Dear Saint Ann Families,

I am writing to you today to invite you to our celebrations for Holy Week.  This weekend we celebrate Palm Sunday and begin our Solemn Celebration of Holy Week.  Each year, we as a Church, are given a great gift to walk with the Lord and to be changed by Him.  We are reminded that the Holy Season of Lent transforms us.

On Ash Wednesday, we were marked with the sign of the Cross and told, "Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel" or "Remember man you are dust and unto dust you shall return."  Our ashes correspond with the ancient practice of the people of Israel found in the Old Testament, whereby they marked themselves with sackcloth and ashes, repenting and turning back to the Lord seeking His forgiveness.  Throughout the days of Lent we have prayed and repented with renewed focus and turned to the Lord.  We have been taught during Lent by the Sacred Scriptures.  At each Mass and as we celebrate the Stations of the Cross we learn about forgiveness and begin to understand His love.  By meditating on the Scriptures we learn that we are weak and He is strong.  But it is through the Sacraments that we actually receive God’s forgiveness and grow in His love. 

In the sight of God and one another I believe we have been changed and have grown in our faith.  As we enter Holy Week, we pray and ask God to be "our refuge and our strength."  In all things, may we desire to imitate our Lord Jesus, walking with Him on the Way of the Cross.  May we ask Jesus to help us to be more like Him, especially when we are weak and afraid.  On our journey this year, we know and have been reminded that it is very freeing to surrender to the Lord and to ask Him for His Mercy.  Our Lenten journey nears its end and we are ready to celebrate the Lord's Passion, Death and Resurrection. 

As a parish and local community we are invited and charged to bear witness to our faith through our public actions.  We do this when we pray at home, at work, and especially when we join our brothers and sisters at the celebration of the Holy Mass each week.  We know that we are blessed, when as we raise our children, grandchildren and families in the faith.  Let our actions and words give witness to our love for the Lord.  A beautiful way for us to approach the salvation of the Lord’s Resurrection is by coming together as a community during the celebrations that take place during Holy Week.  Let this week be different than every other week.  Attached you will find the schedule for Holy Week here at St. Ann parish, I would like to personally invite each one of you to come and pray with your families and neighbors as we all move toward Easter. 

You may have noticed our new parish “Catholics Come Home” sign on the front steps of the church steps.  I hope that our new sign helps, to both express our encouragement and to mark our parish as a welcoming community for Holy Week and Easter and every week of the year. 

I am proud of you.  Our parish works of charity and prayer have shown the power and beauty of the parish of Saint Ann.  We can do great things when we work together for Christ.  I pray that these good works and prayers will continue to grow and blossom.  May we always welcome and assist our loved ones to come home to the Eucharist.  Please know of my daily prayers for you, your families, and all the people of Saint Ann parish. 

Sincerely yours in Christ, 

Father Sean

Rev. Sean M. Connor, Pastor

If you would like more information on Holy Week and Easter or on Catholic Come Home.  Please visit our parish website:   www.SaintAnnNeponset.com  or our diocesan website:   www.bostoncatholic.org