The 2018 Lenten season lasts from Feb. 14 until Apr. 1.
February 9, 2018 — Ash Wednesday, Feb. 14, marks the beginning of Lent, and the Ignatian family has a wide array of resources for prayer and reflection to help guide you through the next 40 days. Bookmark this page and direct others to jesuits.org/lent, as we will continue to update it as resources become available.
First, make sure to read Pope Francis’ 2018 Lenten Message, inspired by words Jesus spoke near the end of his life on the Mount of Olives regarding the end of time: “Because of the increase of iniquity, the love of many will grow cold.”
The Jesuit Conference Office of Justice and Ecology invites everyone to grow closer to creation with a new Lenten calendar focused on vulnerable communities impacted by extractive industries. Additionally, last October the office produced the “Reconciling God, Creation and Humanity” Ignatian examen, which can be used to reflect on care for creation during Lent.
Jesuits of the Maryland and USA Northeast Provinces will be sharing video reflections about what they are doing during these 40 days in preparation for Easter Sunday. An Ignatian Moment: Lenten Jesuit Video Reflections will be updated weekly.
Throughout Lent, Jesuit Refugee Service/USA will be sharing a daily intention to help us focus our on renewing our commitment to refugees. Follow along on social media and share your own intention with #renewwelcome.
The Jesuits in Australia will debut two new prayer resources this year: Slow Lent, a contemplative Lenten resource for use in Catholic schools and other ministries; and daily reflections during Holy Week inspired by the works of Italian painter Caravaggio.
IgnatianSpirituality.com offers a free online retreat based on the book “The Ignatian Workout for Lent” by Tim Muldoon and a list of Lenten resources.
The Ignatian Solidarity Network is hosting a daily reflection series called Break Forth: A Lenten Call to Solidarity, featuring voices from the Jesuit network working for immigration reform, racial equality, criminal justice reform, alleviation of poverty and environmental justice. Subscribe to receive the daily reflections via email.
Loyola Press once again presents Living Lent Daily, an email series that delivers reflections based on the Scriptures of Lent.
7 Ways to Practice Lent, a free eBook by Joe Paprocki of the Catechist’s Journey blog, explores seven Lenten practices and offers prayers and activities. Are You Ready for Lent? is the blog’s collection of Lenten posts, and Lenten Resources for Catechists offers videos, books, activities and prayers.
The Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities has introduced an audio version of the Examen recorded by its Vice President & Consultant for Mission Integration, Dr. Stephanie Russell.
Several Jesuit colleges and universities also have Lenten offerings:
Santa Clara University’s Jesuit School of Theology invites you to participate in A Heart Renewed: Daily Lenten Prayer from the Jesuit School of Theology, an online retreat written by members of the JST community — students, faculty and alumni. Subscribers will receive an email each morning containing a reflection and the listing of sacred texts from Scripture for each day of Lent.
Boston College’s Church in the 21st Century Center website has a list of Lenten resources.
The College of the Holy Cross has published its 2018 Lenten reflection booklet, “Return to Me: Lenten Reflections from Holy Cross,” which can be downloaded as a PDF. It contains reflections written by a variety of Holy Cross students, Jesuits, professors, chaplains, staff and alumni.
Creighton University’s Praying Lent has been updated for 2018 with daily readings, meditations, reflections and prayers. Creighton’s Online Ministries also offers a Lenten audio retreat by Jesuit Father Larry Gillick.
Georgetown University’s Lent Daily Devotional offers brief reflections and prayers written by students, faculty, staff and alumni sent out by email each morning of Lent.
The Lenten Retreat in Daily Life by Loyola University New Orleans “helps you form prayerful habits and the discipline to be able to ‘find God in all things’ in the context of your daily routine, relationships, and activities.”
Read Lenten devotionals posted daily, a project of the Jesuit Center at the University of Scranton, from members of the university community.
Xavier University provides quotes, prayers and other featured resources at its Lent Resources page.
Jesuit and Ignatian prayer sites are another great way to pray during Lent. All three of the following have their own iOS and Android smartphone apps:
JesuitPrayer.org, produced by the Midwest Jesuits, offers daily Scripture, along with an Ignatian prayer for the day and an Ignatian reflection written by Jesuits and lay collaborators.
Sacred Space, run by the Irish Jesuits and Loyola Press, is available in 23 different languages.
Pray as You Go, by the British Jesuits, has downloadable daily audio prayer sessions. Read the site’s advice for a happy and holy Lent.
For Spanish speakers, pray along en español with Loyola Press‘ Recursos cuaresmales and Creighton University‘s Un Retiro “Online.” The Jesuits of Spain provide an online podcast/audio retreat, Rezando voy.
A few Jesuit provinces are offering in-person events:
The Midwest Jesuits are hosting Lenten days of prayer and reflection in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota; Palm Beach Gardens and Naples, Florida; Milwaukee; Omaha, Nebraska; Cleveland and Cincinnati, Ohio; Scottsdale, Arizona; Detroit; and Chicago. Please register as soon as possible to meet the RSVP deadline for each event.
The Office of Ignatian Spirituality of the Maryland and Northeast Jesuit provinces will host Lenten Friday presentations at St. Anthony’s Parish and Tabor Retreat Center in Oceanside, New York.
In the greater Catholic network, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops presents “Raise Up, Sacrifice, Offer,” a new set of daily suggestions for reading, reflection, prayer and action, in addition to a downloadable reflection calendar in both English and Spanish.
Read all the Busted Halo posts about Lent and watch their new video, Lent in Three Minutes.
Learn everything you (or your confused friends) wanted to know about Lent and the Easter season from colorful, easy-to-read infographics on the Archdiocese of Toronto’s Lenten resources website.
