Lent should be a special time of prayer, penance, sacrifice and good works in our preparation of the celebration of Easter. Since earliest of times in the church, fasting was always the form of penance in preparing for Easter and again the rules for fasting varied. Some areas of the Church abstained from all forms of meat and animal products, while others made exceptions for food like fish. These Lenten fasting rules also evolved. Eating fish was allowed, and later eating meat was also allowed through the week except on Ash Wednesday and Friday. Dispensations were given for eating dairy products if a pious work was performed, and eventually this rule was relaxed totally. The Council of Nicaea in 325 and the Second Vatican Council may be seen as the two poles in the history of Lent: Nicaea acknowledged its existence while Vatican II confirmed its importance. The sixteen centuries between the two councils saw a variety of developments and over the years, modifications have been made to the Lenten observances, making our practices today not only simple but also easy. Ash Wednesday still marks the beginning of Lent, which lasts for 40 days, not including Sundays. The present fasting and abstinence Church laws are very simple: On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, the faithful fast (having only one full meal a day and smaller snacks to keep up one s strength) and abstain from meat; on the other Fridays of Lent, the faithful abstain from meat. People are still encouraged to give up something for Lent as a sacrifice. Moreover, an emphasis must be placed on performing spiritual works, like attending the Stations of the Cross, attending Mass, making a weekly holy hour before the Blessed Sacrament, taking time for personal prayer and spiritual reading and most especially making a good confession and receiving sacramental absolution. Although the practices may have evolved over the centuries, the focus remains the same, to repent of sin, to renew our faith and to prepare to celebrate joyfully the mysteries of our salvation. Information derived from various websites: www.catholiceducation.org www.thinkingfaith.org www.usccb.org
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THINGS YOUR CCW MEMBERS CAN DO DURING LENT------- Participate in the Catholc Relief Services Rice Bowl Program - What you give up for Lent changes lives. $10 = two weeks of food for a family in need $25 = drought-resistant seeds for a farmer $50 = clean water for more than 500 families $100 = school desks for 13 children Encourage Spiritual Reading Pope Francis encyclical The Light of Faith can be found at www.papalencyclicals.net/ or any of the books suggested in past newsletters. Attend a weekday Mass and Stations of the Cross when possible-- Attend one of the CCW Region Spring Gatherings Thursday, March 6th Region 3 St. Michael, Milroy Saturday, March 8th Region 6 St. Anastasia, Hutchinson Thursday, March 13th Region 2 St. Anne s, Wabasso Tuesday, March 18th Region 5 Holy Redeemer, Renville Thursday, March 20th Region 1 St. Gregory, Lafayette Thursday, April 3rd Region 4 St. Michael, Madison
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS REGARDING LENT Why ashes on our foreheads on Ash Wednesday? When the ashes are placed on our foreheads in the sign of the Cross, it is a reminder of several things. First, it is a call to repentance: a physical sign that we are sinners in need of forgiveness, which is how the prophets used it in the Old Testament. Second, it is to remind us that God created us from the earth and when we die, we will return to it. But here s the best part: As Pope Benedict XVI has said, Man is dust and to dust he shall return, but dust is precious in God s eyes because God created man, destining him to immortality. God so loves us that, even when our bodies return to the dust, our souls are meant to live forever with him. The ashes symbolize all of this. I understand that Catholics ages 18 to 59 should fast on Ash Wednesday and on Good Friday, but what exactly are the rules for these fasts? Fasting on these days means we can have only one full, meatless meal. Some food can be taken at the other regular meal times if necessary, but combined they should be less than a full meal. Liquids are allowed at any time, but no solid food should be consumed between meals. Are there exemptions other than for age from the requirement to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday? Those that are excused from fast and abstinence outside the age limits include the physically or mentally ill including individuals suffering from chronic illnesses such as diabetes. Also excluded are pregnant or nursing women. In all cases, common sense should prevail, and ill persons should not further jeopardize their health by fasting. Taken from the USCCB website THOUGHTS FROM POPE FRANCIS Let the Church always be a place of mercy and hope, where everyone is welcomed, loved and forgiven. PRAY that all people will find communities that welcome them. The goal of economics and politics is to serve humanity, beginning with the poorest and most vulnerable wherever they may be, even in their mothers wombs. PRAY for the protection of those who are vulnerable and in need. we must not be afraid of solidarity; rather let us make all we have and are available to God. PRAY for all of our families and communities, that we might be the light of the Risen Christ in the world.
HOW IS YOUR CCW DOING? The Hospitality Meal Ministry was presented at the June 2013 Resource and guidance meeting in Redwood Falls. The goal of the Hospitality Meal Ministry was to connect with the members of your parish and community being a light of encouragement at times of joy and times of sorrow. We have heard comments from people like the following: You missed me? I didn t know anyone cared I wasn t coming to church anymore. It is so nice to be rememberd. I m so happy you came. Thank you! If your parish hasn t implemented this program yet, maybe this is the time during Lent to get involved. Create an atmosphere in your parish where all parishioners feel they are valued. If you would like more information, a brochure is available on our diocesan website at www.nudccw.org or call Kris Anderson at (507)249-2855. The Kibeho Teachers Dormitory in Rwanda, Africa ------ The Diocesan CCW Board chose this as our diocesan service project this year. A new school has been constructed at Kibeho, but the teachers have to walk a long way each day to get to school so they are building a dormitory for the teachers to stay in during the week. We have asked all parishes to hold some kind of fundraisers to help raise money for this project. Some parishes have already completed their fundraising for this project. Different approaches have been taken for fundraising and here are a few: a CCW member shared a little of the story of Kibeho, Rwanda, Africa with a special collection at the end of Mass, holding a bake sale, brunch or any endeavor can be used. The money collected should be sent to our NUDCCW treasurer, Sandy Redding and she will forward it to Fr. Leszek in Rwanda, Africa so they can complete the construction of this dormitory as quickly as possible. to find out more information about this school and the building of this dormitory - check out the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zygf4yx19v8
GETTING TO KNOW THE SAINTS Ss. Perpetua and Felicity Feast Day: March 7th Saints Perpetua and Felicity (believed to have died 7 March 203) are Christian martyrs of the 3rd century. Perpetua (born around 181) was a 22-year old married noblewoman and a nursing mother. Her co-martyr Felicity, an expectant mother, was her slave. They suffered together at Carthage in the Roman province of Africa, during the reign of Septimius Severus. With the lives of so many early martyrs shrouded in legend, we are fortunate to have the record of the courage of Perpetua and Felicity from the hand of Perpetua herself, her teacher Saturus, and others who knew them. This account, known as The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicity, was so popular in the early centuries that it was read during liturgies. St. Patrick Feast Day - March 17th St. Patrick of Ireland is one of the world s most popular saints. Along with St. Nicholas and St. Valentine, the secular world shares our love of these saints. This is also a day when everyone s Irish. Few really know what they are celebrating or why the holiday is so important, particularly in the Americas. Some Facts: St. Patrick was not Irish, he was born to Roman citizens living in modern day England. St. Patrick was a slave - he was kidnapped at age 16 by Irish raiders and sold as a slave. At the age of 22, he managed to escape and make his way to a monastary in England. He used the shamrock to teach the mystery of the Holy Trinity and how three things, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit could be separate entities,yet one in the same. The originial color associated with St. Patrick was blue, not green as commonly believed. St. Patrick is a saint of the Catholic Church, and his holy day is the day of his death, and subsequent entrance to heaven, rather than the day of his physical birth. St. Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary Feast Day - March 19th Silence is golden St. Joseph, the model of humility, and one of the world s greatest saints, is often mentioned as being silent. This silence speaks volumes. In it, the Church realizes his faithfulness, his love and his acceptance of the Holy Will of God. St. Joseph was not a man of many words: he was a man of action. We have only one direct statement about his personality: in Matthew s Gospel, he is described as a righteous man (Matthew 1:19). His actions alone reveal everything else we know about him. He brings Mary and the Child she bears into his home when, in the sight of the world, he would be justified in divorcing her. He leads the expectant Mary into Bethlehem, and flees with her and her Child into Egypt. When it is safe, he returns with the two into Galilee. He does all of this, because God asks it of him. He never hesitates. Each time we read that the angel spoke to Joseph, the following sentence begins with the action St. Joseph took. Joseph awoke, Joseph rose, He went. Each time he received a summons, his reaction was to follow the call immediately. Never once did he hesitate. Joseph is the patron of the dying because assuminghe died before Jesus public life, he died withjesus and Mary close to him. He is also the patron of the universal Church, fathers, carpenters and social justice.
LIFE IS PRECIOUS Continued prayer is needed for an end to abortion. http://www.standforlife.net/ 2013/01/the-sound-of-abortion-war-on-unborn.html is a link for a video on the sound of abortion. It is an excellent reminder how many lives have been affected and lost to abortion. God has never dealt favorably with a nation that is willing to kill the innocent. Pray for our country that the people of our nation can see the error of our ways. Patti Maguire Armstrong, a speaker and author of ten books promoting life, in a recent article comments that between abortion and contraception, people are closing themselves off to babies and becoming more selfish leading to declining populations in much of the developed world. In the most recent United nations count, twenty-four nations registered a decline in population. RESOURCES: Below is a list of organizations and their websites which promote Christian values that respect life in addition to the organizations that you are familiar with. Be pro-active and get involved by praying for life or even maybe giving financial donations to help build up a culture of life and love. Priests for Life www.priestsforlife.org Live Action www.liveaction.org LifeSiteNews.com www.lifesitenews.com Silent no More Awareness Campaign www.silentnomoreawarenesscampaign.org Women Speak for Themselves www.womenspeakforthemselves.org 40 Days For Life www.40daysforlife.com Feminists for Life www.feministsforlife.org Online for Life www.onlineforlife.org The National Council of Catholic Women Individual Membership has been lowered from $75 to $60. Applications can be found on NCCW s website. www.nccw.org Please consider joining. Many of us support other organizations on an individual basis but why not our own CATHOLIC WOMEN S NATIONAL ORGANIZATION which works so hard at helping us grow in our faith providing us with many resources and also representing us as Catholic Women on many national organizations. As affiliate presidents and individual members, we are privileged to receive the NCCW CON- NECT e-newsletter which comes by email from the national office the first part of every month. This contains lots of current information for you and your commission chairs to share with your CCW members. The CONNECT always includes a personal message from our NCCW president along with information from each of the NCCW commission chairs.
CCW REGION CCW SPRING GATHERINGS Region 1 -- Thursday, March 20, 2014 - St. Gregory, Lafayette Region 2 -- Thursday, March 13, 2014 - St. Anne s, Wabasso Region 3 -- Thursday, March 6, 2014 - St. Michael s, Milroy Region 4 -- Thursday, April 3, 2014 -- St. Michael s, Madison Region 5 -- Tuesday, March 18, 2014 -- Holy Redeemer, Renville Region 6 -- Saturday, March 8, 2014 -- St. Anastasia, Hutchinson Saturday, April 26, 2014 ----- NUDCCW Convention, Cathedral in New Ulm (you should be receiving registration information shortly if not already. Friday evening, June 20, 2014 --- Immaculee Ilibagiza at St. Mary s in New Ulm Sponsored by CCW Province of St. Paul & Minneapolis. Registration form for both this speaker and the Province Conference is on our DCCW website. www.nudccw.org Tickets will be available at the CCW Spring Gatherings. Saturday, June 21, 2014 --- Province Conference of St. Paul & Minneapolis at St. Mary s in New Ulm Morning Speaker ----Teresa Collett, Professor from St. Thomas University Afternoon Speaker ----Mary Matheus, NCCW Treasurer and Past NCCW Leadership Team member POPE FRANCIS PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR MARCH 2014 Respect for Women --- That all cultures may respect the rights and dignity of women. Vocations --- That many young people may accept the Lord s invitation to consecrate their lives to proclaiming the Gospel. Dear Sisters in Christ: Greetings to all of you as we wait and anticipate Spring - hopefully soon! I hope your CCW work hasn t slowed down too much while combating weather! Kris and I do hope that you find the information in this newsletter helpful as you carry out your CCW responsibilities in your parishes. Of course, we still appreciate input and if there is any other information that would be useful in your parishes, please let us know. Again if some of you are receiving this newsletter and are no longer President, please just read, absorb the information and enjoy it. Consider it a gift from us. May God continue to bless you and and all that you do. Blessings, Donna Sanders Kris Anderson DCCW Newsletter Editor DCCW Spirituality Commission Coordinator