More than 300 faithful from three parishes in Parma, Parma Heights and Brook Park gathered on March 26 to hear Bishop Nelson Perez unpack the meaning of Lent during a special Soup and Conversation event at Mary, Queen of the Apostles Parish in Brook Park. Father James Stenger, pastor, opened the program by welcoming the bishop and leading the group in prayer.
Bishop Perez began his remarks by asking those at the tables to share with each other what Lent means to them. He then detailed the sacrifices and transformation that catechumens in the early church 2,000 years ago -- those seeking to enter the church at the Easter Vigil -- experienced as they accepted the faith.
“They entered this very intense period of preparation that would take some people years – to leave the world behind and embrace the life of grace which was then celebrated sacramentally. So the sacrament celebrated the reality that already exists,” he said. These were people who were in the process of converting to be a disciple of Christ and they literally had to leave things behind, the bishop added.
“The story of Lent is a time to look at where I am and where I am going. The story of Lent doesn’t change; what changes are you and I. So the question is: Where does Lent find us now? Where are you in your relationship to the Lord, in relationship to each other, in relationship to yourself?” he asked.
Bishop Perez also reminded those gathered that our fasting, abstinence and sacrifices during Lent must mean more. “We have to go outside ourselves. How do I then reach out to those around me? The Spirit has been pushing the Church to get out of its comfort zone and face outward,” the bishop said, asking us to become like missionary disciples, not just following but going out and doing for others, sharing what we have heard from the Lord.
“For me, it’s part of the communal conversion -- not just my own personal conversion – it’s a conversion also about community, to be almsgivers, to step outside of ourselves. That’s all a work of Lent,” he said.
Prior to the bishop’s talk, those gathered enjoyed a simple Lenten meal of homemade soup and bread that was prepared by the people of Mary, Queen of the Apostles. This program marked the third of three similar events sponsored by three parishes in Parma, Parma Heights and Brook Park that make up the parish cluster of St. Bridget of Kildare, St. John Bosco and Mary, Queen of the Apostles.
