Lenten Activities

"Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return."

Lenten Activities at our Parish

The season of Lent is a time to grow in prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Our parish offers many opportunities to stretch and grow as we journey towards Easter.

Sacrament of Reconciliation: Wednesdays from 6:00-7:00 pm

Stations of the Cross: Fridays at 5:30 pm (Not on Good Friday)

Meatless Lenten Dinners: Fridays after Stations of the Cross from 6:00-7:00 pm

- March 7: Meatless Pasta Dinner by Women's Fellowship

- March 14: FAMILY FLICK FRIDAY & FAMILY FRIENDLY MEAL with proceeds to benefit Topeka North Outreach Operation Backpack

 - March 21: Potato Soup & Tomato Tortellini Soup with proceeds to benefit Topeka North Outreach Operation Backpack

 - March 28: Baked Potato Bar by the Youth Group

 - April 4: Meatless Mexican by Cor Christi Catholic Student Center at Washburn University

 - April 11: Knights of Columbus Fish Fry

Youth Group Supper Club: Every Sunday during Lent from 5:30 - 8:30 pm for youth in 7th grade and older.
Cook and eat dinner together starting at 5:30 followed by activity and prayer!  Make this your Lenten commitment!  

Communal Penance Services:
Sat, 3/29       9:30 am - Most Pure Heart of Mary
Sun, 3/30      2 pm - Mother Teresa
Mon, 3/31    7 pm - Our Lady of Guadalupe
Mon, 3/31    7 pm - Sacred Heart
Wed, 4/2      7 pm - St. Matthew
Thurs, 4/3    7 pm - Mater Dei (Holy Name)
Tues, 4/8      7 pm - Christ the King

Forgiveness Class:
Saturday, April 5th, 9:00-11:30 am at Mother Teresa
Saturday, April 12th, 9:00-11:30 am at Christ the King
To register please text or email: Pat Carter, Stephen Minister, 785-220-0757 or pcarter1223@gmail.com

Guest Speaker: Michael Podrebarac, Wednesday, April 9 @ 6:00 pm

Guest Speaker: Joan Watson, Author of Opening the Holy Doors, Saturday, April 12

Lenten Reflections, Videos, and Programing for FREE on Formed.org

Magnificat Lent Companion: Distributed before Ash Wednesday

"He is waiting for you when nothing else satisfies you." ~ St. John Paul II

Fasting & Abstinence Observances for Lent 

In union with the Church all over the world, Catholics observe the following Lenten practices:

  • Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, all Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence.
  • "Fasting” indicates partaking in only one full meal. Two other lesser meals may be taken, but together they should not equal the main meal. Days of fast also imply abstinence from meat.
  • The norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until 59.
  • The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon Catholics from age 14 onwards.
  • Meatless meal ideas

*Reasons of ill health and pregnancy would excuse one from observing these practices.

Ways to Celebrate Lent in Your Home, Youth Group or Classroom 

Prayer:

  • Attend Mass - If not already attending weekly, commit to going every week before Easer. If already attending weekly, add in one daily Mass each week of Lent.
  • Read Scripture - read the daily Mass reading at dinner or breakfast each day. Those with small children may wish to read only the Gospel. (Find the readings here.) After reading, ask your children "What did you hear?"
  • Thank God - At dinner time have everyone name the things they are grateful for in their lives. Another variation: have everyone share one thing that happened that day for which they are thankful. Being grateful is the beginning of holiness.
  • Examination of Conscience - Make a family examination of conscience, focusing on ways to live out the two Great Commandments—love of God and love of neighbor. Commit to doing one thing during Lent as a family to better live each of these Commandments.
  • Make a Holy Hour - If you don't regularly go to Eucharistic Adoration, start spending an hour (or thirty minutes) each week in front of the Blessed Sacrament. If your church isn't open for adoration, set aside a time of quiet to pray and meditate on the Eucharist.
  • Attend Stations of the Cross - if you cannot physically attend, pray them in your house.
  • Confession - make a point to go to Confession as a family - check your local parish for days and times.
  • Lenten Calendar - daily inspirations Family Calendar
  • Lenten Adventure - Holy Heroes - FREE daily activities for ages 5-12

Fasting:

  • Hunger Meal - set aside time one evening during Lent for a hunger meal. Have a meal of light soup with rice or vegetables along with bread and water. No dessert. The Meal recalls the suffering of the poor and is usually accompanied with prayer and scripture reading. Put the money you saved from having a regular meal in your "almsgiving" fund.
  • Give up - TV for a day, one day each week or a week during Lent. Spend time you would have spent watching TV playing a game, reading a book or even explore the symbols of Lent.
  • Give up - listening to the radio in the car. If your children are in the car with you, spend the time talking. If you are alone spend the time listening to God.
  • Easter Eggs - Put a basket of 40 plastic Easter eggs on your table. Inside each egg put an idea of something to do that day that will bring you closer to God. For example: give up TV, pray for a family member all day, give up candy or snacks for the day, say only kind words today, do a family member’s chore today, etc.

Almsgiving:

  • Create your family "almsgiving" jar —have children decorate a container to use for this. Then use this jar to collect money saved on days of fast and abstinence during Lent. If your children give up candy or pop encourage them to put some of their allowance or money saved by not making those purchases in the almsgiving jar. Make a decision as a family to not spend money on a movie but to stay home and play a game—put that money in the jar.
  • Cardboard cross cutout - Cut a cross out of cardboard, put it in a prominent place in your home. Next to it put a container of pieces of purple tissue or construction paper. Whenever anyone does a good deed they glue a piece on the cross. See if you can fill the entire cross by Good Friday.
  • Letter/Cards - Write a letter to a family member or someone you know who is alone and lonely. Have your children draw pictures to send with the letter.
  • Plant Seeds - Care for them and watch them grow as you grow closer to God through prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
  • Be a Secret Samaritan - Have everyone in your family draw names and then be committed to doing something kind for that person. Don’t tell anyone, God will know and be pleased.

Lenten Pledge:

  • A chance for your group to commit to the ways they will pray, fast, and give alms. You can make it a family pledge, a youth group pledge, or a classroom pledge and then have each member do an individual pledge.

Music for the Season of Lent

Lenten Prayer Almighty and Everlasting God, You have given the human race Jesus Christ our Savior as a model of humility. He fulfilled Your Will by becoming Man and giving His life on the Cross. Help us to bear witness to You by following His example of suffering and make us worthy to share in His Resurrection. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son. Amen.