3rd Sunday of Lent; 12 March 2023
Saint Joseph’s Passionist Church
Tel: (01) 42 27 28 56 [Int’l + 33 1]
Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: www.stjoeparis.org
Saturday: Vigil Mass: 6.30 p.m.;
Sun Mass: 9.30 am, 11 & 12.30 pm, 6.30 pm
Confession: Saturday: 11.30 – 12.30 & 5 – 6 p.m. or by appointment.
During Lent: evening Mass on Fridays at 7:30pm; followed by Stations of the Cross.
Lenten Retreat: one Saturday TBA
Lenten Project 2023: 2nd phase: Emergency help in Alep, Syria. Donations will be sent through l’Oeuvre d’Orient,
see KTO interview of MGR Gollnisch on the situation (links on our website/Lenten Project 2023)
Second collection at the 5 Sunday Masses: on 5th March €1,984.81 (€1397.31, ADP €587.50). Grand total now: €4,473.80
NB: To get French Tax receipts: Cheques to “St Joseph’s ADP” & donations available directly from the website:
(please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. informing us it is for our Lenten project, so we can direct your donation to l'Oeuvre d’Orient.
FEAST of St Patrick’s: Friday 17thMarch Mass at 11am, followed by simple reception.
FEAST of St Joseph’s Monday 20th March: Mass at 7:30pm followed by simple reception.
Bible Study: Wednesdays 10:30 to 12:00 https://biblestudystjosephsparis.wordpress.com/ Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Marriage Preparation Course: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 11 couples registered.
Next on March 19th, April 2nd & 16th , from 4pm to 5:30pm
Parish Pastoral council: Monday 13th March at 7:30pm, St Joseph’s Hall.
Feast Days this week: Tues 14th Ste Matilda (+968); 15th : Ste Louise de Marillac (+1660) ; 17th : St Patrick (+461)
St Joseph’s Christianity & Film Group : Sunday evening per month 8:30pm to 10:00 pm https://biblestudystjosephsparis.wordpress.com/ Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Collections 5 March: Weekend 5 Masses: €2595,58; ADP: €330; Books €25. Thanks for your generosity.
CCD FHC: FIRST RECONCILIATION 25th March at 11:30am. Missing Baptism certs to be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
CCD Confirmation: missing letters to Mgr Gonon: hand given or letterbox or email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tuesday, March 14: ACWO Potluck lunch at Saint Joseph's, noon
Next Baptisms Saturday 1 & 29 April Form Registrations on www.stjoeparis.org
Next Baptism Preparation Saturday 22 April at 11am (starts with Mass).
A GOOD LENT II
This week I want to say a few words about fasting. The Church asks us to fast on two days of the year only, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Of course fasting is recommended as something very helpful for our spiritual life and our growth in faith and Christian love. So please don’t restrict the practice of fasting to these two days only.
What does it mean to fast? It simply means to do without something you like or need as an expression of your love of God. For example, during Lent many people decide to do without alcohol for the six weeks of lent as a simple form of self-denial and an expression of their desire to love God and neighbour more. Others give up grumbling and complaining for Lent. The Church recommends that we reduce the intake of food on fast days and make a contribution to alleviate the suffering of hungry people.
Fasting is also a way of being in solidarity with the many people who are forced to do without the food, the luxuries, and the comforts many of us take for granted. This limited voluntary sharing in the hardship of others can deepen our compassion and give us a desire to do more to help the people who are worse off than ourselves.
Fasting also helps us to realise how well off we are and can encourage us to be more grateful to God for all his blessings.
Fasting is also related to our longing for God that is described in the Psalms as a kind of hunger and thirst for God. The experience of physical hunger and thirst can be a tangible expression of our spiritual hunger for God and a cry from the heart that reaches God.
So please don’t neglect to do a little fasting as an important part of your good Lent.
