St. Benedict Traditional Roman Catholic Church
1139 Hwy 231, Laceys Spring, AL 35754
St. Philomena Traditional Roman Catholic Church
508 Monroe Nunley Rd., Hazel Green, AL 35750
Preserving the Catholic Faith of the Ages
At St. Benedict’s Traditional Roman Catholic Church, we observe only the traditional, pre-Vatican II, form of the mass and sacraments. We do this not out of disobedience, but because it is our obligation to preserve the deposit of faith as it was handed down to us. We welcome all visitors and encourage anyone who is curious about the Catholic faith or confused about the present crisis in the Church to speak with Father Trough, and visit our library and bookstore for many great resources!
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach a gospel to you besides that which we have preached to you, let him be anathema.” — Galatians 1:8
Announcements and Upcoming Events
1st Sunday: Blessing of Religious Articles/ 3rd Sunday, blessing of expectant mothers.
UPCOMING
Please pray for the sick of the parish: baby Matt Funston, Kearney Funston, Dakota Michael Hines, Zoey Knight, Dawn Bottass, Colleen Martin and Baby Boy Balk. If you'd like to be added to this list, please let Fr. Trough know.
EMBER DAYS of Spring: Wednesday, Friday and Saturday are days fast and abstinence. Adults age 21-59 are already required to fast on account of Lent; the faithful aged 7 and up are permitted to eat meat only at the principal meal on Wed. And Sat.
SACRAMENTS:
Confessions: 30 mins prior to Sunday Masses /daily Masses, upon request.
Holy Communion for the sick/housebound, please phone Fr. Trough.
Mass Intentions: suggested donation is $25. For specific dates, please submit 4 weeks in advance.
For emergencies, please phone Fr. Trough ASAP.
February 2nd, Purification of BVM: 8 am High Mass at St. P’s.
BISHOP PIVARUNAS EPISCOPAL VISITATION: Saturday, February 21st. 9:00 am Mass @ St. Philomena’s. If you need to be CONFIRMED please see Father or Sr. Rose Marie to register.
THE MYSTERY OF LENT
From Dom Prosper Guéranger, The Liturgical Year
We may be sure, that a season, so sacred as this of Lent, is rich in mysteries. The Church has made it a time of recollection and penance, in preparation for the greatest of all her Feasts; she would, therefore, bring into it everything that could excite the faith of her children, and encourage them to go through the arduous work of atonement for their sins. During Septuagesima, we had the number Seventy, which reminded us of those seventy years’ captivity in Babylon, after which, God’s chosen people, being purified from idolatry, was to return to Jerusalem and celebrate the Pasch. It is the number Forty that the Church now brings before us: - a number, as Saint Jerome observes, which denotes punishment and affliction [In Ezechiel, cap. xxix]. Let us remember the forty days and forty nights of the Deluge (Gen. vii. 12), sent by God in his anger, when he repented that he had made man, and destroyed the whole human race, with the exception of one family. Let us consider how the Hebrew people, in punishment for their ingratitude, wandered forty years in the desert, before they were permitted to enter the Promised Land [Num. xiv. 33]. Let us listen to our God commanding the Prophet Ezechiel to lie forty days on his right side, as a figure of the siege, which was to bring destruction on Jerusalem [Ezech. iv. 6]. There are two, in the Old Testament, who represent, in their own persons, the two manifestations of God: Moses, who typifies the Law; and Elias, who is the figure of the Prophets. Both of these are permitted to approach God, - the first on Sinai [Exod. xxiv. 18], the second on Horeb [3 Kings, xix. 8], - but both of them have to prepare for the great favour by an expiatory fast of forty days. With these mysterious facts before us, we can understand why it was, that the Son of God, having become Man for our salvation, and wishing to subject himself to the pain of fasting, chose the number of Forty Days. The institution of Lent is thus brought before us with everything that can impress the mind with its solemn character, and with its power of appeasing God and purifying our souls. Let us, there fore, look beyond the little world which surrounds us, and see how the whole Christian universe is, at this very time, offering this Forty Days’ penance as a sacrifice of propitiation to the offended Majesty of God; and let us hope, that, as in the case of the Ninivites, he will mercifully accept this year’s offering of our atonement, and pardon us our sins.