JOIN US IN THESE 40 DAYS!

In our busy world, the Great Fast provides us with an opportunity to reflect upon our patterns, to pray more deeply and to be generous to those in need. These forty days also represent an investment in a new life through a change of lifestyle. We move beyond gratifying our superficial drives and pleasures, and look for ways of growing closer to the Lord through prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

chapel Prayer nourishes the soul with divine thoughts and can transport the mind to a calm and tranquil state. It is a means to strengthen one’s personal relationship with God and to realize more fully our dependence upon God.

Fasting has two parts: the internal fast and the external fast. To turn away from violence in words, thoughts and deeds is the hallmark of internal fasting. External fasting, abstaining from foods, TV, movies, Internet and other pleasures, is a penitential fast, and a traditional means of attending to spiritual growth and closeness to God.

A third component to this tripod of Lenten practices is almsgiving. To paraphrase St. Clement of Alexandria: Fasting is better than prayer, but almsgiving is better than both. Almsgiving allows us to feed the hungry and be generous with our bounty. Almsgiving may take the form of charity in the material giving of treasure; it also includes charity of the spiritual sort: a smile, a prayer for others, a kind word.

In this season of the Great Fast as we prepare ourselves to celebrate Pascha, we ask that you consider the Seminary in your prayer and almsgiving. We invite you to come and celebrate Lenten Vespers with us on Sunday evening at 5:00pm in our chapel. We also suggest a donation of $40 to the Seminary, representing the 40 days of the Great Fast. If this is not possible, any amount would be appreciated and put to use.

As the only free-standing Byzantine Catholic seminary in North America, our mission is to educate those preparing for the priesthood, and those seeking to serve as deacons, theologians, catechists and cantors. Your prayers and financial support are a vital help in this regard. We count on the assistance of our many friends and benefactors so that we may continue this important mission in our Church.

However you choose to keep the Great Fast, we at the Seminary wish you a prayerful, peaceful and beneficial Lenten journey. May your journey through these days reward you with true internal conversion that we all seek. We continue to include you in our prayers.