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Alleluia! Christ is Risen! He has risen indeed! Alleluia! Many years ago, I was at a family gathering occasioned by the visit of two of my grandmother’s sisters from their homes near Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Grandma and her sisters reminisced about a tragic event that happened when they were children or teenagers. They had gone to Sans Souci Amusement Park in Hanover Township in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania where they witnessed a cousin drown in the pool there. Each of them talked about things they remembered on that fateful day. Then I saw something that I had never seen before. I saw someone correct Grandma! Not only one person, but two people, my grandmother’s sisters. I remember Grandma saying one thing she recalled from watching their cousin drown only to have her sister Mary challenge what she said. Then Aunt Bridget challenged something else that Aunt Mary said with Grandma telling them they were both wrong about something else. But they eventually came up with a narrative with which they all agreed.

Last week I gave the first part of Pope Leo’s Message for Lent 2026. Today I am quoting from his second and third points. Even though Lent will soon be over, the Holy Father’s points are well worth considering

In my column for today, I want to present the message that Pope Leo delivered for Lent on February 7, 2026. Here it is: Listening and Fasting: Lent as a Time of Conversion

I have been reading the Message of Pope Francis for Lent 2020. I think that it is quite good. For that reason, I want to share it with you. Because of its length I will share it with you in the next two columns. Here is the first part for your reflection and study.

Ten years ago, Emily Simpson published an article in the now defunct Our Sunday Visitor about the spiritual works of mercy. In that article she paired an individual spiritual work of mercy with a particular saint. Let me list those below *Counseling the doubtful: St. Francis de Sales *Instructing the Ignorant: St. Francis Xavier *Admonishing sinners: St. Joseph Mukasa Balikuddembe *Forgiving offenses: St. Maria Goretti *Comforting the afflicted: St. André Bessette *Bearing wrongs patiently: St. Jean Juggan *Praying for the living and the dead: St. Rose Philippine Duchesne