St. Francis de Sales Oratory to offer 40 hours devotion

...As well as other activities (see below).

What better way to start the Lenten season in the right way than by spending time with Christ?

St. Francis de Sales Oratory in South St. Louis is offering a Forty Hours devotion Sunday-Tuesday, Feb. 26-28. The oratory is at 2653 Ohio Ave. at Gravois Avenue.

The Forty Hours devotion is a continuous prayer made for 40 hours before the Blessed Sacrament. The length of the devotion comes from the calculation that Jesus was in the tomb for 40 hours before he rose from the dead.

The schedule is as follows:

Feb. 26: A solemn High Mass at 10 a.m. opens the devotion, followed by a procession and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Adoration will take place throughout the day until closing prayers at 6 p.m., with reposition of the Blessed Sacrament.

Feb. 27: An 8 a.m. Low Mass will be celebrated, followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. A solemn High Mass will be celebrated at 7 p.m. The evening will end with closing prayers and reposition of the Blessed Sacrament.

Feb. 28: An 8 a.m. Low Mass will be celebrated, followed by exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

The devotion will come to a close with a 7 p.m. solemn High Mass, benediction and procession. . .

The oratory also has several other activities planned during Lent. They include the following:

A Lenten Retreat
A retreat will take place at the oratory Friday and Saturday, March 3 and 4. The retreat is being organized by Credo of the Catholic Laity.

It will begin at 2 p.m. March 3 with an opening prayer led by Father C. Eugene Morris, episcopal vicar of the archdiocesan Office of the Permanent Diaconate, director of worship for Kenrick-Glennon Seminary and an assistant professor there.

Also included that day are eucharistic adoration, benediction, rosary and confessions, a light dinner, a conference given by Father Morris and Stations of the Cross. A solemn High Mass will be celebrated at 7 p.m. Msgr. Henry Breier, secretary to Archbishop Raymond L. Burke, will be the homilist.

On March 4, the retreat will begin at 9 a.m. with confession, rosary and the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy. Father Jacques Fournier, recently assigned to the oratory, and Father Lenhardt will give conferences. The day also includes lunch and eucharistic adoration. A solemn high Mass will be celebrated at 2:30 p.m.

The retreat is $15 for adults and free for children under 12. Checks can be made payable to the Credo of the Catholic Laity, 4386 Honeydew Lane, St. Louis, MO, 63128. For more information, call Howard Brandt at (314) 894-0357.
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Additional evening Masses will be celebrated during Lent at the oratory. Masses will take place Wednesday and Friday evenings at 7 p.m. and on Sundays at 5 p.m.

Before and during those Masses, the priests of the oratory will will be available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

The regular Mass schedule is Monday through Saturday at 8 a.m. and Sunday 8 a.m., with a High Mass celebrated at 10 a.m.

During Lent, the oratory will provide 30 hours more for confessions in addition to the 40 regularly scheduled during the six weeks before Easter. The regular schedule for confessions is 7:30 and 9:30 a.m. Sundays, and 7 p.m. Thursdays.

Stations of the Cross also will be prayed after Friday evening Masses.

In addition, the oratory’s regular schedule for eucharistic adoration is Thursdays from 7-8 p.m.

For more information on St. Francis de Sales Oratory and a full schedule of activities, call (314) 771-3100 or visit www.institute-christ-king.org.

St Louis Review.