Lenten Resources

Browse the collection of Lenten articles for catechists from the contributors at Catechist’s Journey.

For even more Lent ideas, including the e-mail series Living Lent Daily, visit Lent Resources from Loyola Press.

Keeping the Triduum at Home

This year, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and the cancelling of church services, families have the opportunity to observe the Triduum—the three days of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday—at home. Here are some ideas: Holy Thursday On this day, we recall the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper, Jesus washing the feet of his disciples, and the agony in the garden. To recall the institution of the Eucharist, the […]

Preparing for Holy Week at Home

I find it strangely ironic that, as catechists, we have always expressed a desire for parents to be more involved in their children’s faith formation and now, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, parents have been thrust into this role. The problem is, parents can feel as though they’ve been thrown into the deep end of the pool unless we provide them with the support they need and deserve to form their children in faith. One such […]

Lent: Helping People to Live Differently

Many advertisements not only entice us to purchase a product, but they also invite us to prioritize our lives around an idea. Some of the best examples of this are diet plans, which are no longer just about losing a few pounds but adopting a new lifestyle. When I stroll into the kitchen at Loyola Press during lunchtime, I see various coworkers meticulously preparing their dishes according to the philosophy and strategy of whatever plan […]

Lent Is a Time to “Name the Sin” Without Dwelling On It

Catholics have a reputation for dwelling on sin. “Catholic guilt” is a phrase that many of us are all-too-familiar with. In recent decades, however, there has been a shift away from focusing on sin and avoiding heaping guilt on people. While well-intended (Guilt can indeed be paralyzing for some people.), this shift has resulted in a lack of understanding about the importance of “naming the sin.” In 12-step groups, it is taught that confronting and […]

A Prayer for Fasting

Loving Father, your Son, Jesus, was led by the Holy Spirit into the desert where he fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. There, he learned to rely on you and not on bread alone. May the same Holy Spirit guide me as I enter into this experience of fasting. May this fast remind me of my complete dependence on you and your grace. May it unite me in solidarity with those who suffer from […]

Lent: Learning to Throw a Change-Up to Keep the Enemy Off-Balance

The beginning of Lent often coincides with the beginning of spring training and the reporting of pitchers and catchers, so I can’t help but dip into my bag of sports metaphors to talk about Lent. Lent is an opportunity to step back from ordinary activities and to make some shifts in our approach to life in order to keep “the enemy” off-balance and to deepen our connection with God. It’s the spiritual equivalent of throwing […]

Celebrating Lent: A Season of Sobriety

While Lent is a season of preparation for Easter, right now, for catechetical ministers, is a season of preparation for Lent. With Ash Wednesday looming right around the corner, this is the “acceptable time” for catechetical ministers to be solidifying plans for celebrating the season of Lent with those you teach. That’s right, I said “celebrating!” Lent is not a somber time but a sober time, and achieving sobriety is something to celebrate! We human […]

Stations of the Cross Booklet

We pray the Stations of the Cross to live Jesus’ suffering in his Passion and the love given to him along the way. At each station we stop, pray, and reflect. To help you explore the Stations of the Cross with your group, download our free foldable booklet. The mini-book is designed to be printed on 8½” x 11” paper and includes spaces for children to draw their own pictures or symbols for the stations. […]

The Triduum Is to the Liturgical Year as Sunday Is to the Week

One of the early inspirations in my ministerial career was Gabe Huck, a wonderful liturgist and warrior for social justice. At a workshop he gave years ago about the Triduum, he said, “The Triduum is to the liturgical year as Sunday is to the week.” Of course, Sunday, in Christian tradition, is a day “set apart” from the rest of the week, dedicated to worship, rest, and works of mercy. What Gabe Huck is suggesting, […]

Lent, a Time to (Re-)Learn the Story of Our Salvation—Part 3: Reassurance

Lent is a wonderful time for us to learn or to re-learn the story of our salvation, which is at the heart of our Baptism. How does one go about telling a story, however, that spans several millennia and encompasses 72 books (and thousands of pages) of Scripture? Actually, the entire story of our salvation can be summarized and captured in three words: rescue, restoration, and reassurance. During Lent, I invite you to join me […]

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