Lent 2025 | Saint Andrew Parish

LENT 2025

PRAY | FAST | GIVE

ASH WEDNESDAY ~ MARCH 5, 2025

MASS TIMES: 6:30am, 8:30am, 12:15pm, and 7pm

PRAYER SERVICE | ASH DISTRIBUTION: 4:45pm

The 12:15pm Mass will be livestreamed at www.StAndrewParishLive.com.

THE ASH WEDNESDAY COLLECTION will be directed toward JOIN (Joint Organization for Inner-city Needs). All donations go directly to improve the quality of life for those we serve. This is a significant way to begin Lent. Located in downtown Columbus, JOIN is an agency of the Diocese’s Catholic Charities Office. Through your generosity, JOIN is able to help our neighbors with their essential needs such as food, personal care, household items, and diapers.

*Ash Wednesday is an obligatory day of fasting and abstinence.

PRAY, FAST, GIVE.

Lent is a 40 day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday. It's a period of preparation to celebrate the Lord's Resurrection at Easter. During Lent, we seek the Lord in prayer by reading Sacred Scripture; we serve by giving alms; and we practice self-control through fasting. We are called not only to abstain from luxuries during Lent, but to a true inner conversion of heart as we seek to follow Christ's will more faithfully. We recall the waters of baptism in which we were also baptized into Christ's death, died to sin and evil, and began new life in Christ.

Many know of the tradition of abstaining from meat on Fridays during Lent, but we are also called to practice self-discipline and fast in other ways throughout the season. Contemplate the meaning and origins of the Lenten fasting tradition in this reflection. In addition, the giving of alms is one way to share God's gifts—not only through the distribution of money, but through the sharing of our time and talents. As St. John Chrysostom reminds us: "Not to enable the poor to share in our goods is to steal from them and deprive them of life. The goods we possess are not ours, but theirs." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2446).

In Lent, the baptized are called to renew their baptismal commitment as others prepare to be baptized through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, a period of learning and discernment for those who have declared their desire to become Catholic.

PRAYER AND DEVOTION DURING LENT

STATIONS OF THE CROSS

»Stations of the Cross is held every Friday during Lent, March 7–April 18, at 7:30 p.m. in the Church. Exposition, Confession, and Benediction will begin following Stations of the Cross and conclude at 9 p.m.

»Marian Stations of the Cross will be offered on on March 19, March 26, and April 2, beginning shortly after 6:00 p.m. in the Church. Hosted by Walking With Purpose, all are welcome to join us as we follow Jesus' journey of the Cross through the eyes of Mary.

40 DAYS OF ADORATION

»40 Days of Adoration begins on Ash Wednesday, March 5, in the Diocese of Columbus. Every day for 40 days, different parishes throughout the diocese host Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament for Adoration throughout the day. **St. Andrew will host a day of Adoration on Tuesday, March 11, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.** We ask parishioners to volunteer for a one hour block of time from 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. to be in the presence of Christ. To sign up, CLICK HERE. To view the full list of Adoration locations in the diocese, CLICK HERE.

WEEKLY ADORATION

PRIVATE PRAYER AND REFLECTION

ALMSGIVING OPPORTUNITIES

THE PURPLE BAG PROJECT

»The Purple Bag Project: enables St. Andrew Parishioners the opportunity to put faith into action during the Lenten season. The St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Andrew places empty purple bags at the church entrances with lists attached to each bag of the most needed women's hygiene products. If you take a bag, please fill it with any of the products listed and return it to the church parlor anytime during Lent. You DO NOT need to purchase and include every item listed in the bag. SVdP members will take the items to JOIN (Joint Organization for Inner-city Needs) to distribute to our less fortunate neighbors. Take this opportunity to put your faith into action during the Lenten season.

OPERATION RICE BOWL

During the 40 days of Lent, we will reflect on global hunger and actively help people suffering from a lack of proper nourishment through the Catholic Relief Services Rice Bowl Lenten almsgiving program. PSR and school students receive rice bowls during class. Additional rice bowls are available for parishioners in the vestibule and parlor of the Church. If you choose, you can donate to the Rice Bowl Lenten program through ONLINE GIVING. For more information about the CRS Rice Bowl Lenten program, CLICK HERE.

WOMEN'S CARE CENTER LENT DRIVE

REFLECTIONS | DEVOTIONALS | ONLINE CONTENT

RESOURCES TO WALK THE LENTEN PATH: Lent is an important time of reflecting on the suffering and death of Jesus so as to enter into the joy of His Resurrection. We are offering a variety of resources to guide you through this holy season. These include guides for prayer and reflection for adults and kids, a helpful guide to the Stations of the Cross, calendar sheets for adults and kids, Lenten Gospel reflections and journaling, and, of course, The Little Black Book. Look for these resources and more in the vestibule and parlor beginning this weekend through the end of Lent, while supplies last.

JOURNEY THROUGH LENT WITH FORMED! Lent FORMED offers curated content to help individuals and families journey through Lent. The collection includes a variety of resources, inspirational videos and books to help the faithful of all ages deepen their understanding of various Lenten days, practices and devotions. FORMED is a free to all St. Andrew Parishioners.

FORMED is free to all parishioners and provides amazing content 24/7 for you to grow in your faith. It’s FREE and EASY to register!