With the beginning of Lent, there are some important things to remember.  The first is that Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are both days of Fast and abstinence.  A fast day allows one large meal an with two very small meals just to maintain strength.  The two small meals cannot equal the one large meal. This binds all Catholics from the age of 18-59.  Abstinence means that no meat is aloud to be taken in the meals you eat.  This includes chicken and poultry as well.  Abstinence binds all Catholics 14 years old and beyond.  The law of abstinence binds on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and all Fridays of Lent.  Please keep this in mind when preparing and ordering meals.

Please join Assumption parish as we celebrate Lent.  On Ash Wednesday, Masses are:
6:30am, 8:30am, 1:00pm and 7:00pm
Blessings and Imposition of Ashes will take place at all Masses. 
There is a Day of Recollection sponsored by the Altar & Rosary Society from 9:00-2:00pm.

Our Assumption Speaker Series will feature 3 different speakers that will focus on devotion and reflection on The Trinity: a Community of Love.  The talks will be on February 29th by Abbot Clement Zeleznik, O.S.B. from Loyola of the Lakes Retreat House; March 7th by Fr. Ted Marszal from St. John the Evangelist Cathedral; and March 14th by Bishop James Quinn, Retired Auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland.  Mass in church at 7:00pm precedes each of these talks which begin after Mass in the Fellowship Room. 
Each Tuesday evening of the first 4 weeks of Lent our Lenten Evenings of Prayer begin at 6:00 with Confessions, 6:30 Way of the Cross Devotions, and 7:00 Mass.

Remember that each Catholic must perform his or her Easter Duty.  This means that one must receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation and receive Communion once from the First Sunday of Lent till Trinity Sunday.
This year, the various cluster parishes will share resources for Lenten Penance Services.  These services will be held the week of March 25th at 7:00pm, in the following churches:
  March 26th  St. Michael  —  March 27th  St. Matthias
  March 28th  St. Basil       —  March 29th Assumption
This is in addition to our regular confession schedule. Please mark your calendars for these important dates. 
May your Lenten season be a holy and grace-filled time.