As Lent 2021 begins, the Diocesan Office of Missionary Discipleship is planning a series of pre-recorded and live-streamed events to “bring forward some spiritual food, and supplement what the 62 parishes of the Diocese of Camden will be doing” in this penitential season, says Donna Ottaviano-Britt, director of the office.
The offerings from now until April 4 “are opportunities for us to allow God to transform us, remind us that that we are a people of hope” and, thus changed, we can bring the Gospel to others as missionary disciples, Ottaviano-Britt says.
Also, beginning on Feb. 24, most of the parishes of the diocese will “leave the light on” at 7 p.m. each Wednesday during Lent to encourage Catholics to receive the sacrament of penance. (Catholics should consult their parish bulletins.)
The planned Lenten programs from the Office of Missionary Discipleship include:
— Contemplations on the liturgy every Saturday morning with Bishop Dennis Sullivan, “exploring the weekend readings, and how people can get the most out of them,” Ottaviano-Britt says
— Weekly Lenten reflections from ordained and laity across the diocese, in collaboration with the Office of Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministries
— A three-day retreat from March 22-24, led by Father Christopher Walsh, Pastor of Saint Raymond of Penafort in Philadelphia.
— Programs remembering the Year of Saint Joseph, including a nine-day novena from March 11 to his feast on March 19. Bishop Sullivan will celebrate opening and closing novena masses, which include a Consecration to Saint Joseph on his feast day, at Camden’s Saint Joseph (Polish) Church. From March 12-18, there will be prayer and reflections on Saint Joseph from the different churches in the diocese which bear his namesake: Saint Joseph Pro-Cathedral, Camden; Saint Joseph Parish, Sea Isle City; Saint Joseph Parish, Somers Point; Saint Joseph the Worker, Haddon Township; Saint Joseph Church, Woodstown (Catholic Community of the Holy Spirit); Saint Joseph Church, Swedesboro (Saint Clare of Assisi Parish; and Saint Joseph Church, Hammonton (Saint Mary of Mount Carmel Parish).
— Live-streamed Triduum Services (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter) with Bishop Sullivan.
See all retreats, reflections, and livestreams on Diocesan social media: https://www.facebook.com/CamdenDiocese; https://twitter.com/camdendiocese; https://www.youtube.com/camdendiocese.
As well, Bishop Sullivan has decreed that from March 11-Dec. 8, Saint Joseph (Polish) Church in Camden will be a Pilgrimage site for South Jersey’s faithful, and be open for tours and other gatherings. More info: https://catholicstarherald.org/saint-joseph-church-tours-and-other-offerings/