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. 
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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)

Penitential Practices

The season of Lent has traditionally been a time of prolonged penance for the Christian community. Together we prepare for the great Easter mysteries by  committing ourselves to fulfill our baptismal call to maturity, holiness, service, and community. 

Bishop McGrattan reiterates the importance of works of mercy, which have always been the Church’s witness to “love in action” in every age. They express our mercy, compassion and justice for one another. In the midst of the pandemic, we invite you to read our Bishop’s advice and practical examples on how to care for one another with the spiritual and corporal works of mercy.

Almsgiving

During Lent, we are asked to focus more intently on “almsgiving,” which means donating money or goods to the poor and performing other acts of charity.  As one of the three pillars of Lenten practice, almsgiving is a witness to fraternal charity and  a work of justice pleasing to God. (Catechism of the Catholic Church #2462).  

​​There are several special opportunities for almsgiving through donations. Please visit our Giving page to find ways to donate to your parish community and other ministries in the Diocese.

VISIT OUR GIVING PAGE

Fasting & Abstinence

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are universal days of fasting and abstinence from meat. 

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. 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.   

But how did fasting become such an important means of preparing for the Eucharist and of learning virtue through self-discipline? Read this brief reflection on Lenten Fasting

But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. ~ Mathew 6: 16-18

Daily Reflections in your inbox

Beginning on Ash Wednesday and continuing through all forty days of Lent, receive a daily email with a short video to help you reconnect with yourself and your God through the work of the following speaker and publications. Be open with what God can do in your life with just an email, a short video or an open heart. We invite you to subscribe to one of these daily Lenten Reflections. 

Lenten resources for Families with Children

The following activities might be helpful as we prepare our family to enter once again into Jesus’ Paschal mystery and to renew it in our lives:
Observing Lent with Your Family

The first video will be shared on Ash Wednesday via catholicyyc.ca and diocesan social media (Facebook | Twitter | Instagram).