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Why this Lent is more important than usual

By John Norton. The Church needs all of us to take Lent especially serious this year. Free access for all visitors.

Why self-control is necessary during Lent — and everyday life

By Emily Stimpson. In our no-holds-barred culture, those who exercise restraint have better lives. (Subscription required)

When Down Is Up

Each year, Lent seems to sneak up on us, challenging us to reexamine the genuineness of our faith.

What Is Out of Order?

Homily Background for February 26, 2012 - Year B. (Subscription required)

We Grieve With Hope

Homily Background for April 10, 2011 - Year A. (Subscription required)

We cried and he died

Lent helps us appreciate deeply that salvation comes through calling upon the name of God.

To slake our thirst

In the wilderness of today, we cannot survive spiritually without the living water -- Jesus

To Die With Him

Homily Background - March 9, 2008 - Year A

Thou Art God, and I'm Not

Homily Background for February 21, 2010 - Year C

The World or Christ?

Homily Background for March 25, 2012 - Year B. (Subscription required)

The Way of the Cross

By Joseph Weigman. In addition to finding the "right" words to pray, one must find the "right" Stations of the Cross with which to pray.

The Triduum

By Father Patrick M. Carrion. When you think you have seen it all, there is always next year! (Subscription required)

The Temple of Christ’s Body

Homily Background for March 11, 2012 - Year B. (Subscription required)

The Source of the Water

Homily Background for March 27, 2011 - Year A. (Subscription required)

The secret fire within Mother Teresa

This article has free access for all visitors. Through this world-famous missionary God gave each of us simple message for our hearts

The Fasting Track

This article has free access for all visitors. By Victor M. Parachin. Sixteen great reasons to fast

The 40-Day Shape Up

Homily Background for February 3, 2008 - Year A

Tested and tried

By Carl E. Olson. Christ’s triumphs over temptation in the desert and the garden led to the cross — our source of hope. (Subscription required)

TCA Reviews

TCA Reviews for March/April 2012. (Subscription required)

TCA Life

The Catholic answer to your questions about sacraments, liturgy, traditions, canon law and faith in everyday life.

Some Late Lenten Reading

By Father Mark G. Boyer. Spirituality of fasting, seeing as the mystics, and the environment covered. (Subscription required)

Self-denial prepares path to our Heavenly Father

It allows us to overcome our attachments to possessions

Season of Lent is a Timeto Come Closer to God

Msgr. Owen F. Campion

Season of Lent is a Time to Come Closer to God

Editor's opinion by Msgr. Owen F. Campion

Saving an unborn baby's life: Priceless

Texas state senator wants to pay women to not abort their babies.

Robert P. Lockwood: A feast of memories

We Catholics mark our lives through liturgical year — both the ordinary and the extraordinary times

Resisting temptation

In Lent, we must recognize our guilt, admit sins and follow the Lord through the desert

Reflect on financial mistakes, but recommit to goals this Lent

By Phil Lenahan. Take time this season to address financial shortcomings and plan for the future

Readers share how they die to themselves at Lent

Responses to OSV's question range from common, such as forgoing sweets, to unusual, such as not crossing legs.

Put It Into Practice

Homily Background for March 6, 2011 - Year A. (Subscription required)

Prudent course

This editorial column has free access for all visitors. There’s no better liturgical season for reclaiming prudence than Lent, with its emphasis on prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

Praying Prayer Again for the First Time

Priestalk by Father Patrick M. Carrion. We read the same prayers over and over, and sometimes they are just words; other times they hit us between the eyes

Pope’s guide to ‘exiting the illusion of self-sufficiency’

This column has free access for all visitors. By John Norton. Pope Benedict XVI's thought-provoking message to Catholics for the start of Lent

Parents need to limit kids' screen time

Families can try fasting from all electronic media during Advent, Lent, expert advises

Our Take: A Lenten call for concern, correction

As hard as it is to believe, Lent is nearly upon us.

Our Take: A fish story that’s food for thought

Abstinence is making a sacrifice that feels like a sacrifice.

Openers: Why we need to make sure that Lent is ‘for us’

This column has free access for all visitors. By John Norton. Cardinal Francis George addresses divisions in the Catholic Church in the U.S. and disputes over the Church's role in civil society

Openers: Keeping Catholic minds 'fearless, thirsty and supple'

By John Norton. Lenten reflection that goes to the heart of how we should be going about our religion

Nothing fishy about fasting

Denying and abstaining during the season have a long history in the Church and help separate people from this passing world.

Marked for life

Fasting, almsgiving and, above all, prayer help us develop a spiritual 'game plan,' not just for the Lenten season but for all of our days

March 9, Ash Wednesday

Our Sunday Visitor's My Daily Visitor, reading, feast of the day, saint, Bible verse, meditation, and prayer.

March 31, Wednesday of Holy Week

Our Sunday Visitor's My Daily Visitor, reading, feast of the day, saint, Bible verse, meditation, and prayer.

March 24, Saturday Lenten Weekday

Our Sunday Visitor's My Daily Visitor, reading, feast of the day, saint, Bible verse, meditation, and prayer.

March 20, Second Sunday of Lent

Our Sunday Visitor's My Daily Visitor, reading, feast of the day, saint, Bible verse, meditation, and prayer.

Making Lent more meaningful

This article has free access for all visitors. Many families develop traditions that can be carried into rest of year.

Listen and Respond

Homily Background for March 20, 2011 - Year A. (Subscription required)

Listen a Little Better

Homily Background for February 28, 2010 - Year C

Light along desert path

Transfiguration is a reminder that the glory and the presence of God is indeed with us

Lenten traditions from around the globe

By Woodeene Koenig-Bricker. See how Catholics mark the penitential season internationally, and what customs you might want to incorporate into your own devotions

Lenten page-turners

This article has free access for all visitors. By Mitch Finley. Out-of-the-box reading for penitential season

Lenten mission: Tuning out, turning off and listening

This column has free access for all visitors. By John Norton. We need to make a conscious effort to quiet ourselves so we can hear God

Lent: The Pursuit of Perfection

By Msgr. Owen F. Campion. Loving Christ is more than a general attitude. (Subscription required)

Lent: Discipline for the Soul

This article has free access for all visitors. Renewed determination to be with God in prayer is an essential component of Lent

Lent 2010: Do we really have to get more penitential?

This editorial column has free access for all visitors. Many Catholics have been giving up and going without for the past 18 months. How do we gear up for the next 40 days?

Is something fishy here?

By Msgr. M. Francis Mannion. The Lenten abstinence rules are derived from the days when meat was a luxury item

In the Light of Jesus

Homily Background for April 3, 2011 - Year A. (Subscription required)

In Focus: Your Guide to Lent

This article has free access for all visitors. What are you doing for Lent this year? FREE PDF poster download.

In Focus: When it comes to sacrifice, mother knows best

By Emily Stimpson. Believe it or not, everything you need to know about sacrifice, you learned from her

In Focus: The Definitive Guide to Lent

This season, take the opportunity to respond to God's call to improve your life

In Focus: God's Love: It's to die for

The penitential practices during the 40 days of Lent allow Catholics to live out their covenant love for their Father.

I Hate Lent . . . and I Hope You Do Too

By Father Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R. (Subscription required)

How we can avoid the lure of temptation

By Carl Olson. Lent is our opportunity to reject that which prevents us from following God’s will for us

How traditional Lenten practices can make us better stewards

By Phil Lenahan. Fasting and almsgiving build up the virtues of temperance and charity. (Subscription required)

How to get the most out of this Lenten season

Openers by John Norton

How fasting fuels spiritual growth, charity

This article has free access for all visitors. By Mary DeTurris Poust. The ancient practice has fallen out of fashion among Catholics, but it helps us detach from the material world and creates an empty space for God to fill

Homily Background: March 4, 2007

As we practice our Lenten sacrifices we should be learning what we can live without today so that we can have a something better tomorrow.

He said, 'I Am who Am'

Lent is a microcosm of the mountains and deserts that every Christian travels between.

Have I Forgotten God?

Homily Background for February 19, 2012 - Year B. (Subscription required)

Gospel vs. greed

Editorial

God's Culture

Homily Background for February 14, 2010 - Year C

Gift of purification

By Carl Olson. Just like the Samaritan woman at the well, we can be transformed through our encounters with Christ. (Subscription required)

From the Table to the Cross

By Alfred McBride, O. Praem.

Following in Christ's footsteps

Devotion was developed for those who could not travel to Jerusalem

Focus on Imitation

Homily Background for March 13, 2011 - Year A. (Subscription required)

Finding strength in Lent for troubled and penitential times

This column has free access for all visitors. By John Norton. The spiritual orientation provided in this liturgical season takes (at least some of) the sting out of suffering

February 29, Wednesday Lenten Weekday

Our Sunday Visitor's My Daily Visitor, reading, feast of the day, saint, Bible verse, meditation, and prayer.

February 28, Second Sunday of Lent

Our Sunday Visitor's My Daily Visitor, reading, feast of the day, saint, Bible verse, meditation, and prayer.

February 26, First Sunday of Lent

Our Sunday Visitor's My Daily Visitor, reading, feast of the day, saint, Bible verse, meditation, and prayer.

February 24, Tuesday Weekday

Our Sunday Visitor's My Daily Visitor, reading, feast, saint, Bible verse, meditation, and prayer.

February 24, Friday Lenten Weekday

Our Sunday Visitor's My Daily Visitor, reading, feast of the day, saint, Bible verse, meditation, and prayer.

February 22, Ash Wednesday

Our Sunday Visitor's My Daily Visitor, reading, feast of the day, saint, Bible verse, meditation, and prayer.

February 17, Ash Wednesday

Our Sunday Visitor's My Daily Visitor, reading, feast of the day, saint, Bible verse, meditation, and prayer.

February 16, Tuesday Weekday

Our Sunday Visitor's My Daily Visitor, reading, feast of the day, saint, Bible verse, meditation, and prayer.

Fasting yields multitude of fruits

This article has free access for all visitors. By Emily Stimpson. Now as in the earliest days of the Church, abstaining from food teaches us discipline and vanquishes obstacles between God and us

Fasting Is a Good Thing

Homily Background for February 10, 2008 - Year A

Exactly What is Lent?

During Lent, priests can help people understand that God is not met 'out there' but within through prayer, fasting and self-denial

Evangelical Counsels

By Msgr. Owen F. Campion. All Catholics -- not just Religious-- are called to embrace poverty, chastity and obedience

Entrance exams

The exorcisms during the scrutinies aren't like what you've seen from Hollywood but still evoke power over sin

Christ will give us light

Like the man born blind, we stumble about in darkness and misery until we encounter Jesus

Children of God?

Homily Background for March 4, 2012 - Year B. (Subscription required)

Carl E. Olson: Fulfillment of the cross

Transfiguration reminded apostles of calling, made real their blessing and kept alive their anticipation. (Subscription required)

Becoming a Lent person

We cannot purify ourselves, so turning this season into a 'self-help' project will backfire.

Around the World

In Focus article by Matthew Bunson. While Lent is traditionally a time of fasting and penance, Christians around the world have managed over the centuries to find colorful ways to participate.

Almsgiving: missing piece of the 'Lenten triad'

Free access for all visitors. By John Norton. With the current state of the U.S. and global economy, we don't have to look that hard to find opportunities for almsgiving.

Almsgiving: It’s more than just writing a check

By Mary DeTurris Poust. In concert with prayer and fasting, the Lenten practice can deepen our intimacy with God

Advent penance or hope?

Msgr. M. Francis Mannion's column compares Advent and Lent as seasons of "preparation"

A Lenten poll of Catholics' confessional practices

By John Norton. What is your preference...screened or face-to-face confession? Free access for all visitors.

A glimpse of the glory

By Carl Olson. The Transfiguration gave the disciples a foretaste of the eternal splendor to help them persevere