First Sunday of Lent
February 21, 2026 Bulletin Column Father De Celles
LENT BEGINS. Lent is a wonderful season of growing closer to Jesus, turning toward Him, and turning away from sin and temptation. The basic tool we use in this regard is “doing penance.” As I mentioned last week, traditionally there are three types: almsgiving (including acts of charity), sacrifice (what you “give up” or “endure”), and prayer. Please choose your penances carefully, considering your health and state in life.
Weekday Evenings in Lent. Monday through Friday, there’s something special in the evening at the parish for your Lenten observance.
Every Weekday Evening. We have Confessions every day during Lent: at the beginning of Lent we have Weekday Confessions from 6:30 to 7pm, except on Wednesdays when we hear from 6pm to 8pm. (Later in Lent we begin every weekday at 6pm—see the Lenten Schedule).
Monday-Wednesday. In addition to our regular morning Masses at 6:30 and 8:30 we add the 7pm Mass on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.Attending at least one extra Mass during the week is one of the best penances we can do for Lent. We might not think of Mass as a “penance,” but it is, of course, the greatest prayer of the Church and puts us out the foot of the Cross, uniting our prayers to the great prayer of Jesus on the first Good Friday—what could be a better penance, especially during Lent?
Thursday. On Thursday evenings this Lent we will have our Lenten Series. This year we’ve changed the format to series of 1-hour talks in the Parish Hall, at 7pm. This year I will present a 5-part series, beginning this Thursday, Feb. 26, on the topic of “The Mass Explained.” I love the Mass, and it has been one of my primary goals as your pastor to help you to love the Mass as well. I hope this series will help you do that. I strongly encourage you to try to attend.
Friday. Friday evenings begin with a Soup Supper in the parish Hall at 5pm. A great opportunity for the penance of “almsgiving,” either by the gift of oneself in fellowship or the donation of a pot of soup, and the penance of “sacrifice” through a penitential meal (although the food is tasty, it’s very simple and restrained).
Then at 6:30pm the Family Rosary starts in the church, as we do the rest of the year. All are invited.
At 7pm we begin the Stations of the Cross led by a priest in the church. Following the method of St. Alphonsus Ligouri we pray at the 14 memorials of the Lord’s Passion, meditating together on his sacrificial love for the Father and for each of us. It’s a beautiful devotion, and we get a good-sized crowd. Please come and pray with us.
And finally, during Lent extend our regular Friday daytime Exposition and
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament throughout the afternoon, evening and through the night (“Nocturnal Adoration”) until just before the Saturday morning 9am Mass.(We will pause Adoration as we take time for the Stations of the Cross at 7pm).
A PROPOSAL FOR YOUR LENTEN PENANCE. I’m sure your aware that only 30% of Catholics believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, dramatically downfrom the 85-90% who held that belief the early 1960s.
How did this happen? Many priests, including myself, believe that the suppression of reverential signs and gestures at Mass over the last 60 years is a major contributor to this loss of faith, especially the change in practice of receiving Communion on the tongue to receiving Communion in the hand.
This was actually the opinion of Pope St. Paul, which he shared as in 1969 when very reluctantly permitted the Communion in the hand. Here follows an excerpt of what he wrote in Memoriale Domini:
“It is certainly true that ancient usage once allowed the faithful to take this divine food in their hands and to place it in their mouths themselves….…Later, with a deepening understanding of the truth of the eucharistic mystery, of its power and of the presence of Christ in it, there came a greater feeling of reverence towards this sacrament and a deeper humility was felt to be demanded when receiving it. Thus the custom was established of the minister placing a particle of consecrated bread on the tongue of the communicant.
“This method of distributing holy communion [on the tongue] must be retained…especially because it expresses the faithful’s reverence for the Eucharist.… it is part of that preparation that is needed for the most fruitful reception of the Body of the Lord.
“This reverence shows that it is not a sharing in ‘ordinary bread and wine’ that is involved, but in the Body and Blood of the Lord, through which “The people of God share the benefits of the Paschal Sacrifice….’
“Further, the practice [on the tongue] …ensures, more effectively, that holy communion is distributed with the proper respect, decorum and dignity. It removes the danger of profanation of the sacred species… Lastly, it ensures that diligent carefulness about the fragments of consecrated bread which the Church has always recommended: ‘What you have allowed to drop, think of it as though you had lost one of your own members.’[10]
“When therefore a small number of episcopal conferences and some individual bishops asked that the practice of placing the consecrated hosts in the people’s hands be permitted…, the Holy Father decided that all the bishops of the Latin Church should be asked if they thought it opportune to introduce this rite [in the hand]. …It carries certain dangers with it ….: the danger of a loss of reverence for the august sacrament of the altar, of profanation, of adulterating the true doctrine.
“..[Q]uestions were asked of the bishops…From the returns it is clear that the vast majority of bishops believe that the present discipline [tongue only] should not be changed…
“Therefore, …in view of the gravity of the matter and the force of the arguments put forward, the Holy Father has decided not to change the existing way of administering holy communion to the faithful…”
So, Pope St. Paul believed Communion in the hand would result in a “loss of reverence … profanation, [and] adulterating the true doctrine,” and so refused to allow Communion in the hand.
However and Except. But…He waivered just a bit, and allowed Bishops in places where they were already breaking the law, i.e. “Where placing holy communion on the hand, prevails” he said the bishops could allow it. Even though it was “dangerous.”
Penance for Lent. With this in mind, if you currently receive Communion in the hand, I ask you to adopt the practice of receiving Communion on the tongue at least as a penance during Lent. It is a prayer (of faith and humility), a sacrifice (of one’s preference), and an act of charity (reminding others of the Real Presence). I will not judge anyone who doesn’t accept this completely voluntary penance, but as your spiritual Father, I strongly encourage you to at least think and pray about the words of St. Paul VI.
Oremus pro invicem. Fr. De Celles