LENT: PRAYER, FASTING, AND ALMSGIVING
Things to FAST from that are not necessarily “bad” but can take you away from spending time
with God in prayer:
TV
Food
Computer
Cell Phone
Video Games
Junk Food / Sweet Stuff
Fast Food
Coffee Drinks (i.e. Starbucks)
Music / iPod
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Snapchat
Shopping
Sports
Vegging Out / Doing Nothing
Time with Friends / Parties
Using your apps
Prayer….
 Say the Rosary every day and offer it up for someone each time
 Go to a morning weekday Mass when you don’t have school
 Pray the Liturgy of the Hours “Night Prayer” or “Morning Prayer” every day
 Pray through the Sunday readings before you get to Mass
 Start and end every day with a prayer of Thanksgiving
 Sign up for a Holy Hour on Tuesdays in the chapel (9am-Midnight)
 Pray the Stations of the Cross (7:30pm every Friday during Lent)
Almsgiving…..Things you can “Do” that help to take the focus off yourself and put it on the
needs of others:
 Donate some of your clothing to the needy
 Give up texting and call whoever you need to talk to
 Do something nice for someone who’s not nice to you
 Volunteer to be a tutor for a St. Helen school child
 Get to know your neighbors
 Send a different person from the Core an affirmation email or text every day of Lent
 Volunteer at the St. Helen Fish Fry
 Send a card to someone who is on the sick list
 Offer free babysitting for a parishioner who needs it
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(i.e. Make it possible for a mom to go on the Women’s Renewal, Feb. 27-28)
Write a letter to someone who needs your forgiveness
Call someone who is lonely
Visit a grandparent
Call a grandparent
Visit a nursing home resident
Clean the kitchen for your parents
Write a letter to someone in jail
Bake cookies and bring them to a shut-in
Everyday do 20 (or 100) pushups and offer it up for someone who’s sick
Text a Scripture to a friend who needs to hear God’s Word
Leave a post-it with a positive message on it wherever you go
Bring needed supplies to a homeless shelter
Volunteer at the Right to Life office
Sacrifice going out with friends one night and give the money you would have spent to the
church
Borrow a dress or a pair of shoes from a friend instead of buying one for a dance you are
going to and give the money you would have spent to someone in need or to the Church
Make a pledge towards the Church’s Mortgage
Make a meal for your family and actually sit down and eat it with them
Write a letter to and pray for an elderly or sick sister of Notre Dame
Use your weekends to babysit for free
Help the Core plan a Life Night
Bring someone to the Spring retreat (April 1-3)
Make dinner for a Core member
Babysit for a Core member’s children to give them a date night or just time to clean their
house (Beth and Jared Sprogis would LOVE it!)
Help with babysitting for the Marriage Enrichment Course (Saturdays in Lent)
Serve the homeless (i.e. St. Vincent DePaul Dining Hall, St. Colman Church, West Side
Catholic Center, Project Hope, St. Herman House)
other random things you can do during Lent:
Park at the very back of the parking lot
Put a popcorn kernel in your shoe to remind you to pray
Pray the “Hail Mary” and do an ab crunch for every single word
Stop complaining and/or being negative
When you wake up, jump out of bed, kiss the floor, and learn humility
Wear the same 4 outfits for one week of Lent
Cut out all screen-time (phone, TV, computer) after dinner
Don’t straighten or curl your hair
Sit and stand up straight – don’t slouch!
Every day take a picture of something or someone you’re grateful for and hang the
pictures in your room