Holy Week - CONFESSION TIMES!!!

We received this Holy Week Schedule (pic below) in the mail yesterday, and I couldn't help but smile after reading it. 

Notice the list of CONFESSION times!!!

This schedule is from San Secondo d'Asti Catholic Church.  It is the Church where we were married, and attended frequently until the TLM was available close by (it's a 45 min drive for us), but I wish we were able to get there more often.

The Church itself is 150 years old and it has the ambiance you would expect from a Church that old. But that is not the main reason we wanted to be married there...

The Pastor, Fr. Marx (yes that's his last name, people actually call him by his last name), Is very Traditional in his teaching and administering the Sacraments (as you can tell). Now I'm sure some would think "if he's that traditional he must be rather stern", or something along those lines, but that's so far from the truth, Fr. Marx is the kindest, most soft-hearted man I know, during his sermons he refers to the congregation as "my dear ones". 

When I see something like this schedule for Confessions I know he "gets it", he gets what's really important. I know that because this schedule is not unexpected. His Parish offers Confession every day of the week, and before every Sunday Mass.

This post is not meant to say no other Priest takes the Sacraments seriously, especially one as important as Confession is, but this morning I went online to the websites of our near by parishes and most have already had their Penance services and will not have any other scheduled Confessions before Easter.

I hope you will join me in praying that in years to come (sooner would be great!!) we see more Holy Week schedules like the one from San Secondo d'Asti...

Tips on Confession

I have a link to this on my sidebar, and I posted it a long time ago, but since we're in the season of Lent I think it's appropriate to post again.

Fr. Z's Tips on Confession

We should...

1) …examine our consciences regularly and thoroughly;

2) …wait our turn in line patiently;

3) …come at the time confessions are scheduled, not a few minutes before they are to end;

4) …speak distinctly but never so loudly that we might be overheard;

5) …state our sins clearly and briefly without rambling;

6) …confess all mortal sins in number and kind;

7) …listen carefully to the advice the priest gives;

8) …confess our own sins and not someone else’s;

9) …carefully listen to and remember the penance and be sure to understand it;

10) …use a regular formula for confession so that it is familiar and comfortable;

11) …never be afraid to say something “embarrassing”… just say it;

12) …never worry that the priest thinks we are jerks…. he is usually impressed by our courage;

13) …never fear that the priest will not keep our confession secret… he is bound by the Seal;

14) …never confess “tendencies” or “struggles”… just sins;

15) …never leave the confessional before the priest has finished giving absolution;

16) …memorize an Act of Contrition;

17) …answer the priest’s questions briefly if he asks for a clarification;

18) …ask questions if we can’t understand what he means when he tells us something;

19) …keep in mind that sometimes priests can have bad days just like we do;

20) …remember that priests must go to confession too … they know what we are going through.

Love Catholic Icing

A great idea for kids during Lent.

Almsgiving Activity for Lent

Helpful Links

I've found several posts that can be helpful, or just fun this Lenten season. I will continue to update the list as I discover more helpful postings. If you have any I should add, please leave them in the comments section. :)

What is Lent?

101 Practical Fasting Ideas for Lent

25 Ways to Live the Lenten Season

Lenten Meatless Meals

Lenten Ideas & Plans...and Easter too!

Lenten Navigation Page (for kids)

Lenten Reading Ideas

Lent is here!!

My Plans this Lenten season...

Giving up:

TV

Facebook

Pinterest

Etsy

Eating after 9:00pm

Goals:

Complete 3 spiritual books

Workout daily (30 minute min)

Spend more time cooking & cleaning (in an organized fashion)

Keep a "Lent 2012" journal

Spend 15min -1hr in silence (whatever the day allows for)

Weekday Mass 2 days a week (at least)

Start BLOGGING again!!

As you probably guessed, I watch too much TV, and spend too much time on the computer. Back when I was on the computer mostly to blog & read other blogs I didn't feel like I was wasting a bunch of time and not getting anything out of it, but since I stopped blogging I've started to feel that way. It's amazing how much of my life has been wasted on the above sites. The thing I miss most about the blogging world is learning. Everyday I felt like I had learned a lot, either through something I had written myself or reading the writings of a fellow blogger. I'm so glad I decided to come back!!

Every year for Lent my husband and I either give something up, decide to do something extra (to bring us closer to God), or both, and as you can see I'm doing a little of both this year. There are so many other things I can improve on, or do more of, but these are the things I feel called to focus on most this year.

Blessings!

Lent--Not Just for Catholics!!

What is Lent?

Lent in the Christian tradition, is the period of the liturgical year leading up to Easter. Lent is a time of sacrifice for Jesus. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer — through prayer, penitence, almsgiving and self-denial — for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the events linked to the Passion of Christ and culminates in Easter, the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. (via Wikipedia)

What Lenten practices were promoted & practiced by Jesus Himself?

Penance: From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say: Do penance, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. -Matthew 4:17

Fasting: And when [Christ] had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards He was hungry. -Matthew 4:2

Ashes: Woe to thee, Corozain, woe to thee, Bethsaida: for if in Tyre and Sidon had been wrought the miracles that have been wrought in you, they had long ago done penance in sackcloth and ashes. -Matthew 11:21

I hope everyone has a blessed Lenten season.

For Lent this year I am going to attend Mass daily, and do some exercise (even if it's only 10 minutes) every day. There are other things I plan on doing too, but these are my official doings for Lent.

I would love to hear what you are planning for the next 40 days.

Blessings!!