Religious Education

The Season of Lent

On Wednesday, we attending Mass as a whole school for Ash Wednesday. This important event in the Catholic liturgical calendar marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day journey that helps us get ready for Easter, the biggest celebration in the Catholic church. It is a time to prepare our hearts by thinking about how we can be kinder, and grow closer to God.

Lent lasts for 40 days to remind us of Jesus going into the desert for 40 days to pray and prepare for His important work. Just like Jesus, we take this time to focus on what really matters. You will see the colour purple everywhere during Lent. In the Church, purple is the colour of kings, but it is also the colour we use when we are waiting and preparing for something wonderful. It reminds us that we are preparing to celebrate Jesus at Easter.

The Three Pillars of Lent

During Lent, we focus on three simple actions:

Prayer (Talking to God)

We try to spend a little more time being quiet and talking to God. In class, we might start the day with a special Lenten prayer or a moment of reflection.

Almsgiving (Helping others)

We look for ways to help others during Lent. This could be through charitable acts like donating money to Project Compassion, helping a neighbour, or simply being extra helpful at home.

Fasting (Giving something up)

By giving up a small treat or a bit of screen time, we remind ourselves that we don’t need "things" to be happy. It helps us focus on being grateful for what we have.

This year, Pope Leo Pope has issued a message, encouraging us to not only fast from food, but also to “fast from words”. He explains that we need to refrain from using language and words that wound others. 

Pauline Moran

Deputy Principal