Notre Dame has a variety of events planned for the upcoming Lenten season, including Ash Wednesday masses and special dining hall menus.
In celebration of Fat Tuesday and the beginning of Lent, Notre Dame dining halls provided a Mardi Gras special dinner featuring beignets and a po’ boy station.
Academic director at the Notre Dame Center for Liturgy Timothy O’Malley explained that dining halls do not provide meat on Fridays during the Lent season.
“It’s a time of preparation to celebrate Easter, to undertake fasting, prayer and almsgiving for the sake of focusing on that which matters: our identity as the beloved sons and daughters of God,” O’Malley wrote in a statement to The Observer.
On Wednesday, Notre Dame’s Basilica of the Sacred Heart will host five masses celebrating Ash Wednesday, including one in Spanish. There will be time for confession from 9 a.m. through 7 p.m.
“The crowd at the Basilica evening mass will make you think it is Easter Sunday,” Fr. Nicholas Ayo, wrote in a statement to The Observer.
Detailing the significance of Ash Wednesday in beginning the Lenten season, rector of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart Fr. Brian Ching, wrote in a statement to The Observer: “The ashes we receive serve as a visible sign of our acknowledgment that we are not perfect and stained by sin. It is a significant practice since it reminds us of what we hope to work on during Lent, growing out of sin and deeper in holiness.”
Ching explained that Notre Dame strives to make Lent a special time by offering retreats, bible studies and small group discussions enabling community members to grow in their faith.
He shared that Fr. Tim Gallagher is hosting a retreat March 29 called “Overcoming Spiritual Discouragement: A Path to Freedom in the Teaching of St. Ignatius of Loyola,” which will emphasize finding joy in spiritual lives. Additionally, there will be a mini silent retreat April 12 to inspire intentional thought and reflection.
“It is a wonder so many people come with, I think, an awareness that we are not in very good shape in our spiritual life, and we could use some discipline and self-giving,” Ayo wrote.
The Celtic Psalms will hold a concert March 21, which will be free to the public and feature traditional Irish and Scottish melodies.
Community members also have the opportunity to experience Mary’s perspective of the Stations of the Cross at the Stabat Mater: Magnificat Choir Palm Sunday Concert. This devotional concert will take place on Palm Sunday at at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, as well as April 16 at Our Lady of the Road in South Bend.
O’Malley explained that students are giving up a variety of things for Lent, but he has observed social media become increasingly more common to give up. “I think it’s essential for undergrads today to use this time to reflect on idolatrous use of such media,” O’Malley wrote.
In lieu of giving something up, Ching explained that many people choose to implement an additional spiritual practice into their routines, such as a daily saying of the Rosary or additional time dedicated to prayer.
“It does not have to be anything drastic or dramatic, but a little moment of self-denial to help us remember God’s goodness,” Ching wrote.
