Each year, as Lent approaches, Catholics around the world prepare their hearts for the sacred journey toward Easter. Yet before we enter the solemn beauty of Ash Wednesday, the Church gives us a final day of joyful anticipation— Shrove Tuesday, often known as Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras. Although the day is popularly associated with parades, colorful beads, and festive foods, its true meaning is deeply rooted in our Catholic faith and in our desire for ongoing conversion. The word shrove comes from the Old English word shriven, meaning “to be absolved of one&rs...

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On February 18, the Church enters the sacred season of Lent with the observance of Ash Wednesday, a day marked by humility, repentance, and hope. As ashes are placed on our foreheads, we are reminded of both our human frailty and God’s enduring mercy— an invitation to turn our hearts back to Him. Ash Wednesday begins forty days of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, calling us to slow down, examine our lives honestly, and prepare our hearts more intentionally for the joy of Easter.   Lenten Prayer from the USCCB Loving God, As we enter into these day...

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A portrait of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (1895–1979), New York, 1964. | Credit: Bachrach/Getty Images   The Holy See informed the Diocese of Peoria that the cause for the Venerable Servant of God Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen can proceed to beatification, according to the diocese. The Holy See has officially informed Bishop Louis Tylka of the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois, that the cause for the Venerable Servant of God Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen can proceed to beatification, according to an announcement from the diocese. “The next step in ...

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Despite bitter winter temperatures outside, warmth and energy filled Central Rock Gym in Glastonbury on Saturday, February 7, as families and young people from across the Diocese of Norwich gathered for Indoor Climbing with Bishop Reidy. Braving the cold weather to attend, participants were rewarded with an afternoon of movement, encouragement, and joyful connection— both on the climbing walls and off. Hosted at Central Rock Gym in Glastonbury, the event invited climbers of all experience levels to challenge themselves in a supportive, faith-filled environment. Fro...

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Pope Leo XIV urges Catholics to listen more closely to God and others — and to “disarm” their language by fasting from words that wound — in his message for Lent 2026. In his message for Lent 2026, Pope Leo XIV urges Catholics to listen more closely to God and others — and to “disarm” their language by fasting from words that wound. The Lenten season begins Feb. 18 with Ash Wednesday. In the message, released Feb. 13, the pope offers a simple definition of Lent as a time when the Church “invites us to place ...

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As the Church enters the sacred season of Lent, the Diocese of Norwich is offering a unique virtual Lenten Mission that invites participants to step away from constant technology and rediscover deeper communion with Christ. Beginning Thursday, February 26, the five-week mission will center on a guided book discussion of Media Fasting: Six Weeks to Recharge with Christ by Sister Nancy Usselmann, with a foreword by actor Jonathan Roumie. Participants will gather virtually each Thursday evening from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., reflecting together on how intentional fasting from medi...

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