Pre-Lent Starts Today

[peter26]

In the Ordinariate, we today celebrate Septuagesima, which marks 70 days before Easter (Third Sunday Before Lent). This is meant as a time of reflection and preparation for Lent, which is in turn of course a season penance and preparation for Easter. So I was wondering if anyone is planning on doing something special for Lent. Anyone going to take on additional spiritual practices or devotions, spend more time in prayer, go to extra Masses or otherwise to use the season to spiritually grow?

You can find a reflection on Pre-Lent here.

 

[CRATUS]

I did not know this. There is always a season in the Catholic church.

 

[ChurchSoldier]

Might be joining the RCC. That would make this Lent a wonderful time of preparation.

 

[Neofight]

In the Ordinariate, we today celebrate Septuagesima, which marks 70 days before Easter (Third Sunday Before Lent). This is meant as a time of reflection and preparation for Lent, which is in turn of course a season penance and preparation for Easter. So I was wondering if anyone is planning on doing something special for Lent. Anyone going to take on additional spiritual practices or devotions, spend more time in prayer, go to extra Masses or otherwise to use the season to spiritually grow?

You can find a reflection on Pre-Lent here.

For the second year, I look forward to a 40 day period without CAF.

 

[Graceful_Lamb]

I am doing something called “The Best Lent Ever” (or something like that). through www.dynamic Catholic.com. I also decided to get Matthew Kelly’s book Rediscovering Jesus. Just had to pay S&H!

 

[7_Sorrows]

In the Ordinariate, we today celebrate Septuagesima, which marks 70 days before Easter (Third Sunday Before Lent). This is meant as a time of reflection and preparation for Lent, which is in turn of course a season penance and preparation for Easter. So I was wondering if anyone is planning on doing something special for Lent. Anyone going to take on additional spiritual practices or devotions, spend more time in prayer, go to extra Masses or otherwise to use the season to spiritually grow?

You can find a reflection on Pre-Lent here.

Thank you for sharing this. I am confused-is this anywhere in the Catholic missal or just the Ordinariate? I think I do remember seeing the name in my 1928 Book of Common Prayer. Thanks for bringing this up.

 

[7_Sorrows]

I am doing something called “The Best Lent Ever” (or something like that). through www.dynamic Catholic.com. I also decided to get Matthew Kelly’s book Rediscovering Jesus. Just had to pay S&H!

I think I will read this book for Lent as well. Everyone received a free book at Christmas this year. One year it was Rediscovering Catholicism, and another we received 4 Signs of a Dynamic Catholic and this year we received Rediscovering Jesus.

 

[DaveBj]

I’m going to do what I usually do – thru the Compendium and the Catechism, using the read-out-loud function on my Kindle.

 

[Purgatory_Pete]

For Lent we shut of all computers, mobile phones, tablet’s etc…
No Television, no video or DVD’s, No radio no cd’s, tapes etc. (not even in the car)
no email, no texting etc…

We step back to the peaceful pre-gadget era and study
and meditate on our Faith. (I also try to learn more about my vegetable patch)

Freezer, Refrigerator, Lights, washing machine and 1 old style dial phone
are still used, the phone is used for an emergency only or incoming calls.
We do not go out more to fill the void that is felt at the start.
We simply calm our lives and thank God for the opportunity to grow.

And I can tell you truthfully that the only real hard thing to do is to
leave this behind and re-enter the modern world when it’s over.
It beats any fancy holiday hands down.
:tiphat:

 

[CF_Mathews]

Yes, Septuagesima is a wonderful old custom of the Church. It is the preparation for the preparation. There is one priest who said that w/out Septuagesima, we arrive at Lent cold and unprepared. There is truth in this. Lent is when our sacrifices begin, however, we should be properly disposed to exercise these sacrifices for maximum benefit. Therefore, confession and a particularly rigorous examination of conscience is appropriate during the time of Septuagesima. A good planning out of our Lenten activities is also appropriate. Thanks for posting this-important!

 

[7_Sorrows]

Yes, Septuagesima is a wonderful old custom of the Church. It is the preparation for the preparation. There is one priest who said that w/out Septuagesima, we arrive at Lent cold and unprepared. There is truth in this. Lent is when our sacrifices begin, however, we should be properly disposed to exercise these sacrifices for maximum benefit. Therefore, confession and a particularly rigorous examination of conscience is appropriate during the time of Septuagesima. A good planning out of our Lenten activities is also appropriate. Thanks for posting this-important!

I have arrived at many Lents cold and unprepared. Hoping this Lent will be different because of this thread.

 

[Maddie26]

For Lent we shut of all computers, mobile phones, tablet’s etc…
No Television, no video or DVD’s, No radio no cd’s, tapes etc. (not even in the car)
no email, no texting etc…

We step back to the peaceful pre-gadget era and study
and meditate on our Faith. (I also try to learn more about my vegetable patch)

Freezer, Refrigerator, Lights, washing machine and 1 old style dial phone
are still used, the phone is used for an emergency only or incoming calls.
We do not go out more to fill the void that is felt at the start.
We simply calm our lives and thank God for the opportunity to grow.

And I can tell you truthfully that the only real hard thing to do is to
leave this behind and re-enter the modern world when it’s over.
It beats any fancy holiday hands down.
:tiphat:

Sounds a bit like the Jewish Sabbath. Sounds good.

 

[Maddie26]

Yay! Pre Lent!

First, I’m turning off the TV. Studying Latin. I like the idea of having a single book to be studied throughout Lent but I have a super short attention span so I have a lot of books to read. I plan to learn a couple of ancient chants like the Sub Tuum Praesidium and the Dies Irae.

And of course I’m giving up chocolate.

 

[Deo_Gratias42]

I did not know this. There is always a season in the Catholic church.

We have it in the pre-conciliar calendar. It’s another one of those wonderful liturgical things Vatican II did away with along with Ember and Rogation Days and the Octave of Pentecost. It really is a pity we have lost a lot of the penitential days in the calendar.

 

[7_Sorrows]

We have it in the pre-conciliar calendar. It’s another one of those wonderful liturgical things Vatican II did away with along with Ember and Rogation Days and the Octave of Pentecost. It really is a pity we have lost a lot of the penitential days in the calendar.

what were Ember and Rogation days?

 

[Deo_Gratias42]

what were Ember and Rogation days?

Throughout the year there were periods of three days of mandatory fasting and partial abstinence, which coincided with ordinations, which meant that everyone In the Church was doing penance for those being ordained.

 

[AKDee]

I am doing something called “The Best Lent Ever” (or something like that). through www.dynamic Catholic.com. I also decided to get Matthew Kelly’s book Rediscovering Jesus. Just had to pay S&H!

I, too, am participating in “The Best Lent Ever” and read “Rediscovering Jesus” for Advent. Great book, you will enjoy it.

I will be giving up:
Alcohol
Sweets

Last year I added a nightly Rosary, a habit I have kept up. So this year in addition to doing a nightly Rosary, I plan to do additional daily spiritual reading (I am even considering making spiritual reading the only type of reading I can do during Lent- I’m a compulsive reader and if I limit the type of reading I can do I would certainly get a lot of spiritual reading done). I also am looking at a prior year’s suggestion on here to do a Daily Examen.

I also am going to strive to do additional penances such as Stations of the Cross, the Divine Mercy chaplet, additional fasting.

I haven’t come up with one for almsgiving yet though.

 

[7_Sorrows]

Throughout the year there were periods of three days of mandatory fasting and partial abstinence, which coincided with ordinations, which meant that everyone In the Church was doing penance for those being ordained.

Thanks. Nice.

 

[7_Sorrows]

I, too, am participating in “The Best Lent Ever” and read “Rediscovering Jesus” for Advent. Great book, you will enjoy it.

I will be giving up:
Alcohol
Sweets

Last year I added a nightly Rosary, a habit I have kept up. So this year in addition to doing a nightly Rosary, I plan to do additional daily spiritual reading (I am even considering making spiritual reading the only type of reading I can do during Lent- I’m a compulsive reader and if I limit the type of reading I can do I would certainly get a lot of spiritual reading done). I also am looking at a prior year’s suggestion on here to do a Daily Examen.

I also am going to strive to do additional penances such as Stations of the Cross, the Divine Mercy chaplet, additional fasting.

I haven’t come up with one for almsgiving yet though.

I usually only do spiritual reading also during Lent and I also try to attend the soup suppers Friday during Lent followed by Stations of the Cross. It sounds like you have a great plan to follow this Lenten season.

 

[CF_Mathews]

what were Ember and Rogation days?

I love to celebrate the Ember Days! They roughly coincide with the beginning of the 4 seasons and also liturgical times. They originated from pagan customs which were “Christianized.” Each season has 3 Ember Days-a Wed, a Fri and a Sat. The idea is to offer prayers and sacrifices for blessings upon the new season. Its a great activity to do with kids-you can do spiritual crafts associated with the season (one idea you can pursue is God as the Author of nature) and incorporate prayers and songs into it. Reading the Ember Day traditional Masses for each of the 3 days, as a family, is great…the Sat Masses tend to be rather long, illustrating the importance the Church once placed on this celebration. Some believe the Ember Days go all the way back to the Apostles.

The Rogation Days are similar to the Ember Days. There is one Rogation Day in April, which is of Roman origin and 3 days prior to the Ascension, which is of French Catholic origin. These penitential days are related to the season of Spring, beseeching God’s mercy and abundance. The Rogation Days were traditionally celebrated with beautiful public processions, litanies and Holy Mass.

These are the things that made one passionate about the Catholic Faith. IMHO, these traditions should be continued and perhaps slightly re-worked for a new generation. If we give our children banality, can we really blame them for leaving the Faith?

Here’s a link with more info: [The Tradition of Ember Days in the Catholic Church

](http://www.catholicism.about.com/od/holydaysandholidays/p/Ember_Days.htm)