Ash Wednesday opens the season of Lent with the Blessing of Ashes and a call to conversion. "Turn away from sin and be faithful to teh Gospel." The Church sets aside Lent as a time to remind us of God's saving love. This is the Gospel Story, the Good News each time we respond to the Good News. We are Evangelized.

• REGULATIONS FOR FAST AND ABSTINENCE DURING LENT
  1. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fast and abstinence. Abstinence is also to be observed on the Fridays of Lent.
  2. Fasting is required of all the faithful in good health from the age of 18 to the beginning of their 60th year. Abstinence binds everyone over the age of 14.
  3. Fasting usually is interpreted to mean one full meal and, if necessary, two other small meals. One should not eat between meals, but milk, fruit juices, and other liquids are permitted.
  4. Abstinence means no meat should be eaten during the entire day.
  5. Anyone unable to observe the fast and abstinence obligations because of health or other serious reasons should substitute another penance.

Operation Rice Bowl
Operation Rice Bowl invites people to share the price of a weekly family dinner with the CRS-managed program of feeding the hungry in countries suffering from drought, disasters, civil strife and terrorist actions.

Participants in Operation Rice Bowl eat a simple meal once a week and place the money they save in a cardboard rice bowl. Near the end of Lent, they bring this "rice bowl" to their parish.

This Lent-long sharing has been going on since 1974 and allows the parish to keep 25% contributed for local use through programs of the St. Vincent de Paul Conference. The local share can also be passed on to the diocesan CRS office for UP emergencies.

WHY DO WE FAST?

The spiritual idea behind fasting is that we stop feeding the body and concentrate on feeding the spirit. However, like nearly any other kind of religious practice, fasting can be subject to abuses. It can be a sham- and external sign without inner conversion of heart. Jesus and Isaiah both warned about fasting only to impress others (Mt 6:16; Is 58). True fasting should direct our energies away form self-indulgence and towards the poor, the oppressed, and the needy. for our fast to be "pleasing to God" it must be united with love of neighbor and include a search after true justice (Is 58:2-11), and it should be done for the love of God (Joel 2:13). Hopefully when you fast you will feel hungry. You can then spiritually unite with all the poor and hungry across the world. You can pray: "Lord, I am open to your grace, send me what I need to live for this day. " you will then fast in body, but you will certainly feast in spirit. Rev. Paul J. Coury, C.Ss.R.