Archbishop Jerome Listecki will be joining Pope Francis and Bishops around the world in consecrating Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary next Friday, March 25. The consecration ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. Pope Francis has invited all Catholic Bishops to hold a consecration ceremony at the same time as he will be at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. People are welcome to attend the ceremony at the cathedral, or they can watch via live stream from a link on the archdiocesan website. Since March 25 is the Solemnity of the Annunciation, the Friday obligation to abstain from meat is lifted. However, people may want to consider voluntarily maintaining Lenten abstinence as a penitential gesture in solidarity with the suffering of the people of Ukraine.