Pope’s Message for the Season of Lent 2014
For the season of Lent 2014, Pope Francis takes a theme inspired by the words of Saint Paul: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9). The Apostle was writing to the Christians of Corinth to encourage them to be generous in helping the faithful in Jerusalem who were in need. The Holy Father asks: “What do these words of Saint Paul mean for us Christians today? What does this invitation to poverty, a life of evangelical poverty, mean for us today?” He invites us to bear witness to all those who live in material, moral and spiritual destitution the Gospel message of the merciful love of God our Father, who is ready to embrace everyone in Christ. He reminds us that we can do this to the extent that “we imitate Christ who became poor and enriched us by his poverty.” He reminds us that “Lent is a fitting time for self-denial; we would do well to ask ourselves what we can give up in order to help and enrich others by our own poverty. Let us not forget that real poverty hurts: no self-denial is real without this dimension of penance.”
In the SCES RESOURCES section of the SCES website, many resources are provided which could be useful in school, parish and home to promote prayerful reflection and action during the season of Lent.
In the folder Lent & Easter you will find resources such as:
- Daily Prayers and Reflections for Lent – a Powerpoint which provides daily prayers, some based on Stations of the Cross, useful for class lesson or assembly.
- Stations of the Cross – various Powerpoint presentations offering words and images of interest to different age groups
- Ash Wednesday and Holy Week para-liturgies useful for different situations
- Powerpoint templates – a series of templates with background images depicting Lenten, Holy Week and Easter themes. Add your own words to these background designs.
- Notes for Lent – providing some background information which may be useful to children at younger stages
- Spirit of the Season – a liturgical guide to the Season of Lent.
- Reconciliation – materials to support people of different ages to prepare for the Sacrament of Reconciliation
Click on link above or look below for a short lively You Tube video from BustedHalo on the significance of Ash Wednesday & Lent.
SCIAF Lenten Resources
SCIAF is the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund, the official aid and international development charity of the Catholic Church in Scotland. Working in over 16 countries across Asia, Africa and Latin America, SCIAF helps some of the poorest people in the world, regardless of religion, to work their way out of poverty.
SCIAF has provided a range of resources which will promote prayer, almsgiving and fasting during Lent. While some have been created for Lent 2013, other resources from previous years are still accessible.
- Teacher resources
- Assembly PowerPoint
- Fundraising ideas
- Taking action
- Video clips
- Children’s Liturgy
- Children’s Liturgy Activity Sheet
- Stations of the Cross
- Drama performance for Caritas pupils
MISSION MATTERS Scotland
MISSION MATTERS Scotland, which is the gateway to the Catholic Church’s official mission charities, has provided some Stations of the Cross resources (“Small Steps of Love and of Sorrow”), mainly aimed at pupils (“Missionary Children”) in Primary schools:
CAFOD Lenten Resources
CAFOD works with the Catholic Church of England and Wales to raise awareness and inspire commitment to end injustice and poverty in developing countries. On their website they offer various resources to stimulate interest in a range of the issues which concern the world. There are materials for assembllies, liturgical services, religious education etc.
Weblinks to Lenten Resources
The website of the United States Bishops’ Conference provides a downloadable Lenten calendar which includes spiritual suggestions, along with inspirational words from Pope Francis and some of the saints who are remembered during the season of Lent.
Stations of the Cross for our Times. This resource has been designed in Ireland for use by parishes during the Season of Lent to aid reflection on some of the many issues that challenge us at this time. Accompanying Stations of the Cross PowerPoint.
Ash Wednesday resource offers suggestions for a liturgical service and follow-up ideas.
The Grace Cube is a one page sheet which children can use to make a cube offering different forms of Grace before Meals prayers
Lenten Radio Retreat: Weekly radio broadcast from the Bishops in America, based on the Liturgy of the Word from each Sunday in Lent. Archive link to different liturgical cycles.
More weblinks to Lenten resources
- Activities for Lent
- Ashes on Ash Wednesday – Ask Father Mateo
- Ash Wednesday and the Lenten Fast
- Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations
- Exploring Lent
- Fast and Abstinence – CIN
- Heart Prayers During Lent – based on the Catholic Lectionary
- In the Belly of Lent: Jonah and Us – St. Anthony Messenger Magazine Online
- Lenten Music
- Lenten Reading
- Lent: Time to Review Your Life – by Michael J. Daley
- Links for Learners In the Belly of Lent Jonah and Us – by Lynn and Bob Gillen
- Make Your Own Exodus This Lent – by Michael J. Daley
- Meditations and Prayers for Lent and Easter
- The Observance of Lent I
- The Practice of Lenten Practices
- ‘This is not about you’—thoughts for Good Friday.
- Lenten Meditation I – II – III – IV – V