WELCOME NEW PARISHIONERS ~  Myrna Jantson of Provoost Place, Delmar.

FAST AND ABSTINENCE ~ Good Friday is a day of fasting (limiting the consumption of food) and abstinence (refraining from eating meat).

              As a sign of our penance, the Diocese of Albany also preserves the custom of not eating meat on the Fridays of Lent. Therefore, all Catholics, 14 years of age and older are obliged to refrain from eating meat on the Fridays of Lent.  All Catholics who are 18 years of age but not yet 59 are obliged to fast on Good Friday.

Fasting refers to the quantity of food eaten.  Traditionally, fasting allows for eating only one full meal per day.  Two additional, smaller meals may be eaten and there is no eating in between meals. 

By retaining these traditions for our Diocese, we do not intend that they be interpreted as laws binding under pain of sin, but as customs from which we will not hold ourselves lightly excused. 

LENTEN ALMS ~ Whatever money you might save through the Lenten tradition of “Giving something up for Lent” can be placed in the Lenten Alms envelope to be collected at the Holy Thursday Mass.  Funds raised in this way will be given to our Sister Parish communities in Yucatan, Mexico.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS will again be held with the children of St. Thomas the Apostle School on the Fridays of Lent at 2:00 p.m. in the church.  All are welcome.

LENTEN READING FOR MINISTERS ~ Fr. Tom has procured copies of the book by Pope Francis CARE FOR

CREATION – A CALL FOR ECOLOGICAL CONVERSION to be distributed as a gift to all those who offer their time and talent in some form of ministry in the parish (lectors, faith formation volunteers, pastoral care volunteers, etc.).  If you would like to have a copy for your personal use during Lent, contact the coordinator of your ministry or the chair of your committee to obtain your copy.

LENTEN BOOK STUDY ~ We will meet on Monday from 1:00  to 2:30 p.m. with a repeat session on Monday evening from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. We will review Chapters 6 and 7 (pages 96 to 141).

Remember in Prayer Marcia Cummings and Samuel Bozzella whose funerals were held last week at St. Thomas.  May the Lord welcome them into Eternal Life.