Dear Parishioners of St. Polycarp,
The liturgical Season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday: this year it was on the 17 of
February. Saint Polycarp celebrated six Masses and four Services to accommodate the schedule
of our parishioners. The parish priests and deacons are grateful to the volunteers and ministers
from the English, Spanish and Vietnamese communities. Albeit the afternoon Masses and
Services were celebrated simultaneously in two locations, traffic movement flowed smoothly. A
special thanks to our “traffic controllers” –all of you have been the heroes to Saint Polycarp to
keep us safe since the beginning of the pandemic!
A little about Lent: many people often associate Lent with the three practices of prayer, fasting
and almsgiving. While these Lenten practices are beneficial to our spiritual life, the objective of
Lent must direct us to God through conversion of hearts. This objective is illustrated clearly
through the prophetic words of Prophet Joel in the First Reading of Ash Wednesday, “Return to
me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning. Rend your hearts, not your
garments, and return to the Lord, your God” (Joel 2: 12-13). In other words, the spiritual
practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving ought to convert our hearts to God.
Another Lenten devotion, which Mother Church teaches and provides for us, is Stations of the
Cross. This year, during the Fridays of Lent, Stations of the Cross will be held after the 8:30 AM
Mass; and at 5: PM, 6: PM (in Vietnamese), and 7:30 PM (in Spanish) in the school parking lot.
Just like the three Lenten practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, the devotion to the Stations
of the Cross brings us to reflect on the Passion and Sufferings of Jesus.
Looking ahead to the upcoming activities during Lent, Saint Polycarp will commence the Holy
Year to honor Saint Joseph on Friday, February 26 at 7: PM. On this Friday, Bishop Thomas
Nguyen will join us in an evening of prayer and meditation, and he will grant us the Plenary
Indulgence for those participating in this event. Then on Friday, March 19, 2021, also at 7: PM,
Saint Polycarp will celebrate the Feast of Saint Joseph with Bishop Timothy Freyer with a
special Mass to thank and invoke this special Saint, who is the Foster Father of Jesus and the
Husband of our Blessed Mother, for his protection and blessings.
Invoking special blessings from Our Blessed Mother, Saint Joseph, and our Patron Saint
Polycarp, the priests and deacons of Saint Polycarp wish you a spiritual and grace-filled Lent.
Father Viet Peter Ho
Pastor
The liturgical Season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday: this year it was on the 17 of
February. Saint Polycarp celebrated six Masses and four Services to accommodate the schedule
of our parishioners. The parish priests and deacons are grateful to the volunteers and ministers
from the English, Spanish and Vietnamese communities. Albeit the afternoon Masses and
Services were celebrated simultaneously in two locations, traffic movement flowed smoothly. A
special thanks to our “traffic controllers” –all of you have been the heroes to Saint Polycarp to
keep us safe since the beginning of the pandemic!
A little about Lent: many people often associate Lent with the three practices of prayer, fasting
and almsgiving. While these Lenten practices are beneficial to our spiritual life, the objective of
Lent must direct us to God through conversion of hearts. This objective is illustrated clearly
through the prophetic words of Prophet Joel in the First Reading of Ash Wednesday, “Return to
me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning. Rend your hearts, not your
garments, and return to the Lord, your God” (Joel 2: 12-13). In other words, the spiritual
practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving ought to convert our hearts to God.
Another Lenten devotion, which Mother Church teaches and provides for us, is Stations of the
Cross. This year, during the Fridays of Lent, Stations of the Cross will be held after the 8:30 AM
Mass; and at 5: PM, 6: PM (in Vietnamese), and 7:30 PM (in Spanish) in the school parking lot.
Just like the three Lenten practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, the devotion to the Stations
of the Cross brings us to reflect on the Passion and Sufferings of Jesus.
Looking ahead to the upcoming activities during Lent, Saint Polycarp will commence the Holy
Year to honor Saint Joseph on Friday, February 26 at 7: PM. On this Friday, Bishop Thomas
Nguyen will join us in an evening of prayer and meditation, and he will grant us the Plenary
Indulgence for those participating in this event. Then on Friday, March 19, 2021, also at 7: PM,
Saint Polycarp will celebrate the Feast of Saint Joseph with Bishop Timothy Freyer with a
special Mass to thank and invoke this special Saint, who is the Foster Father of Jesus and the
Husband of our Blessed Mother, for his protection and blessings.
Invoking special blessings from Our Blessed Mother, Saint Joseph, and our Patron Saint
Polycarp, the priests and deacons of Saint Polycarp wish you a spiritual and grace-filled Lent.
Father Viet Peter Ho
Pastor