…From your Pastor’s Desk
2026 Lenten Schedule for Holy Spirit Parish
Ash Wednesday: February 18th Masses: 9 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Daily Mass: Every weekday, Monday-Friday 9 am and
Wednesday Evenings Mass beginning March 4th: 6:30 p.m.
Exposition/Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament [Holy Hour]: 2 p.m. every Friday (Except Good Friday, April 3rd).
Stations of the Cross: Every Friday [Except Good Friday] at 3 p.m. in church.
Confessions (in the Sacristy) 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. during Exposition of Blessed Sacrament every Friday (Except Good Friday)
2026 Lenten Regulations for the Diocese of Santa Rosa
“The Lenten Season has a double character, namely to prepare both catechumens and faithful to celebrate the paschal mystery. The faithful, ever more attentive to the Word of God and prayer, prepare themselves by penance for the renewal of their baptismal promises.
The current discipline is as follows:
- Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fast and abstinence, that is, limited to a single, full meal and abstinence from meat.
- The other Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence from meat.
- The law of fasting permits only one full meal a day, but it does allow the taking of some food in the morning and a second light meal at noon or in the evening, as you prefer. Persons who have completed their eighteenth year to the beginning of their sixtieth (60) year are obligated to fast.
- The law of abstinence from meat applies to all persons who have completed their fourteenth year of age. However, it is highly recommended that children from ages seven to fourteen years also follow the law of abstinence.
- All Catholics are encouraged to receive Holy Eucharist frequently during Lent and to receive the Sacrament of Penance so that all may be prepared to celebrate more fully the paschal mystery. Those who have received their first Holy Communion are to receive Holy Communion during the Easter season.
- The determination of these days of obligatory penance, as listed above, should not be understood as limiting the occasions for Christian penance. This penance is to help us see and shorten the distance between our present lives and the life God wants for each of us.
“Penance should not be only internal and individual but external and social.”
(Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy #110)
A.M.A.
As you may know I was a Military Chaplain and for many years lived in a world of Acronyms. I returned to the Diocese to Parish Ministry in 2003. Until then the acronym ‘A.M.A.’ meant one of four things to me: American Medical Association, American Motorcyclist Association, American Music Awards or ‘Against Medical Advice.’ I soon learned that it had a fourth: Annual Ministry Appeal.
Before I go any further, I want to assure you that not a single penny of the monies collected for the A.M.A. go to any legal defense or settlements. All monies collected go only to the specific ministries mentioned in the informational packet.
That being said, the A.M.A. is something you are very familiar with. For many years Holy Spirit Parish has been very generous and timely in your response to this appeal. Nice.
So – why do we have this A.M.A. every year? Don’t we send the diocese money every month anyway? Well…yes, and yes. Let me take a few moments now to explain the relationship between Parish and Diocese. All Roman Catholic parishes worldwide, including ours, do not stand alone as separate entities. They only exist as part of a Diocese – we only exist as part of the Diocese of Santa Rosa – which is a part of the Archdiocese of San Francisco and on and up all the way to The Vatican.
The Church gives us spiritual guidance and direction. To achieve this, it depends upon a formal hierarchal and institutional structure for administrative purposes. Similar to secular organizations and institutions, it is dependent upon its constituents for its support – both financial and, in our case, spiritual. Here at our parish, we take in a weekly collection to meet our weekly expenses. The Diocese does not have such a capacity. They depend on private benefactors and the individual parishes to fund the various programs that serve each parish and the Diocese as a whole.
So, how are these monies collected and amounts determined?
Each parish is assessed a figure based on previous years ‘plate’ and other contributions. This year our portion towards the A.M.A. is $ 41,500. If by chance we exceed our goal, then 100% of that excess comes right back to us. I have looked into our assessment in comparison to the assessment of all the other parishes and can say that this is fair in that evaluation.
BEFORE I CONTINUE – THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT – ANY CHECK OR CASH CONTRIBUTION MUST HAVE OUR NAME – ‘HOLY SPIRIT PARISH’ ON THE ENVELOPE OR IN THE MEMO– so that we get the credit towards our goal.
Some of you have already received an A.M.A. mailing, some will this week. We have about 750 households registered in our parish. Some households have already contributed. Some households will contribute soon. Some of you are new here this year so did not receive a mailing. To facilitate the process there are envelopes available today. Some in the ‘pew’ sections – more in the back by the doors.
The envelopes are self-explanatory. Once completed, you can drop them in our collection basket or at the parish office. If you have already contributed via mail – there is no need to fill out another one. We will collect the envelopes over the next few weeks – and send them all together, or you can mail them in yourself. Whichever way you choose – it is imperative that they know you are sending it from this parish so we get full credit towards our goal. Okay? Okay…
Again: Not one cent of monies collected through the A.M.A. goes towards any legal or settlement fees. Contributions ONLY go to the specific ministries mentioned in the informational packets.
Just so you know I have personally pledged $250. So – only $ 41,250 more to go! My hope is that with each household giving what they can, 100% participation can be a reality. Together – we can do this!
God bless you, our Parish, and our Diocese.
Father Ron
