Lent

It’s finally spring and with the thrill of opening the windows on that first warm day comes spring cleaning. The latest craze in organization calls for people to rid their homes of objects that don’t “spark joy.” But even if something…

1. Attend the Chrism Mass  At Mass on the morning of Holy Thursday or another day near Easter, each diocese’s bishop consecrates the Holy Chrism that will be used throughout the year. Two other oils are also blessed on this occasion; the…

Last year was the first year in my entire life that I took the time to understand that Lent is a time to change your life for God, not sacrifice things you like such as coffee or candy. It’s that simple. It’s about using your time and…

1. Read the Bible daily. Make time every day to read a passage from Scripture. By daily immersing yourself in the stories and lessons of Scripture, you will better prepare yourself for Easter. If you go to the United States Conference of…

Attend Easter Vigil Mass The Easter Vigil is the perfect celebration of Easter, starting with the beauty and silent meditation as the church is lit solely with candles. This celebration of Jesus’ resurrection is beautiful and emotional,…

At the very heart of the Catholic Mass, the priest turns to the people and lifts up the chalice and consecrated bread that has become the body and blood of Christ. He repeats the words of St. John the Baptist when he saw Jesus coming to him…

Beginning with Sunday Mass, there are countless ways to get in touch with the Church’s spirit of Lent. There are plenty of opportunities to engage in prayer, fasting, and charity. Here are some activities you can use to enter into the…

Let’s face it, there are plenty of us who could stand to go to confession more often. And we have a duty to receive the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. According to the Church’s command, “after having attained the age of…

At a recent meeting with young Catholic men this past Mardi Gras, we talked about the upcoming Lent season, why it is so important to us as Catholics, and why we should try to give something up in preparation for Easter. We then went around…

For someone like myself who lives in the Northeast, Lent can be a rather dreary time of year. The weather is miserable, the motivation for work is nowhere to be found, we’re past the charm of winter and well before the beauty of spring. It…