Penitential Season of Lent

by Rev. Adrian Cisneros  |  04/06/2025  |  From the Clergy

Even though the buds on the trees have begun to open up, and the calendar says it's already Spring, we are still in the penitential season of Lent. New growth is visibly bursting outside, but inside the church it looks a little less celebratory. This should also be our spiritual life, we should be building up an interior anticipation, just like last Sunday-Laetare Sunday, we are almost there but not quite yet. We should be sensing some sort of interior conversion so as to be even more ready to celebrate the Resurrection!

Later on this week, Bishop Cotta will be here at a special Mass in honor of our patron saint-Stanislaus, and also to install me officially as the pastor of the parish. April 11th is a big day for our parish, but this year, it will be extra special as I become the pastor-what an honor.

Although we are in the middle of Lent, this day will be one we can celebrate, and we will after that Mass in the plaza. I do pray your Lent is going well, and you are making the most of these days of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. We should all be transformed  and be converted in some way come Easter.

One major way we can actively be a part of our conversion is deciding to make a good confession, especially before Easter. This Tuesday, April 8th at 7:00pm, we will be having the parish Lenten penance service. There will be several priests here to hear confessions that evening. What a great way to be converted away from our sins and, with God’s help, do our best to go and sin no more. Go and sin no more is also what Jesus told the woman at the well in today’s Gospel. This is what he tells us, and also what we should intend when we have had a good sacramental confession.

-Rev. Adrian Cisneros
St. Stanislaus, pray for us