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WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 76233 [post_author] => 32 [post_date] => 2025-03-26 19:48:21 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-03-26 19:48:21 [post_content] => <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Known as the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22496880-the-saint-of-nagasaki">Saint of Nagasaki</a> or the <a href="https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9781531504984-003/pdf?licenseType=restricted&amp;srsltid=AfmBOoqTz7-BUPzmIS_gDpen0wHDwJPyeosPRdxXUMFtti8DG19AYiA-">Saint of Urakami</a> (the region of Nagasaki most directly impacted by the atom bomb), Takashi Nagai (永井隆) has not officially been canonized, but his work serving his community following the devastation of World War II has inspired Catholics around the world.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/osservatore-romano/it/comments/2011/documents/073q01b1.html">Born near Hiroshima in 1908</a>, Nagai was an atheist as he pursued a journey towards becoming a doctor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Along the way, Nagai discovered the writings of Pascal, which challenged his views on the existence of God. He later was invited to attend <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/christmas-eve-mass/">Christmas Eve</a> midnight Mass by the Moriyama family, with whom he had been staying during his studies.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Nagai was struck by the roar of the congregation singing loudly.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Fr. Paul Glynn, author of <em>A Song for Nagasaki</em>, a biography about the like of Nagai, wonders…wonders "...was he disturbed because ordinary people could take an uncomplicated stand for goodness and truth, while he was a footloose academic and ethical dilettante who could not?”&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">He was also struck by Midori Moriyama, the daughter of the husband and wife who hosted him during his studies of radiology. The two eventually fell in love and planned to marry, despite his <a href="https://columban.org/magazine/doctor-takashi-nagai">warning her</a> “Remember, radiologists die young.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Nagai married Moriyama in August 1934, just months after he was baptized. The couple welcomed four children into the world, <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/602e278c0b8c3e5483f1dd2a/t/62386b2de0c04663ddc0151d/1647864628322/ENG-Takashi+Nagai.pdf">two of whom died as infants</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":76529,"sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"none","className":""} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://hallow.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Midori-and-Takashi-Nagai.png" alt="A photo of Midori and Takashi Nagai. Takashi is holding son Makato" class="wp-image-76529"/></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surviving-nagasaki">Surviving Nagasaki</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Nagasaki <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/250453/takashi-nagai-catholic-doctor-and-nagasaki-atomic-bombing-survivor-continues-to-inspire-at-new-york-encounter">was home to</a> the largest Catholic community in Japan.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Throughout his career Nagai worked with x-ray equipment, that at the time, did not shield well from radiation exposure. By the time World War II erupted, Nagai was diagnosed with leukemia.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">On August 9, 1945, the U.S. military dropped an atomic bomb roughly 2,000 feet from where Nagai did his research at a hospital. He was badly injured but cared for those who flooded into the hospital. The blast wiped out approximately <a href="https://www.cathstan.org/us-world/u-s-catholics-invited-to-support-nagasaki-bell-project-as-a-sign-of-faith-and-solidarity-with-catholic-legacy-in-that-japanese-city">8,500 of the 12,000 parishioners</a> at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">It took him two days to make it back to his home, where he found Midori’s lifeless, charred body, clutching a pair of rosary beads.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>RELATED:</strong> <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/takashi-nagai-gods-will-and-the-atomic-bomb/">Takashi Nagai, God's Will and the Atomic Bomb</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-action-in-the-aftermath">Action in the Aftermath</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The radiation from the blast worsened Nagai’s leukemia but he continued serving others impacted by the blast.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">When his own condition became nearly unbearable, he asked in prayer for the intercession of Maximillian Kolbe, whom he met years earlier. He was healed and continued to serve.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">He also sought to help Japanese Catholics make sense of such a horrific experience, encouraging people to keep the faith and rebuild from the destruction.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Nagai also led efforts <a href="https://www.osvnews.com/us-catholics-invited-to-support-nagasaki-bell-project-honoring-japanese-citys-catholic-legacy/">to recover the bells</a> from Immaculate Conception Cathedral, known affectionately as “Urakami Cathedral.” He helped find one of the cathedral bells and had it ringing again by Christmas, to provide hope and consolation to the community overrun with devastation.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-song-for-nagasaki">A Song for Nagasaki</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The experience ultimately brought Nagai closer to God.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">“I walked with God in the ghostly desolation of Urakami and finally understood the depth of his friendship,” <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/602e278c0b8c3e5483f1dd2a/t/62386%22%202de0c04663ddc0151d/1647864628322/ENG-Takashi+Nagai.pdf">he said</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Driven by his faith, Nagai worked tirelessly to rebuild Nagasaki, contributing to projects that helped restore hospitals, schools, churches and libraries, famously helping to plant 1000 cherry trees to transform some of the destroyed land into a “Hill of Flowers.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">“I want to bring life back to this dead place. I want to make it a blooming hill full of children smiling and singing,” <a href="https://columban.org/magazine/doctor-takashi-nagai">Nagai said</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">When his cancer began to wither his body, Nagai shifted his advocacy toward writing. He was a prolific writer, most notable penning The Bells of Nagasaki, a book recounting his experience surviving the atomic bomb. It later became a movie in 1950 that, like most of Nagai’s work, focused on <a href="https://www.nippon.com/en/features/c02301/">reconstruction, healing, forgiveness and peace</a> as a path forward.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">He became the first person to receive the title Honorary Citizen of Nagasaki before dying on May 1, 1951 at 43. Approximately 20,000 people attended his funeral.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">In 1988, the book <strong>A Song for Nagasaki</strong>, written by priest and missionary Paul Glynn, debuted. The powerful tale of Nagai’s life and works has been a moving read and inspired the faith lives of many for nearly 40 years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:html --> <div class="flourish-embed flourish-map" data-src="visualisation/21471953"><script src="https://public.flourish.studio/resources/embed.js"></script><noscript><img src="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/21471953/thumbnail" width="100%" alt="map visualization" /></noscript></div> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-read-a-song-for-nagasaki">How to Read 'A Song for Nagasaki'</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">In October 2021, The Archbishop of Nagasaki accepted and approved the request to open the two Causes of Beatification and Canonization, officially recognizing both Takashi Nagai and wife Midori as Servants of God.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">This sparked a new wave of interest in Nagai’s story and introduced <em>A Song for Nagasaki</em> to a new generation.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">And the reviews speak for themselves:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>“This a wonderful story on how to have faith, hope, and charity against all the odds, in the worst of circumstances. Dr. Nagai is a moral giant. The book is a one-sitting read; I couldn’t stop reading until finished.”&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>“Once in a while, I find that I have read something so magnificent that it has a profound significance on my very soul. This is such a book.”</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>“This book has touched my heart in a way that no other book has ever done before.”</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Hallow partnered with Ignatius Press to create a special edition of A Song for Nagasaki for the <a href="https://hallow.com/pray40/">Pray40</a> challenge.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><a href="https://ignatius.com/a-song-for-nagasaki-snagp/">Buy A Song for Nagasaki today</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":76519,"sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"none","className":""} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://hallow.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/a-song-for-nagasaki-front.png" alt="" class="wp-image-76519"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>The book cover for A Song For Nagasaki, about the life of Takashi Nagai</em></figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> [post_title] => A Song for Nagasaki - The Life of Takashi Nagai [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => a-song-for-nagasaki-takashi-nagai [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-03-27 19:16:34 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-03-27 19:16:34 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://hallow.com/?p=76233 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )

WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 80243 [post_author] => 24 [post_date] => 2025-03-25 17:40:25 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-03-25 17:40:25 [post_content] => <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Hallow's Pray40 "The Way" brings to light the powerful testimony of the life of Takashi Nagai, a survivor of the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki in 1945. Although there are points in this story that are difficult to hear, Pope Francis reminds us that looking at these gruesome events is vital to our pursuit of peace. In his visit to Nagasaki in 2019, Pope Francis stated, "This place makes us deeply aware of the pain and horror that we human beings are capable of inflicting upon one another." In this boldness to face these events, we can "turn to God with trust, asking him to teach us to be effective instruments of peace and to make every effort not to repeat the mistakes of the past." (Pope Francis, <em>Address on Nuclear Weapons</em>)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p id="will" class=""><strong>How are we to understand these horrific events in light of a loving God? What part does God or God’s Will play in these events?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Takashi Nagai, a Catholic Christian convert, saw this tragic event in a startling way that challenges us to view our suffering in union with Christ on the Cross. His view is unique and powerful, emerging from his own loss in light of a loving God. In his speech during the memorial (Day 28 in our Pray40 "The Way" challenge), he spoke of the deaths of the Catholic Christians in Urakami and those widely across Nagasaki as having a holy purpose. His words should give us pause:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">"I have heard that the atom bomb. . . was destined for another city. Heavy clouds rendered that target impossible, and the American crew headed for the secondary target, Nagasaki. Then a mechanical problem arose, and the bomb was dropped further north than planned and burst right above the cathedral. . . . It was not the American crew, I believe, who chose our suburb. God's providence chose Urakami and carried the bomb right above our homes. Is there not a profound relationship between the annihilation of Nagasaki and the end of the war? Was not Nagasaki the chosen victim, the lamb without blemish, slain as a whole burnt offering on an altar of sacrifice, atoning for the sins of all the nations during World War II?"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Takashi did not view the use of the atomic bomb as the will of God; instead, he viewed that since God allowed this terrible suffering on the people of Nagasaki, they should accept that suffering with a holy purpose—that through them, it could bring God's will for peace. For this reason, Takashi Nagai felt that the choice of Nagasaki as the site of the devastation was divine providence.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">It should be noted that Takashi Nagai was a layman and not someone trained as a theologian. He was a Catholic doctor who was trying to process and make sense of the horrors of war through the lens of his faith. For further understanding, we should turn to what the Church teaches about God and the problem of evil.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">We know that God is all good. While He does not directly cause evil, He does allow it to happen. The Catechism of the Catholic Church speaks to this reality in paragraph 324: “The fact that God permits physical and even moral evil is a mystery that God illuminates by his Son Jesus Christ who died and rose to vanquish evil. Faith gives us the certainty that God would not permit an evil if he did not cause a good to come from that very evil, by ways that we shall fully know only in eternal life.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The horrors of war and the events of the atomic bomb found in the story of Takashi Nagai challenge us to experience this mystery, sometimes in profound ways. For more on this topic, see the Catechism section (309-314), <a href="https://www.catholiccrossreference.online/catechism/#!/search/302-314/fn/308:172">On Providence and the Scandal of Evil</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p id="weapons" class=""><strong>So what does the Church teach on the use of Nuclear Weapons?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Paragraph 2314 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church states,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>"Every act of war directed to the indiscriminate destruction of whole cities or vast areas with their inhabitants is a crime against God and man, which merits firm and unequivocal condemnation." (GS 80, 3) A danger of modern warfare is that it provides the opportunity to those who possess modern scientific weapons especially atomic, biological, or chemical weapons - to commit such crimes.”</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">In his visit to Nagasaki in 2019, Pope Francis stated, "One of the deepest longings of the human heart is for security, peace and stability. The possession of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction is not the answer to this desire; indeed they seem always to thwart it."&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The Catholic Church takes a firm stance against the use of nuclear weapons and has been advocating for disarmament around the world:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">"For her part, the Catholic Church is irrevocably committed to promoting peace between peoples and nations. This is a duty to which the Church feels bound before God and every man and woman in our world. We must never grow weary of working to support the principal international legal instruments of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, including the Treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons." (Pope Francis, <em>Address on Nuclear Weapons</em>, Nagasaki, 2019)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">We at Hallow know the story of Takashi Nagai is hard for many to hear. Our hope is that in becoming aware of the horrors that attempt to destroy and thwart the desire for peace, we find union is God's desire for peace and, hopefully, become peacemakers in our communities.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">For further reading, view the <a href="https://www.usccb.org/resources/backgrounder-nuclear-weapons">USCCB Statement on Nuclear Weapons</a> and <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2019/november/documents/papa-francesco_20191124_messaggio-arminucleari-nagasaki.html">the speech of Pope Francis</a> during his visit to Nagasaki in 2019.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> [post_title] => Takashi Nagai, God’s Will, and the Atomic Bomb [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => takashi-nagai-gods-will-and-the-atomic-bomb [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-03-25 21:28:23 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-03-25 21:28:23 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://hallow.com/?p=80243 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )

WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 11136 [post_author] => 18 [post_date] => 2025-03-02 06:08:00 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-03-02 06:08:00 [post_content] => <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ash-wednesday-2025-the-start-of-the-lenten-season">Ash Wednesday 2025: The start of the Lenten season</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:quote {"className":""} --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><span style="font-size: revert; color: initial;">Lent comes providentially to reawaken us, to shake us from our lethargy.</span></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><cite><a href="https://catholicherald.co.uk/lent-comes-to-reawaken-us-pope-francis/">Pope Francis</a></cite></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Table of Contents</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#definition">What is Ash Wednesday? </a><!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Origin</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Is Ash Wednesday a Holy Day of Obligation? </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Do I need to be Catholic to receive ashes?</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#date">When is Ash Wednesday in 2025?</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#importance">Why is Ash Wednesday important? </a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#receiving-ashes">Receiving ashes on Ash Wednesday</a><!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Where do the ashes come from? </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Where do the ashes go? </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>What do the ashes symbolize?</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Where to get ashes near you</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#fasting-rules">Fasting on Ash Wednesday</a><!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Why do Catholics fast on Ash Wednesday? </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Age requirement </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Meals</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#prayers">Ash Wednesday Prayers</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#observance">How else can I observe Ash Wednesday? </a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="definition">What is Ash Wednesday?</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">In 2025, like in every year, Ash Wednesday is the first day of the liturgical season of <a href="https://hallow.com/lent/">Lent</a>. It always falls six and half weeks before Easter, beginning the Lenten season of preparation for Christ’s Resurrection on Easter Sunday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Ash Wednesday this year takes on an even more somber tone due to the condition of Pope Francis. Christians around the world continue to pray for him as he battles his serious health issues that have kept him in critical condition.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Last year on Ash Wednesday, Pope Francis <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eszhKqN25mU">presided over a liturgy</a> that included the distribution of ashes. The Vatican has already announced that Pope Francis will not lead any liturgies on Ash Wednesday in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Origin </h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Ash Wednesday <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2018-02/ash-wednesday-commentary.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dates</a> back to the 11th century. Yet, the tradition of receiving ashes has even earlier roots — to the ancient Hebrew custom of clothing oneself in sackcloth and dusting oneself with ashes as a sign of penance. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center","orientation":"horizontal"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/ashwednesdayblog">Begin Lent with Hallow</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The Bible does not explicitly detail this first day of Lent, but there are many instances of this repentant act in the Old Testament, such as <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+16%3A15&amp;version=NRSVCE" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Job 16:15</a>, </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote {"className":""} --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;and have laid my strength in the dust.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><cite><p><em>Job 16:15</em></p></cite></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">and the New Testament, such as <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+10%3A13&amp;version=NRSVCE" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Luke 10:13</a>:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote {"className":""} --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><cite><meta charset="utf-8">Luke 10:13</cite></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Across many religious traditions, ashes signify the mortality of our human bodies. Genesis 3:19 tells us, </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:pullquote --> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote"><blockquote><p>By the sweat of your face<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;you shall eat bread<br>until you return to the ground,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;for out of it you were taken;<br>you are dust,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;and to dust you shall return.</p><cite>Genesis 3:19</cite></blockquote></figure> <!-- /wp:pullquote --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":"lent-embed"} --> <p class="lent-embed">In the early Christian Church, public <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-go-to-confession-the-sacrament-of-penance-reconciliation/">penance</a> for people who had sinned including wearing ashes and sackcloth. As the Church grew and evolved, this practice lessened. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">This long tradition — of externally recognizing ourselves as sinners seeking <meta charset="utf-8"><a href="http://faith.nd.edu/s/1210/faith/interior.aspx?sid=1210&amp;gid=609&amp;calcid=53508&amp;calpgid=61&amp;pgid=13299&amp;crid=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">renewal</a> with God — ultimately transformed into what we now know as Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-ash-wednesday-a-catholic-holy-day-of-obligation-in-2025">Is Ash Wednesday a Catholic Holy Day of Obligation in 2025?</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Ash Wednesday is <em>not</em> a <a href="https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/canon-law/complementary-norms/canon-1246" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Holy Day of Obligation</a> for Roman Catholics, yet receiving ashes is a universal practice among Christians to begin their Lenten journeys. Most Catholic parishes offer Ash Wednesday Mass, and in some places, it is possible to receive ashes without attending Mass. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Do I need to be Catholic to receive ashes?</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p id="date" class="">You do not need to be Catholic to receive ashes on Ash Wednesday. Several other traditions within Christianity also share this act of repentance. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-is-ash-wednesday-in-2025">When is Ash Wednesday in 2025?</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p id="importance" class="">This year, Ash Wednesday falls on March 5, 2025. <strong>SEE MORE:</strong> <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/when-is-lent/">When is Lent in 2025?</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why is Ash Wednesday important? </h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">As the first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday awakens us to Jesus’ entry into the desert preceding his death. Before Easter, however, we must prepare our hearts for his Resurrection. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p id="receiving-ashes" class="">We begin our season of preparing our hearts for Easter by recognizing our brokenness and need for <a href="http://faith.nd.edu/s/1210/faith/interior.aspx?sid=1210&amp;gid=609&amp;calcid=53508&amp;calpgid=61&amp;pgid=13299&amp;crid=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">conversion, </a>a turning of our hearts to God. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Receiving ashes on Ash Wednesday</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:image {"id":11185,"width":"675px","height":"482px","sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"none","align":"center","className":""} --> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img src="https://hallow.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/photo-1589395937646-cc70671eca60.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-11185" style="width:675px;height:482px"/></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Where do the ashes come from?</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/palm-sunday/">Palm Sunday</a> is the Sunday before Easter. It symbolizes Christ’s return to Jerusalem after spending 40 days in the desert. In the Catholic tradition, we receive palm leaves, which have been blessed, to hold onto during Mass and bring home. The leftover palms from Palm Sunday are then burned and saved for the next Lenten season. So, this year’s ashes are from the palms of Palm Sunday of 2024.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Where do the ashes go?</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">It is typical to receive ashes on your forehead in the Sign of the Cross. Similar to taking communion at Mass, you usually process toward the altar to get ashes. The priest will make the Sign of the Cross and say one of two things:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>“Remember that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return."</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>"Repent, and believe in the Gospel."</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">What do the ashes symbolize?</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The ashes symbolize our mortality. They are a physical reminder that our bodies will decay, but our souls will live on in eternal life. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Fr. Antony Kadavil further <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2018-02/ash-wednesday-commentary.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reflects</a> on the symbol of the cross of ashes on our foreheads, </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote {"className":""} --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote" id="fasting-rules"><!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The cross of ashes means that we are making a commitment – that we are undertaking Lent as a season of prayer and penitence, of dying to ourselves. It also describes our human condition: it says that we are broken and need repair; that we are sinners and need redemption. Most importantly, it tells us that, as followers of Jesus Christ, we are to carry our crosses.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><cite><meta charset="utf-8">Fr. Antony Kadavil</cite></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Where to get ashes nearby </strong></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Most Catholic churches will expand their liturgical schedule on Ash Wednesday. There are many options for finding ashes on Ash Wednesday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Hallow has a full breakdown for <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/where-to-get-ashes-on-ash-wednesday/">where to get ashes</a> for Ash Wednesday in 2025, including an interactive map that can help you locate a church to receive ashes from.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center","orientation":"horizontal"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/ashwednesdayblog">Pray more. Find peace. Get Hallow.</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Fasting on Ash Wednesday</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">There are only two obligatory days of fasting and abstinence in the Catholic Church: Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Catholics are also instructed to abstain from meat on each Friday during Lent. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>SEE ALSO:</strong> <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/lent-prayers/">What to Give Up for Lent</a> | <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/lent-fasting-rules/">Lent Fasting Rules</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Why do Catholics fast on Ash Wednesday?</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Fasting is a sign of repentance and helps us embody our spiritual hunger for Christ, who himself fasted in the desert for forty days preceding his death and Resurrection. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Age requirement</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The Catholic Church <a href="https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-year-and-calendar/lent/catholic-information-on-lenten-fast-and-abstinence" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">requires</a> able members from age 18 to 59 to fast on Ash Wednesday. The obligation to abstain from meat applies to those 14 and older. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Meals </h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p id="observance" class="">Fasting allows for one full meal and two smaller meals (that combined do not equal a full meal), with an expectation to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday. Exemptions are available for those with special physical needs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p id="prayers" class="">In certain situations, bishops can offer a formal dispensation, allowing Catholics to eat meat. This <a href="https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2020/03/catholics-can-eat-meat-during-lent-nj-bishop-says-were-sacrificing-enough-for-coronavirus.html">happened</a> in some dioceses during the initial outbreak of Covid-19.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Ash Wednesday Prayers</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Ash Wednesday, as the first day of Lent, is a great time to begin a renewed commitment to prayer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Ash Wednesday prayers can include <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-the-rosary/">saying the rosary</a>, the <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-lectio-divina/">Lectio Divina</a> or beginning with <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/lent-prayers/">Lent prayers</a> for 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">How else can I observe Ash Wednesday?</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">In addition to fasting and attending Mass (or a service where ashes are distributed), you can recognize Ash Wednesday through prayer and almsgiving—the other two pillars of Lenten observance.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">In prayer, consider listening to the Daily Gospel or engaging in Spiritual Writing to discern what you’d like to focus on in your relationship with Christ this Lent. If you’re not sure where to start, we guide you through both of these prayer methods, in addition to many others, on Hallow.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>Updated on March 2, 2025</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator {"opacity":"css"} --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-css-opacity"/> <!-- /wp:separator --> [post_title] => Ash Wednesday 2025 - The First Day of Lent [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => ash-wednesday [to_ping] => [pinged] => https://hallow.com/2021/02/15/ashtag2021/ https://hallow.com/2019/09/23/how-to-pray-the-rosary/ https://hallow.com/2022/02/05/lent-prayers/ [post_modified] => 2025-03-03 01:02:13 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-03-03 01:02:13 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://hallow.com/?p=11136 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )

WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 31186 [post_author] => 32 [post_date] => 2025-03-02 01:53:00 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-03-02 01:53:00 [post_content] => <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Along with prayer and almsgiving, fasting is one of the three pillars of <a href="https://hallow.com/lent/">Lent</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">In a <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/messages/lent/documents/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20071030_lent-2008.html">message for Lent in 2008</a>, Pope Benedict XVI described these as “specific tasks that accompany the faithful concretely in this process of interior renewal.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">A decade earlier, <a href="https://hallow.com/saints/john-paul-ii/">St. (Pope) John Paul II</a> described Lent as a “commitment to a new life, inspired by Gospel values,” moving away from selfishness and drawing closer to the path Christ.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":"lent-embed"} --> <p class="lent-embed">That path, according to Pope John Paul II, can be summarized in the words of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, with fasting consisting of moderation in food and lifestyle as “a sincere effort to remove from our hearts all that is the result of sin and inclines us to evil.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Prayer and almsgiving may be easier to fully grasp than fasting, for which the Church has provided specific rules and guidelines to help shape our Lenten journey towards renewal. In 2025, Hallow’s <a href="https://hallow.com/pray40/">Pray40</a> Lent prayer challenge focuses on prayer, fasting and almsgiving.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Here’s an overview of common questions about Lent fasting rules to guide your observance in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lent-fasting-rules-frequently-asked-questions">Lent Fasting Rules: Frequently Asked Questions</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:yoast/faq-block {"questions":[{"id":"faq-question-1675558433476","question":["What Is Fasting?"],"answer":["In the Catholic Church, fasting is a practice in self-discipline with a penitential focus. In the context of Lent, it refers to reducing food intake and limiting how many meals we have."],"jsonQuestion":"What Is Fasting?","jsonAnswer":"In the Catholic Church, fasting is a practice in self-discipline with a penitential focus. In the context of Lent, it refers to reducing food intake and limiting how many meals we have."},{"id":"faq-question-1675558441583","question":["What are the Lent fasting rules?"],"answer":["On ",{"type":"a","props":{"href":"https://hallow.com/blog/ash-wednesday/","children":["Ash Wednesday"]}}," and ",{"type":"a","props":{"href":"https://hallow.com/blog/good-friday-the-passion-of-christ/","children":["Good Friday"]}},", fasting rules allow Catholics to eat only one full meal and two smaller meals which, combined, would not equal a single normal meal. Additionally, Catholics may not eat meat on these two days–or on any Friday during Lent."],"jsonQuestion":"What are the Lent fasting rules?","jsonAnswer":"On \u003ca href=\u0022https://hallow.com/blog/ash-wednesday/\u0022\u003eAsh Wednesday\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\u0022https://hallow.com/blog/good-friday-the-passion-of-christ/\u0022\u003eGood Friday\u003c/a\u003e, fasting rules allow Catholics to eat only one full meal and two smaller meals which, combined, would not equal a single normal meal. Additionally, Catholics may not eat meat on these two days–or on any Friday during Lent."},{"id":"faq-question-1675558449152","question":["What are the Lent rules on abstinence?"],"answer":["In this context, abstinence refers to “abstaining” from meat on Fridays during Lent. Whereas Catholics fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday with just one large meal, Catholics must refrain from eating meat on other Fridays, though they can have three full meals."],"jsonQuestion":"What are the Lent rules on abstinence?","jsonAnswer":"In this context, abstinence refers to “abstaining” from meat on Fridays during Lent. Whereas Catholics fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday with just one large meal, Catholics must refrain from eating meat on other Fridays, though they can have three full meals."},{"id":"faq-question-1675558459616","question":["At what age do you start fasting for Lent?"],"answer":["Those ages 18-59, in reasonable health, are required to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Those 14 and older must abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent. Canon Law does mention that for young children not fasting, parents should still communicate the meaning and penance."],"jsonQuestion":"At what age do you start fasting for Lent?","jsonAnswer":"Those ages 18-59, in reasonable health, are required to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Those 14 and older must abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent. Canon Law does mention that for young children not fasting, parents should still communicate the meaning and penance."},{"id":"faq-question-1675558478338","question":["Who is exempt from fasting during Lent?"],"answer":["Children, adults with physical and mental illness, pregnant women and those nursing are all exempt. The USCCB stresses that “common sense should prevail” and that no one should jeopardize their health to fast."],"jsonQuestion":"Who is exempt from fasting during Lent?","jsonAnswer":"Children, adults with physical and mental illness, pregnant women and those nursing are all exempt. The USCCB stresses that “common sense should prevail” and that no one should jeopardize their health to fast."},{"id":"faq-question-1675558495217","question":["When is fasting over?"],"answer":["Lent ends on Holy Thursday, but Lenten fasting (and personal commitments) usually continues until Easter. Papal document ",{"type":"a","props":{"href":"https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/preparation-and-celebration-of-the-easter-feasts-2169","children":["Paschalis Solemnitatis"]}}," recommends this in order that we “with uplifted and welcoming heart be ready to celebrate the joys of the Sunday of the resurrection.”"],"jsonQuestion":"When is fasting over?","jsonAnswer":"Lent ends on Holy Thursday, but Lenten fasting (and personal commitments) usually continues until Easter. Papal document \u003ca href=\u0022https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/preparation-and-celebration-of-the-easter-feasts-2169\u0022\u003ePaschalis Solemnitatis\u003c/a\u003e recommends this in order that we “with uplifted and welcoming heart be ready to celebrate the joys of the Sunday of the resurrection.”"},{"id":"faq-question-1675558511688","question":["Can you eat meat on Good Friday?"],"answer":["On the one hand, Good Friday is part of the ",{"type":"a","props":{"href":"https://hallow.com/blog/holy-week-schedule/","children":["Easter Triduum"]}},", which marks the end of Lent. However, since Good Friday itself is a day of abstinence, it’s best to abstain from meat, as in the Fridays of Lent. "],"jsonQuestion":"Can you eat meat on Good Friday?","jsonAnswer":"On the one hand, Good Friday is part of the \u003ca href=\u0022https://hallow.com/blog/holy-week-schedule/\u0022\u003eEaster Triduum\u003c/a\u003e, which marks the end of Lent. However, since Good Friday itself is a day of abstinence, it’s best to abstain from meat, as in the Fridays of Lent. "},{"id":"faq-question-1675558535376","question":["Do Sundays count for fasting?"],"answer":["It’s been a custom for Catholics to give something up during Lent, in addition to the fastings and abstinence rules. Some keep their sacrifice continuously, but Sundays during Lent are not “prescribed days of fasting and abstinence.” Ultimately, it’s a personal decision."],"jsonQuestion":"Do Sundays count for fasting?","jsonAnswer":"It’s been a custom for Catholics to give something up during Lent, in addition to the fastings and abstinence rules. Some keep their sacrifice continuously, but Sundays during Lent are not “prescribed days of fasting and abstinence.” Ultimately, it’s a personal decision."},{"id":"faq-question-1675558558032","question":["Are fish frys OK?"],"answer":["Since serves fish instead of meat, your local church fish fry is a fine option for Fridays during Lent. Because the Lent season is one rooted in penance, a modest meal at your parish is probably a better option than a lavish seafood feast at a fine restaurant. "],"jsonQuestion":"Are fish frys OK?","jsonAnswer":"Since serves fish instead of meat, your local church fish fry is a fine option for Fridays during Lent. Because the Lent season is one rooted in penance, a modest meal at your parish is probably a better option than a lavish seafood feast at a fine restaurant. "},{"id":"faq-question-1675558576655","question":["Does “abstinence” apply to sex? Do Catholics need to abstain from sex during Lent?"],"answer":["No. Abstinence refers to food. ",{"type":"br","props":{"children":[]}},{"type":"br","props":{"children":[]}},{"type":"a","props":{"href":"https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-02-25-me-35840-story.html","children":["Some parish birth records"]}}," from the Middle Ages show that births declined nine months after Lent and rose nine months after Easter, so there may be some historical precedent for the practice."],"jsonQuestion":"Does “abstinence” apply to sex? Do Catholics need to abstain from sex during Lent?","jsonAnswer":"No. Abstinence refers to food. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\u0022https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-02-25-me-35840-story.html\u0022\u003eSome parish birth records\u003c/a\u003e from the Middle Ages show that births declined nine months after Lent and rose nine months after Easter, so there may be some historical precedent for the practice."},{"id":"faq-question-1675558599376","question":["What can you drink on Ash Wednesday? What are the fasting rules around liquids like coffee?"],"answer":["Normal rules around fasting before receiving Communion (abstaining from food an hour before Mass) apply during Lent. Outside of that, there are no specific rules around liquids, so coffee, tea and soda are fine. A smoothie that constitutes a meal would probably count as food."],"jsonQuestion":"What can you drink on Ash Wednesday? What are the fasting rules around liquids like coffee?","jsonAnswer":"Normal rules around fasting before receiving Communion (abstaining from food an hour before Mass) apply during Lent. Outside of that, there are no specific rules around liquids, so coffee, tea and soda are fine. A smoothie that constitutes a meal would probably count as food."},{"id":"faq-question-1675558619663","question":["What are the fasting rules around alcohol? "],"answer":["The Church does not specifically limit alcohol. A person’s personal discretion is best. "],"jsonQuestion":"What are the fasting rules around alcohol? ","jsonAnswer":"The Church does not specifically limit alcohol. A person’s personal discretion is best. "}]} --> <div class="schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block"><div class="schema-faq-section" id="faq-question-1675558433476"><strong class="schema-faq-question">What Is Fasting?</strong> <p class="schema-faq-answer">In the Catholic Church, fasting is a practice in self-discipline with a penitential focus. In the context of Lent, it refers to reducing food intake and limiting how many meals we have.</p> </div> <div class="schema-faq-section" id="faq-question-1675558441583"><strong class="schema-faq-question">What are the Lent fasting rules?</strong> <p class="schema-faq-answer">On <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/ash-wednesday/">Ash Wednesday</a> and <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/good-friday-the-passion-of-christ/">Good Friday</a>, fasting rules allow Catholics to eat only one full meal and two smaller meals which, combined, would not equal a single normal meal. Additionally, Catholics may not eat meat on these two days–or on any Friday during Lent.</p> </div> <div class="schema-faq-section" id="faq-question-1675558449152"><strong class="schema-faq-question">What are the Lent rules on abstinence?</strong> <p class="schema-faq-answer">In this context, abstinence refers to “abstaining” from meat on Fridays during Lent. Whereas Catholics fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday with just one large meal, Catholics must refrain from eating meat on other Fridays, though they can have three full meals.</p> </div> <div class="schema-faq-section" id="faq-question-1675558459616"><strong class="schema-faq-question">At what age do you start fasting for Lent?</strong> <p class="schema-faq-answer">Those ages 18-59, in reasonable health, are required to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Those 14 and older must abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent. Canon Law does mention that for young children not fasting, parents should still communicate the meaning and penance.</p> </div> <div class="schema-faq-section" id="faq-question-1675558478338"><strong class="schema-faq-question">Who is exempt from fasting during Lent?</strong> <p class="schema-faq-answer">Children, adults with physical and mental illness, pregnant women and those nursing are all exempt. The USCCB stresses that “common sense should prevail” and that no one should jeopardize their health to fast.</p> </div> <div class="schema-faq-section" id="faq-question-1675558495217"><strong class="schema-faq-question">When is fasting over?</strong> <p class="schema-faq-answer">Lent ends on Holy Thursday, but Lenten fasting (and personal commitments) usually continues until Easter. Papal document <a href="https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/preparation-and-celebration-of-the-easter-feasts-2169">Paschalis Solemnitatis</a> recommends this in order that we “with uplifted and welcoming heart be ready to celebrate the joys of the Sunday of the resurrection.”</p> </div> <div class="schema-faq-section" id="faq-question-1675558511688"><strong class="schema-faq-question">Can you eat meat on Good Friday?</strong> <p class="schema-faq-answer">On the one hand, Good Friday is part of the <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/holy-week-schedule/">Easter Triduum</a>, which marks the end of Lent. However, since Good Friday itself is a day of abstinence, it’s best to abstain from meat, as in the Fridays of Lent. </p> </div> <div class="schema-faq-section" id="faq-question-1675558535376"><strong class="schema-faq-question">Do Sundays count for fasting?</strong> <p class="schema-faq-answer">It’s been a custom for Catholics to give something up during Lent, in addition to the fastings and abstinence rules. Some keep their sacrifice continuously, but Sundays during Lent are not “prescribed days of fasting and abstinence.” Ultimately, it’s a personal decision.</p> </div> <div class="schema-faq-section" id="faq-question-1675558558032"><strong class="schema-faq-question">Are fish frys OK?</strong> <p class="schema-faq-answer">Since serves fish instead of meat, your local church fish fry is a fine option for Fridays during Lent. Because the Lent season is one rooted in penance, a modest meal at your parish is probably a better option than a lavish seafood feast at a fine restaurant. </p> </div> <div class="schema-faq-section" id="faq-question-1675558576655"><strong class="schema-faq-question">Does “abstinence” apply to sex? Do Catholics need to abstain from sex during Lent?</strong> <p class="schema-faq-answer">No. Abstinence refers to food. <br/><br/><a href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-02-25-me-35840-story.html">Some parish birth records</a> from the Middle Ages show that births declined nine months after Lent and rose nine months after Easter, so there may be some historical precedent for the practice.</p> </div> <div class="schema-faq-section" id="faq-question-1675558599376"><strong class="schema-faq-question">What can you drink on Ash Wednesday? What are the fasting rules around liquids like coffee?</strong> <p class="schema-faq-answer">Normal rules around fasting before receiving Communion (abstaining from food an hour before Mass) apply during Lent. Outside of that, there are no specific rules around liquids, so coffee, tea and soda are fine. A smoothie that constitutes a meal would probably count as food.</p> </div> <div class="schema-faq-section" id="faq-question-1675558619663"><strong class="schema-faq-question">What are the fasting rules around alcohol? </strong> <p class="schema-faq-answer">The Church does not specifically limit alcohol. A person’s personal discretion is best. </p> </div> </div> <!-- /wp:yoast/faq-block --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/lentfastingrules">Pray and Fast with Hallow this Lent</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-helpful-lent-resources"><strong>More Helpful Lent Resources</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/lent-prayers/">Lent Prayers</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/what-to-give-up-for-lent/">What to Give Up for Lent</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/where-to-get-ashes-on-ash-wednesday/">Where to Get Ashes on Ash Wednesday</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-the-rosary/">How to Pray the Rosary</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/holy-week-schedule/">Holy Week Guide</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> [post_title] => Lent Fasting Rules: Catholic Rules for Fasting During Lent in 2025 [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => lent-fasting-rules [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-03-03 01:09:23 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-03-03 01:09:23 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://hallow.com/?p=31186 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )

WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 17160 [post_author] => 32 [post_date] => 2025-03-01 03:32:00 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-03-01 03:32:00 [post_content] => <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-table-of-contents-things-to-give-up-for-lent"><strong>Table of Contents</strong>: Things to Give Up for Lent</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#intro">Introduction</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#prayer-fasting-almsgiving">Lent's 3 Pillars: Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#kids-fasting">Fasting Ideas for Kids/Teens</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#adult-fasting">Fasting Ideas for Adults</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#kids-prayers">Prayer Ideas for Kids/Teens</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#adult-prayers">Prayer Ideas for Adults</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#almsgiving-ideas">Almsgiving/Donation Ideas for Kids and Adults</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#catholic-charities">Catholic-Affiliated Charities</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p id="intro" class="">When <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/ash-wednesday/">Ash Wednesday</a> draws near, Catholics and other Christians seem to fall into two distinct groups when it comes to what to give up for <a href="https://hallow.com/lent/">Lent</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The first group takes it down to the wire: Tuesday night, continuing an internal dialogue trying to figure out what Lenten sacrifice to make. It’s a conversation they have every year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">And it may includes lines you’ve said yourself in past years:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">“I never know what to give up for Lent!”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The second group is dialed in on the start of Lent, ready to activate “Lent autopilot” and prepare to give up the same thing as last year. And two years ago. And <em>every</em> year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Lent is more than just “giving something up” and <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/lent-fasting-rules/">fasting</a> from meat on Fridays.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":"lent-embed"} --> <p class="lent-embed">In fact, Pope Francis challenges us to think about fasting as something more powerful than we normally consider it, <a href="https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2019/02/26/190226d.html">describing it</a> as “learning to change our attitude towards others and all of creation, turning away from the temptation to ‘devour’ everything to satisfy our voracity and being ready to suffer for love, which can fill the emptiness of our hearts.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote {"className":""} --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">How often do we get caught up in our own wants and needs, lose sight of the heart of the matter, and fail to embrace the true meaning of our lives in this world! Lent is a time of truth, a time to drop the masks we put on each day to appear perfect in the eyes of the world.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><cite><a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2023/documents/20230222-omelia-ceneri.html">Pope Francis - Ash Wednesday homily in 2023</a></cite></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">However, Lent can be an unhealthy time for those who struggle with scrupulosity, or it can be overwhelming to people who are already in a time of suffering. For some, the best Lent might be to make sure they get at least 7 hours of sleep or making the commitment to attend therapy.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">At the start of Lent, we should ask ourselves - what pulls me away from loving God, loving others, and loving myself well? How can I incorporate acts of sacrifice, acts of giving, and acts of prayer that will help me love as God loves?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Giving thought to observing Lent is important. Whether you wait until the last minute to decide or you’ve known your Lenten sacrifice since <em>last</em> Lent, it’s worth spending time to thoughtfully consider how to make the most of your experience this year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Because observing Lent is so much bigger than what you “give up.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center","orientation":"horizontal"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/whattogiveupforlent">Commit to Prayer this Lent. Start Praying with Hallow.</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="prayer-fasting-almsgiving">Lent’s 3 Pillars: Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">When we hunger–whether it be for food, technology, comfort–it can be a reminder that Jesus is the bread of life.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote {"className":""} --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><cite>John 6:35</cite></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">When we sacrifice things that this world tells us we need, it can remind us that only God can truly satisfy our spiritual hunger.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Lent’s three pillars are prayer, fasting and almsgiving–meaning that we’re called to do more than just abstain from a particular food or activity.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">It involves not only what we’re willing to give up, but what we’re willing to take on.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">When we think about what to give up for Lent, we ought to also think about what sort of commitment to prayer and ability to be charitable that we can hold ourselves.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Hallow provides numerous options for stepping up prayer during Lent. In the app, Hallow offers:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Daily Gospel reflections</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Daily Rosary prayers</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Daily Saint prayers</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-night-prayer/">Night Prayer</a> from Liturgy of the Hours</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">All of these options can help us commit to prayer during Lent.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">In addition to fasting and prayer, almsgiving is equally important during Lent, helping us deepen our relationship with God while working to build God’s kingdom here on earth.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Pope Francis sums up the powerful impact that almsgiving has:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote {"className":""} --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">"Charitable giving makes us more human, whereas hoarding risks making us less human, imprisoned by our own selfishness" </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><cite><a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/lent/documents/papa-francesco_20191007_messaggio-quaresima2020.html">Pope Francis, Lent Message 2020</a></cite></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Anyone can practice almsgiving, which is not limited to simply donating money.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Rather, practicing almsgiving can also mean donating one’s time in service, perhaps volunteering or serving those in need. Jesus tells us clearly in Matthew 25:40 that in serving those in need, we are serving him.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">As Fr. Gustavo Gutierrez recognizes, there are unique spiritual gifts to directly encountering Christ in those around us in need that we can’t experience by simply making a donation from afar.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">“So you say you love the poor? Name them.” - Fr. Gustavo Gutierrez</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Ideas for What to Give Up for Lent</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">With the three pillars of Lent in mind, Hallow has suggestions for meaningful ways to observe Lent in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Lent Fasting Ideas</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p id="kids-fasting" class=""><strong>Kids / Teen Fasting Ideas </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Give up a favorite toy or game&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Fast from social media for a day</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Give up a favorite snack</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Drink only water at school&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Give up a favorite chair at home or seat at school</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Go without headphones/air pods for a day</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Play your favorite game, focusing on helping others instead of winning</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Allow others to pass in front of you in the lunch line&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p id="adult-fasting" class=""><strong>General Ideas for Lenten Sacrifices</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Give up coffee (or only brew it at home)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Give up alcohol</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Give up certain social media sites, or limited them to certain days/time of day</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Give up electronics after a certain time in the day (i.e., no screens after 8 p.m.)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Sleep without a pillow</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Wake up without hitting the snooze button</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Shower without hot (with only lukewarm) water</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Keep the thermostat several degrees cooler&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Park in the back of the parking lot and say a prayer as you walk to the grocery store</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Abstain from reading gossip/rumor sites&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Lent Prayer Ideas</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p id="kids-prayers" class=""><strong>Kids/Teen Prayer Ideas</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Pray on the way to school</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Play Guess the Saint each day</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Pick a relative each day and pray for that person&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Call a grandparent after church and discuss the Gospel/homily</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Go to bed five minutes early and spend extra time talking with God&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Research the name of your church and learn about its origins</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Pay special attention to the intercessions at Mass and choose one to pray for during the week</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Explore <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-with-kids/">Hallow Kids</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Go to confession</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Research organizations that support Catholic youth like <a href="https://lifeteen.com/">LifeTeen</a> and <a href="https://nfcym.org/">National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p id="adult-prayers" class=""><strong>Adult Prayer Ideas</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Subscribe to a daily prayer newsletter (<a href="http://faith.nd.edu/s/1210/faith/interior.aspx?pgid=9441&amp;gid=609&amp;cid=21893">Notre Dame</a> and the <a href="https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/tNwi9GA">Jesuits</a> both offer good options)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Each morning, scroll through the contacts on your phone. Randomly stop and say a prayer for whichever person you land on</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Spend a few minutes with Scripture each day&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Start the <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/bible-in-a-year-with-father-mike-schmitz/">Bible in Year podcast</a> with Fr. Mike Schmitz on Hallow</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Attend daily Mass once a week</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Attend or pray the <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-stations-of-the-cross/">Stations of the Cross</a> every Friday&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Invite a friend to attend Mass with you&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Join the Bible study group at church</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Attend Adoration of the Eucharist</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Go to confession</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Pray the <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-the-rosary/">Rosary</a> once a day</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Pray the <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-the-examen/">Daily Examen</a> on Hallow</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Join Hallow’s <a href="https://hallow.com/pray40/">#Pray40 Lent Challenge</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="almsgiving-ideas">Lent Almsgiving/Charity/Donation Ideas</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Kids/Teens/General Almsgiving Ideas</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Spend time volunteering as a family</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Allow kids to be the one to place money in the basket during the offertory at Mass</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Introduce children to a charity and explain to them how and why to donate to it&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Have children identify a toy they are willing to donate to Goodwill</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Help children identify an article of clothing they can donate and explain that their donation can be a blessing to someone in need</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Create a jar to collect change to donate</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Donate food to a food bank</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Donate a service (free homework tutoring, free professional assistance, etc)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Give a smile to someone you pass who may be living on the street (instead of ignoring them)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Follow new charities on social media and engage with their posts&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Support a business that advertises in your parish bulletin&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="catholic-charities">Catholic-Affiliated Charities to Consider Donating to</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong><a href="https://crosscatholic.org/">Cross Catholic</a></strong> - Supports clean water initiatives in some of Africa’s poorest communities.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong><a href="https://www.catholicextension.org/">Catholic Extension</a></strong> - Works in solidarity with people in America’s poorest regions to build up strong Catholic faith communities.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong><a href="https://www.crs.org/">Catholic Relief Services</a></strong> - Carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="http://www.gabrielproject.org/"><strong>Gabriel Project</strong> </a>- Offers hope and assistance to any woman experiencing a crisis pregnancy.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong><a href="https://www.ncea.org/">National Catholic Educational Association</a></strong> - Strengthens Catholic school leaders and educators to help support the future of Catholic education.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong><a href="https://www.marysmeals.org/">Mary’s Meals</a></strong> - Provides meals to children in poverty, in recognition of Mary raising Jesus in poverty.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong><a href="https://www.kofc.org/en//index.html">Knights of Columbus</a></strong> - Fraternal service order of Catholic men that has been active since 1882.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong><a href="https://www.youngcatholicprofessionals.org/cpages/home">Young Catholic Professionals</a></strong> - Inspires and empowers young professional Catholics to work in witness for Christ.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center","orientation":"horizontal"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/whattogiveupforlent">Pray with Hallow on Lent</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>MORE:</strong> <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/lent-prayers/">Lent Prayers for 2025</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> [post_title] => What to Give Up For Lent in 2025: Practical Fasting Ideas for Lent [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => what-to-give-up-for-lent [to_ping] => [pinged] => https://hallow.com/2022/02/06/ash-wednesday/ https://hallow.com/2020/03/17/how-to-pray-stations-of-the-cross/ https://hallow.com/2020/05/20/how-to-pray-with-kids/ [post_modified] => 2025-03-03 01:19:06 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-03-03 01:19:06 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://hallow.com/?p=17160 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )

WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 77665 [post_author] => 32 [post_date] => 2025-02-21 03:02:48 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-02-21 03:02:48 [post_content] => <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Fasting and prayer have a strong connection, particularly during the season of Lent. Along with almsgiving (charity), fasting and prayer make up the pillars of <a href="https://hallow.com/lent/">Lent</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Ultimately, Christians seek to fast from sin; prayer and building our relationship with God, can also help us fast from a life of sin.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">There are standard <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/lent-fasting-rules/">Lent fasting rules</a> that Catholics follow, but many people fast during other liturgical seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">While different diets have become popular in recent years, fasting is a spiritual practice, not a dietary one.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":"lent-embed"} --> <p class="lent-embed">“Christian fasting is not concerned with losing weight,” <a href="https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-year-and-calendar/lent/catholic-reflection-on-lenten-fasting">said Rev. Daniel Merz on the USCCB website</a>. “It is a matter of prayer and the spirit. And because of that, because it is truly a place of the spirit, true fasting may well lead to temptation, and weakness and doubt and irritation.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Perhaps Pope John Paul II said it best.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">“Furthermore, fasting, that is, the mortification of the senses, mastery of the&nbsp; body, confer on prayer a greater efficacy, which man discovers in himself. He discovers, in fact, that he is "different", that he is more "master of himself", that he has become interiorly free,”<a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/audiences/1979/documents/hf_jp-ii_aud_19790321.html"> said Pope John Paul II</a>. “And he realizes this in as much as conversion and the meeting with God, through prayer, bear fruit in him.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Below are some prayers written by Hallow to help aid your spiritual journey of fasting.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="http://Prayers to pray while fasting.">Try Hallow for Free</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-prayers-for-fasting-at-the-start-of-lent-nbsp">Prayers for Fasting at the start of Lent&nbsp;</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Lord, may my small sacrifice open a space in my heart for You to fill. As I begin this Lenten journey, give me strength to be consistent in my fasting as I give up (name what you are giving up for Lent). May I think of Jesus, the ultimate sacrifice, to strengthen me in the days ahead. In His name I pray. Amen.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Heavenly Father, on Ash Wednesday, we are reminded “For you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” May I be filled with the spirit of humility as I embark upon my Lenten sacrifice. As I fast from food and (name what you are giving up for Lent), I pray that this small sacrifice reminds me that You are in control. May it help me trust in You more, reminding me that You offer us true food and true drink–and the promise of heaven. Amen.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-prayers-for-fasting-from-food">Prayers for Fasting from Food</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">God of all creation, I come before you today in solidarity with my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who are fasting today. I pray that as my hunger increases, so may my faith. As my diet lessens, so may my doubt in You. As my body aches for its next meal, may my soul long even more intensely to be filled with Your spirit. You are all I need. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Lord, as I fast today, I pray that you lift up my brothers and sisters who will go hungry today and who struggle to eat on most days. In my own fasting, strengthen me to serve my brothers and sisters. May my fasting make me better appreciate what I have and renew my commitment to feeding the hungry. In Your name I pray. Amen.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">God, may my fasting unite me with You. May my fasting help me surrender myself, my day, and my life to You. May the sacrifice I’m making not fill me with pride, but instead, humility and a greater dependence on You. I love You, Lord. Be with me now and always. Amen.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-general-fasting-prayer-for-any-time">General Fasting Prayer for Any Time</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Lord, in my fasting, may I detach from the comforts, sins and temptations of this world and unite myself to Christ. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="http://Prayers to pray while fasting.">Try Hallow for Free</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fasting-in-the-bible">Fasting in the Bible</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The roots of fasting date back to the Bible and trace all the way through the Old and New Testaments.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">We hear of the merits of fasting early on in the book of Tobit:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">"Prayer with fasting is good. Almsgiving with righteousness is better than wealth with wickedness. It is better to give alms than to store up gold, for almsgiving saves from death, and purges all sin. Those who give alms will enjoy a full life, but those who commit sin and do evil are their own worst enemies." (Tobit 12: 8-10)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Isaiah also mentions fasting extensively:&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">"Is this not, rather, the fast that I choose: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; Setting free the oppressed, breaking off every yoke? Is it not sharing your bread with the hungry, bringing the afflicted and the homeless into your house; Clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own flesh? Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; Your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard." (Isaiah 58:6-8)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The clearest example of fasting in the Bible, however, comes from Jesus and His fasting in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">"Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry." (Luke 4:1-2)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Early Christians practiced fasting, and it’s been a constant practice in the Church ever since.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">“Fasting is the soul of prayer, mercy is the lifeblood of fasting. So if you pray, fast; if you fast, show mercy; if you want your petition to be heard, hear the petition of others. If you do not close your ear to others, you open God’s ear to yourself” - <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/messages/lent/documents/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20081211_lent-2009.html">St. Peter Chrysologus </a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-resources-from-hallow">More Resources from Hallow</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/what-to-give-up-for-lent/">What to Give Up for Lent</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/prayers-for-strength/">Prayers for Strength</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> [post_title] => Prayers for Fasting: Fasting Prayers for Lent and Other Times [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => prayers-for-fasting [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-03-05 03:27:36 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-03-05 03:27:36 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://hallow.com/?p=77665 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )

WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 77036 [post_author] => 24 [post_date] => 2025-02-13 02:06:13 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-02-13 02:06:13 [post_content] => <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Hallow would like to congratulate the winners of the 2025 <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/catholic-schools-week/">Catholic Schools Week</a> Praylist Challenge.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Three schools that that participated in praying the Catholic Schools Week praylist won a prize of $1,000 each for finishing with the most completed prayers:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Boylan Catholic High School (Rockford, Ill.)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>St. John the Evangelist School (St. John, Ind.)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>LaFayette Central Catholic School (Lafayette, Ind.)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Another three schools won a Hallow-catered party:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>St. Mary’s School (Annapolis, Md.)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Magdalen Catholic School (Wichita, Kan.)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>St. William the Abbot Catholic School (Seaford, N.Y.)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">More than 100 schools in total participated.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">To learn more about how Hallow partners with schools, visit <a href="https://hallow.com/hallow-for-schools-plans/">https://hallow.com/hallow-for-schools-plans/</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-resources-for-teachers">More Resources for Teachers</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/back-to-school-prayers-for-teachers/">Back to school prayers for teachers</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/scripture/bible-verses-for-teachers/">Bible verses for teachers</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/prayers-for-strength/">Prayers for strength</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> [post_title] => Hallow Announces Catholic Schools Week Contest Winners [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => hallow-announces-catholic-schools-week-contest-winners [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-02-13 14:31:36 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-02-13 14:31:36 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://hallow.com/?p=77036 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )

WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 77015 [post_author] => 32 [post_date] => 2025-02-12 16:32:02 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-02-12 16:32:02 [post_content] => <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>CPA members have access to Hallow and the opportunity for content and research collaboration</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>CHICAGO, Feb. 12, 2025 - </strong>The Catholic Psychotherapy Association (CPA) is honored to partner with Hallow, recognizing the profound impact that integrating faith-based resources can have on member clinicians and the people they serve. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Hallow’s extensive library of prayer, meditation, and scriptural content offers a powerful tool for spiritual and emotional healing, complementing the therapeutic work of CPA members.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">This partnership not only supports the growth and healing of clients through deepened spiritual engagement but also provides CPA members with invaluable resources for their own spiritual journey. By fostering both personal and professional spiritual development, Hallow equips clinicians to accompany their clients with greater depth and integration of faith.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">"Hallow has been a transformative resource in my practice and personal prayer life,” said Shannon D. Mullen, Ph. D, CSAT-S, CPA president. “Clients struggling with anxiety, scrupulosity, loss, and spiritual dryness have found immense solace in guided prayers and meditations, and I have personally experienced a renewed depth in my own spiritual walk through Hallow's amazing and diverse content."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">“In a world that is increasingly dominated by stress, anxiety, and a general sense of chaos, we could not be more excited to partner with the CPA in their development and promotion of mental health practices centered on an authentically Christian conception of living a full and fulfilled life,” said Alessandro DiSanto, Hallow co-founder. “Christ encourages us, ‘Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.’ (MT 11:28) Our hope with this partnership is to bring that message to as many people as possible, especially those currently suffering from mental health issues and those ministering to them.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>About the Partnership<br><br></strong>CPA members now have full access to Hallow and its premium selection of over 10,000 guided prayers and meditations, including:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Daily prayer content, including meditations and reflections on the daily Gospel, the Rosary, daily Examens, and the Divine Mercy Chaplet;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Talks and exercises on combating addictions led by Dr. Anthony Isacco, Journal Chair of the CPA’s Board of Directors and Director of Training of Chatham University’s School of Health Sciences PsyD Program;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Content focused on building healthy relationships between friends, family, yourself, and God with Dr. Gerry Crete, CPA Past-President and Clinical Director of Transfiguration Counseling.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Meditations and reflections on overcoming common emotional wounds by Dr. Bob Schuchts and Sr. Miriam James Heidland of the John Paul II Healing Center;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Sessions on understanding and overcoming stress and anxiety with Regina Boyd, LMHC, founder of Boyd Counseling Services;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Prayers and spiritual exercises for families, including family Mass prep, sacramental preparation content, profiles of different Saints, and age-specific formation content;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Traditional spiritual content including dozens of novenas and litanies;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Prayers and Bible Stories geared toward finding peace before going to sleep, led by familiar voices such as Mario Lopez, Mark Wahlberg, Sarah Swafford, Fr. Mike Schmitz, and Emily Wilson.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">As part of the extended partnership, Hallow will work with CPA experts in various fields to co-develop custom, faith-centric content on social and emotional health areas. This content will be exclusively available in the Hallow app and include a mix of educational and experiential content.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Finally, Hallow plans to collaborate with the CPA on an RFP process among members for projects seeking to advance research into the behavioral effects of prayer and other spiritual practices on both mental and spiritual health. Resulting efforts will be reviewed for publication in <a href="https://catholicpsychotherapy.org/Integratus"><em>Integratus</em></a><em>, </em>the Journal of the Catholic Psychotherapy Association.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>About the Catholic Psychotherapy Association</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Founded in 2002, the <a href="https://catholicpsychotherapy.org/">Catholic Psychotherapy Association</a> is incorporated as a 501c3 in the State of Georgia and recognized as a Catholic organization in the Official Catholic (Kenedy) Directory. The mission of the Catholic Psychotherapy Association is to support mental health practitioners by promoting the development of psychological theory and mental health practice which encompasses a full understanding of the human person, family, and society in fidelity to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>About Hallow&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Hallow helps people deepen their relationship with God through audio-guided prayers, sleep meditations, Bible readings, meditations, and music. The app has more than 10,000 sessions including a daily Rosary, daily Gospel, daily Saint, novenas, examens, Father Mike Schmitz’s Bible in a Year, The Chosen’s Jonathan Roumie’s audio Bible, Bishop Barron’s Sunday Sermons, peaceful Christian music, Gregorian chant, and so much more. Launched in December 2018, Hallow is now the number one Catholic app in the world with more than 750 million prayers completed across 150-plus countries and more than 22 million downloads.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Contacts</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Catholic Psychotherapy Association</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><a href="mailto:admin@catholicpsychotherapy.org">admin@catholicpsychotherapy.org</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Hallow</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">press@hallow.app</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"align":"center","className":""} --> <p class="has-text-align-center">###</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> [post_title] => Catholic Psychotherapy Association Extends Partnership with Hallow as Official Prayer and Meditation App [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => catholic-psychotherapy-association-extends-partnership-with-hallow-as-official-prayer-and-meditation-app [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-02-12 17:01:07 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-02-12 17:01:07 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://hallow.com/?p=77015 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )

WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 75967 [post_author] => 32 [post_date] => 2025-02-03 21:34:03 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-02-03 21:34:03 [post_content] => <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The story of The Way, one of the most influential books of faith ever written, begins with the story of Josemaría Escrivá.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Josemaría Escrivá was a Catholic priest <a href="https://faith.nd.edu/saint/st-josemaria-escriva/">born in Spain in 1902</a>. He’s best known for being the founder of Opus Dei, a Catholic organization whose mission is to spread the Christian message that every person is called to holiness and that every honest work can be sanctified.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Escrivá grew up in a loving family but encountered a great deal of hardship, including the death of his three younger sisters.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">About five years later, when he was still a teenager, Escrivá had a powerful experience that united his heart to God’s will. Following a snowstorm, Escrivá noticed footprints in the snow, left behind by a discalced Carmelite monk.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The image was striking and prompted Escrivá to consider his own vocation.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">“If others sacrifice so much for God and their neighbour, couldn't I do something too?” <a href="https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20021006_escriva_en.html">he wondered</a>. “I began to have an inkling of what Love is, to realise that my heart was yearning for something great, for love.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">This led Escrivá to pursue a vocation as a priest in 1925.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-priesthood-opus-dei-and-writing">Priesthood, Opus Dei and Writing</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">During Escrivá’s time as a priest, the Spanish Civil War broke up, leading to some persecution of Catholics and interrupting the work that he began in 1928: building Opus Dei.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Peter Berglar, author of <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=BdClOWsEtAIC&amp;newbks=1&amp;newbks_redir=0&amp;printsec=frontcover">Opus Dei: Life and Works of Its Founder Josemaría Escrivá</a>, described how Escrivá was moved by the Gospel passage of Jesus granting sight to Bartimeus, and how Escrivá sought to clearly see what God was asking of him.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">“Escrivá always insisted that Opus Dei was not his own invention, that it was not the consequence of a series of speculations, analyses, discussions or experiments, and that it was not the result of good and pious intentions,” he said. “He clearly implied that the actual founder was God himself and that the commission of the task to a young priest was a supernatural act, a unique grace.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Much of Escrivá’s life was dedicated to growing Opus Dei; the Vatican formally approved it in 1950 and Escrivá later moved to Rome.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Opus Dei <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jf3nQ_etTKU">is predicated on</a> the belief that “everyone is called to be holy, to serve the Church, and spread the joy of the Gospel, right in their ordinary lives.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">These desires–to be holy, serve the Church and spread the Gospel–in our everyday lives manifest in Escrivá’s writings, including his most famous work, The Way.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-way-its-chapters-and-points">The Way, Its Chapters and Points</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">First published in 1934, The Way has been called "Kempis of modern times", a reference to the <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/the-imitation-of-christ/">Imitation of Christ,</a> the massively popular medieval book that is the best-selling religious work outside of the Bible.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The Way is composed of 46 different chapters on a multitude of <a href="https://escriva.org/en/camino/">topics</a>, including prayer, Holy Mass, obedience, the will of God, and perseverance.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Those 46 chapters contain 999 “considerations” or points, most of which pertain to Christian piety. There are 999 of these maxims because Escrivá had such fondness for the Trinity.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The format makes The Way extremely easy and enjoyable to read: Chapters pass quickly and the points are simple but profound.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">For example, take, point 164, in the Heart chapter:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>164</strong> <em>How goes your heart? ... Don't be worried. The saints --who were perfectly ordinary, normal beings like you and me--also felt those natural inclinations. And if they had not felt them, their supernatural reaction of keeping their heart--body and soul--for God, isntead of giving it to creatures, would have had little merit.&nbsp;</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>That's why, once the way has been seen, the weakness of the heart should be no obstacle for a soul filled with determination and completely in love.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:html --> <div class="flourish-embed flourish-table" data-src="visualisation/21378163"><script src="https://public.flourish.studio/resources/embed.js"></script><noscript><img src="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/21378163/thumbnail" width="100%" alt="table visualization" /></noscript></div> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The book has spawned a <a href="https://x.com/StEscrivaOpus">Twitter/X account</a> dedicated to tweeting out these points and considerations each day.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">In addition to The Way, Escrivá was the author of such books as Furrow and Holy Rosary. His last published work, The Forge, was published in 1987.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:html --> <div class="flourish-embed flourish-cards" data-src="visualisation/21391615"><script src="https://public.flourish.studio/resources/embed.js"></script><noscript><img src="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/21391615/thumbnail" width="100%" alt="cards visualization" /></noscript></div> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-famous-quotes-from-the-way">Famous Quotes from The Way</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The Way is well-known for its simple but powerful considerations about faith and everyday life.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>"Do everything for Love. Thus there will be no little things: everything will be big. Perseverance in little things for Love is heroism."</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>"How beautiful it is to give up this life for <em>the</em> life."</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>"Everything that doesn’t lead you to God is an obstacle. Tear it out and cast it far from you."</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>"Make few resolutions. Make specific resolutions. And fulfill them with the help of God."</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>"To reform. Every day a little. This has to be your constant task if you really want to become a saint."</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-quotes-about-the-way-and-josemaria-escriva">Quotes About The Way and Josemaría Escrivá</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>"It will certainly do a great deal of good by its simplicity, which is a true medium for the Gospel message. - <a href="https://archive.org/details/opusdeiobjective00alle/page/66/mode/2up">Thomas Merton</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>“Josemaría Escrivá understood more clearly that the mission of the baptized consists in raising the Cross of Christ above all human reality and he felt burning within him the impassioned vocation to evangelize every human setting.” - <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/homilies/2002/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_20021006_escriva.html,">Pope John Paul II</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>“Msgr. Escrivá, with Gospel in hand, constantly taught: ‘Christ does not want us simply to be good, he wants us to be saints through and through. However, he wants us to attain that sanctity not by doing extraordinary things, but rather, through ordinary common activities. It is the way that they are done which must be uncommon.’ There, (in the middle of the street), in the office, in the factory, we can be holy provided we do our job competently, for love of God, and cheerfully, so that everyday work does not become ‘a daily tragedy’, but rather ‘a daily smile.’” -<a href="https://www.vatican.va/latest/documents/escriva_pontefici_en.html"> Pope John Paul I</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-to-buy-josemaria-escriva-s-the-way">Where to Buy Josemaría Escrivá's The Way</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The Way is the perfect book to accompany your Lenten prayer journey. Shipping is free when you purchase from the link below:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://scepterpublishers.org/discount/hallow25?utm_source=hallow&amp;utm_campaign=25HallowLent&amp;redirect=/pages/hallow25">Buy <em>The Way</em> book</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-resources">More Resources</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/the-imitation-of-christ/">"The Imitation of Christ" by Thomas a Kempis</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/pray40/">Hallow's Pray40 Lent prayer challenge</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> [post_title] => Josemaría Escrivá and 'The Way' [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => the-way-josemaria-escriva [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-02-07 14:20:00 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-02-07 14:20:00 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://hallow.com/?p=75967 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )

WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 74519 [post_author] => 32 [post_date] => 2025-01-09 15:12:47 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-01-09 15:12:47 [post_content] => <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">In 2024, Hallow’s <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/pray25/">Pray25</a> Advent prayer challenge focused on perhaps the most famous Bible verse of all: John 3:16.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The simple first reminds us of the depths of God’s love for us–giving us His only Son, knowing the life He was leading Him to.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Pray25 also featured the Litany of Let Love throughout the 25 days.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The Litany of Let Love is written by Sr. Agnus Dei of the <a href="https://sistersoflife.org/">Sisters of Life</a>. In one Pray25 session, Sr. Agnus Dei mentioned that this litany came to life after she and a few of her fellow Sisters were praying and reflecting on the gift of the charism of life. It draws from the mantra "Give God permission."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Praying the Litany of Let Love helps us to invite God into our lives and to allow His love to transform us.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Like other litanies, like the <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-the-litany-of-trust/">Litany of Trust</a> or <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-the-litany-of-humility/">Litany of Humility</a>, the Litany of Let Love takes a bit of a call-and-answer form, repeating simple prayers and phrases, lifting up a number of intentions in the process.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The Litany of Let Love invites us to meditate on the boundless love that God has for us</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-litany-of-let-love-full-text">Litany of Let Love - Full Text</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Father, good and ever-faithful.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Jesus, Savior ever-merciful.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Holy Spirit, well-spring of true life and love.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">I give You permission.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Reign in my heart, mind, soul, and life.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Let Your Love come into my past, present, and future.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Let Your Love unfold in me.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love reveal who I am,&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>God, in Whose Image I’ve been made, Father me.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love define me,&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>God, in Whose Likeness I’ve been formed, shape me.&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love with courage and hope,&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>God, to Whose glory I’ve been called, be my strength.&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love forgive me,&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Save me Lord Jesus.&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love love me to the depths of my being,&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Save me Lord Jesus.&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love heal and glorify my wounds,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Save me Lord Jesus.&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love free me from sin,&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Save me Lord Jesus.&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love liberate me from all my fears,&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Save me Lord Jesus.&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love reconcile me to wholeness and peace,&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Save me Lord Jesus.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love awaken me,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Come Holy Spirit.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love lead me in every moment,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Come Holy Spirit.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love challenge me to live in and for love,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Come Holy Spirit.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love grow my mind, heart, and soul,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Come Holy Spirit.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love draw me to live in the truth,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Come Holy Spirit.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love transform me into the life of Christ,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Come Holy Spirit.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love fill me to overflowing,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Come Holy Spirit.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love captivate my heart,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Come Holy Spirit.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love live in me,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Come Holy Spirit.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love inspire me,&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Come Holy Spirit</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">~~~</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love cherish me,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Father, hold me in Your Heart.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love receive me,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Jesus, keep me in your wounds.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love be my rock and security,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Spirit, keep me in your peace.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love ask from me,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Let Your will be done Father.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love in,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Let Your Will be done Father.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love live in me,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Let Your Will be done Father.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love go,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Let Your Will be done Father.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love give,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Let Your Will be done Father.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love speak,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Let Your will be done Father.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That I Let Love call my name,&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Let Your will be done Father.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">To learn more about Sr. Agnus Dei, see her <a href="https://sistersoflife.org/2019/01/01/vocation-story-smad/">vocation story</a> on the Sisters of Life website or check out her interview with the <a href="https://portlanddiocese.org/news/living-love-story">Diocese of Portland</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/litanyofletlove">Try Hallow for Free</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-pray-the-litany-of-let-love">How to Pray the Litany of Let Love</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">You can pray the Litany of Let Love the same way you'd pray other litanies.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">On Hallow, the leader reads the intention (non-bolded text above) and everyone praying responds with the bolded text.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">During Pray25, the prayer guide would say, for example, "That I let love cherish me.." and those praying would respond with "Father, hold me in Your heart."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">If you're praying this by yourself, simply read (aloud or in your head) the first part, and pray (again, silently or out loud) the response.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-litanies">More Litanies</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">If you enjoy the format of the Litany of Let Love, consider exploring other litanies to enrich your prayer life.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Other popular litany prayers include the <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-litany-of-st-joseph/">Litany of St. Joseph</a>, the <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/litany-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary-litany-of-loreto/">Litany of Loreto</a>, and the <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/pray-the-litany-for-life/">Litany for Life</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Inside of the Hallow app, other litanies to pray include the Litany for the Dead, Litany of the Saints and Litany for Priests–and many others.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> [post_title] => Litany of Let Love: How to Pray [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => litany-of-let-love [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-01-09 15:14:40 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-01-09 15:14:40 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://hallow.com/?p=74519 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )

WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 74508 [post_author] => 32 [post_date] => 2025-01-08 21:56:19 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-01-08 21:56:19 [post_content] => <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>CHICAGO, Jan. 8, 2024 </strong>- Wyoming Catholic College has partnered with Hallow, a Catholic prayer and meditation app, to provide its COR Expeditions participants with a tool they can take home to continue to deepen their spiritual lives.<br><br>Wyoming Catholic College, a 4-year, Catholic, Great Books college based in Lander, Wyoming, is well-known for its rigorous Liberal-Arts curriculum, its elite outdoor program, and for its no-cellphone policy on campus. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Through its <a href="https://www.corexpeditions.org/">COR Expeditions ministry</a>, the college has been successfully guiding teens and young adults into a relationship with Christ through a literal departure from the noise and busyness of the world, leading them into the beautiful wilderness of the Mountain West.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">”Hallow and Wyoming Catholic College share a commitment to helping young people encounter Christ," said Anne Foster, Hallow partnership executive. “The environment for that encounter is often silence, stillness, and a retreat from distractions."<br><br>This new partnership coincides with the release of Hallow’s “Digital Detox” content, which is provided by Humanality, a non-profit friend of both Hallow and Wyoming Catholic. Also based in Lander, Humanality exists to help people discover freedom through an intentional relationship with technology. Their “Digital Detox” program will feature a technology “fast,” where users will learn about the impact of smartphones and be guided in meditations that highlight the need for setting the proper boundaries with all types of communicative technologies. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">“Here at Wyoming Catholic, we see the power and importance of a ’tech fast’ up close,” said Professor Kyle Washut, the College’s president. “Few things are as vital to human flourishing as the ability to step away from the relentless noise and intrusion of our smartphones. I’m glad to see that Hallow is partnering with our good friends at Humanality to offer this program to its users, and I’m convinced it will be a transformative opportunity for many, as it has been for our students.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">“At first, a partnership between an app and an institution that is widely known for its tech fast might seem like a strange fit. Here at Hallow, though, we believe that meditative prayer creates the proper space for an encounter with God because it necessitates a degree of silence, stillness, and a spiritual retreat into the desert or wilderness of our hearts where encounter with God takes place,” said Foster. “This understanding makes Hallow a perfect fit for Wyoming Catholic College, whose strong commitment to a tech-free learning environment has been a key tenant of its success.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">“As important as the mechanics of the tech fast are, a spirituality that accompanies them is just as essential,” Washut continues. “Here at Wyoming Catholic, we have developed a program of Wilderness (or Desert) Spirituality that gives weight to the fast, and we’re glad to share our expertise and experiences with Hallow and Humanality. Together, we can answer the call of Our Lady of Champion, bringing people ‘into the wilderness, and teaching them what is necessary for their salvation.’”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>About Hallow</strong><br><br>Hallow helps people deepen their relationship with God through audio-guided prayers, sleep meditations, Bible readings, meditations, and music. The app has over 10,000 sessions including a daily Rosary, daily Gospel, daily saint, novenas, examens, Father Mike Schmitz’s Bible in a Year, The Chosen’s Jonathan Roumie’s audio Bible, Bishop Barron’s Sunday Sermons, peaceful Christian music, Gregorian chant, and so much more. Launched in December 2018, Hallow is now the number one Catholic app in the world with over 700 million prayers completed across 150-plus countries and over 20 million downloads.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>About Wyoming Catholic College</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Wyoming Catholic College is a private, 4-year, integrated educational institution that forms its students through a rigorous immersion in the primary sources of the classical Liberal Arts tradition, the grandeur of the mountain wilderness, and the spiritual heritage of the Catholic Church. Grounded in real experience and thoughtful reflection, its graduates love truth, think clearly, and communicate eloquently, engaging with the world as it is.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> [post_title] => Hallow Announces Partnership with Wyoming Catholic College [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => hallow-announces-partnership-with-wyoming-catholic-college [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-01-08 21:56:31 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-01-08 21:56:31 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://hallow.com/?p=74508 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )