6 Enriching events to help you find hope this Lent
Many people find it challenging to fully engage with the practices of Lent. Some may experience a spiritual dry spell, while others may start off the season intending to pray, fast, and give alms, only to find that they did not follow through as they hoped. Additionally, some individuals may seek spiritual growth during these 40 days but feel unsure of how to move forward.
Fortunately, there are numerous resources available in the Archdiocese of Newark to help guide you through this season, including a variety of Lenten events in our parishes.
If you need some suggestions, here are six opportunities in the archdiocese to help you prepare your soul this Lent:
1. Take time to pray and reflect with others in a cathedral
What better way to enter the spirit of Lent than to visit the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark?
On Thursday, March 20, from 7 to 9 p.m., the archdiocesan cathedral offers “Return to the Heart: A Lenten Journey of Renewal.” Worshippers will experience two hours of quiet prayer and reflection in one of the most beautiful sacred spaces in the United States.
And on Saturday, April 5, from 7 – 9 p.m., you can become one of the “Pilgrims Towards the Resurrection.” According to the cathedral’s website: “Whether you’re seeking peace, a deeper connection with God, or simply an uplifting experience, this night is for YOU! Bring your family, invite your friends—let’s fill the space with love and faith!”
The Sacrament of Confession will also be offered that evening.
For more information about these services or to view the cathedral’s Holy Week schedule, visit their website.
2. Let Franciscan friars help you find hope and healing
During Lent, Saint Francis set aside his ministries and retreated to a hermitage to fast, pray, and reflect. According to one early biographer: “His whole soul thirsted after Christ, and he dedicated not only his whole heart, but his whole body as well, to him.”
From March 24 – 26, starting at 7 p.m., the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal will visit Our Lady of Sorrows in South Orange for a three-day Lenten Mission. Each evening will include a themed talk by one of the friars and exposition of the Holy Eucharist.
– Monday, March 24: “Finding hope amidst chaos”
– Tuesday, March 25: “The hope that frees us!”
– Wednesday, March 26: “The hope that brings us healing”
Additionally, confessions will be offered on March 25 and a Eucharistic healing service will be held on March 26.
For more information, visit the event website.
3. Journey through the Stations of the Cross as part of the Jubilee Year
Your church probably has the twelve Stations of the Cross depicted in carved panels, paintings, or stained-glass windows around its interior. These stations represent twelve moments in Christ’s Passion as he journeyed to Mount Calvary and died on the cross. The route is also known as the Via Dolorosa or “sorrowful way.”
The Stations of the Cross are more than just artistic representations of Jesus’s sufferings; they are a devotion that allows us to imitate him. In fact, as the 14 stations developed over the centuries, they became a way for pilgrims to follow the Via Dolorosa without making the often difficult and perilous journey to the Holy Land.
Most parishes offer Stations of the Cross services during Lent. Among them:
– St. Pius X Church in Old Tappan is the designated archdiocesan Pilgrimage Site for Bergen County. On the Wednesdays of Lent from 12 – 12:30 p.m., you can follow the Stations of the Cross accompanied by special meditations, “reflecting on a key theme of the Jubilee, offering pilgrims a profound experience of prayer and grace.”
– On March 31 at 7 pm, the Church of the Little Flower in Berkeley Heights will help you experience the Stations of the Cross through the voices of women in the Bible.
– Notre Dame Church in North Caldwell is offering “Soup and Stations” on Lenten Fridays starting at 6 p.m.
Check with your parish to learn more about local Stations of the Cross services.
4. Join families and young people seeking revival and renewal
Families especially know that Lent is not only an individual journey but a special time of preparation that we all live together.
On March 28 – 30, Fr. Anthony M. Bozeman, SSJ, will lead a 3-day Lenten Revival at Blessed Sacrament Saint Charles Borromeo Church in Newark. A priest of the Josephite Community, Fr. Bozeman spent 16 years in active and reserve duty with the Air National Guard before entering the seminary. He will preach on the theme “Total Surrender.”
– Friday, Mar 28 – Youth Revival starting at 6:30 p.m.
– Saturday, Mar 29 – Revival continues with 8:30 a.m. breakfast
– Sunday, Mar 30 – Revival concludes with Masses at 8 and 10 a.m.
The parish invites the faithful to “come on out and bring your family and friends. Don’t miss the blessing of this 2025 Jubilee Lenten Journey.”
You can also follow the revival online. For details, see the parish’s website.
Many parish youth groups will offer other opportunities for spiritual rediscovery during these days. You can check with your parish or contact the archdiocesan Office for Youth and Young Adult Ministry.
5. Follow the Lord as St. Peter experienced him
If you are struggling this Lent, you can always turn to St. Peter, who, though he denied Christ, experienced forgiveness and renewal.
Immaculate Conception Church in Montclair offers a series of talks by Fr. Chris Ciccarino, Associate Dean at the Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology. These talks on Lenten Thursdays from 7 – 8 p.m. explore what it means to be Christian through the lens of St. Peter and his experience following Christ.
- March 20: “Peter’s denial” – What happens when we sin?
- March 27: “Peter at Pentecost” – Living in renewed faith.
- April 3: “Peter after the Gospels” – Being faithful in a fallen world.
You can learn more about the series here.
The Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology also offers daily meditations for Lent that will be delivered to your inbox. You can sign up here.
6. Let Benedictine Sisters guide you during an online retreat
The Benedictine Sisters of St. Walburga Monastery in Elizabeth “seek God in community through Sacred Scripture and the Rule of Saint Benedict.”
The Sisters usually offer in-person retreats during Lent and Easter, but ongoing renovations of the monastery have made that impossible this year.
Thankfully, they offer online virtual retreats on Lenten Thursdays from 7:30 to 9 p.m. You can also attend a virtual Easter retreat from April 17 – 19.
You can find more information here.
Other events and resources
Find more Lenten offerings on Jersey Catholic’s events listings. (If you have a parish, school, archdiocesan, or ministry event within the four counties of the Archdiocese of Newark, please enter the event on the page.)
The Archdiocese of Newark also provides many useful online resources on our Lenten Resources page, including free printable guides, devotionals, and other materials to help you deepen your Lenten journey.
Your friends at Jersey Catholic wish you a blessed and fruitful Lenten journey!
Featured image: “Christ Carrying the Cross,” Titian, c. 1656, Public Domain
