St. Francis Xavier and St.

Wendel Religious Education Program

Family Lent Calendar

= a day of abstinence from meat

= a day of fasting and abstinence

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

“Lent is the liturgical season of forty days which begins with Ash
Wednesday and ends with the celebration of the Paschal Mystery
17 February
If you are comfortable,
18 Tape a drawing of a vase 19
on the fridge and label it,
Share a
meatless 20 Choose a family Lenten
offering, such as giving
family meal. Discuss your up desserts, attending
(Easter Triduum). Lent is the primary penitential season in the Church’s take your family to the “Lent.” Each day draw a flower Lenten offerings to be sure all or streaming daily Mass,
liturgical year, reflecting the forty days Jesus spent in the desert fasting and Ash Wednesday liturgy in the vase and watch Lent are doable and sacrificial. or praying a family Rosary
praying” (Catechism of the Catholic Church). and wear ashes all day. blossom.
regularly.
Turn off the
21 today,
After Mass
explain
22 Contact Catholic
Charities (703- 23 24 25 26 27 television,
unplug
the Gospel and 549-1390, www. Invent a new Take stock of how your Lenten Before eating your Pray for the people in the world
family prayer you fasts are going, and refresh the computers,
the homily in catholiccharitiesusa.org/.org) family meal together, who can’t afford to have meat as a and take the phone off the
terms your to see how you can help those can say together each your commitment to them. ask each person to say a regular part of their diets.
day. hook for a half hour to pray a
children can understand. suffering most in the pandemic. spontaneous prayer. family Rosary.
March
28 Before Mass today, pick 1 2 3 4 Think of someone you 5 6
Plan how
Collect stuffed animals or each of Figure out
a saint represented in soft pillows, wash them you can how much At bedtime say, “Let’s
Ask each person to share a don’t like and say three
one of the statues in your church well, and bring them to a local show kindness your family saved by not eating turn our hearts to God and think
game, toy, or treat with someone nice things about him
and find out more about him or nursing home. Older folks love or compassion to meat today, and put that money of him.” Sit in silence together for
else in your home. or her.
her during Lent. soft things to hug. someone else tomorrow. in the poor box at church. a few minutes.

7 8 9 10Encourage each family 11 12 Every 13

Light a candle
in church today
for someone
who passed away or
who needs special help.
14 Laetare Sunday
Have a special meal at home
(or get takeout) to celebrate the
half-way point through Lent.
21 After Mass, light a
candle, and recite
the Apostle’s Creed
as an affirmation
of faith.
Place a time a Ask each person to
crucifix or good deed is make a sacrificial
Ask each family member to Make picture of
done, put a jelly bean offering, such as doing
write a letter to Jesus thanking cookies and share member to perform an Jesus in a central
in a jar. Share the an extra chore without being
him for his sacrifice on the them after dinner examination of conscience. place to keep the
jelly beans at Easter! asked.
Cross. tonight. focus on him.
Make up a box for Serve
15 Pick a friend 16 17 18 a needy family or
homeless shelter.
19 pretzels
as a reminder that
20 Make simple
crosses out of
or neighbor Encourage
Say a short prayer Put canned goods, clothing, Catholics used to fast from milk, construction paper. Write
and perform an all family
before each cross or toiletries, and gently used butter, eggs, cheese, cream, on them, “He died for me,” and
anonymous good deed for him members to
crucifix in your home. toys in it. and meat. post them all over the house.
or her. refrain from bickering today.
Place
22 23 Send a card to 24Give up 25someone
Pray for 26 any final 27 IftoyouConfession
feel comfortable, go
or attend a
Pray for the victims someone who might donations in the
need cheering today. a favorite toy who is sick and box you set up. Make a Reconciliation Service. Then eath
of the pandemici. ice cream afterwards to celebrate
or treat just can’t leave home. family trip to deliver it to its
for today. destination. forgiveness.

28 Have a Palm 29 30 Forgive someone who 31 Get up 15 minutes 1 April 2 3 Dress up a doll in a
Sunday Take a walk hurt you today. Wash and dry each other’s feet white garment and talk
Pray the Stations of the Cross
outside and earlier than usual today in commemoration of Jesus about the Baptismal vows we
procession around today, and meditate on each
look for signs of and pray as a family. washing the feet of his Apostles. renew each year.
the house and take turns one.
playing Jesus. new life.

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