As Lent moves past its halfway point, seasonal activities across the Southern Tier are in full swing.
Highlights from that lengthy list include:
* St. Paul of the Cross Parish, Honeoye Falls; St. Agnes, Avon; and St. Rose, Lima, are holding a retreat/mission led by Friar Richard Riccioli, OFM Conv, who will speak on Pope Francis’ Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel). It will take place April 7 at St. Paul, April 8 at St. Rose and April 9 at St. Agnes. Daily presentation will be from 4:30-6 p.m. and repeated from 7-8:30 p.m., with soup supper from 6-7 p.m.
* A Forty Days for Life vigil is continuing through April 13 in Ithaca. All are invited to join in peaceful prayer to end abortion between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily across from the Planned Parenthood office, 314 W. State St. For details, visit www.40daysforlife.com/ithaca or contact Mary Anne Tissot at 315-246-7479 or sweetwind53@yahoo.com.
* Corning, also, is the site for a Forty Days for Life through April 13. It is taking place across the street from Planned Parenthood, 135 Walnut St. Contact www.40daysforlife.com/corning or Todd Hartman at 570-664-0944.
* Living Stations of the Cross, led by youths from Blessed Trinity/St. Patrick Parishes (Waverly/Newark Valley/Apalachin/Owego), were presented March 28 at St. Mary Our Mother Church in Horseheads and are upcoming April 4 at St. John the Evangelist, Newark Valley, at 7 p.m.; and April 18, St. Margaret Mary, Apalachin, at 7:30 p.m.
* An adult-education series on evangelization took place at the parish center of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Elmira. In addition, on April 5 the center will host a Lenten meal after the 4 p.m. Mass with a sampling of dishes from five Operation Rice Bowl focus countries.
* St. James the Apostle Parish, Trumansburg, is holding Wednesday-evening "Soup and Spirituality" presentations from 6-7 p.m. led by Father John Tokaz, OFM Cap, pastor. In addition, the parish held a mission March 31 and April 1.
* St. John Vianney Parish (Hammondsport/Bath) is hosting Wednesday-evening Lenten presentations. In addition, St. Gabriel Church, Hammondsport, will serve as host April 2 for a local ecumenical Lenten luncheon program held each Wednesday.
* St. Matthew Church in Livonia, as well, will host an ecumenical lunch April 2 as part of a weekly area initiative. St. Matthew also is offering Tuesday-morning Scripture reflection as well as Facebook dialogue. In addition, the cluster of St. Matthew and St. Mary, Honeoye, has formed "40-Day Challenge" spiritual reflection groups.
* St. Catherine of Siena Parish, Ithaca, is holding Lenten soup suppers on Friday evenings followed by Stations of the Cross. The parish also has invited parishioners to engage in fasting, prayer and almsgiving with the goal of ending poverty in Tompkins County.
* St. Luke the Evangelist Parish (Geneseo/Mount Morris/Nunda/Leicester/Retsof) is offering Tuesday soup gatherings during Lent as well as a book discussion, Pope Francis in His Own Words, on Thursdays at St. Mary Church in Geneseo.
* St. Mary Southside Parish, Elmira, is conducting a Lenten coin bank, with donations going to charity. St. Mary also is offering a prayer service with holy Communion at 12:15, followed by simple soup lunch and discussion, on the Wednesdays of Lent.
* At Christ the Redeemer Parish, Elmira, St. Charles Borromeo Church is hosting Soup and Scripture each Lenten Friday after 12:10 p.m. Mass and St .Casimir Church is offering a Divine Mercy chaplet prior to Tuesday and Thursday 7 a.m. Masses.
* Ss. Isidore and Maria Torribia Parish (Addison/Bradford/Campbell) is holding a reflection and discussion series on Sunday afternoons conducted by Deacon Douglas Farwell.
* All Saints Parish (Corning/Painted Post) is holding a discussion series for adults and children, "Finding Joy and Peace in Everyday Life," on Lenten Wednesdays.
* Holy Family Catholic Community (Dansville/Perkinsville/Wayland/Cohocton) is holding Lenten sessions on the topic of daily prayer. Holy Family also is donating its Lenten alms to local charitable organizations. In addition, on March 12 the parish hosted a soup supper and presentation by Father Kevin McKenna on Catholic social teaching.
* Our Lady of the Valley Parish (Hornell/Rexville) is conducting a weekly adult faith-formation discussion series. The parish also has held weekly Thursday-evening prayer sessions as well as a parish mission March 22-27.
* A Lenten study group on prayer is meeting at St. Margaret Mary Church, Apalachin, on Tuesday evenings.
* Hornell’s Father James Early Council 243 of the Knights of Columbus is conducting a "40 Cans for Lent" initiative. Members are bringing in one can of food for each day of Lent, and are extending that challenge to Our Lady of the Valley parishioners.
* St. Mary Our Mother Parish, Horseheads, has three small Christian communities that are meeting for prayer and reflection during Lent.
* St. Benedict Church, Odessa, held its annual Seder Supper March 29 following the 5 p.m. Mass.
* Immaculate Conception, Ithaca, hosted the presentation "Death, Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory: How Do They Influence Our Lives on Earth?" by Father Jeff Tunnicliff, pastor, on March 24.
* The cluster of St. Anthony, Groton; Holy Cross, Dryden; and All Saints, Lansing, staged a Lenten dish-to-pass dinner and presentation by Father Malachy "Eloo" Nwosu, pastor, on March 22 at St. Anthony Church.
* Bishop Emeritus Matthew H. Clark presented a Lenten mission at Blessed Trinity/St. Patrick parishes March 23-25.
* Schuyler Catholic Community (Watkins Glen/Odessa) held a parish mission March 1-5.
* Bishop R. Salvatore Matano presided and preached at the 8:15 a.m. Ash Wednesday Mass March 5 at St. Agnes Church in Avon. The liturgy was attended by parishioners as well as St. Agnes School students and their families.
* The teen group at All Saints in Lansing hosted a Lenten kickoff event March 2 with guest speaker Carmen Guidi, a local man who is building small homes on his property for the homeless.
