Lent is a special time of prayer, penance, sacrifice and good works in preparation of the celebration of Easter. Since the earliest times of the Church, there is evidence of some kind of Lenten preparation for Easter. Although the practices may have evolved over the centuries, the focus remains the same: to repent of sin, to renew our faith and to prepare to celebrate joyfully the mysteries of our salvation. Moreover, an emphasis must be placed on performing spiritual works, like attending the Stations of the Cross, attending Mass, making a weekly holy hour before the Blessed Sacrament, taking time for personal prayer and spiritual reading and most especially making a good confession and receiving sacramental absolution.

To assist you in your Lenten journey, our parish website has compiled the best of the web in one place: our LENT page. There are over 2 dozen links to every kind of Lenten resource you might desire We will detail each of these in the coming weeks. This week we will start with the Lenten Regulations For the Diocese of Santa Rosa which spells out all the rules and regulations of observing Lent in our parish and diocese.

Second is the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops “What Is Lent?” page.This is by far the best and most comprehensive site for everything you would want to know about Lent.

• Bilingual Daily Lent Calendar
• Daily inspiration for your Lenten journey
• Examination of Conscience based on the Ten Commandments.
• 10 Things to Remember During Lent
• Why is Lent 40 Days?
• Why we use ashes on Wednesday to mark the beginning of Lent.
• God’s Gift of Forgiveness
• Daily Reading – Take a Moment to Pray with Today’s Readings
• Prayer, Fasting, & Almsgiving
• Lent FAQs

Sacred Heart’s LENT Page

We mourn the passing of beloved Fr. “Bala” Govindu who was pastor at St. Mary’s in Arcata from 2014-2017. His funeral was held in India on February 10, 2025. We invite the faithful to join in prayer for the repose of his soul and in gratitude for his years of dedicated service to our community and diocese. May he rest in the peace of Christ, whom he so faithfully served..

Wednesday, March 5

10:00am – Mass at St. Bernard School

12:15pm – Mass at St. Bernard church

                (No Adoration or Confesions on this Day)

5:30pm – Mass at Sacred Heart

                (No Adoration or Confessions)

7:00pm – Mass at Sacred Heart (Spanish)

Every Friday

-Stations of the Cross after 12:15pm Mass at St. Bernard Church

-Stations of the Cross at 7:00pm in Spanish at Sacred Heart Church

You can keep up with what is going on at Sacred Heart parish by reading the articles on our NEWS page. You can navigate there by using the menu at the top of the page or by clicking on the link below.

Sacred Heart’s News Page

 The human heart seems ultimately to manifest itself in the desire to be loved and to love in return.  Until then, as St. Augustine said, our hearts are restless until they rest in God who is Love.  As Catholic Christians, we are privileged to share God’s love through Mass, the Sacraments and how we live our life.

Do you know someone thirsting for God?   Do you know someone not baptized or baptized in a different Christian tradition thirsting to know what it means to be Catholic?  Do you know someone already Catholic but who has not yet received the Eucharist or been confirmed?  They may be thirsting, too.The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) is a place to ask questions and seek understanding.  Weekly “no strings” inquiry gatherings will be held at 7 pm on Tuesday evenings beginning in September.  We would love for you to invite/accompany anyone you know whose heart is restless for the God who loves them. 

For more information, please contact Liz McGee (707-599-6138) or contact the rectory office. stbshrcia25@gmail.com.

A simple way to start your day.

Sacred Heart’s Facebook page

Another Text Scam supposedly from Fr. Bernard or other priests asking for favors, money, gift cards etc. has been going around.

Please disregard. Do not respond!

If you have a special need of any sort, we have a prayer team who will pray on your behalf.  Let us pray with you, and for you.  Surround yourself with prayer. 

Call our prayer line leader Toni 24/7 at (707) 445-361six

With the prevalence of easy-to-access technology and the vast variety of ways people communicate these days, the pervasiveness of people who make it their mission to scam people out of money using digital trickery is only increasing. We collected some of the most common scams that are directed specifically toward Catholics as well as how to identify and avoid them in order to protect yourself from online criminals. 

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