Parents and children are asked to remain after Mass for just a few moments. This will allow Father an opportunity to check the progress of children in learning the Act of Contrition. Hopefully, the overwhelming majority will, by now, be able to recite the Act of Contrition perfectly. For this coming week, parents are asked to read page seventeen in the workbook and assist their children to complete page eighteen.

The eating of meat is prohibited and should not be substituted with, for example, gourmet seafood and boutique desserts. All parishioners should most willingly embrace some kind of special discipline for the duration of Lent. 

‘Mortification’ is not such a fashionable word in the 21st century. However, in instances where people have become far too accustomed to satisfying their bodily desires and appetites to excess, a little restraint and denial can have valuable spiritual and practical benefits (true).