Spirituality
Readings of the holy Mass – First Sunday of Lent
Read or listen to the readings before Mass with the resources below from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, using the New American Bible, Revised Edition.
Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent
One way to prepare ourselves for Lent is to better understand the day that starts it all: Ash Wednesday, March 1. See our package of resources before receiving the ashes that launch our pilgrimage throughout these 40 days.
The rallying cry of seeming contradictions
On Ash Wednesday we are told to blow a trumpet, and not to; to wash our face while showing our ashes; to gather in great numbers yet also to pray in secret. A pastor unpacks the readings for the day and the course ahead for Lent.
Lent as a pilgrimage on which we are not alone
On Ash Wednesday, the person at the desk next to yours or the clerk in the supermarket line each bear the sign of camaraderie that announces each as a fellow pilgrim taking those first steps on a journey we share.
‘They’ll know we are Christians’: The ritual of ashes
Crossing with ashes dates back to the eighth century to begin Ash Wednesday, a sort of Lent-in-microcosm. Lent's 40 days have a biblical association with discipline as we walk with Jesus through the desert.
The poetry of a ‘world without end’
Father Kenneth Doyle in his weekly Q&A explains the meaning of the stylistic phrase at the end of the "Glory be" prayer. He also advises a woman about how to convalidate, or bless, her marriage in the church.
Father Catoir pens his farewell column
As a young man, John Catoir had drifted away from the church that he found unappealing. After discovering a written prayer, he had a conversion, and became a priest who touched lives through his writing for 50 years.
Lent: A special time to probe deeper into prayer
During Lent, Catholics are challenged to embrace the season's three "pillars" -- prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Our resources help explore the Catholic Church's rich traditions of prayers -- for today's Catholics.
Eight ways (at least) to pray during Lent
How can you deepen your prayer life this Lent? Effie Caldarola counts the ways that may be best for you. Remember that God is in control and is infinitely merciful and gracious toward our failings and our efforts.
Seven ‘penitential’ psalms help in our conversion this Lent
Lent calls us to examine our lives, assess our relationship with God and discover where we need to set things right. And the Book of Psalms, with its songs of sin and redemption, is a good start for meditation.