Lenten Activities
Choose one or more activities for you and your family during Lent.
Watch for new suggestions each week & the Sunday Mass reflections.
For the Family
Daily ActivitiesLenten Prayer (CRS)
God of hope, You journey with us through the desert. You challenge us to become more like Christ. During this Lenten season, may our prayers, fasting and almsgiving give us the courage to go forth from these 40 days in the desert to share our gifts with the world. May our encounter with you allow us to bring your hope to all of our human family. Amen. Lenten Activities & Cross (Good Ground Press)
During the 40 days of Lent, you can create a resurrection cross. Simply download and print the cross (below). It comes with 40-plus activity suggestions that will ready you for the great feast of Easter. The cross is an ideal family project. May this Lent be a time of grace to you. ![]()
My Lenten Calendar - 40 Crosses (Loyola Press)
This Lent children will show their love for Jesus by doing something for him each day. To show what they have done, they will color a cross each day to match one of the good deeds on the calendar.
Lenten Family Calendar (Sadlier)
Designed for families, Sadlier’s Lenten Calendar offers a Scripture passage for reflection and a suggestion for an action, prayer, or contemplation for each day of the Lenten season. Print a copy for your family. ![]()
Lenten Family Calendar (Loyola Press)
Print the Lenten family calendar and post it in a prominent place in your home to help you honor the season of Lent. With ideas for practicing the traditional pathways of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, your family can take simple steps to a meaningful Lent. ![]()
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Serving Those in Need - CRS Operation Rice BowlThrough CRS Rice Bowl, we can share the journey with members of our human family around the world, and commit our Lenten prayers, fasting and almsgiving to deepening our faith and serving those in need. Go to the CRS website to review the family activities.
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For Parents
Daily Lent Reflection for ParentsDaily Lent Calendar
Develop a habit of connecting to the daily Lent Calendar with short activities for Read-Pray-Reflect-Act each day during Lent.
Best Lent Ever
Best Lent Ever is a free email program that will guide you on an incredible journey toward the-best-version-of-yourself. From Ash Wednesday to Easter, you’ll discover ways to transform your life in forty days.
Living Lent Daily
Subscribe to Living Lent Daily, an e-mail series delivers daily reflections based on the Scriptures of Lent, drawing out lessons of mercy. The messages also include suggestions for further exploration of Lenten themes through additional online articles and prayers.
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Weekly Sunday Worship & Activities
Sunday, April 7, 2019: Fifth Sunday of Lent - John 8:1-11
Be sure to continue with your Lenten activities this week.
Symbol for the WeekPlace a clear glass bowl with rocks at the center for your table. Read the story of the Woman Caught in Adultery together as a family once or twice during the week. Pray together daily.
Dear Lord, we give thanks for your gift of forgiveness, teach us to be kind, compassionate, and forgiving to others. |
The Gospel Reading John 8:1-11: www.usccb.org/bible/readings/040719-yearc.cfm
Read a short commentary on the Gospel: Sunday Connection. Take a few moments as a parent to reflect on the story of the Woman Caught in Adultery: www.americanbible.org/resources/lectio-divina Read the story of the Woman Caught in Adultery together as a family: John 8:1-11 Do a coloring page together of the Woman Caught in Adultery. ![]()
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Sunday, March 31, 2019: Fourth Sunday of Lent - Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
Be sure to continue with your Lenten activities this week.
Rembrandt The Return of the Prodigal Son, c. 1661–1669
Prayer for the WeekPray the "Lord's Prayer" daily this week with a special focus on God's love and forgiveness.
Our Father,
who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. |
The Gospel Reading Luke 13:1-9: www.usccb.org/bible/readings/033119-yearc.cfm
Read a short commentary on the Gospel: Sunday Connection. Take a few moments as a parent to reflect on the Parable of Prodigal Son: www.americanbible.org/resources/lectio-divina Read a children's version of the Parable of the Prodigal Son: www.dltk-bible.com/cv/lost_son.htm Do a coloring page together of the Parable of the Prodigal Son. ![]()
Watch a Video of the Story of the Prodigal SonRead a Children's Storybook
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Sunday, March 24, 2019: Third Sunday of Lent - Luke 13:1-9
Be sure to continue with your Lenten activities this week.
Activity for the WeekGather your family and show a spring flower in bloom. Recall that in the fall this flower was a dry bulb (if a flower bulb is available, show this as well). Talk about the hopefulness and patience shown by those who plant flower bulbs in the fall in the hope that they will bloom in the spring. (Place the flower on your dinner table for the week.)
Read aloud part of today's Gospel, Luke 13:6-9. Compare the parable of the barren fig tree to your discussion about spring flowers. Consider the patience and hopefulness that God has with us as he works with us, calling us to return to him when we sin. Offer prayers of thanks and praise to God for his patience and hopefulness towards us. During the week take time to pray Psalm 103. |
The Gospel Reading Luke 13:1-9: usccb.org/bible/readings/032419-yearc.cfm
Read a short commentary on the Gospel: Sunday Connection. Take a few moments as a parent to reflect on the Jesus' Temptation in the Desert: www.americanbible.org/resources/lectio-divina Read the Gospel together: Luke 13:1-9 Do a coloring page together of Jesus and the Fig Tree. ![]()
Read a Children's Storybook
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Sunday, March 17, 2019: Second Sunday of Lent - Luke 9:28b-36
Be sure to continue with your Lenten activities this week.
Symbol of the WeekPlace several large candles in the center for table. Light them each night to remember how Jesus shines brighter than everyone in the story of the Transfiguration.
Read the Gospel story together during the week. Pray this prayer each day. God, your light shines in the darkest corners of our lives. We give you thanks for calling us your own and loving us. Strengthen us with this food and lead us where we will shine your light of love to all the world. Amen. |
The Gospel Reading Luke 4:1-13: www.usccb.org/bible/readings/021019.cfm
Read a short commentary on the Gospel: Sunday Connection. Take a few moments as a parent to reflect on the Jesus' Temptation in the Desert: www.americanbible.org/resources/lectio-divina Read the Gospel together: Luke 9:28b-36 Do a coloring page together of Jesus' temptation in the desert. ![]()
Read a Children's Storybook
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Sunday, March 10, 2019: First Sunday of Lent - Luke 4:1-13
Be sure to continue with your Lenten activities this week.
Symbol of the WeekPlace a bowl of sand on the table. During the week do a Sand Art project. After telling children the story of Jesus in the desert, talk about how dry it must have been in the desert. Hand out construction paper with flowing, horizontal lines across the page to divide it into three or four sections. Have the children apply glue with glue pens to each section and then sprinkle colored sand on to each section.
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The Gospel Reading Luke 4:1-13: www.usccb.org/bible/readings/021019.cfm
Read a short commentary on the Gospel: Sunday Connection. Take a few moments as a parent to reflect on the Jesus' Temptation in the Desert: www.americanbible.org/resources/lectio-divina Read the Gospel together: Luke 4:1-13 Do a coloring page together of Jesus' temptation in the desert. ![]()
Watch a Video of Jesus Being Tempted in the DesertRead a Children's Storybook
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