With the Christian season of Lent beginning with Ash Wednesday on March 1, there are a number of reflection opportunities available to members of the Holy Cross community throughout the Lenten Season, in addition to services held on campus. Each strives to provide a way to enter into the sacred season in the midst of everyday life. Explore the different opportunities below.
Return to Me: Lenten Reflections from Holy Cross
For the third year, the Office of the Vice President for Mission will offer a daily Lenten reflection booklet, “Return to Me: Lenten Reflections from Holy Cross, 2017.” This annual resource contains reflections written by a wide variety of people with connections to the College — faculty, current students, chaplains, staff, and alumni of the College. Those who subscribe will be sent an email each morning containing a reflection and the listing of sacred texts from Scripture for each day of Lent. To sign up for the daily Lenten reflection email, or to download the PDF, please visit www.holycross.edu/returntome.
A Book for Lent
Members of the Holy Cross community are also invited to participate in “A Book for Lent.” The tradition began with St. Benedict in the 5th century, who, in Chapter 48 of his Holy Rule, writes: “During this time of Lent each [monk or nun] is to receive a book from the library and is to read the whole of it straight through. These books are to be distributed at the beginning of Lent.” For the monks and nuns participating, the books were not always religious in nature; sometimes, they were works of fiction or poetry. Thus began a long and continuing tradition of spiritual reading during the six weeks of Lent. For a modern application of this practice, the Office of the Vice President for Mission offers ten short and accessible suggestions:
- "The Long Loneliness" by Dorothy Day*
- "Silence" by Shusaku Endo*
- "The Rain in Portugal" by Billy Collins ‘63*
- "Mercy Matters" by Mathew Schmalz, associate professor of religious studies
- "The Life You Save May Be Your Own: An American Pilgrimage" by Paul Elie
- "Pilgrimage: My Search for the Real Pope Francis" by Mark Shriver ‘86
- "Till We Have Faces" by C.S. Lewis
- "Sacred Fire" by Ronald Rolheiser
- "The Land of Spices" by Kate O’Brien
- "House of Light" by Mary Oliver
The books marked with an asterisk (*) have also been selected for a Lenten book discussion group, which will meet on campus three times during Lent. For more information on the discussion group or to register, please email Rev. Paul Harman, S.J. at pharman@holycross.edu.
Schedule of Services
Ash Wednesday, March 1; Ashes will be distributed at all services.
- 8:15 a.m. Ecumenical Morning Prayer, Mary Chapel – Offered by Emily Rauer Davis '99
- 12:05 p.m. Catholic Mass, Mary Chapel – Offered by Rev. William Campbell, S.J. '87
- 5 p.m. Ecumenical Evening Prayer, Mary Chapel – Offered by Marybeth Kearns-Barrett '84
- 9 p.m. Catholic Mass, St. Joseph Memorial Chapel – Offered by Rev. Michael Rogers, S.J. '02
Daily Mass, Monday-Friday
- 12:05 p.m., McCooey Chapel
Friday Confessions, Fridays of Lent
- 11:30 a.m. – 12 noon, Reconciliation Chapel
Stations of the Cross, Fridays of Lent
- 7 p.m., St. Joseph Chapel
Lenten Eucharistic Vigil, Friday, April 7
- 7-10 p.m., sponsored by the student Society of Saints Peter & Paul
