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Lent

Lent is a time of prayer, fasting and almsgiving in preparation for Easter.

Follow faithfully the way, Tell courageously the truth, Live joyfully the life.

Kia pono te whai atu i te huarahi, Kia māia te whakapuaki i te pono, Kia harikoa te manawa i te oranga.

- Ecclesia in Oceania, 2001

This was the theme for the Bishops’ Lent Appeal 2013. The Lent Appeal is run by Caritas on behalf of New Zealand’s Catholic Bishops to support works of charity and justice for the world’s poorest – in New Zealand and overseas.

Lent receipts

THANK YOU to all have given generously to our Lent Appeal - you have helped us raise over $900,000. Because of you, communities in Papua New Guinea can plant cocoa seedlings for income, community groups in Tonga can take out small loans to develop enterprises in chicken and pig farming, and tapa making. And we can help address other issues of poverty and injustice in New Zealand and around the world.

Donors who gave using red 'One Lent Total' envelopes should have received a receipt within 2 weeks of payment. Processing of donations received through the weekly, purple Lenten envelopes takes longer, and has recently been completed - receipts for those should be received by 18 May. Thank you for your patience.

Resources prepared for parishes, schools, and small groups remain available below.

Parish resources

Lent resources for all parishes were sent out mid-January. Additional resources are also available online here.

School resources

The school resource Towards a sea change for Oceania and associated Lenten resources are available here.

Lent Reflection Programme

Our popular Lent Reflection Programme is available for download below in English, Tokelauan, Tongan and Samoan.

The Lent Reflection Programme is used by individuals or small groups to reflect on the Gospels for the six weeks of Lent, in the light of Catholic social teaching and our experience of the social issues that confront us today.