Lent is the penitential season of the Church year. It begins on Ash Wednesday and ends with the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday. Lent has six Sundays. The sixth is called Passion or Palm Sunday and marks the beginning of Holy Week.
The Easter Triduum begins with the evening Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday. It commemorates the Lord's passion and death on Good Friday, reaches its high point at the Easter Vigil and ends with evening Prayer on Easter Sunday. Then, the joyful Easter Season of 50 days begins.
Traditionally, the Lenten Season is a time of penance throughout the Catholic Church. Lent is a season in which prayer, the reception of the sacraments, charity and almsgiving are emphasized. Fast and abstinence are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. All the Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence from meat.
Weekdays of Lent: There is no obligation to fast. However, voluntary acts of self-denial are recommended.
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday: These are days of Fast and Abstinence from meat. There is a limit of one full meal on these days for all between the ages of 18 and 59 inclusive.
Days of Abstinence: (All Fridays in Lent). All who have reached their 14th year are bound to abstain totally from meat.
Easter Duty Obligations: After they have received their First Holy Communion, Catholics are bound by the obligation of receiving Holy Communion at least once a year. This precept should be fulfilled during the Easter Season. Catholics are also bound to confess serious (mortal) sins at least once a ytear, but his is not limited to the Lenten/Easter Season.
Held at: Sts. Cyril & Methodius (603 Parrott Ave.) in Damon
St. Michael's (9214 Main St.) in Needville
Stations will be held every Friday during Lent beginning at 6:00 p.m.
St. Michael's and Sts. Cyril & Methodius Churches are open for Masses. You are not required to wear a mask; however, you are strongly encouraged to wear one especially if you have not been vaccinated.
In an effort to bring Mass to everyone, several parishes throughout the Archdiocese are offering live broadcasts of the Holy Mass. Other ministries are also boadcasting via radio and television.
The Archdiocese provides this information to continue "inviting all to become One in Christ." Al are welcome to join the Universal Chruch around the world in prayer.
To watch Sunday, Saturday or daily Mass online, visit https://www.archgh.org/onlinemass.
Additional online offerings include Spiritual Resources and Prayers, including the Archdiocesan Prayer during Coronavirus and Pope Francis's Prayer to the Virgin Mary, all available at www.archgh.org/spiritualresources.
On March 12, 2020 Daniel Cardinal DiNardo granted a dispensation from Mass obligations until further notice.
On March 14, 2020, Pope Francis tweeted: "Through the parable of the Prodigal Son (Lk 15:1-32) the Lord helps us understand the problem: living at home but not feeling at home, because there's no paternal or fraternal relationship."
The Archdiocese continues to keep all those affect by COVID-19 in prayer and charity.
For the latest Archdiocesan updates on COVID-19, visit the https://www.archgh.org/resources/health-updates/.
ST. MICHAEL'S: First Friday of every month at the 8:00 a.m. Mass in the Church.
STS. CYRIL & METHODIUS: First Wednesday of every month at the 8:30 a.m. Mass in the Chapel.