News & Press Releases

In an effort to provide those who visit this site with up-to-date information regarding events or stories of interest happening within the diocese, the Secretariat for Communications researches and prepares articles and news releases.

Access to the most recent news is available under "News Headlines" on the home page. Copies of old stories are available by accessing the Archives at the end of the News and Press Release section.

Lenten Journal Sent to Catholic Households

March 03, 2000

Lent Begins, a personal journal for Scripture reflection, was mailed to 30,000 Catholic households throughout the diocese this week. During this great jubilee year, Catholics are urged to become a holy people by living out their discipleship, to reconcile and heal relationships, and to deepen their spiritual lives. One of the ways they are encouraged to do this is through the study of Scripture. In order to prepare for the celebration of Easter, it is important to take this time during Lent to reflect on the message of Christ's love and renew a covenant with Him in order to live as He lived, in service to God and others. It is important for Catholics to act upon their faith in a way that relates to what is going on in the world around them and to seek social justice through active participation, not just prayer. It is also a time to focus on reconciliation on both a communal and personal level. The season of Lent is by tradition a time of repentance and conversion. By reflecting on the gospel message and applying it to the here and now, Catholics are given an opportunity to heal broken relationships with other people and to seek forgiveness for their offenses whether through overt acts or omission of good works. In the journal, there is a list of the readings followed by a meditation question and an area to write a reflection. The readings are those used for the Liturgy of the Word for the current Church cycle, B. Each meditation question that follows focuses on some aspect of those readings and requires the reader to reflect on how they are living out the Scriptural message. They are encouraged to then write a brief reflection. It is hoped that these booklets may help the Catholics of the Diocese of Gaylord enter into a deeper faith journey during this holy season. If you did not receive a copy and would like one, contact Candace Neff at the Diocesan Pastoral Center, 517/732-5147 or cneff@dioceseofgaylord.org.