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LIVING THE SPIRIT OF LENT
[Lent and Its Meaning]
[Lenten Foods and Recipes]
[Observing Lent in the Family[
The word
“Lent” comes from Middle English and means “springtime”.
Like the season of spring, this is a time of renewal.
Catechumens
spend concentrated time in study and prayer during Lent. It is a preparation for
their re-birth in Christ through Baptism at the
Easter Vigil. Members of the faith community join them.
Through forty days of
Lenten prayer and penance the entire Christian community prepares to
celebrate the redemption of Jesus Christ at Easter, the greatest feast of
the Church.
Lent
begins on Ash Wednesday and climaxes during Holy Week with Holy
Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil.
The color for Lent is purple, a sign of penance and prayer.
To
learn more about the season of Lent, click on the following links:
The History of
Lent
Abbot Dom Gueranger O.S.B.describes the observance of Lent from the
days of the early Church to the present.
Preparing
for Lent
Suggestions for thinking, praying and setting the stage for the changes
that we hope to introduce into our lives in the weeks ahead.
The
Journey of Lent
Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday and reflections
on Lent
Choosing
and Acting Lent
Choices and acts that that will help us
during our Lenten journey.
Catholic
Roots of Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras is celebrated with a great deal of festivity in New Orleans
each year on the Tuesday prior to Ash Wednesday.
Do you know about the Catholic roots of this holiday?
Frequently
Asked Questions about Lent
From American Catholic – Why Ashes on Ash Wednesday, Fast and
Abstinence, etc.
The
Significance of Ashes on Ash Wednesday
What do the ashes mean? How are we called to live out that meaning?
A
Lenten Retreat
The Jesuits from Creighton University offer an online Lenten
retreat. Conferences may be downloaded from their website.
Lenten
Prayer, Fasting, Abstinence and Almsgiving
Online
Stations of the Cross
When you cannot get to Church to pray the
Stations of the Cross, pray them online during Lent. As you enter
the opening page of this website, also links to additional prayers
and meditations on the passion of Christ (bottom of the page).
Plants to
Look at During Lent
A look at the Passion Flower and cruciferous plants.
LENTEN PRACTICES AT OUR LADY OF REFUGE
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Daily Mass During
Lent |
Masses are at 8:00 AM
and 5:30 pm on weekdays and at 8:00 am on
Saturdays
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Stations of the
Cross
Stations of the Cross are on Friday evenings at 7:30 pm
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Fasting and
Abstinence
● Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fast and
abstinence.
● Fridays
of Lent are days of abstinence.
● The rule
of fasting binds all over 21 and under 59 years of age.
● The rule
of abstinence binds all over the age of 14. |
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LENTEN
FOODS
AND RECIPES
Foods of the
Lenten Season - Pancakes, Pretzels and Hot Cross Buns
 Pretzels,
Pancakes and Hot Cross Buns are traditional foods of the Lenten season.
Click on the above link to read about the rich history of these foods, and
customs surrounding them which date back many centuries
Shrove Tuesday
- Pancake Day (the Day before Ash Wednesday)
Catherine Fournier explains the origin of
customs celebrated the day before Ash Wednesday - ie, Shrove Tuesday or
"Pancake Day". She then provides recipes for various kinds of
luscious pancakes.
Cooking
Lent
Suggestions for bringing together meal preparation and spirituality.
Recipes and prayers.
Making Bread
If you're going to fast on bread and water, you want it to be good bread,
don't you? Everyone in the family can help make bread.
Lenten
Recipes
The Diocese of Trenton, NJ offers ideas for meatless Lenten meals.
OBSERVING LENT
IN THE FAMILY
Exploring Lent
Mary Ellen Vice describes ways in which the family can become more
involved in the Eucharist, fasting, abstinence, almsgiving and prayer
during the Lenten season.
Family
Faith Traditions – Lent
Practices and suggestions for families
with smaller children.
The
Family’s Stations of the Cross
Brief Stations of the Cross for use in the
family. Can be prayed at
home. Pictures can be colored
by the children.
Faith
at Home – Lent
Tips and ideas for observing Lent in the home
Lenten Family Reading Series
Scripture readings for each night of family prayer in the home - to
bring about a deeper understanding of the meaning of Lent and preparation
for Easter.
Lenten Theme Crossword Puzzle
An activity for a family evening together at home.
Lenten
Cross
Similar to the Jesse Tree – the Lenten cross is built each day during
Lent. It provides Old
Testament readings which lead to the story of the crucifixion.
Praying
through Lent
Prayers and activities for adults and children – e.g., Stations of the Cross, Heart Prayer ,
etc.
[To Top of Page]
[Lent and Its Meaning]
[Lenten Foods and Recipes]
[Observing Lent in the
Family[
Change My Heart O God Sequence by Kevin
Crowell - http://members.tripod.com/~kcrowell/ |