Pope Francis was supposed to depart March 1 for his annual weeklong Lenten retreat with senior members of the Roman Curia. As has been custom since 2015, the get-away is being staged at a retreat center in the nearby hill town of Ariccia, about 45 minutes by car outside Rome.
Amid continuing concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, Catholic pilgrims in the Holy Land said they were being cautious but had no regrets about continuing with their pilgrimage.
At one Chinese parish in the Diocese of Brooklyn, the start of Lent came with a message of hope amid concerns about the coronavirus.
For many Christians during Lent, fasting is often a grudging afterthought: smaller meals on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, no meat on Fridays. The idea of fasting, along with prayer and almsgiving, is to repent and grow in faith.
On Ash Wednesday, millions of Catholics around the world will wear a mark of ashes on their foreheads, gathered from the palms that are burned after Palm Sunday the previous year.
Pregnancy during Lent adds an extra layer of anticipation for new life and the glorious shouts of “Alleluia.”
March 6 marked the beginning of the season of Lent and Ash Wednesday liturgies were held throughout the diocese at various parishes.
Lent is a good time to concentrate on fighting the urge to gossip about others and instead trying to correct one’s own faults and defects, Pope Francis said.
Once again, the celebration of Christ’s Passion and Resurrection draws near. In our preparation for Easter, the Church invites us to observe the penitential and grace-filled season of Lent, which commences on March 6 with the observance of Ash Wednesday.
“God must be a Trini!” exclaimed one proud first-grader onstage just before introducing a lively performance that showcased the Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago cultures during the “Carnival Around the World” event May 18 at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Academy (SFA).
