What is Lent?

By The Catholic Week 
As Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18 here is information to help make this a meaningful and holy Lent.
 
What is Lent?
Lent is the 40-day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that began on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown Holy Thursday. It's a period of preparation to celebrate the Lord's Resurrection at Easter. During Lent, we seek the Lord in prayer by reading Sacred Scripture; we serve by giving alms; and we practice self-control through fasting. We are called not only to abstain from luxuries during Lent, but to a true inner conversion of heart as we seek to follow Christ's will more faithfully. We recall the waters of baptism in which we were also baptized into Christ's death, died to sin and evil, and began new life in Christ. (Information courtesy of the USCCB). 
 
Fasting and Abstinence 
Good Friday (April 3) is an obligatory day of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence. The norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. When fasting, a person is allowed to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon members of the Latin Catholic Church from age 14 onwards. If possible, the fast on Good Friday is continued until the Easter Vigil (on Holy Saturday night) as the "paschal fast" to honor the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus and to prepare ourselves to share more fully and to celebrate more readily his Resurrection. (Information courtesy of the USCCB). 
 
Rite of Election 
Four Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion ceremonies will be held throughout the Archdiocese. The first begins Thursday, Feb. 19 at St. Columba Parish in Dothan, followed by a 10 a.m. ceremony Saturday, Feb. 21 at Holy Spirit Parish in Montgomery. Two additional ceremonies will take place Sunday, March 1 at the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception — 1:30 p.m. for the Mobile Deanery and 4 p.m. for the Baldwin Deanery. Archbishop Mark S. Rivituso personally greets candidates and catechumens at the liturgies. The Rite of Election marks catechumens' final phase of their preparation for baptism on the Easter Vigil. The Call to Continuing Conversion is for those baptized in a different Christian denomination but feel called into full communion with the Catholic Church. 
 
Chrism Mass 
The Chrism Mass will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 31 at the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Archbishop Rivituso will bless the Oil of Catechumens and the Oil of the Sick, and consecrate the Holy Chrism. The oils are then used at parishes throughout the archdiocese for anointing. Priests will also renew their commitment to priestly ministry during this Mass. 
 
Lenten Resources
Visit Mobarch.org/lent for confession, Stations of the Cross and fish fry times throughout archdiocese, as well as other resources to help make this Lent meaningful.