Home/Stay Informed/All Diocesan Articles

All Diocesan Articles

Pope Francis’ Message for Lent 2025

Posted on February 25, 2025 in: News, Lent

Pope Francis’ Message for Lent 2025

In his message for Lent 2025, Pope Francis emphasized the importance of living one’s life as a constant journey of conversion, choosing to walk in peace and hope aside one’s fellow humans.

“May the hope that does not disappoint, the central message of the jubilee, be the focus of our Lenten journey toward the victory of Easter,” the pope said in the message, released Tuesday. 

He also quoted St. Paul’s exclamation in the first letter to the Corinthians: “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 

Though Francis is in Gemelli Hospital to receive treatment for multiple respiratory infections, his Lenten message is dated Feb. 6, well ahead of his hospitalization on Feb. 14. 

The season of Lent will begin on Ash Wednesday, March 5. The Vatican said the pope continues to carry out some work duties with the help of his secretaries while in the hospital.

In his message, the pontiff wrote that this Lent is an opportunity to consider three areas where one may be in greater need of conversion: journeying with others, being synodal, and having hope.

“A first call to conversion,” he said, “comes from the realization that all of us are pilgrims in this life; each of us is invited to stop and ask how our lives reflect this fact. Am I really on a journey, or am I standing still, not moving, either immobilized by fear and hopelessness or reluctant to move out of my comfort zone? Am I seeking ways to leave behind the occasions of sin and situations that degrade my dignity?”

On the virtue of hope, Pope Francis quoted the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which calls hope the “sure and steadfast anchor of the

“Thanks to God’s love in Jesus Christ, we are sustained in the hope that does not disappoint,” the pope said, adding that hope “moves the Church to pray for ‘everyone to be saved’ (1 Tm 2:4) and to look forward to her being united with Christ, her bridegroom, in the glory of heaven.”

He recalled a prayer of St. Teresa of Ávila, to “hope, O my soul, hope. You know neither the day nor the hour. Watch carefully, for everything passes quickly, even though your impatience makes doubtful what is certain, and turns a very short time into a long one.”

Francis said a good Lenten exercise and examination of conscience would be to compare one’s life to a migrant or foreigner, “to learn how to sympathize with their experiences and in this way discover what God is asking of us so that we can better advance on our journey to the house of the Father.”

He also encouraged Catholics to be more synodal by journeying with others while avoiding self-absorption, exclusion, oppressing and excluding others, or being envious and hypocritical.

“Let us all walk in the same direction, tending toward the same goal, attentive to one another in love and patience,” he urged.

Pope Francis said the call to hope and trust in God and in eternal life is also an important aspect of Lenten conversion. Some questions to ponder include: “Am I convinced that the Lord forgives my sins? Or do I act as if I can save myself? Do I long for salvation and call upon God’s help to attain it? Do I concretely experience the hope that enables me to interpret the events of history and inspires in me a commitment to justice and fraternity, to care for our common home and in such a way that no one feels excluded?”

“This Lent, God is asking us to examine whether in our lives, in our families, in the places where we work and spend our time, we are capable of walking together with others, listening to them, resisting the temptation to become self-absorbed and to think only of our own needs,” he said.

By Hannah Brockhaus

This article was published by Catholic News Agency on February 25, 2025.

Bookmark the link below and visit it often as you observe the wonderful season of Lent! 
Feel free to share this link on social media

NorwichDiocese.org/Lent


Most Viewed Articles of the Last 30 Days

Salute to St. Patrick

Posted on March 13, 2025 in: News

984

Salute to St. Patrick
  The heroics of St. Patrick are not appreciated as much as they should be. He is the first person in history to publicly condemn slavery, and one of the first leaders to champion the cause of equal rights. There is much to celebrate on March 17. Fortunately, his writings, though slim, are eye-opening accounts of his life: Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus and Confession reveal much about the man. Along with other sources, they paint a picture of his saintliness. Patrick was born in Britain in the 4th century to wealthy parents. It is likely that he was bapt...

Read More

Rite of Election Welcomes Catechumens on First Sunday of Lent
On Sunday, March 9, the First Sunday of Lent, the Cathedral of Saint Patrick in Norwich was filled with faith and anticipation as catechumens from across the diocese gathered for the Rite of Election. This significant step in their journey toward full initiation into the Catholic Church marks their formal enrollment in the Book of the Elect, bringing them one step closer to the Easter sacraments. With our diocese still awaiting the appointment of a new bishop, Archbishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Hartford presided over the celebration, offering words of encouragemen...

Read More

Latest Employment Opportunities

Posted on March 05, 2025 in: News

509

Latest Employment Opportunities
Looking for a job? We have some open positions that can be found at  NorwichDiocese.org/Employment.   The updated page includes listings for several employment opportunities within the diocese.     The latest job listings are for a Cook at the Academy of the Holy Family - Click Here and a  Spanish Teacher, 2025-2026 School Year — St. James School, Danielson - Click Here   Other job postings are online as well Be sure to keep the link to NorwichDiocese.org/Employment handy

Read More

This Year’s Seton Honorees Announced

Posted on March 26, 2025 in: News, Events

489

This Year’s Seton Honorees Announced
Celebrating 15 Years of Honoring Catholic Educators This year will mark the 15th Annual Seton Scholarship Dinner, titled respectively after Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton who is known as a founder of this country’s parochial school system, established this nation’s first all-girls Catholic School in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Elizabeth was born on August 28, 1774, and originally raised Episcopalian before converting to Catholicism. She was married to William Seton, and they had five children. The Legacy of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Elizabeth Ann Seton was the fou...

Read More

2025 Kicks off with ACA Leadership Meeting

Posted on March 26, 2025 in: News, ACA

454

2025 Kicks off with ACA Leadership Meeting
  The 2025 Annual Catholic Appeal, One Faith One Family, Leadership Meeting and Dinner took place on February 26, 2025, at St. Maurice Church in Bolton, CT. Bishop-Elect Reidy was in attendance and heartfully thanked all of the priests, chairpeople and administrative assistants for their hard work on last year’s appeal. Executive Director, Mary Ellen Mahoney also expressed her gratitude to the attendees, noting that they never would have ended the year so close to goal without everyone’s dedication and sacrifice. Father Richard Breton hosted the even...

Read More

Award Winner Exudes Humility, Warmth and Holiness
Sitting with Lue Ann Watchus in her office at Sacred Heart Rectory in Norwichtown, one quickly becomes aware of being in the presence of holiness. Whether it is her quiet demeanor or the softness in her voice, or the way she ends a telephone call offering a blessing to the person on the other end, there is an endearing gentleness about her that speaks of a life-long relationship with Jesus. She speaks about that relationship not in pious or overly religious tones, but as one who knows Jesus intimately as a friend and companion on her life journey. It is that relationship...

Read More

Annual Catholic Appeal

ACA DONATE

English

Español

 

Latest Articles
Recently Added Galleries
Click to view album: Students Called to Feed the Hungry
Click to view album: 40 Days for Life 2024
Click to view album: Blessing of the Fleet 2024
Click to view album: Mass of Ordination for Fr. Eric Carl Hosmer, Fr. Julian Felipe Cuervo-Lozada and Fr. Alexander James Pandolfe
Signup for Weekly Newsletter

     

    Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich
    201 Broadway
    Norwich, CT 06360-4328
    Phone: 860-887-9294