Dear Friend of Saint Ann Shrine,
Turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel.
Lent is a time set aside to rekindle the meaning of our Baptism. When we were baptized as a baby, the priest prayed over us and said: “the Christian community welcomes you with great joy. In its’ name, I claim you for Jesus Christ.” Then he made the Sign of the Cross on our forehead…the sign that each of belongs to Jesus…that’s why so many of us wear the cross or crucifix around our necks, place the crucifix on the walls of our homes and make the sign of the cross when entering a Church and beginning any prayer. The answer is simple: we belong to Jesus and we’re proud of it!
As we begin Lent, the Church once again will make the sign of the cross on our forehead. However, this time the cross will be made of black ash to remind us that although we truly belong to Jesus Christ and are members of God’s family and Temples of the Holy Spirit…still…all of us have lost the innocence of our Baptism day and are now sinners and in need of God’s generous mercy and forgiveness. So the black cross we will wear on our foreheads on Ash Wednesday is a reminder that we, each of us, are willing to strive during Lent to resist sin as strongly as we can and to help ourselves rise to New Life with Christ on Easter.
So Lent is not a grim time to punish ourselves by refraining from things we like to eat or do, but rather an opportunity to grow in friendship and intimacy with the person of Jesus. After all, Easter is a love story, not a horror story.
Let me suggest. If you had 40 days to live…what would you want to change about yourself, your behaviors and attitudes toward people in your life; and what changes might help bring you closer to Jesus whom you have pledged to imitate and follow?
You might want to: give up a long-held grudge; to forgive that hurt you’ve been nurturing; stop complaining and gossiping; give more compliments; smile and listen to others more.
You might think of God more as a God of Joy who loves you as you are, while always willing to help you become better. You might pray more; participate in a morning Eucharist several times a week besides Sunday only; perhaps reserve a little time daily for some meditation and quiet reflection on the gospels and get to know Jesus better.
You might try to put up with the idiosyncrasies of others, to be more tolerant of differences of opinion and points of view, and more patient when people disrupt your scheduled plans.
Lent then is a time and opportunity for spiritual and human growth…a time leading to a new spring like burst of Easter glory with Christ ever more firmly living in our hearts.
As you well know, the Catholic Church is in the business of health care for the soul of each of us. The many doctors we visit tend to our frail bodies, while our immortal souls are in the safe hands of Mother Church, her sacraments, her liturgical feast days and her ministers who help us stay connected to God and his Grace.
While the liturgical season of Advent leads us into remembering the Incarnation, the awesome gift of the Son of God becoming human and living on planet Earth, so the season of Lent, soon to begin on March 5, is 40 days intended to help us heal and strengthen our soul to reject sin and to better know and appreciate the inexpressible gift of our Redemption in the death and resurrection of Jesus.
You might even feel urged to make a donation to Saint Ann Shrine and to help us continue to raise funds for the medical needs of our retired priests, brothers, and deacons or for the training of future priests of the Blessed Sacrament Community.
Thanking you always for your generosity to Saint Ann Shrine, I am
Yours in Jesus Eucharistic,
Fr. Roger Bourgeois, SSS
Chaplain
Throughout 2025, the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament will be celebrating 125 years of service in the United States. We invite you to join us at any of our celebrations across the country. Please contact Scott Gongos at 440-449-2700 or sgongos@blessedsacrament.com for more details or if you’d like to meet with Scott while we celebrate!
Wednesday, March 19, 2025 Saint Joseph Downtown Archbishop Gustavo,
5:30 PM Eucharist San Antonio, TX Presiding
Saturday, April 26, 2025 St. Charles Borromeo Provincial Superior, Presiding
5:00 PM Eucharist Albuquerque, NM with Rev. Timothy Martinez
Saturday, June 21, 2025 Corpus Christi Provincial Superior, Presiding
5:00 PM Eucharist Houston, TX procession and reception
Thursday, August 7, 2025 Saint Paschal Baylon Bishop Malesic, Presiding
4:30 PM Eucharist Highland Heights, OH with a banquet following
Friday, August 15, 2025 Saint Mary Provincial Superior, Presiding
12:15 PM Eucharist Menasha, WI with a reception following
Tuesday, December 9, 2025 Bethany Center Provincial Superior, Presiding
5:00 PM Eucharist Lutz, FL with a banquet following
(PLEASE HIGHLIGHT THIS PARAGRAPH/INFORMATION)
*The Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament is happy to share that in the Oratory of the Blessed Sacrament (the special chapel of the Blessed Sacrament Seminary – now Saint Ann Shrine too), Cleveland Bishop Edward Malesic elevated our status to that of a diocesan shrine! During this Jubilee Year for the church, Saint Ann Shrine will also host the following after Mass:
Tuesdays: Veneration of & Blessing with the Relic of Saint Ann followed by Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament until 2:00pm
Wednesdays: Novena with Saint Joseph
Thursdays: Divine Mercy & Rosary recitation
Fridays: Stations of the Cross
During Shrine hours of 8am-4pm, please come and add a prayer to our sacred cross and with the Relic of Saint Ann, light a candle or spend some quiet time renewing your faith and living as a “pilgrim of hope” during this Jubilee Year 2025!
*We are able to distribute the Blessed Oil we have in stock, while supplies last, for a donation. Contact Saint Ann Shrine at 440-449-2700 or visit our website at www.blessedsacrament.com/st-ann-shrine/. We still have Holy Water available for a donation as well.
*We invite you and your group to join us at Saint Ann Shrine for Daily Mass at 11:30AM, Monday-Friday (except on Holy Days or Holidays).
*The Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament offers a daily reflection. If you’d like to receive this uplifting message, send an email to cee@blessedsacrament.com.
*You can honor your relatives, friends, or a Blessed Sacrament Community member by having a Mass celebrated in their honor during Mass at Saint Ann Shrine. Call 440-449-2700 for details.
*Our Blessed Sacrament religious in Bethany and at Regina Health Center pray for you daily. Please let us know of any special intentions you’d like us to remember. The Blessed Sacrament Community supports you in prayer and Eucharist. You can submit your prayer though our website and request a candle to be lit for your special intentions at www.blessedsacrament.com/st-ann-shrine/.
*We ask you to consider becoming a member of our Legacy Society by naming Saint Ann Shrine or the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament in your will. For more information, please contact Scott Gongos, Director of Mission Advancement, at 440-449-2700 or sgongos@blessedsacrament.com.
*You may also consider donating gifts of stock. Depending on the stock’s current value, you may avoid capital gains tax or deduct the loss in value while donating the proceeds of the sale to the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament. Consult your financial advisor for the most advantageous opportunities for you.
*Be sure to “Like” St. Ann Shrine on Facebook!
*If you are 70 ½ years of age or older, you can support Saint Ann Shrine or the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament through distributions from your Individual Retirement Account (IRA). Your IRA Charitable Rollover Gift may satisfy your annual required minimum distribution and reduce your taxable income. Consult your financial advisor for the most advantageous opportunities for you.
*Just a friendly reminder that we do NOT sell your name and contact information to other organizations!
