The Long/Short Road to Lent
A new free virtual retreat from Boston College & lots of resources for your Lent
Lent is 2.5 weeks away. I know, I can’t believe it either.
A few Lenten offerings to check out
Devotional books: Brick House in the City and Cameron Bellm have teamed up again for another journey through Lent with the saints: Draw Near. Blessed is She is offering a special bundle with their new Lent book and my Easter book Risen.
Free newsletters: I’ve signed up for these two because I loved their Advent offerings: SK Mooney’s weekly poetry reflections and Marina Gross-Hoy’s 7-week series Art for the Wilderness.
Daily prayer: I shared this week on social media about the Ritual app I use for daily lectio divina each morning. I’ve been praying with this app for several years, and starting the day with Scripture in my ears has made a huge difference in my life. Check out Ritual here.
Free virtual retreat: I’m thrilled to share that the Church in the 21st Century (C21) Center from Boston College has invited me to facilitate their first virtual retreat.
Along the Way: A Lenten Retreat will meet from March 8-11, 1:00-2:15 pm EST on Zoom. Through this partnership with the C21 Center, the retreat is free for all participants and open to the public.
Along the Way is a new version of the Myrrhbearers retreat that I offered in 2021. If you missed the Myrrhbearers last year, you can join us now for free! Learn more and register here to join us in March.
A few good reads
This Plough essay by Jenna Klaassen about disability, suffering, darkness, and light holds wisdom we could each read twice: Sparring with Emily Dickinson about the Good Life.
I’ve been haunted by this thoughtful piece of literary journalism profiling a small-town newspaper editor and a local pastor—a snapshot of our divided communities: In one small Minnesota town, two warring visions of America.
Your suggestions of pandemic-coping-comedies will keep us streaming for days; thank you! A friend also shared this linguistic analysis of Ted Lasso, and it’s worth registering for the free read. (Aside from missing the theological mark on Ted’s water & wine joke, the piece is brilliant.)
In my latest column for Catholic News Service I ask about practical ways to make your church more family-friendly—for families of all ages, abilities, shapes, and sizes. Give it a read & let me know what you think?
Two notes about our pilgrimage to France on Oct. 12-22:
First, if you’re thinking about joining the pilgrimage, don’t miss your last chance to get $350 off before Feb. 18th! This is the only discount that will be offered for the trip, so I want to be sure you get the chance to check it out in time. Learn more here.
Second, I’ll be hosting a free virtual information session on Feb. 21 at 7:00 pm CST with Bond Strong from Select International Tours to give you a preview about the pilgrimage and answer your questions, including:
What distinguishes a pilgrimage from an ordinary trip
How to budget to make this opportunity a reality
Where we’ll go and what we’ll see in France
The unexpected joys and gifts of pilgrimage
If you’d like to join us—no commitment, just come and listen if you’d like!—reply to this email and I’ll send you the Zoom details.
Peace,
Laura
Find my books here: Everyday Sacrament | Grieving Together | Prayers for Pregnancy & Birth | To Bless Our Callings | Living Your Discipleship