Lent

As we journey through Lent, let us embrace the call to repentance and renewal by focusing on the three pillars:

Prayer: Deepen your personal prayer life with daily devotion.

Fasting: Consider a meaningful sacrifice or penance during these 40 days.

Almsgiving: Look for opportunities to be generous and serve those in need."

Blessed Palms

In preparation for Ash Wednesday, we will be collecting your old, blessed palm branches.  Please leave them in the baskets located at the back of each church.

Ash Wednesday—February 18th

Ashes will be distributed at the following times:

St. Francis Xavier
during the celebration of Mass at 9 am

St. Albert the Great
during the celebration of Mass at 12 noon

St. Francis Xavier
during the Liturgy of the Word celebration at 4 pm

St. Francis Xavier
during the Celebration of Mass at 7:00 pm

Stations of the Cross

Fridays during Lent

7:00 pm at St. Albert the Great Church

4:00pm at St. Francis Xavier Church

*please note St. Francis will not have stations on Friday March 6th due to Confirmation

Faith-Formation Seminar

The One Thing Is Three

This Lent we will continue our adult-faith formation by reflecting on the Most Holy Trinity and “How the Most Holy Trinity Explains Everything.”

This five-week seminar will begin on Tuesday, February 17 and will meet on successive Tuesdays.   All meetings will be held at 7 pm in the Father Sullivan meeting room at the parish center at Saint Francis Xavier parish. To participate in these sessions, you will need to purchase The One Thing Is Three participant packet, which can be purchased through the bookstore at the Association of Marion Helpers (Shop Mercy.org) in Stockbridge, MA. (1-800-462-7426) Please contact the office to register.

Lenten Mission

The St. Albert the Great & St. Francis Xavier Collaborative will be offering a Lenten Mission. Lenten missions have a long history in the Church. It allows parishioners a chance to enter more fully into the spirit of Lent. The mission will begin with Sunday Masses on the weekend of March 21st & 22nd. Presentations will be held that Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday at 7pm at Saint Francis Xavier Church and will be led by Rev. Michael Steele. 

Hope travels farther with you.  This Lent, our parish will be participating in Rice Bowl, an important way in which we partner with Catholic Relief Services (CRS). The money we raise goes to impoverished people both in our area and overseas. Programs for the poor are being cut here in the USA, and the federal government has withdrawn much of the funding that CRS has traditionally relied on to help those most in need around the world. Lent begins on February 18. Your participation in Rice Bowl at any level is more critical than ever. A single gift to CRS can provide food, clean water, education, and emergency aid where it is needed most.  Pick up your rice bowl at the back of the church, then visit crsricebowl.org to share your Lenten prayer intentions.