53. February - A Month Dedicated to the Holy Family

Notes

Announcement of Ash Wednesday falling on February 14th, Valentine's Day, with mass times at 7am, 8am, and 7pm.
Introduction to the Lenten season, emphasizing its penitential nature and call for reflection.
February's Dedication to the Holy Family: Discussion on the significance of the Holy Family in the Catholic Church, especially in February.
Warning about ongoing scams targeting Catholic parishioners in Broward County.
Assurance that church officials, including priests, will never solicit money via digital communication.
Preview of the 40th annual Italian Festival scheduled from February 16th through the 18th, highlighting its family-friendly atmosphere and entertainment.
Encouragement for families to use February as a time for spiritual growth and to model the Holy Family.
Suggestions for family prayer, shared activities, and collective penance in preparation for Lent.
Scripture Readings: Proverbs 1 & 2

Episode Transcript

Welcome to episode 53 of the St. Colman Catholic Church podcast from Pompano Beach. Our podcast continues to grow and you can help us to continue to grow by following us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Can you believe it's already February? 2024 is off to a rapid start and we are very quickly approaching the penitential season of Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday, which this year falls on February 14th, Valentine's Day. The masses will be at 7am and 8am as well as one mass in the evening at 7pm and ashes of course will be distributed.

The month of February in the Catholic Church is dedicated to the Holy Family, and we're going to talk about that in just a few minutes, but a few announcements about what's going on at the parish.

First of all, in Broward County, there are people continuing to try to scam Catholic parishioners and this has been going on for years, but every so often it seems like it gets more flares back up and is like really bad. So at a neighboring church, for example a parishioner was tricked into giving 2, 500 to criminals.

And usually it works something like this where You might get a text or an email from someone claiming to be the pastor, and there's always like a sense of urgency. And they're asking for money and they'll pay you back tomorrow or the next day. And there's always some reason why they're asking you.

Then it all might sound legit, but just for the record, Father Michael, Father Hans, Father Franklin, Or no other priest in the Archdiocese of Miami will ever text you, call you, email you, and ask for money. Okay? So if that happens to you, call the church office and report it. Just so we know that's going on again.

But again, It's happened to our parishioners in the past, and it's happened recently in a big way to a neighboring parish. So just, not only remember this, but tell other people that go to Catholic Church, not to fall for this scam. A pastor, a priest, and that priest happens to be the pastor, they are not Going to ask you for money in even in an emergency situation like that So and of course we have all kind of technology out today, right?

There's voice cloning. So even if it is a voice that sounds like a priest, don't fall for it. Our priests are not going to call to ask you for money. Also in February, we're very excited for the 40th annual Italian festival. It's going to be February 16th through the 18th. The Italian festival started way back in 1984.

It's always a lot of fun for the family. So many so much good food, a lot of great entertainment. There's always incredible music. Day in the afternoon and in the evenings. So please plan to be part of our Italian Festival for this year. The penitential season of Lent begins February 14th. It is a time of reflection, prayer, and penance.

Lent is a 40 day journey, mirroring Jesus time in the desert, calling us to deeper communion with God. It's a period to reassess our lives, make amends. The month of February is dedicated to the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. And during February, we can contemplate the indispensable role that the family unit plays in the broader mission of the Church.

And we can learn lessons from that family in Nazareth. Now, let us remember it is within the family that we are first schooled in the virtues of the gospel, learning to live out the calling of every Christian family to become a domestic church, a beacon of gospel values in the world. St. John Paul II, or John Paul the Great, as a lot of people like to call him, reminded us that the family in Nazareth should be an example for every Christian household.

Now, the lessons we can learn from Jesus, Mary, and Joseph is that our family should have a commitment to prayer and contemplation, that there should be mutual understanding and respect between all family members, as well as a spirit of sacrifice. During February, every Catholic family can work towards deepening their communal spiritual life.

Embrace the opportunity to pray together, to pray before meals, to undertake tasks as a unified family body, to find joy in shared leisure, and to help each other cultivate a virtuous life. And as we approach the penitential season of Lent, with Ash Wednesday right around the corner, each family could consider adopting a collective penance that involves every member of the household.

This shared spiritual discipline can serve as a profound expression of family unity and a testament