The Three Pillars of Lent..part one

The three traditional pillars of Lenten observance are prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

Part One: Concerning Almsgiving
"I ask you one thing: do not tire of giving, but do not give your leftovers. Give until it hurts, until you feel the pain."
--Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Last week and this week, Fr. Hildebrand comments how important it is to give, especially during Lent and making a pledge in the Pastoral Services Appeal (PSA). The PSA will help the Catholic schools in need, Religious Educcation, Youth and Young Adult Ministry, Catholic Charities of OC, Detention Services, Catholic Deaf Community, Vocations, and many other ministries within the Diocese of Orange, as well as our very own Parish, SJB. When we give, we are not just helping others, but we, in return are helping ourselves too. Please give generously.

Watch the PSA Video:
http://www.rcbo.org/videos/videos/PSA_English.wmv

Online PSA Donations:
http://www.rcbo.org/donations/PSA/PSA_donations.php
Where it says: "Select Parish to Receive Credit For Your Gift", please scroll down and make sure to select: 2008 PSA St. John the Baptist Church

Pope Benedict XVI in his 2008 message for Lent said: "Almsgiving helps Christians conquer the constant temptation to become slaves to wealth and material goods." He continues, "Almsgiving helps us overcome this constant temptation, teaching us to respond to our neighbor's needs and to share with others whatever we possess through divine goodness." In another release, the pope said that the practice of almsgiving "represents a specific way to assist those in need and, at the time, an exercise in self-denial to free us from attachment to worldly goods."

Here's what catholic.org has said about almsgiving:
"It is a sign of our care for those in need and an expression of our gratitude for all that God has given to us. Works of charity and the promotion of justice are integral elements of the Christian way of life we began when we were baptized."

Here's are what the saints has said about almsgiving/charity:
"Charity begins today. Today somebody is suffering, today somebody is in the street, today somebody is hungry. Our work is for today, yesterday has gone, tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today to make Jesus known, loved, served, fed, clothed, sheltered. Do not wait for tomorrow. Tomorroe we will not have them if we do not feed them today."
--Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

"Charity unites us to God... There is nothing mean in charity, nothing arrogant. Charity knows no schism, does not rebel, does all things in concord. In charity all the elect of God have been made perfect."
--Pope St. Clement I

"Charity is the sweet and holy bond which links the soul with its Creator: it binds God with man and man with God."
--St. Catherine of Sienna

"One thing that I ask of you: Never be afraid of giving. There us a deep joy in givng, since what we receive is much more than what we give."
--Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Next week: Part Two - Prayer