My Sisters and Brothers in Jesus Christ,

As we enter the Second Sunday of Lent, we continue our Lenten pilgrimage together. Lent is never simply about giving something up; it is about drawing closer to Christ. It is a season of honesty, renewal, and quiet transformation. The Church invites us to slow down, to examine our hearts, and to remember that discipleship is not a single moment but a lifelong journey. Each prayer offered, each act of charity given, each small sacrifice embraced becomes part of that steady turning of our lives toward the Lord.

This weekend I had hoped to be in Indianapolis joining Bishop Rob Lyons for a clergy gathering. It would have been a meaningful time of fellowship, shared prayer, and conversation about the work entrusted to us. Unfortunately, this year I have been sick far too often, and I am still recovering, and because of that I was unable to make the drive. I had also planned to conduct a couple of clergy interviews during the gathering, but those will need to be postponed until a later time. While I regret missing the opportunity, I am grateful for your prayers and patience as I continue to recover and regain strength.

Looking ahead, we are very pleased to welcome Bishop Rob Lyons to our community next weekend. On Saturday evening, he will be with us to celebrate a quinceañera for one of our families—an important moment of faith, blessing, and celebration within our community. Then on Sunday morning, we will gather together with Bishop Rob to celebrate the Divine Liturgy in the Saint Oscar Romero Chapel. His visit is always a gift to our ministry.
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I would also like to remind everyone that we continue to post weekly faith formation videos on our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@Mysteruim_Fidei
In addition, our weekend liturgies are available at:
https://www.youtube.com/@SaintOscarRomeroMinistries

These resources are part of our ongoing effort to remain connected, to grow in faith, and to reach those who may not yet have a spiritual home. Please feel free to share these links with family, friends, or anyone who may benefit from prayer and formation.

As always, we warmly welcome the opportunity to celebrate the liturgy in homes or community settings. If you or someone you know would like to host a gathering, please reach out. The Church has always flourished not only in grand cathedrals but also in living rooms, around kitchen tables, and in small communities of prayer.

May this Second Sunday of Lent renew our hearts and steady our steps as we continue our journey toward Easter. Let us keep one another in prayer as we seek to grow ever closer to Christ.

Peace,
​Rev. Ben

My Sisters and Brothers in Jesus Christ,
Lent begins each year by inviting us into the desert with Jesus. The Gospel reminds us that before his public ministry began, Christ entered a time of prayer, fasting, and temptation. The desert was not a place of abandonment but a place of preparation. In the same way, Lent is not meant to be merely a season of giving things up; it is a sacred opportunity to walk more intentionally with Christ.

As we spiritually join Jesus in the desert, we might reflect on a few simple realities from this Sunday’s Gospel. We are often tempted, as Jesus was, to choose what is easy rather than what is true. Sometimes a convenient lie feels safer than honesty. Sometimes we seek comfort when we are tired or hungry instead of turning toward God. At other times, we are tempted to take shortcuts rather than patiently trusting in God’s timing. Lent invites us to slow down, to recognize these moments honestly, and to allow Christ’s example—and his grace—to reshape our choices. Jesus not only models faithful living; he strengthens us so that we may resist what diminishes our spiritual lives.

One of the greatest gifts available to us during Lent is the nourishment of the sacraments. The Christian life was never meant to be lived alone or sustained by willpower. God meets us concretely through sacramental grace—through Eucharist, prayer, anointing, and especially reconciliation. If you feel drawn to confession or spiritual conversation but do not feel comfortable approaching your own minister or parish community, please know that I am happy to make myself available. Lent is a season of healing and return, and no one should feel excluded from God’s mercy or hesitant to seek reconciliation.

As we begin this holy season, we have also released a new video introduction to Holy Week, which I encourage you to watch over the coming weeks as part of your spiritual preparation. The video explains Holy Week as the Church’s “Great Week,” the sacred journey that interprets all other weeks of the Christian year. Holy Week is not simply a remembrance of past events; it is a participatory reenactment of Christ’s saving work. From Palm Sunday’s joyful procession that quickly turns toward the Passion, through the growing tension of Holy Monday, Tuesday, and Spy Wednesday, we are drawn into the unfolding mystery of salvation. The Sacred Triduum—Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday culminating in the Easter Vigil—is presented as one continuous liturgy, inviting us to move step by step with Christ from the Last Supper to the Cross, through silence and waiting, and finally into the light of the Resurrection.

The heart of Lent, therefore, is preparation—not only personal preparation but communal participation. We are invited to pray more deeply, reconcile with God and one another, immerse ourselves in Scripture, and physically participate in the liturgies that shape Christian faith. Even if attending every celebration is not possible, entering intentionally into this journey allows Holy Week to become more than an observance; it becomes an encounter.

May this Lent be a time when we courageously enter the desert with Christ, allow ourselves to be nourished by sacramental grace, and prepare our hearts to fully live the mystery of Holy Week and the joy of Easter.
Peace,
​Rev. Ben

My Sisters and Brothers in Jesus Christ,

This weekend marks the close of Shrovetide, the traditional period of preparation that leads into Lent on Ash Wednesday. While largely absent from many modern calendars, Shrovetide played an important role in the historic Western tradition. It served as a time to take stock of one’s life before entering the more demanding disciplines of Lent.

As I was reflecting on this transition, an unexpected experience gave the season a very concrete image. One of our dogs was sprayed—indirectly and seemingly mildly—by a skunk. At first, it didn’t seem like much. By morning, however, the odor had spread through the bedroom and into the sheets. What appeared insignificant had quietly permeated everything.

Sin works much the same way.  The dog was drawn in by curiosity, barking at what caught its attention, and ended up marked by something foul. Sin often attracts us in small, seemingly manageable ways. Yet its effects do not remain contained. It clings, stains, and spreads into places we did not intend.

Lent exists because God knows this about us.  The season of Lent is not about punishment or earning God’s favor. It is about restoration. Just as our dog needed to be washed so the smell would lose its power, we need renewal so that the effects of sin no longer define us. Lent calls us back to our baptism—not as a past memory, but as a living reality.

Through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we open ourselves to transformation. These practices are not ends in themselves. They form us into people who bear lasting fruit and whose lives witness to God’s Kingdom rather than the spirit of the age.

This weekend we also released a short video on the liturgical year, using the modern Roman Catholic calendar as a familiar reference point. The purpose is simple: to help us rediscover how the Church teaches us to sanctify time and allow it to shape our lives.

As we prepare to enter Lent, may we honestly confront what clings to us, repent of our sins, and seek God’s Kingdom above all things.
Peace,
Rev. Ben

My Sisters and Brothers in Jesus Christ,

This weekend we observe Shrovetide II, traditionally known as Sexagesima, a season that invites us to begin turning our hearts toward Lent even before its formal arrival. Shrovetide is not yet a time of full penitential rigor, but rather a gentle and honest preparation—a moment to take stock of our lives, our habits, and our loves. Historically, this season reminded Christians that repentance is not sudden or superficial; it requires time, intention, and grace. Sexagesima calls us to begin loosening our grip on distractions and comforts so that our hearts may become receptive soil for the transforming work God desires to do in us during Lent.

In this weekend’s readings, we hear St. Paul speak candidly about his struggles, weaknesses, and sufferings (2 Corinthians 11:19–12:9). Paul does not present the Christian life as a path of ease or constant victory, but as one marked by adversity, humility, and reliance on God’s grace. His famous confession--“when I am weak, then I am strong”—reminds us that the Christian journey has always involved carrying burdens, enduring trials, and trusting God precisely when our own strength fails. As we prepare our bodies, minds, and hearts for the penitential discipline of Lent, Paul’s witness reassures us that our weaknesses are not obstacles to holiness, but places where Christ’s power is made visible.
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We also invite you to watch our newly released video, which explores the possibility of Eucharistic communion between Roman Catholics and the Orthodox Churches from an Old Catholic perspective. The video emphasizes that true unity does not mean uniformity or absorption, but reconciled communion rooted in charity, patience, and repentance. Drawing on the shared inheritance of the first millennium—common creeds, councils, sacraments, apostolic ministry, and a serious commitment to holiness—it acknowledges both the deep common ground and the real theological and pastoral work that remains. The reflection concludes with hope: that genuine unity can only be given by the Holy Spirit, through a change of heart, shared mission, and a renewed commitment to living as the one Body of Christ in the world.

Peace,
​Rev. Ben