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|||
St. Joseph Parish
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  • Join Us
    • Mass
      • Mass & Confession Times
      • Mother's Spiritual Bouquet
    • Church & School
      • New Members
      • St. Joseph School
      • Staff
      • Mission & Vision Statement
      • Our History
    • Communication
      • Bulletins
      • How Can We Help
      • Contact Us
      • Website Suggestions
  • Pray
      • Pope Leo XIV Daily Prayer
      • BEHOLD Holy Hour
      • Parish Center Chapel
      • Prayer Resources
      • Sorrowful Mother Novena
  • Worship
    • Sacraments
      • Baptism
      • Holy Communion
      • Confession
      • Confirmation
      • Holy Matrimony
      • Holy Orders
      • Anointing of the Sick
    • Liturgy & Worship
      • Adoration
      • Altar Server
      • Art & Environment (Church Decor)
      • Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion
      • Funerals Ministry Team and Choir
      • K-8 Liturgical Ministry Sign-Up
      • Lector
      • Music Ministry
      • Sacristans
      • Ushers
    • Lent, Holy Week & Easter
      • Lent
      • Palm Frond Weaving
      • Stations of the Cross
      • 7 Church Pilgrimage
      • Triduum for Kids
      • Fast, Pray & Give Alms
      • St. Joseph Table
  • Formation
    • National Eucharistic Revival
      • Eucharistic Revival
    • Adults
      • Scripture Studies
      • Be Formed
      • FORMED.org
      • Resources for Gender Issues
      • Q&A with Fr. Bill
    • OCIA
      • Want to be Catholic? OCIA
      • Catholics Returning Home
    • High School
      • St. Joseph Youth Ministry
    • K-8 Registration
      • K-8 Liturgical Ministry Sign Up
      • K-8 RE Registration
      • K-8 RE Payment
    • Religious Ed (K-6)
      • Religious Education
      • RE Calendar
      • First Holy Communion
      • Communion Permanent Record Form
    • Confirmation (7-8)
      • Confirmation
      • Confirmation Calendar
      • Confirmation Forms and Documents
    • Children
  • Ministry
    • Get Involved
      • Getting Involved Form
      • Be a Catechist
      • Protecting God's Children
      • Volunteer Eligibility Form
      • PGC Donation
    • Administration
      • Finance Committee
      • Pastoral Council
      • School Advisory Board
    • Outreach & Support
      • Prayer Hot Line
      • Grief Support Group
      • St. Joseph the Worker
      • St. Vincent De Paul
      • Community Kitchen
      • Blood Drive
      • Nursing Home
      • Retrouvaille
    • Groups & Organizations
      • Catholics for Life
      • Knights of Columbus
      • Legion of Mary
      • St. Joseph Cursillo
    • Youth Ministry
      • St. Joseph Youth Ministry
      • SJYM Registration
      • Youth Rosary
      • DISCOVERY Retreat
      • Support Youth Ministry
  • News
      • Bulletins
      • Calendar
      • Event Request Form
      • Jobs
  • GIVE
      • Ways to Give
      • Online Giving
      • Basement to the Bell
      • Manna
      • Special Collections
  • Ash Wednesday 3.5.2025

    • Giving up sweets again?

      • Join St. Joseph's Lenten Challenge instead
      • Simple, brief and always new
      • Actions, Offerings and Opportunities
      • Opt in throughout Lent
      • We're all in this togehter!
    • Success!
    • Fast, Pray & Give Alms

      What the Church teaches

      • Everyone 14 years of age or over is bound to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and all the Fridays of Lent.
      • All from the age of 18 years up to the beginning of their 60th year are bound to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday:
      • On these two days of fast and abstinence, only one full meatless meal is allowed.
      • Two other meatless meals, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken according to each ones needs, but together they should not equal another full meal.
      • Eating between meals is not permitted on these two days, but liquids, including milk and fruit juices are allowed. 
      • When health or ability to work would be seriously affected, the law does not oblige.
      • To disregard completely the law of fast and abstinence is seriously sinful.
      • Lent is the principal season of penance in the Church year. All of the faithful are strongly urged to develop and follow a program of voluntary self-denial (in addition to following the Lenten regulations), serious prayer, and a performance of works of charity and mercy.
      • Those who are sick, pregnant, or nursing, or whose health would adversely be affected by fasting or abstinence, should not consider themselves bound by these norms.
    • Why Fast?

      Fasting is Good for Christian Stewards
      Many who are serious about using the season of Lent for spiritual preparation find that the discipline of fasting helps them in a number of ways. A few reasons to fast during Lent come quickly to mind:
       
      Fasting increases our sense of gratitude.
      We celebrate the blessing of food as coming from the Lord. Our denial of food for a time serves to keep us all the more aware of this essential gift. Moreover, how can we not be grateful when we end our fast? Tasting food again serves to celebrate our discipline, persistence and commitment to prayer during a fast.
       
      Fasting speeds up our journey to self-discovery.
      We are creatures of habit, and eating is a habit. When we fast, it jostles our daily routine. It messes up our schedule. This becomes a perfect time to reflect on our routines and how we want our lives to move forward in a positive manner. Take time ordinarily spent on eating to write a reflection, meditate or engage in some other form of reflection.

  • Why Confess to a priest?

    • Confession Times

      • Wednesday: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM 2nd Wednesday of the Month (check webpage for exceptions)
      • Saturday: 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM In the Side Chapel
      Also available by appointment. Call the Parish Center at 630-964-0216
    • Mass Times

      • Saturday: 5:00 PM EnglishEnglishEN
      • Sunday: 7:00 AM EnglishEnglishEN 9:00 AM EnglishEnglishEN 11:00 AM EnglishEnglishEN 5:00 PM EnglishEnglishEN NO Public 5pm Mass Sunday, March 16 due to Confirmation
      • MonFri 7:00 AM EnglishEnglishEN
      • Saturday: 8:00 AM EnglishEnglishEN
    • Adoration Times

      • Monday: 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM 7:30p Rosary and 8:15p Benediction
      • Tuesday: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
      • Wednesday: 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM BEHOLD Holy Hour - 2nd Wednesday of the Month (Check webpage for exceptions)
St. Joseph Catholic Church
4801 Main Street • Downers Grove, IL 60515

St. Joseph Parish Center regular office hours:
4824 Highland Avenue • Downers Grove, IL 60515
630-964-0216
Mo-Th 9a-4p, Fri 9a-3p
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