Dear Parishioners and Friends, On this the first Sunday of Lent the Gospel according to St. Luke tells us that after the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan, the Holy Spirit led Him to the desert where Jesus fasted for forty days. When He was hungry the devil tempted Him with the idea of changing the stone into bread, and in this way breaking His decision to fast. When the devil realized that Jesus would not yield to his trickery, he thought of two more ruses. Jesus strongly rejected all of the devil’s instigations. Just as Jesus was tempted, the more so, will we be as we meet the devil with his many and various tricks on our road of life. Most often the devil takes advantage of our weaknesses. We must become aware that the devil is not a made up figure to inspire terror in us. The devil is a real spiritual figure -- the angel Lucifer and his entire legion condemned by God for disobedience and pride. A person who does not do good, does not pray, does not believe, who curses God, sins grievously, knowingly or unknowingly favors the evil spirit. It is especially these people who need help to get out of their precarious situations. The first step to turn back from their evil ways is a sincere confession. In serious situations when a psychiatrist excludes a psychiatric condition, and the spiritual situation of the person worsens, it is necessary to contact a priest exorcist. Every diocese has a priest appointed by the bishop, who undertakes matters of this type. During Lent I encourage all to take advantage of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, attend morning or evening Mass, the Stations of the Cross, and Lamentations (Gorzkie ¯ale). Also, I encourage participating in the missions in the English and Polish languages. Take note of fasting and abstinence, of not eating meat on all Fridays of Lent. As Jesus fasted and mortified his body, it makes sense for us, too, to do so. In times of crisis we have more opportunities than ever for charitable donations: Operation Rice Bowl, for the hungry in mission countries; food that we donate at the entrances of our church for the needy at the Kitchen of St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish; and the collections for missions in South America are only some ways of manifesting our charity. Therefore, the three Lenten practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving and our individual Lenten resolutions, will help bring us nearer to our loving Jesus who suffered for our sins. I ask all for prayers for the intentions of the youth of our parish who are preparing for the reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation. The Sacrament of Confirmation in the Polish language will be administered by His Excellency Bishop Thaddeus Jakubowski on Sunday, February 28th, at three-thirty in the afternoon. His Excellency Bishop George Rassas will administer the Sacrament of Confirmation in the English language on Wednesday, March 10th, at seven o’clock in the evening. I wish to express my heartfelt thanks to all who prepared the students of St. Constance School and the REP for the reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation. I thank Sister Elżbieta Barnowska - the Director of the REP Program, Deacon George Gniech, Father Robert Łojek, with Father Maciej Galle, Father W³adys³aw Podeszwik, Michaelene Kusz and Susan Kehoe, as well as all parents. May our Lord Jesus bless us all and our guests who visited us today.