February 8, 2026

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, It’s hard to believe, but we’re only a little over a week away from Lent. 2026 is flying by, and Ash Wednesday is coming on February the 18th! You’ll be hearing about lots of activities going on in the parish during the Lenten season, but for now, I’d mostly like to offer an invitation to everyone to start praying about how to make the upcoming “Christian spring training” an effective one for you. My recommendation is usually to look for a balanced approach: commit to some extra prayer; do some fasting; and look for ways to be generous with time, talent, and treasure, especially for those who are in need. And it’s important for us to look at these Lenten disciplines not as something that we’ve chosen for ourselves but rather as something the Lord is calling us to do. Not just picking out a practice because it makes us feel good or flatters our pride, but because we feel that God is asking us to grow in that specific way. With just over a week to go, now is a good time to start bringing our ideas before the Lord to discern is will for a holy Lent. I look forward to seeing everyone on Ash Wednesday, at our Fish Fry and Stations of the Cross each Friday, and at the many other special activities that will be coming up so soon. Through the prayers of Our Lady and St. Thomas, let’s ask God to show us the path for us to walk the Lenten journey together. God bless,

Father Jantz