The season of Lent began with Ash Wdnesday, which this year fell on February 6.
Abstinence from meats is to be observed by all Catholics 14 years old and older on Ash Wednesday and on all Fridays of Lent.
In addition, fasting is to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday by all Catholics who are 18 years of age but not yet 59. Those bound by this may take only one full meal. Two smaller meals are permitted if necessary to maintain strength according to one's needs, but eating solid foods between meals is not permitted.
By the threefold discipline of fasting, almsgiving and prayer, the Church keeps Lent from Ash Wednesday until the evening of Holy Thursday. All of the faithful and the catechumens should undertake serious practice of these three traditions. Failure to observe any penitential days at all or a substantial number of such days must be considered serious.
Lenten Missions are an opportunity for Catholics to delve more deeply into the mystery of the Paschal faith.
Fr. Gabriel Julian of Trinidad will lead the Lenten Mission at St. Joseph Church on St. Croix. The mission begins with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on Sunday, March 2. The mission continues in English on Monday and Tuesday, March 3-4, and in Spanish on Wednesday and Thursday, March 5-6. All presentations begin at 7:00 p.m.
Fr. John Mark, Pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on St. Thomas, will preach a Lenten Triduum on the Seven Last Words at the parish on March 5-7, at 6:30 p.m.
Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas will lead a Spanish Lenten Mission on March 3-15. As with the Advent Mission in December 2007, the parish will break from the tradition of inviting a guest speaker for a few nights of conferences at the church. Instead, Fr. Charles Crespo and the Legion of Mary's Presidium Maria, Arca de la Alianza, will bring the conferences to the homes of Spanish-speaking people who live within walking distance of the church but who have not yet participated in parish liturgies. Fr. Crespo will scout the neighborhood daily, knocking on the doors of apartments where Spanish is heard spoken and asking the tenants if they would welcome a small group of missioners for an hour of Catholic prayer and Lenten reflection. The goal is to begin a process of evangelizing and integrating these families into the community of faith in time for Holy Week.
The tradition of the Catholic Church encourages all Catholics to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation at the very least once a year, especially during Lent. Parish Penance Services bring together several priests to hear confessions.
On St. Thomas, priests will hear confessions at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on Tuesday, March 11, at 5:00 p.m. and at St. Anne Chapel on Wednesday, March 12 at 6:00 p.m.
On St. Croix, priests will hear confessions at St. Ann Church on Tuesday, March 11, and at St. Joseph Church on Tuesday, March 18, at 7:00 p.m.
Praying the Stations of the Cross (also known as the Way of the Cross and the Via Crucis) helps the faithful enter spiritually into the Good Friday experience of Jesus walking through the streets of Jerusalem to his passion and death. The Stations of the Cross will be prayed at all parishes on the Fridays of Lent.
On St. Thomas, the Stations of the Cross will be prayed at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral in English at 5:30 p.m. and in Spanish at 6:15 p.m., Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church at 6:00 p.m., Holy Family Church at 6:30 p.m. and St. Anne Chapel at 7:00 p.m.
On St. Croix, the Stations will be prayed at St. Ann Church or St. Joseph Church at 6:00 p.m., Holy Cross Church or St. Patrick Church at 7:00 p.m., or in Spanish at Sacred Heart Chapel at 7:00 p.m.
On St. John, the Stations will be prayed at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church at 7:00 p.m., followed by Mass.
Fr. John Mark, Pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on St. Thomas, will lead the Stations of the Cross at Magens Bay on Good Friday, March 21, at 6:30 a.m.
Three Catholic churches will participate in ecumenical processions on Palm Sunday, April 9.
On St. Thomas, Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral joins All Saints Episcopal Cathedral and the Frederick Lutheran Church at the waterfront by Palm Passage at 8:00 a.m.
On St. Croix, parishioners of St. Patrick Church will leave the parish at 10:45 a.m. and meet with congregants of Friedensberg Moravian, St. Paul Episcopal, Holy Trinity Lutheran, Bethel Methodist, Shepherd's Ministry and Fredriksted Baptist Churches.
On St. John, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church joins Nazareth Evangelical Lutheran Church and St. Ursula Episcopal Church at the National Park at 9:00 a.m.