Father Lou’s Article
A MESSAGE FROM FATHER LOU
The Tragedy in Haiti
As of the writing of this article, the estimated death toll following the tragic earthquake in Haiti in mid-January is over 150,000. Millions and millions of dollars have been collected from the world community to offer aid to the services of the terrible event. In fact just under $3000 has been collected by our Parish and forwarded to the IOCC and our Archdiocese. I am certain significantly more money has been donated directly to IOCC and other relief agencies by you, our parishioners. A few hundred hygiene kits have been collected, packaged and shipped by our Philoptochos, Young Adults and OCF College Students. May our Lord grant eternal life to the innocents who have passed on and recovery to the hundreds of thousands of survivors.
One may ask, where God is in the midst of such an event? Does God cause such tragedies? Why does He allow innocent people to suffer and die? Our underlying premise as people of Faith is that in the midst of tragedies, God is with them and us. I refer you to Psalm 139 and Romans 8 as assurances of our Lord’s presence. Nevertheless, we live in an imperfect world where such epic events periodically happen, and God does allow them. Why there and not here? Why now and not at another time? Why the Haitians and not another nation? We really cannot answer these questions.
In any case as Christians, our hope is in the Lord now and in the afterlife. We therefore place, with love and compassion the souls of the departed ones of this earthquake in the compassionate hands of our Living Lord. We offer help to the best of our ability monetarily and otherwise for those suffering and for their recovery. We place them also, through prayers, in the hands of our Lord and Savior.
May God’s grace abide and be with all those who lost their lives, those suffering and the thousands of relief workers, now and for the months to come.
With our Lord’s blessings, Father Lou
Our Great Lent journey begins on Clean Monday, February 15, with our Annual Philoptochos Clean Monday Retreat. Pascha this year is celebrated on the same date, April 4, by ALL Christians – Glory to God!
We are invited once again to utilize the three legs of the Great Lenten table of PRAYER, FASTING and ALMSGIVING in order to help us reflect in introspection on our lives in relationship with our loving Lord and one another.
Below are listed Great Lent Services and Spiritual Growth Opportunities.
GREAT LENT SERVICES AND
SPIRITUAL GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES
Forgiveness Sunday Vespers: February 14 at 5pm
Clean Monday Retreat: February 15 – from 9:30am-2:30 pm
Great Compline Services: Mondays – February 22, March 1, 8, 15 and 22 at 4pm
Pre-Sanctified Liturgies: Wednesdays at 6pm (followed by a Lenten Supper): February 17, 24, March 3, 10, 17. Wednesday, March 3 and Tuesday, March 9 (Holy 40 Martyrs) 9am
Wednesday, March 24: Vespers for the Feast of Annunciation 6pm
Thursday, March 25: Feast of the Annunciation: Orthros 8:15am, Divine Liturgy 9am
Friday Night Salutations (Akathist Hymn): February 19, 26, March 5, 12, 19 at 6pm
Community Compline & Kiss of Forgiveness followed by Lenten Supper and Making of the Palms: Friday, March 26 at 6:00 pm
Saturday of Lazarus: Divine Liturgy at 9am, followed by a Lenten Breakfast (Sponsored by Youth Ministry and YAL) and Church cleaning/decoration: Saturday, March 27.
Sunday – Pan-Orthodox Vespers: On the Sundays of Lent at 5 pm. Locations as follows:
February 21 – Assumption Cathedral, Denver
February 28 – Holy Transfiguration Cathedral, Denver
March 7 – St. Augustine, Denver
March 14 – St. Catherine, Greenwood Village
March 21 – St. Herman, Littleton
Holy Week Services:
Palm Sunday, March 28 through Pascha Sunday, April 4
Please note: