Lent is a time of prayer and penance, when Christ wants to lead us back to our baptismal promises of dying to sin and of living for God. We prepare ourselves to enter once again into Jesus’ Paschal mystery and to renew it in our lives.

Dying to sin
During Lent, God’s people seek to put sin out of their lives by uprooting habits and tendencies that are contrary to God’s will. It is a time of conversion, of turning away from our sins and of turning back to God.

Living for God
The Lord Jesus is calling us to be people of praise and prayer, and living signs of his love for all. During Lent, we open our hearts to our Father, so that we may live with Christ for God.

What should we be doing for Lent? Today the Church invites us to prepare for Easter by doing individual penance and penance as a group; by reading God’s word more carefully; by praying more ardently, including sincere prayer for sinners; by giving of ourselves to the service of God’s people.  (Source: CCCB, Living Lent)

Lenten Resources for Family

• Living Lent, a resource from CCCB or observing penitential practices throughout the season 
• Share Lent is an initiative of the Bishops of Canada to help Christians turn toward God and to all God’s children in preparation for Easter. In 2020 the focus is on the needs of the Global South. The liturgical resource includes intentions for the Prayer of the Faithful on page 5. They also provide a Way of the Cross in both pamphlet and power point 
• Illustrated guide to fasting and abstinence
• Daily Lenten Gospel Meditations from Bishop Barron​ 
• Observing Lent with your family - resources & activities

Fasting & Abstinence
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are universal days of fasting and abstinence from meat. While all Fridays are days of abstinence from meat, in Canada “Catholics may substitute special acts of charity or piety on this day.” (Ordo, note 29b and 29d).   

• Anyone over the age of 18 and under the age of 59 are obliged to fast and abstain. 
  • Fasting, in the Latin Church, is the limitation of food and drink – typically to one main meal and two smaller meals ((that together do not equal the regular meal in size), with no solid foods in between. 
  • Abstinence is the refraining from certain kinds of food or drink, typically meat. In lieu of fasting, one may substitute works of charity. 

• Illustrated guide to fasting and abstinence
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Download 2020 Lent and Easter Liturgical Notes from the Office of Liturgy.

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Coming up: Schedule for Lenten Penitential Services in the Diocese of Calgary.