Contact
Diocesan Offices
St Eugene’s Cathedral
Francis Street, Derry
BT48 9AP
Tel: 028 7126 2302
Lenten Invitation from Bishop McKeown
During the six weeks of Lent 2020, I invite you, as individuals, as families and parish faith communities of the Diocese of Derry, to use the six Sunday Gospels of Lent to look at the life of service to which God is calling all of us, as the 2020 disciples of Jesus.
The Gospels this Lent from Jesus' life are:
The Season of Lent is traditionally a time of reflection, repentance and renewal, of prayer, penance and providing for those in need. It is all of these but, most of all, Lent must be seen by us as an opportunity, an opportunity for change. The Bible gives us a particular perspective on change. The Gospels of the six weeks of Lent portray Jesus as the living example of how we can change our lives, when we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in heart and in mind. If we actively engage with what Pope Francis calls 'the unruly freedom of the Word of God', we can learn profound lessons from Jesus' life and from those who encountered His grace and message.
... it can take courage in these secular times to talk openly about the meaning and value of faith in our lives and to demonstrate it in our lifestyles and actions. This Lent, I invite you to 'change' in that respect.
I pray that, open to the invitation of the Holy Spirit, we will all use this grace-filled Season well so that, as authentic witnesses to the Word of God and to the life of service to which we are called through Baptism, we will be ready to fully embrace the events of Holy Week and the glory of the Resurrection.
+ Bishop Donal
Ash Wednesday, 26 February 2020 marks the beginning of the Season of Lent. It is a season of penance, reflection, and fasting which prepares us for Christ's Resurrection on Easter Sunday.
Each day of Lent everyone in the Diocese is encouraged to pray the Diocese Lenten Prayer.
Loving Father,
To prepare for His mission of proclaiming Your
kingdom to the world
Your Son Jesus was guided by Your Holy Spirit to the
quiet of the desert.
In these Lenten days, I pray that I will be guided by
that same Spirit,
to a place of renewal in my heart and mind, so that I
will seek opportunities for
daily personal prayer, personal sacrifices and acts of
kindness.
With Your help, may I too be truly prepared to share in the story of the passion,
death and resurrection of Jesus Your Son, our Lord.
Amen.Diocesan Offices
St Eugene’s Cathedral
Francis Street, Derry
BT48 9AP
Tel: 028 7126 2302