New, Free, Online Resources to Use During the Lenten Season: 1 March - 13 April

March 17, 2017

Editor: To help each one of us prepare for the Season of Lent (1 March - 13 April), collated here are a number of new- for- 2017 free online resources for your reading, listening, viewing, praying and reflection

LITERATURE for LENT

- Staff at Image journal have collected a handful of poems, visual art, essays, short stories, and Good Letters reflections that resonate with this liturgical season. Access the collection here

- Forty for 40: A Literary Reader for Lent. This literary companion for Lent was first published in 2015 and has been re-released with updated dates. This diverse range of ways writers have imagined the season can be accessed here

PRAYER RITUAL

The Mercy Mid-Atlantic Spiritual Life Committee (Americas) is pleased to offer this prayer for Lent.

PROGRAMS and GUIDES

The Grace of Earth - St Columbans Mission Society

The Grace of Earth consists of six weekly Lenten Reflections related to the Gospel readings which focus on six aspects of Earth's life support systems: Atmosphere, Oceans, Fresh Water, Land, Plant Life, Animal Life.

Download the complete resource here (8pps; PDF) or individually from here

'Like the Seed keeping expectant silence before the mystery of emergence we await the blossoming of new life'

Lenten reflection booklet from the Sisters of the Presentation of the BVM Dubuque, Iowa

Download the booklet here (50pps; PDF)

“Rise Up: A Lenten Call to Solidarity”: Jesuit Social Justice Lenten Series

More than thirty writers from throughout the American national Jesuit network will explore response to injustice through the lens of the daily readings and Ignatian spirituality.

Individuals can subscribe to receive the daily reflections via e-mail . They will also be shared via social media on Facebook and Twitter.

Further details/ subscribe here

Ecospirituality Resource for Lent from Terri MacKenzie, SHCJ on the theme of Water

I Thirst: A Lenten Journey from Desert to Garden. Download here (14 pps; PDF)

Tengo Sed: un Viaje Cuaresmal del Desierto al Jardín. Download here (14pps; PDF)

Lenten Resource: Reflections with Laudato Si'

The Archdiocese of Liverpool, England Justice & Peace Commission, together with CAFOD, has prepared a Lenten Resource 'Reflections with Laudato Si'. It can be downloaded here (24 pps; PDF).

Lenten Reflection Guide: A Journey with Gospel Nonviolence

The 16-page guide produced by the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns with the support of the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative. It contains reflections, questions, prayers, and actions based on each week’s Gospel reading and topics raised by Catholic peacemakers at the Nonviolence and Just Peace conference held in Rome in April 2016. Download it here (16 pps; PDF)

Weekly Lenten Reflections - Audio and hard copy

Authored for Catholic Health Association USA by Renee Yann rsm (Americas)

Download individually and share. Available here

Seven Weeks for Water -The World Council of Churches Ecumenical Water Network (EWN)

We are invited to use this season of Lent to reflect on water. Since 2008, the EWN has been providing weekly theological reflections and other resources on water for the seven weeks of Lent and for World Water Day on 22 March

The Biblico-theological reflections and resources for the seven weeks will be based on the water crisis in the Africa region and take into consideration issues of justice and peace.

Reflections, liturgies and other resources will be uploaded to the EWN website every week, starting from 1March 2017. This year the reflections on water and sanitation will focus on inequality, stigma and discrimination related to water, feminisation of water poverty in the context of Africa, among others.

Reflections on the Water of Life. Meditations for the Five Sundays in Lent and Palm Sunday.

Written and Compiled by Members of the Anglican Communion Environmental Network (ACEN) 2017

This program is focussed on celebrating, protecting and ensuring equal access to the gift of water for all.

Download it here (16 pps; PDF)

Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund Lent resource with a focus on food security -

Anglican Church of Canada

Read it online
Download in book layout(80pps; PDF)
Download in two-page spread (41pps; PDF)
Sign up to receive it as a daily email

Opening Our Hearts & Minds - the Archdiocese of Melbourne

An accessible Lenten resource from for parish/school groups or for anyone seeking some personal reflection time.

Each weekly reflection follows three steps: Be Still; The Gospel; Respond.

The reflections also come with music suggestions and short prayers to draw together the thoughts arising from the Gospel reflection.

Download the reflections here (12 pps; PDF)

Lenten Moments from Mercy Partners

Mercy Partners will present a weekly prayer reflection during Lent.

Access these from their website here

LECTIO DIVINA

Broken Bay lectio divina Lent 2017 Resource

Reading Scripture in a way that leads to prayer and transformation.

This resource can be accessed from this page in two ways:

1. As a PDF booklet or individual weekly sessions for printing.
2. As an online weekly resource for Lent, which includes the video recording of the bishops' reflections.

RESOURCES DESIGNED FOR SCHOOLS

Just Water: Climate Change in the Pacific. A schools’ resource

Developed by Caritas New Zealand because many of the difficulties currently facing the peoples of the Pacific because of climate change involve water; either too much, or not enough!

Background information, Lessons and Worksheets. Download it here (23 pps; PDF)

Trócaire (official overseas development agency of the Catholic Church in Ireland)

Theme: Climate Change, Climate Justice, Climate Action.

Access the resources here

CAFOD (the Catholic international development charity in England and Wales)

Resources for reflection and prayer throughout Lent. Ash Wednesday liturgy, Stations of the Cross, Lent wall calender.

Download here

RETREATS

Lent retreat 2017 from Jesuit Ministries United Kingdom (Pray As You Go)

The retreat consists of seven 20 minute sessions containing reflections and excerpts from the book, Seven Last Words by James Martin SJ

The Retreat can be accessed online here

The Retreat, Stations of the Cross (see below), will also be available on the Pray As You Go App

Download for iOS devices

Download for Android devices

STATIONS of the CROSS

Audio reflections based on Jesus' journey to the Cross. Access these here

Imaginative Conversations (audio drama based on the experience of the disciples leading up to Jesus' death. Access these here

DAILY P

DAILY PRAYERS

Praying Lent: an Online Ministry of Creighton University
March 1 - April 12, 2017

Daily prayers, audio conversations, online retreat. Access the resources here

CARBON FAST & OTHER CALENDARS

Green Anglicans’ Carbon Fast. Themes for each week. Download here

Lenten Carbon Fast Calendar from the Conference of Leaders of Religious Institutes in NSW (CLRI NSW)
A4 Colour (4pps; PDF); A4 B&W (4pps; PDF)

'A Living Lent That Changes the World' calendar with suggested activities connected to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Download here (2pps; PDF)

2017 Solidarity Calendar from Development and Peace – Caritas Canada

Download it here

A leaflet of Daily Actions and Reflections based on the Scripture Readings for Lent. Composed for the National Justice and Peace Network (UK)

Download it here (2 pps; PDF)