Click on event name for more information (not all have more info)
Upcoming Lenten Events
Full Calendar of Lenten Events
Parish Lenten Service Projects
We encourage all parishioners to participate in the Baby Bottle Boomerang again this year. The project benefits The Hope Center, which supports women in crisis pregnancies. Take home a baby bottle, pray for the unborn, and save money in the bottle during Lent. Return the bottle to church the weekend of March 24 - 25.
For more on The Hope Center, visit their website or watch their video.
ChrisTeen will once again be assembling Easter Baskets for the elderly and sick of our community.
Please helps our teens in this effort! Easter eggs labeled with needed items (candy, stationery, toiletries,...) will be distributed the weekend of March 10-12 after all Masses. Please return the items to the Easter Basket in the church foyer by March 24-25. Basket will be assembled on Tuesday, March 27, at 7:30 p.m. in Bishop Hall.
The 40 Day Challenge is extended to all our PREP students and families. If we aren't intentional about growing in our faith during Lent, it probably won't happen. We need ideas and encouragement and support from each other.
Students will bring home a list of ideas. Click HERE for the idea list.
Have a family meeting and discuss the three practices of Lent: Fasting, Prayer and Almsgiving (service). Living these practices will help us re-center our hearts and lives to God. As a family, decide on a practice for each day.
Complete a pledge card weekly and bring it to class for a “Way” In. Students will be asked to share their experiences. We'll hear other good ideas and support and challenge each other in our Lenten journey. Click HERE for the weekly Pledge Card. Junior and High School Students can submit their pledge card online. (See below)
Classes will total their points in each area.We’ll tally all the points together and see how our PREP 40 day challenge goes.
Hopefully the reward is that we joyfully celebrate and appreciate the Resurrection with renewed and transformed hearts!
Visit www.transfiguration.com/lent for more ideas!
Fasting, Almsgiving, and Prayer
Abstinence from meat is observed on Ash Wednesday (February 22), Good Friday (April 6), and all of the Fridays of Lent by all Catholics 14 years of age and older.
Fasting is observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday by all Catholics who are 18 years of age but not yet 59 years of age. Those bound by this rule may take only one full meal. Two smaller meals are permitted as necessary to maintain strength according to one's needs, but eating solid foods between meals is not permitted.
Those who are sick, pregnant, or nursing, or whose health would be adversely affected by fasting or abstinence should not consider themselves bound by these norms.
During the season of Lent, we are all called to embrace penances and to perform works of charity that reflect our desire for conversion of heart.
Lent is an excellent time to be a part of a Faith Sharing Small Group. If you are interested in joining a group, or if you would like to start a group in your area, please call or e-mail Rita Norman, 770-977-1442, ext. 128.
Preschool: No Classes April 1 or 8. Classes meet April 15.
Elementary & Wednesday night Junior High: No Classes April 2-4 or April 9-11. Classes resume April 16.
ChrisTeen Jr. High Sunday & High School: NO Classes April 1 or 8. Classes resume April 15.
B.R.I.T.E. Program - Primary/Elementary: Classes Meet - March 13 & 27, April 17, May 1 & 15
B.R.I.T.E. Program - High School/Young Adult: Classes Meet - March 11 & 25, April 15 & 29, May 6
Adult Confirmation classes begin April 15th for those who are 18 years old and older, who have not already been Confirmed.
April 15,22,29, May 6, 13, & 20
The Sacrament of Confirmation for Adults will be conferred: Sunday, May 27, at the Noon & 2:00 p.m. Masses
It's never too late to complete your initation into our Christian community and to affirm the faith into which you were Baptized.
* Attendance at all classes is necessary for preparation.
* These are designed for practicing Adult Catholics (over 18 years old) who, for whatever reason, did not receive the Sacrament of Confirmation
For more information or to register, contact Rita Norman, 770-977-1442, ext. 128
Lent
Our observance of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, a day of fast and abstinence for Catholics. At Mass on Ash Wednesday, the imposition of ashes replicates an ancient penitential practice and symbolizes our dependence upon God's mercy and forgiveness.
During Lent, the baptized are called to renew their baptismal commitment as others prepare to be baptized through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, a period of learning and discernment for individuals who have declared their desire to become Catholics.
The three traditional pillars of Lenten observance are prayer, fasting and almsgiving. The Church asks us to surrender ourselves to prayer and to the reading of Scripture, to fasting and to giving alms. The fasting that all do together on Fridays is but a sign of the daily Lenten discipline of individuals and households: fasting for certain periods of time, fasting from certain foods, but also fasting from other things and activities. Likewise, the giving of alms is some effort to share this world equally—not only through the distribution of money, but through the sharing of our time and talents.
The key to fruitful observance of these practices is to recognize their link to baptismal renewal. We are called not just to abstain from sin during Lent, but to true conversion of our hearts and minds as followers of Christ. We recall those waters in which we were baptized into Christ's death, died to sin and evil, and began new life in Christ.
On these pages, you will find a variety of suggestions and resources to support your Lenten practice, enhance your prayer, and embrace your baptismal commitment.
For more resources from the USCCB, follow the link below.
http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-resources/lent/index.cfm
Walking Through the Triduum
A guide to the three-day celebration of the Church courtesy of Bustedhalo.com
The Triduum (TRIH-du-um) is the time of the Church year when we celebrate the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This three-day celebration begins with the Holy Thursday Mass and continues on Good Friday with the Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion. At the end of this liturgy, we leave the church in silence, waiting to celebrate the glory of our Lord’s resurrection. Then, on Saturday at sun down, the Church re-gathers to celebrate the final, and most grand, moment of the Triduum: the Resurrection of our Lord.
The Triduum is somewhat like a three-day prayer marathon, and if you are a novice there may be some rituals that are unfamiliar to you. This guide will help you walk and pray through the liturgies of the Triduum.
Holy Thursday
The Mass on Holy Thursday is commonly known as the Feast of the Lord’s Supper. This Mass is a time for Catholics to remember the Last Supper where Jesus and his apostles gathered to celebrate Passover. In the Holy Thursday celebration, two ritual actions stand out among the rest: the Washing of the Feet and the Celebration of the Eucharist.
The Washing of the Feet
At the Last Supper, Jesus took a basin and a towel, got down on his hands and knees and washed the feet of all of his apostles. After this action he commanded the apostles, “I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do” (John 13:15). This is Jesus’s commandment: Just as Jesus has been a servant to his apostles, so the apostles must go out into the world and be servants to everyone around them.
We are called to do the same in our daily lives. Well, we are not called literally to wash each other’s feet (though sometimes that may be the case). The action of washing one another’s feet reminds us of the call to humble servitude. Foot washing is not a re-enactment or re-creation of a past event, but rather, it is a commemorative action that reminds us that God calls us first and foremost to be servants to others in our daily lives.
The ritual washing of the feet can take place in many ways. Some churches choose to have 12 people, who represent the apostles, have their feet washed by the priest presiding over the celebration. Other churches invite the entire gathered community to have its feet washed (this particular tradition is very powerful because everyone is invited to come and have their feet washed by someone else in their community). However the ritual takes shape (whether 24 or 600 feet are washed), foot washing should always be a reminder that Christ has called us to be servants to the entire world.
The Celebration of the Eucharist and the Eucharistic Procession
At the very first Last Supper, Jesus also instituted the Eucharist for the Church. At this Holy Thursday celebration, we are reminded of who we are in Jesus Christ and that, through the sacrament of the Eucharist, we are and we become even more the Body of Christ together.
At the conclusion of the Holy Thursday celebration, there is no concluding prayer. Once the celebration of the Eucharist is completed, there is a Eucharistic Procession (where the Eucharist that is left from Communion is processed to a Chapel of Reservation). This procession to the Chapel of Reservation reminds us of Jesus’ time in the garden of Gethsemane, when he prayed so fervently through the night. The entire community is invited to join in this procession and then join in the silent prayer and adoration until night prayer is prayed and the Eucharist is put in the Tabernacle. The gathered community leaves in silence only to return in prayer the next day for the Good Friday celebration.
Reflection Questions for Holy Thursday
Who are those people who need our help the most?
Am I willing to get down on my own hands and knees and help those who are unable to help themselves?
What does the sacrament of the Eucharist mean to me?
Good Friday: Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion
In this solemn celebration, we remember the Passion and Death of Our Lord. The service is marked by several important rituals including the proclaiming of the Passion according to John, the Veneration of the Cross, an extended form of General Intercessions and finally, the distribution of Communion (reserved from the Holy Thursday celebration of the Eucharist). For our purposes here, we’ll describe the Veneration of the Cross and the expanded General Intercessions.
The Veneration of the Cross
It seems strange that in the Good Friday liturgy Catholics choose to venerate, or adore, the very instrument that was used to crucify Jesus. The veneration of the cross reminds us that through this cross, the Glory of the resurrection emerges. So, on Good Friday, we come forward to show our great reverence and respect for the Cross. People have various traditions when they approach the Cross. Sometimes they kiss the cross, kneel before the cross, or even just touch it in some fashion. As you participate in this ritual, venerate the cross in whatever way feels most normal. And most of all, just take in the experience of the gathered community coming so close to such a tragic, but integral, event in our faith.
The General Intercessions
If you enjoy spiritual aerobics, then this ritual is for you! In this expanded form of General Intercessions, the presider and the deacon work together to pray 10 intercessions. These intercessions are the same intercessions the entire Church prays on Good Friday and they include praying for the Holy Church, praying for the unity of all Christians, praying for the Jewish people, praying for people who do not believe in Christ or in God, praying for people in public office, and praying for people who are suffering or facing difficult times. These prayers recognize how universal our Church is and that we should be aware of all of the faiths and traditions in the world that are different from our own.
Reflection Questions for Good Friday
What does the death of Jesus mean to me?
What does it mean to “Glory in the Cross”?
The Easter Vigil
The celebration of the Easter Vigil tells the whole story of our salvation — from creation to resurrection and beyond. Because of all the ritual moments, this service tends to be on the lengthy side (an average Easter Vigil will last at least 2-2 1/2 hours). But don’t let the length of the celebration detract you from participating. The Easter Vigil includes the lighting of the Easter Fire and Paschal Candle (the large candle that we will use throughout the year), the singing of the Exsultet (the Easter Proclamation), the expanded Liturgy of the Word that traces time through Salvation History (the story of our Salvation), the Liturgy of Initiation (where new people come into the Church), and the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. All these rituals come together for one purpose: to remember and recall the saving deeds of our God on our behalf. Here’s an explanation of two moments from the celebration.
The Singing of the Exsultet
The Exsultet, or the Easter Proclamation, is a hymn that is sung by a deacon, priest, or cantor. This hymn speaks of how God has interceded in our lives on our behalf. The Exsultet especially recalls the Holy Night when Jesus Christ rose from the dead. What makes this moment particularly dramatic is that the Exsultet is sung in a church lit only with the light of the Paschal Candle and other smaller candles, which people are holding. In order to pray this hymn along with the deacon, priest, or cantor, try reflecting on the words of the hymn throughout Holy Saturday.
The Liturgy of the Word
The Liturgy of the Word for the Easter Vigil is comprised of nine readings and seven responsorial psalms. The first reading begins with the story of Creation and then, each subsequent reading recounts the story of our faith-lives through history. You’ll hear the story of Issac and Abraham, you’ll hear the story of Moses and the Exodus, and more. All of these readings lead up to the singing of the Gloria, when all the lights come on in the church and then the final reading, the Resurrection of Christ, is proclaimed. Why so many readings? Again, like the singing of the Exsultet, the readings recount the many ways in which God has interceded on our behalf throughout history.
Most churches do not do the entire set of nine readings (for time’s sake). But keep in mind that the point is to recall how God has interceded on humanity’s behalf from the very beginning of time and that through this Easter Vigil we celebrate that God is present and always working in our lives, even still today.
Reflection Questions for the Easter Vigil
How has God interceded in my life?
After hearing the Resurrection story, what events do I see in my own life that are in need of new life, in need of resurrection?
How can I carry on the story of the resurrection to others?
Easter
Throughout these three days we experience the highs and lows in our faith, ending with the ultimate high — the new life of the resurrection. The Easter Season begins with the Easter vigil and we enter a time (50 days) when endless “Alleluias” will ring out throughout all of our Liturgical celebrations. May you experience the joy of new life in your own way this Easter Season. Have a happy and blessed Easter!