FEASTS OF THE WEEK
Friday After Ash Wednesday : Day of Prayer for Victims of Abuse
Saturday 21st February : St. Peter Damian
Gave up teaching to become a hermit. Later he was Cardinal Bishop of Ostia (in Italy). He was an outstanding reformer of Church life and discipline.
Sunday 22nd February : 1st Sunday of LENT
The Church has in mind the catechumens throughout the world who set out today on their great preparation for the Easter Vigil when they will become Christians. The faithful, who are already baptised, are the concern of the Church too. They must be awakened once more to the meaning of being in Christ. The faithful join with the catechumens in the struggle against the powers of darkness, confident that where sin abounded, grace abounds still more.
Monday 23rd February : St. Polycarp
Bishop of Smyrna or Izmir in modern Turkey. Born around the year 69, he was a disciple of St. John the Apostle. He was martyred in the year 155.
Friday 27th February : St. Gregory of Narek
He was a monk of the Armenian Church, a mystic and poet. His best known writing in Lamentations, also called simply Narek, a collection of 95 prayers, each with the title "Conversation with God from the depth of the heart". Pope Francis declared Gregory a doctor of the Church in 2015.