Lent Resources

Lent is a 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.

"Each year Ash Wednesday and its resounding invitation to let the Lord raise us up begins a very serious season, a quarantine — a 40-day observance of renewal and penance to seek the Lord Jesus and to accompany Him in His action of salvation for us, His Passion, Death and Resurrection. This salvation is done personally and communally in us, for we are called as the Body of Christ, the Church.
None of us do this alone!"

Daniel Cardinal DiNardo

ARCHGH Lenten Guidelines & Resources

• Fasting: Means significantly reducing one's food intake, often by only eating one full meal and two smaller meals on designated days
• Abstinence: Refers specifically to refraining from eating meat on Fridays during Lent

The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation includes the following:

• Contrition: We identify our sins (through an examination of conscience), express sincere sorrow for our sins, and commit ourselves to not repeating them.
• Confession: We name the sins aloud to the priest.
• Absolution: We are set free (loosened) from our sins by the priest through the words of absolution.

We are invited to come to Reconciliation during this Lenten season. Many of our local parishes will be offering Penance Services. Penance Services are communal in the sense that the faithful gather to acknowledge the effects of sin on the community and to celebrate the liturgy, but penitents don’t confess their sins collectively, nor do they receive a general absolution. Each person makes a private confession with a priest in the confessional during the service.

During the season of Lent, weekly confessions will not be held at St. Clare of Assisi on Thursdays as Father Vincent will be taking part in the Penance Services in the surrounding areas. However, you may still make a confession by appointment or by attending one of these local Penance Services.


This Lenten season, St. Clare of Assisi will be hosting a Lenten Penance Service at 7:00 pm, Thursday, March 27. For the other local Penance Services dates, all held at 7:00 pm except St. Helen, please see the below opportunities:

• 3/11/2025 - St. Paul
• 3/12/2025 - St. Bernadette
• 3/13/2025 - St. Mary of the Expectation
• 3/19/2025 - St. Luke
• 3/20/2025 - Mary Queen
• 3/26/2025 - St. Helen (6:30 pm)
• 3/27/2025 - St. Clare of Assisi
• 4/1/2025 - St. Mary, LaPorte
• 4/3/2025 - St. Hyacinth

On Fridays during Lent at 7:00 pm, we will have Stations of the Cross in the Church. For Fridays during Lent that coincide with First Friday Adoration, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will be held following Stations of the Cross until 9:00 pm.

USCCB Stations of the Cross Resources

Everyone is invited to come to the Knights of Columbus Fish Fry, starting March 7, for all the Fridays in Lent. Come to dinner and stay for Stations of the Cross. Serving hours are from 5:00-6:45 pm. Dine-in and Carryout options are available. 

Come walk with Christ! Join us at noon on Good Friday at St. Clare of Assisi for our youth ministry's re-enactment of the Passion of Christ. In the penitential spirit of Lent, this hour-long production of Living Stations also act as an Examination of Conscience, allowing each of us to look into our own hearts and find the ways we have drifted away from God. The actors, readers, and musicians are here to help you visualize part of Christ’s sacrifice for us. 

FOR YOUTH: Youth can enter more deeply into the Passion of our Lord by joining our Living Stations of the Cross production. There are many roles and ways to serve and help out from acting, reading, setup, costume help and more. Be a part of the annual tradition here at St. Clare's and sign up today. For the practice dates and times, please see the flyer attached or check out our website. If interested, please contact Elizabeth Selmarten.