Lent 2023

This page contains the scheduled activities for the Lenten season including two Days of Recollection (one for men and one for women) as well as resources to strengthen your spiritual commitment during this time.

Scroll down or click on one of the following links for more information.

Ash Wednesday

While Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation, it is still an important day in the Church calendar as it marks the start of Lent and our season of sacrifice and spiritual preparation to joyously celebrate the Resurrection of Christ. This year, Masses will be celebrated, and ashes distributed, on Wednesday, February 22nd, after all Masses listed below.

  • 6:30am
  • 8:30am
  • Noon
  • 4:00pm
  • 7:30pm

Please make a concerted effort to attend one of these Masses to prepare yourself for the season.

  • All Masses will be in the church.
  • For guests, there will be no public restrooms due to renovations.
  • Confession is suspended due to Ash Wednesday Masses.

Lenten Fasting and Abstinence Requirements

FASTING-Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting for Catholics.  When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal and two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal. For Catholics, the norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. 

ABSTINENCE-Ash Wednesday, All Fridays of Lent, and Good Friday are days of abstinence. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon Catholics from age 14 onwards. No meat is eaten on days of abstinence.     

For more information on fasting during Lent, visit the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop’s website at http://j.mp/2UE6ubX.

Liturgy of the Hours

We invite you to join us in praying the Liturgy of the Hours during Lent. Download the app “IBreviary” for free and you will find all the prayers there. The book “Shorter Christian Prayer” is also available in bookstores should you want a paper book. The parish will have some books for use in church. Below are the times for Liturgy of the Hours starting February 23rd through Saturday, April 1st.

  • 8:00am Monday through Saturday–Morning Prayer
  • 8:30pm Monday through Friday (weeknights only)–Night Prayer

Divine Mercy Sunday & Novena

The Octave Day of Easter, or the Sunday after Easter, is Divine Mercy Sunday. Saint John Paul II established Divine Mercy Sunday as a feast day for the entire Church in 2000. Just as we prepare for Easter during Lent, we should also prepare for Divine Mercy Sunday, April 16th, especially by doing works of mercy. This day, chosen by Christ, is a day of extraordinary graces—a complete outpouring of His mercy upon all who approach Him with great trust and expectant faith.   

Jesus promised St. Faustina that anyone who would receive Holy Communion in the state of grace on the Sunday after Easer would, “obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment” (Diary 699). That means not only forgiveness of our sins but also the remission of the temporal punishment due to sin.

In preparation for Divine Sunday, our Divine Mercy Cenacle members have generously volunteered to lead the praying of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy during the nine-day Novena beginning on Good Friday, April 7th. Given the liturgical schedule, it won’t be prayed the same time every day. Saint James will hold a special Holy Hour on Divine Mercy Sunday at 5:00pm. Come join us in praising and thanking God for his unfathomable mercy. 

Youth Ministry Middle School Lenten Activities

LENTEN BIBLE STUDY – Youth Ministry middle school students will participate in a Lenten Bible Study on Thursdays, February 23-April 6 from 6:30pm-7:45pm in the school library during Lent. No meeting will be held on March 16th. Bring a bible, notebook, and pen.

LENTEN MASS/ROSARY-Middle School students are invited to attend Sunday Mass each week of Lent and pray the Rosary. Have a priest, religious sister, or parent sign your Mass and Rosary card. Then join Father John Paul for a Divine Mercy party on Sunday, April 16th. Cards will be available in the school, Rectory office, church vestibule, Youth Ministry page, and click here.  

Days of Recollection

The men and women of Saint James are invited to a Day of Recollection during the sacred season of Lent.

  • The Day of Recollection for men is Saturday, February 25th
    • Cancelled
  • The Day of Recollection for women is Saturday, March 25th

Both days will follow this schedule:

  • 8:30am   Parish Mass
  • 9:00am   Breakfast (Monsignor Heller Hall-Door 13)
  • 9:45am     Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament/First Reflection
  • 10:15am    Silent Prayer/Confessions
  • 10:45am    Second Reflection
  • 11:15am    Silent Prayer/Confessions
  • 11:45am    Benediction
  • Noon Lunch (Monsignor Heller Hall-Door 13)

The fee for the day is $20, if you want breakfast and lunch, otherwise the event is free. Payment can be made in any of the following ways:

  • [email protected] include a note that your payment is for the event.
  • [email protected] (Last 4 digits: 4938)-Please include a note that your payment is for the event.
  • Cash or check (payable to Julie Marx) may be dropped off at the rectory, marked c/o Julie Marx. For checks, write ‘Retreat’ on the memo line.

If you should have any questions about these Days of Recollection and to register, please contact Julie Marx at [email protected].

The Days of Recollection are open to all Saint James’s parishioners who wish to attend and are sponsored by the Saint James School PTO.

Pastor’s Lenten Appeal

Lent is a time to grow closer to Christ through prayer, fasting, and Almsgiving. To help guide you, Father Scalia has created the “Pastor’s Lenten Appeal”.  He has given suggestions on how to know, love, and serve Christ more deeply this Lent. Print this guide for your use. You can click on the links in the document for additional resources. 

You can click on the links in the document for additional resources.

Pastor’s Lenten Appeal 2023 (English)

Campaña de Cuaresma del Párroco 2023 (español)

Holy Week 2023 Schedule

Please note the schedule for Confessions for this week. There will be no Adoration due to renovations in the church.

A printable version of our Holy Week schedule, as well as Lenten Confessions and Stations of the Cross schedules can be printed out, click here.

Monday of Holy Week, Apr 3

  • 7:30pm-8:30pm Tenebrae Service
  • 8:30pm-9:30pm Confessions

Tuesday of Holy Week, Apr 4

  • 6:30pm-8:00pm Confessions

Wednesday of Holy Week, Apr 5

  • 9:00am-11:00am Confessions
  • 6:30pm-8:00pm Confessions

Holy Thursday, April 6

  • 7:30pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper (English)
  • 7:30pm Misa de la Cena del Señor (gimnasio) (español)
    • These will be the only Masses on this day
    • No Confessions on this day

Good Friday, April 7

  • 9:30am-11:30am Confessions
  • 12:00pm-1:00pm Stations of the Cross (English)
  • 3:00pm Celebration of the Lord’s Passion
  • 5:00pm Vía Crucis (español)
  • 6:30pm  Celebracíon de la Pasión del Señor

Holy Saturday, April 8

  • 9:00am Blessing of the Easter Baskets and Egg Hunt
  • 9:30am-11:30am Confessions
  • 8:30pm Easter Vigil Mass
    • This is the only Mass for this day.

Easter Sunday Masses, April 9

Extended Lenten Confessions

To see our other confession times, click here.

Just a reminder that The Light Is on Confessions continues Wednesday evenings during Lent. The initiative is a partnership with the Diocese of Arlington and the Archdiocese of Washington to encourage the Sacrament of Confession by offering additional hours during Lent. On Wednesdays, Confessions will continue to be offered 6:30pm-8:00pm through March 29th. To download Confession resources, visit https://thelightison.org.

Stations of the Cross

Stations will be held every Friday during Lent. Click here to learn more about the Stations.

  • Spanish
    • 6:00pm-7:00pm February 24th March 31st
    • April 7th 5:00pm Via Crucis
  • English
    • 7:30pm-8:30pm February 24th-March 31st
    • 12:00pm-1:00pm April 7th