Lent
Lenten Opportunities at St. Leonard
Prayer
Stations of the Cross:
- Thursdays of Lent, 6 p.m., church
- Good Friday, 5 p.m., church
Rosary: First Sunday of the month at 8:25 a.m. in the church
Divine Mercy Chaplet: Third weekend of the month in the chapel after all Masses.
Eucharistic Adoration:
- Mondays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Wednesdays, 8:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m.
Chapel Hours:
Our chapel is open for private prayer during office hours and Eucharistic Adoration hours (see above). If there is a school Mass on a given day, the chapel will open at 10:15 a.m.
Fasting
Fasting is required for individuals ages 18-59 on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. This means consuming no more than a regular sized meal and two smaller meals that, when combined, are not bigger than the regular meal.
Abstinence from meat is required for individuals ages 14 and older on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all Fridays of Lent.
If fasting and abstinence would be harmful due to physical or mental health conditions, you can choose an alternate fast that doesn't involve food.
Almsgiving: Human Concerns Collections
See ListsEach week of Lent, our Human Concerns Committee collects items for different local not-for-profits. Pay close attention to the list of items specific to each week
Confession Times
Weekly Opportunities:
- Saturdays: 3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
March 18, 6:30 p.m. - Holy Hour With Confessions
March 25 - Archdiocesan 12 Hours Reconciliation (details TBA)
Holy Week Schedule
Holy Thursday, Apr. 2
- Mass of the Lord's Supper, *7 p.m.
- Altar of Repose following Mass until 9 p.m., chapel
- No daily Mass
Good Friday, Apr. 3
- Good Friday Service (Veneration of the Cross), *1 p.m.
- Offices are closed
Holy Saturday, Apr. 4
- Blessing of Easter Food, 1 p.m., church
- Easter Vigil, *8 p.m.
- No 5 p.m. Mass
Easter Sunday, Apr. 5
- Masses at 7 a.m., *9 a.m. and 11 a.m.
Soup & Bread Meal
Contact MichelleThank you to everyone who attended our Soup & Bread meal and to everyone who donated or volunteered to make it possible!
About: Soup & Bread is a meatless meal held on Ash Wednesday to help us embark on our Lenten journey in fellowship. It is conveniently timed between two of our services with ashes. There is no cost to attend.
Soup & Bread at home
If you're feeling inspired to bring the essence of the Soup & Bread meal to your home, we have each of the recipes right here!
- Minestrone
- Cheesy Broccoli Soup
- Three-Bean Vegetarian Chili
- Potato Soup (coming soon)
When is Lent?
The Liturgical season of Lent occurs from Ash Wednesday through sundown on Holy Thursday. This year it is February 18-sundown April 2.
How do I observe Lent differently than other Liturgical seasons?
The pillars of Lent are Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving. During Lent we practice these pillars to become better disciples. Is there any part of your life in which God isn’t prioritized, or a way you need to grow deeper in relationship with Him? Pray about what you need to "give up" or "take on" for Lent to help you work on that. Explore the opportunities we have at St. Leonard to get connected to the season (see above).
Why do we have Lent?
To prepare for Easter, but more specifically, to prepare for or remember your Baptism! Lent is about preparing for Christ's dying and rising at Easter, which we are united in through the Easter Sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Communion. It is a final preparation phase for those entering into the Church through the Sacraments, and for those who have already been Baptized to return to faithful observance of the call to discipleship given at Baptism.
Why is the Sacrament of Reconciliation emphasized during Lent?
As described in the paragraph above, we are on a journey of returning to faithful observance of our baptismal identity and vocation. On that journey, when we recognize ways that we've missed the mark, we need to seek God's mercy- the grace to be cleansed of our sins and continue our journey with renewed strength to turn away from sin- in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
