How to make the most of Lent this year

By The Catholic Week
While Mardi Gras continues throughout the Archdiocese of Mobile, the reason for the frivolity is because of Lent, which begins with Ash Wednesday, Feb. 14. 
Below is information to help make this a meaningful and holy Lent for all.

What is Lent?
Lent is the 40-day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on 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
Ash Wednesday (Feb. 14) and Good Friday (March 29) are obligatory days 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
Three Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion ceremonies will be held throughout the Archdiocese. They begin at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15 at St. Columba Parish in Dothan, followed by 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 17 at St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Auburn and 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24 at the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.
Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi will personally greet 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 held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 26 at the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.
Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi will blessed 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 throughout the Archdiocese of Mobile will also renew their commitment to priestly ministry during this Mass.

Lenten Resource:
Visit Mobarch.org/lent2024 for information regarding confession, Stations of the Cross and fish frys throughout Archdiocese of Mobile.