Lenten Regulations
Abstinence from meat is to be observed by all Catholics, ages 14 and older, on Ash Wednesday and all the Fridays of Lent.
Fasting is to be observed by all Catholics, ages 18 years of age but not yet 59, on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Those who are bound by this may take only one full meal. Two smaller meals are permitted, if necessary, to maintain strength according to one’s needs. The two smaller meals combined should not be greater than the single full meal. Eating solid food (snacks) in between is not permitted.
Those that are excused from abstinence and fasting (outside the age limits) include the physically and mentally ill, including individuals suffering from chronic illnesses such as diabetes. Also excluded are pregnant and nursing women.
Source: USCCB Pastoral Statement on Penance and Abstinence
Liturgical Schedule
Please enter through Doors B, C, or D. Handicap accessible entrances are located at Doors B and D. Handicap parking is available in Lot A and by Door D. The Sanctuary is equipped with an audio induction loop for the hearing impaired.
Ash Wednesday: March 5 at 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. (both with the distribution of ashes)
If you are unable to attend the 9:00 a.m. or 7:00 p.m. Masses, you may come to the Parish or School Office between 10:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to receive your ashes from a staff member. For the parish office, please enter through Door A. For the school office, please enter through Door E.
Daily Mass: Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.; Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at 9:00 a.m.
First Saturday Mass: Saturday, April 5 at 9:00 a.m. in the main Sanctuary
Weekend Mass: Saturday at 4:30 p.m.; Sunday at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE
Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord: Saturday, April 12 at 4:30 p.m.; Sunday, April 13 at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
Chrism Mass: Tuesday, April 15 at 7:00 p.m. at the Cathedral of Saint Andrew
Please note: this is a ticketed event, but will be livestreamed on the Diocese of Grand Rapids website.
Mass of the Lord’s Supper: Thursday, April 17 at 7:00 p.m. Please maintain sacred silence as you depart from Mass. PLEASE NOTE: Incense WILL be used at this Mass.
Reposition of the Blessed Sacrament: Thursday, April 17 immediately following the Mass of the Lord’s Supper until Midnight in the Parish Life Center (PLC). Please maintain sacred silence. All the faithful are invited to join Fr. Tony and Fr. Weber at 11:55 p.m. for Compline (Liturgy of the Hours). Please enter silently through Door E and gather in the PLC no later than 11:45 p.m. if you would like to participate in this beautiful experience. Please use this document, created by Fr. Weber, as a guide to prepare you.
Good Friday Liturgy with Veneration of the Cross: Friday, April 18 at 1:00 p.m. PLEASE NOTE: Incense WILL NOT be used at this Liturgy.
Easter Vigil: Saturday, April 19 at 9:15 p.m. The faithful are invited to join us on the north lawn (outside Door D) for the Lighting of the New Fire at 8:50 p.m. PLEASE NOTE: Incense WILL be used at this Mass.
Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord: Sunday, April 20 at 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. PLEASE NOTE: Incense WILL be used at both the 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. Masses.
Reconciliation Schedule
PLEASE NOTE: The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be offered in the Reconciliation Rooms off the Eucharistic Chapel. Please enter through Door C. A handicap accessible entrance is located at Door D. Handicap parking is available by Door D.
Wednesday, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.: March 5, 12, 19, 26; April 2, 9, 16
Saturday, 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.: March 8, 15, 22, 29; April 5, 12
No Reconciliation offered on Holy Saturday
Parish Reconciliation Service: Thursday, March 20, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary
Multiple (8-10) priests will be available to hear confessions.
The Light is ON for You – an Evening of Penance: Thursday, April 3, 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Calendar of Events
March 5: Ash Wednesday
Mass at 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
March 7: Stations of the Cross
6:30 p.m. in the main Sanctuary
March 9: First Sunday of Lent
Rite of Election (RCIA)
3:00 p.m. at the Cathedral of Saint Andrew
March 14: Stations of the Cross
6:30 p.m. in the main Sanctuary
March 15 – 18: Parish Mission
View the Event Page here!
March 16: Second Sunday of Lent
March 20: Parish Reconciliation Service
6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary
March 21: Together In Christ Fish Fry
4:30 – 6:30 p.m. in Newminster Hall
RSVP Required!
Stations of the Cross
6:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary
March 23: Third Sunday of Lent
First Communion Retreat
1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
March 28: Stations of the Cross
6:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary
March 28: Fourth Sunday of Lent
April 3: The Light is ON for You
5:00 – 8:00 p.m. in the Reconciliation Rooms
April 4: Stations of the Cross
6:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary
April 6: Fifth Sunday of Lent
Art & Environment Donations Due!
April 11: Stations of the Cross
6:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary
April 13: Palm Sunday
April 15: Chrism Mass
7:00 p.m. at the Cathedral of Saint Andrew
(Ticketed Event)
April 17: Holy Thursday
Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7:00 p.m.
Reposition of the Blessed Sacrament
in the PLC until Midnight
April 18: Good Friday
Liturgy with Veneration of the Cross at 1:00 p.m.
April 19: Blessing of the Easter Food
12:00 p.m. in the main Sanctuary
Holy Saturday
Easter Vigil Mass at 9:00 p.m.
April 20: Easter Sunday
April 21: Easter Monday
Offices & School CLOSED
Living the Season
2025 Parish Mission featuring Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers
Join us for an inspiring and transformative Parish Mission from March 15-18, 2025, led by the one and only Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, renowned globally as the “Dynamic Deacon.” As one of the most sought-after speakers in the Church today, Deacon Harold brings a powerful, passionate, and no-nonsense approach to living and proclaiming the Catholic faith. His message will challenge, inspire, and deepen your commitment to Christ and His Church.
This mission is a unique opportunity to deepen your faith, encounter Christ in a new way, and be inspired to live out your call as a disciple. Whether you’re a teen, a young adult, or a lifelong member of the Church, this event promises to be a life-changing experience.
Don’t miss out—mark your calendars, invite a friend, and prepare to be transformed!
EUCHARISTIC ADORATION
Sign up for your Holy Hour here! Please enter through Door C. A handicap accessible entrance is located at Door D.
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
The Stations are located in the Southeast corner of the Sanctuary. Enter through Door B. Handicap parking is available by Door D and the entrance is fully accessible.
Together In Christ Fish Fry
Cost: $15 per individual or $55 for a family of 4+ members. Must RSVP by Monday, March 17.
Art & Environment Donations
Help enhance our Sanctuary for the Easter season by making a donation in memory of a loved one.
Celebrate CRS Rice Bowl’s 50th Anniversary!
Fifty years ago, Catholics in Allentown, Pennsylvania, organized to bring help to families facing famine in Africa. That help came in the form of a small cardboard box, marking the beginning of “Operation Rice Bowl.” Today, as we celebrate CRS Rice Bowl’s 50th anniversary, the program is a tradition for millions of Catholics in the United States who continue to answer the Gospel call, supporting families experiencing hunger around the world. Pick up your CRS Rice Bowl from the Narthex OR make a donation online at https://www.crsricebowl.org/.
CRS Rice Bowl Quick Facts:
1) 75% of your donation supports Catholic Relief Services work around the world.
2) 25% of your gift stays in each US diocese for hunger and poverty alleviation efforts.
3) Rooted in the history of the Eucharistic Congress, CRS Rice Bowl began in 1975 as a way for families in the US to share their blessings with communities experiencing hunger around the world.
Special Resources
Magnificat Lenten Companion 2025
Lent is a time to refocus our hearts and revive our love of the Lord and one another. The Magnificat Lenten Companion will guide you through the Forty Days of Lent (from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday). They are available to pick up from the Narthex the weekend of March 1 & 2.
Designed in a convenient, easy-to-use format:
- Inspiring daily reflections from some of the most gifted Catholic writers
- Faith-filled essays
- Prayers, poetry, and devotions
- Meditations for the Way of the Cross
- A treasury of spiritual insights
By spending a few moments meditating on the inspiring daily reflections and the short prayers that follow them, you will accompany Jesus through his Passion and Death, emerging on Easter Sunday to the overflowing joy of his Resurrection.
Let the profound yet practical insights you will find in this little spiritual treasury form and focus your spiritual life, filling it with new conviction and purpose.
Enjoy these Advent resources, available through FORMED®. To access these resources (and other exceptional Catholic content), sign up for your FORMED® account today! Your access is compliments of St. Robert of Newminster Parish. Visit signup.formed.org and enter our zip code (49301) to select our parish. Contact Teresa Burns with any questions at TBurns@StRobertChurch.org.
Interactive Daily Calendar
Let us guide you through these 40 days with new ideas for each day on FORMED! Please note that new episodes of Daily Bread and Drawing Closer to God aren’t accessible until the day of their release noted in the calendar, but you can simply opt in to email reminders to receive each video directly in your inbox once episodes are released. May God bless you abundantly through these Lenten resources!
Daily Reflections
Each daily reflection is a short video that features Dr. Tim Gray commenting on the daily Mass readings, explaining the Scriptures, and providing you with concrete ideas on how to apply them to your life. Dive deeper into the joys and mysteries of Sacred Scripture with Dr. Gray and enjoy the richness of the liturgical seasons like never before.
Explore the biblical roots of the Eucharist and how the earliest Christians understood it as the fulfillment of many Old Testament promises. Based on Dr. Brant Pitre’s book Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist, these daily Lenten reflection videos will radically transform your love for the Blessed Sacrament.
Learn and pray with Brother Francis in any of the four seasons offered below!
Season 1: Daily Meditations (New This Year)
Season 2: Lent is a Time to…(Four-part Series)
Weekly Reflections
Fr. John Burns invites you on a pilgrimage this Lent using Return. Fr. John will guide you through the most difficult season of the Church, yet also the most transformative. Are you ready to enter the desert and experience the richness of the Paschal Mystery?
Take a healing journey with Sr. Miriam James Heidland, SOLT, as she helps you turn away from what wounds you and toward God who heals you and makes you whole. Each week, Sr. Miriam will lead you to meet the tenderness of God’s mercy, the power of his love, and the restoration of your heart and life as you practice prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and sacrifice.
Resources for Teens
The Search Begins emphasizes why a teen should care to ask life’s tough questions and, ultimately, seek an answer to this most important question: Who is Jesus Christ, and how do I respond to his invitation?
Time and again, the people of God are called to ‘be courageous’ and ‘be not afraid.’ Yet, we live in a time where fear seems to guide our very existence. Don’t miss this exciting series with a special guest each week as we seek to follow Jesus into the wilderness this Lent.
For Parents
Do you ever feel like it’s almost impossible to raise holy kids who love God (and sit still in Mass!) in our modern world? You’re not alone. The Catholic Parent aims to encourage you, as a mom or dad, as you embrace your God-given role to form your family in the richness of the Catholic faith.
Watch The Mission of the Family, a five-episode video series created by the Knights of Columbus, that explores God’s incredible design for marriage and the family. Be inspired by the encouraging stories of spouses and families living out the Lord’s plan for their holiness.
Additional FORMED Resources
In this collection are resources to help the faithful deepen their understanding of various Lenten days, practices, and devotions. You can find resources on prayer, the mystery of Christ’s Passion, the roots of Holy Week found in Judaism, and many things to help guide the faithful through the holiest days in our liturgical year—the Triduum. This playlist includes resources for growing disciples, from preschool to high school!
Triduum: A Spiritual Pilgrimage is a beautiful, 30 minute contemplative documentary. This film cinematically walks through the locations of the Holy Week story, re-presenting the most important days of human history. Immersed in the real and sacred places of the Holy Land, the pilgrim faithful is brought tangibly nearer to the story, the landscape, and the reality of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.