Lent is something we do together, as a community of believers, surrounded by the grace of God. We’re not alone; we accompany one another in our journey of repentance. As the Church’s “growing season,” Lent is rich in God’s graces.

Youths ages 5 to 17 who are involved with outdoor troops such as Scouting America, Trail Life, American Heritage Girls, Camp Fire, Troops of St. George and the Federation of North American Explorers are invited, along with their families, to the retreat April 17-19, which will be held for the first time at the O’Dwyer Retreat Center in Sparks. 

A familiar Lenten program of Catholic Relief Services — the official relief and development agency of the Catholic Church in the U.S. — CRS Rice Bowl offers faith communities in every diocese throughout the United States the opportunity to put their faith into action.

Servant of God Thea Bowman (1937–1990) was a trailblazer in almost every role: first African-American religious sister from Canton, Mississippi, first to head an office of intercultural awareness, and the first African American woman to address the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

So, dinner was a little bumpy. But then my sister pulled out a pan of fresh apple crisp—still warm from the oven—for dessert.