Pastor's letter for this week
February 20, 2026,
Dear Parishioners of St. Andrew,
I hope you are all doing well and staying strong! Ash Wednesday, just two days ago, is still fresh in my mind as we had very large numbers of people all day at the parish. It is always a joy to see so many people come for the ashes. It’s a testament to faith as Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation yet people come freely. It’s beautiful.
Since today is a Friday of Lent it is a busy day as we have 3 sessions of Stations of the Cross in addition to our three daily Masses and two sessions of confessions. The full schedule is below. I hope many people take advantage of the beautiful Stations of the Cross devotion. Tonight will also be the first of our Lenten Friday Soup evenings.
Tomorrow Fr. Ricardo Pinedo of the Fathers of Mercy in Kentucky will be arriving in the evening to begin our Spanish Parish Mission this Sunday. The following week he will conduct the English Mission.
I’m very excited about this year’s Mission theme which is on Marriage and Family Life. We are blessed at St. Andrew’s with many weddings each year and with so many young families. But whether your family is young or older, large or small, and whether you are single or married, the Parish Mission is for everyone. I hope you will make time to attend. I’ve included both the English and the Spanish flyers to this email for your reference.
Here is the rest of the news from the parish:
THE HOLY SEASON OF LENT – this past week we began the Liturgical Season of Lent with our celebration of Ash Wednesday. Last Sunday in the bulletin we included a list of suggestions for various Lenten Practices. Copies are available again this week in the vestibules of the church as well as on the parish website: www.standrewpasadena.org and attached to this email.
Lent is truly a privileged time because it forces us to pause and reflect on how we’re living our lives and whether we need to make some adjustments especially regarding our spiritual practices. The dramatic admonition of Ash Wednesday, "Remember that you are dust and unto dust you shall return" should be a reminder to each of us that our spiritual life must be a priority above all things.
There are three practices, in particular, that I would encourage for everyone in our parish: regular Confession, frequent Mass (perhaps daily or at least several times during the week) and weekly Stations of the Cross. The regulations of the Church concerning fast and abstinence are again included in today’s bulletin and on our website: wwwstandrewpasadena.org. Abstinence is observed on all Fridays of Lent and fasting is observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
Please remember that we are now celebrating 3 daily Masses including a 12 noon Mass each Monday through Friday in order to create more opportunities for our parishioners to make the Holy Eucharist the center of their spiritual lives. So our schedule is:
8:15 a.m. Mass – English (Monday through Saturday)
12:05 p.m. Mass – English (Monday through Friday)
6:30 p.m. Mass – Spanish (Monday through Friday)
Lent is primarily a time of prayer and penance. Think of it as a 40-day retreat. In other words, this time should be different from the rest of the year in terms of our food, our entertainment, the use of technology, and the way we spend our time. In particular, I recommend making good use of the marvelous app called “Formed” which has a lot of good resources for Lent. The link is on our parish website under the “Faith Formation” tab. Other resources are available there as well. May each of us strive to make this a truly holy Lent!
STATIONS OF THE CROSS ON FRIDAYS – One of the most beautiful of Lenten practices is the Way of the Cross. Our Stations of the Cross each Friday are at 9:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. in English and 7:00 p.m. in Spanish. At the end of the English Stations in the evening we will have Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. The Spanish Stations will take place after the evening Mass. Come and pray this beautiful devotion with your parish family.
LENTEN SOUP NIGHTS ON FRIDAYS!- We are once again having our "Lenten Soup Nights" on Fridays after the Stations of the Cross. These will take place as follows:
1st session: after the English Stations & Benediction (approx. at 6:00 p.m.)
2nd session: after the Spanish Mass and Stations (approx. at 7:30 p.m.)
This practice is meant to help us fulfill the Lenten practice of abstinence as well as frugality and penance. The soups will be prepared and served by our various parish groups and will consist of a variety of non-meat recipes. Bread is also provided. A free will donation is taken which will go to feed the poor.
I have always found this Lenten practice to be very spiritually worthwhile as it is a concrete way of living our Lenten penance as well as building community with our fellow parishioners.
Note: On Friday, 3/27 the soup night will be cancelled due to a special musical presentation of the Stations of the Cross. More details to follow.
LENTEN PARISH MISSION IN ENGLISH COMING UP – The Parish Mission for 2026 will take place during Lent this year on the week of March 2-5. This year it will be conducted by the Fathers of Mercy. Fr. Ricardo Pineda, CPM will conduct the Mission. Please mark your calendars now as there will be two English conferences: one in the morning after the 8:15 a.m. Mass and one in the evening at 7:15 p.m. Please note that our English Parish Groups will NOT be meeting that week so that everyone can attend the mission. Attached is a flyer with the Mission information as well as Fr. Pineda’s biographical information. Fr. Pineda will be preaching at all the English Masses the previous Sunday to introduce the Mission.
EVERYBODY’S PART IS IMPORTANT – Our annual Together in Mission Campaign 2 weeks ago. As you know, this campaign assists the poorest parishes and schools of the Archdiocese. Our parish goal this year is $ 75,322.00. This reflects our income in 2025. It is a large sum. But it is also a great opportunity to help out these poor parishes. We have over 7000 families registered so if we all do our part it will be easy to meet the goal.
The important thing is that all participate according to their means. If you have more then give more, if you have less, then give less. But everybody’s part is important. The pledge envelopes are available in the pews and in the Pastoral Center. You may also make your contribution online by going to: TimGive.org. On the website you click on “Find your Parish” then scroll down to "St. Andrew Parish – Pasadena, CA" as your parish and complete the details required. It is very easy!
Thank you to all of you who have already made your pledge!
MORNING OF RECOLLECTION FOR LITURGICAL MINISTERS- It has been our practice the last few years to have a morning of Recollection during Lent for all liturgical ministers (lectors, Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, ushers, musicians, sacristans). The English one will take place on Saturday, March 21st. We will begin with Mass at 8:15 a.m. then a continental breakfast in the Altar Server room followed by conference in the Sacristy Chapel. We will conclude with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. All liturgical ministers are invited. Please let the head of your ministry know if you can attend so we can have a count for continental breakfast.
WEEKDAY MASS SCHEDULE FOR LENT:
Daily Masses 8:15 a.m. (Monday through Saturday) and 12:05 p.m. (Monday through Friday) -both in English;
6:30 p.m. (Monday through Friday) - Spanish
Confessions:
Tuesday: 7:00 p.m. during the Holy Hour
Friday: 9:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Saturdays: 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Friday schedule:
8:15 a.m. - English Mass followed by English Stations
9:00am - Confessions
12:05 p.m. – English Mass (no Stations)
5:30 p.m. - English Stations and Benediction followed by Lenten Soup Supper in the School Auditorium
6:30 p.m. - Spanish Mass followed by Spanish Stations then Lenten Soup Supper in the School Auditorium.
7:00 p.m. – Confessions
In Christ and St. Andrew,
Fr. Gonzalez
PARISH MISSION: TILL DEATH DO US PART
ASH WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE
LENTEN PRACTICES
LENTEN REGULATIONS
ETIQUETTE AND MANNERS IN CHURCH
CENTENNIAL ORGAN AT SAINT ANDREW CHURCH
HOW TO RECITE THE HOLY ROSARY
PROCEDURE FOR THE RECEPTION OF HOLY COMMUNION