Interest in the subjects of healing, deliverance, and growth in purity and chastity drew scores of Hudson Valley Catholics to the “Blessed Are the Pure of Heart” evening of Lenten recollection at St. Mary’s Church in Kingston on the evening of March 4.

Preached and led by Father Thomas DeSimone, parochial vicar of St. Mary-St. Peter-Presentation-Sacred Heart Parish (Kingston-Port Ewen-Esopus), the evening included a Holy Hour of exposition, adoration, and benediction of the Eucharist, conferences on the subjects of healing, deliverance, purity, and chastity, and social fellowship to conclude the night’s program.

Observed Father Arthur F. Rojas, pastor of St. Mary-St. Peter-Presentation-Sacred Heart Parish, “Our English-language Evening of Recollection this Lent is one more step to fill the hunger and slake the thirst of local Catholics and people of good will for God and his things. This is only one step as part of our program this Lent to fill that hunger and slake that thirst in English and Spanish.”

Father Rojas further elaborated that more Lenten programming in English awaits, as Father Marc Oliver, a retired priest who helps with Masses in the Extraordinary Form at Sacred Heart Church in Esopus, will provide a Gospel Encounter session in English at Sacred Heart Church, 1055 Broadway (Route 9W), Esopus, on Saturday, March 28, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. No prior reservation is required to attend. Furthermore, Stations of the Cross in English will be prayed twice on Fridays of Lent as follows: after the 9 a.m. Mass at St. Mary’s, Kingston, and at 6:30 p.m. at Sacred Heart, Esopus.

St. Mary-St. Peter-Presentation-Sacred Heart Parish serves lower Kingston and the town of Esopus, including the hamlet of Port Ewen, where Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church is located.