by Mary Farrow Washington D.C., Feb 27, 2022 / 03:03 am “Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return.” Or, “Repent and believe in the Gospel.” On Ash Wednesday, millions of Catholics throughout the English-speaking world will hear one of these two blessings as a priest applies ashes …

By Mary Farrow Denver, Colo., Feb 18, 2023 / 07:00 am Sunday, Feb. 5, was Septuagesima Sunday, followed by Sexagesima on Sunday, Feb. 12, and Quinquagesima Sunday on Feb. 19, which is the last Sunday before Shrovetide, which culminates in Shrove Tuesday — more popularly known as Mardi Gras. If all …

Lent is sort of like a reset button for our faith. We take this time to remove anything and everything that gets in our way of being disciples of Jesus Christ. As Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk reminded us at a 12:10 Mass at St. Louis several years ago that it’s a …

We Catholics are wild about signs and symbols. We make the Sign of the Cross whenever we pray, worship, enter the church, walk through a cemetery, or even step up to the plate at a baseball game. We wear symbols of our faith on our ears and around our necks; …

March 2 Ash Wednesday Readings: Jl 2:12-18, 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17, 2 Cor 5:20—6:2, Mt 6:1-6, 16-18 Invitation to Prayer: “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.” (Mt 6:1) Reflection: Ash …

For a comprehensive list of Easter Triduum Masses and events, click here April 15 Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion Praying of the Steps Holy Cross Immaculata Mt Adams Midnight.-11:59 p.m. Blessing of the Steps Holy Cross Immaculata Mt Adams Midnight Stations of the Cross Corpus Christi Dayton Noon Way …

by Francesca Pollio Fenton Denver Newsroom, Mar 24, 2022 / 14:30 pm Just when you think you’ve got the Lenten rules down pat, you learn something new. For instance, you probably already are well aware that Catholics are called to abstain from eating meat on all Fridays throughout Lent. But …

“Play” in the spiritual life makes me think of people dressed as clowns at Mass, or hand motions for grade school songs being imposed upon high schoolers, or the sort of unbearably sanguine exuberance that clashes with a sometimes sorrowful reality. I can think of all sorts of shallow and …

by Katie Yoder Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 6, 2022 / 08:30 am Pope Francis highlighted Jesus’ 40-day journey in the desert, where he is tempted by the devil, as an example for the faithful during Lent. “Jesus too was tempted by the devil, and he accompanies us, every one of …

Self-denial is never an end in itself but is only a help toward greater charity—as the life of Saint John Joseph shows. John Joseph was very ascetic even as a young man. He devoted himself even at his youngest years to a life of poverty and fasting. At 16 he …