Any practicing Catholics here?

[GoodnessTruthBeauty]

Any Catholics who practice their faith and would like to chat about Catholic topics? With Ash Wednesday next week we could obviously prepare for Lent.

This isn't the thread for those who are non practicing or who want to critique the Church. Feel free to, but on your own thread, thank you.

Hello! I'm Catholic but I'm new to it and this will be my first year of fully completing my Lent vows, sadly my nearest Catholic church is miles and miles away but I'm hoping to do whatever I can at home.

Do you have an idea of what you'd like to give up for the Lord? I think this year will be my hobby as it's something I do every single day anni dedicate a fair bit of time to it so it isn't a sacrifice easily made! I adore this time of year and reflecting on the ultimate sacrifice that was made for us, Jesus truly was a shining example to us all.

I'm in the RCIA currently, just met with our lovely local priest, who spent an hour chatting with me after mass and gave me lots of food for contemplation. It's taken me ten years to get to this stage (atheist background), but I've craved this for a lot longer, and my soul feels like it's coming home. I've just received my first rosary, so my current project is to learn how to pray it properly ,

@RicherThanYew

Do you have an idea of what you'd like to give up for the Lord? I think this year will be my hobby as it's something I do every single day anni dedicate a fair bit of time to it so it isn't a sacrifice easily made! I adore this time of year and reflecting on the ultimate sacrifice that was made for us, Jesus truly was a shining example to us all.

Don't you think it would be better to do something extra rather than give something up? Do you really believe in a God that is gratified by you giving up e.g. swimming? Surely the whole point is to do something positive that you haven't been doing up till now.

Hello! I'm considering giving up mumsnet (again) for lent. Last time I restricted to just this board. Will definitely give up the sweet stuff. A classic but a goodie as it's so hard for me!!

Could do to do 'extra' but I already listen to The Bible in a year every day which is enough for me.

I am hoping school will do an 8:00 a.m. mass weekly so I can go to church twice a week at least. Will go to confession (Because we Have to) and Stations of the cross.

Richer what will you do with your hobby time?

madmomma this is great

Richer this is good if you can't get to mass.

@HollowTalk

Catholics don't give up something for Lent for God. We do it for ourselves. Sacrifice is good for the soul. We are also called to fast, abstain from certain foods and give alms during Lent, so we give as well as give up.

@HollowTalk Hmm, interesting. What I have done in years past is to save the money that I would usually have spent on whatever I have given up and give it to a charity that ordinarily I feel gets a bit forgotten. I usually give to a local animal charity, a cancer charity and Water Aid but this year will be giving to a charity that will help the poor souls in Ukraine. There's no reason why I can't do both
@ZenNudist that's an excellent question, I won't be wasting it on tv that's for sure and certain!

Hello all! So happy you have jumped in this thread and we can accompany each other through Lent to celebrate Easter. Exciting to hear madmomma that you are in RCIA, are you coming into the Church at the Easter vigil this year? RicherThanYew we all learn more about traditional and new ways to observe and celebrate Lent and Easter each year. I am also a convert from atheism, but a long time ago! I was baptized and received my other Sacraments of Initiation at 19 entering the Church. Would love to hear your conversion stories, or anyone who renewed and is renewing their faith.

Here is the Divine Mercy Chaplet prayed with the brother Franciscans of the Renewal in NYC. Divine Mercy Sunday is the 2nd of Easter.

Hello, lovely to see this post. I was baptized a Catholic, have up in my twenties and returned to my faith 25 years later.

[quote LifeExperience]@HollowTalk

Catholics don't give up something for Lent for God. We do it for ourselves. Sacrifice is good for the soul. We are also called to fast, abstain from certain foods and give alms during Lent, so we give as well as give up.[/quote]
I know what catholics do. I was brought up in a very strict catholic family. If you look at my post, I was querying what another poster had said about giving up for the lord.

Would it be awful/sinful if I did give something up for the Lord? I have always felt that his ultimate sacrifice was deserving of a small one in return.

I'm a rubbish Catholic, I don't give up anything for lent. I did request the day off work because I'm an MC at my cathedral. But taking our former bishops cats to the groomer, has taken priority over serving mass for our current bishop. 🤣

I was brought up Anglican but converted after a trip to Lourdes. Despite going to Lourdes every test since. I have absolutely no Marian devotion whatsoever! But becoming Catholic was the best thing I've ever done.

Lovely GTB. I can't remember all my divine mercy chaplet like I do the rosary. Was planning on doing the divine mercy novena this year. Got to start on good Friday right?

I went to Ash Wednesday mass with my ds school today. It was great because the children take active roles in mass. Ds was reading the psalm. The choir sang some lovely songs and they ended with a rousing worship song over the tannoy which I found strange because we never play worship songs!

Also it was crowded with children from the primary and secondary schools in the parish. Mass was long as so many people to Ash and give communion!

Priest talked to the children in his homily. Brought out a vanish spray and likened lent to sprucing ourselves up to be ready for Easter. I need some sprucing!

Hello Toddler! A trip to Lourdes every year sounds great. I've never been.

I would love to go to Lourdes. We planned to go one year by starting a holiday in Northern Spain and making our way over to France after a few days. Unfortunately we were in Santander less than 24 hrs when our daughter fell and ended up in the ER with a facial injury. It was straight after Mass at Santander Cathedral and she fell from a low stone wall onto a stone flagstone. So needless to say we never made it to Lourdes! She fully recovered with only a tiny scar BTW.
I had my first really conscious conversion experience at the shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham in Norfolk.

Also blessed Ash Wednesday to all. I went to a 9am Mass with my 18 yr old daughter. There was a good turn out with probably about 150 people. Most go to the 7pm Mass after work. Lovely inspirational homily.

This thread is a lovely idea. We can walk through Lent together.

Today is the First Saturday, an important devotion for Catholics and critical now I think, considering the events in Ukraine and Our Lady's messages of Fátima. Please make this devotion if you can as Our Lady promises she will assist everyone who makes it at the hour of their death with all the graces necessary for salvation. I can't help but think of both the messages of the approved apparitions of Our Lady of Quito (Good Success) and Our Lady of Fatima at this time as so much now ties in to what we are witnessing.

There is something really special about Lourdes, and it draws you back. I have really missed not going during covid. Can't wait to go back this summer. Though I've ditched my diocesan pilgrimage for another diocese as it's a bit more lively.
My friend said he'd give me some ashes. He gave them to me in an envelope and told me to do them my self. 🤔🤔 not quite what I had in mind.

Hello everyone. Just seen this thread.
Happy to join you all.

Hi zen how are you doing? I haven't been posting on mumsnet for while because I have had password problems. But finally got it sorted a few months ago.