Dear Parishioners and Friends,
In his message for Lent 2026, Listening and Fasting: Lent as a Time of Conversion, Pope Leo XIV invites us to place the mystery of God once again at the centre of our lives. Lent is a sacred journey of renewal. It calls us to resist the distractions of daily life and to rediscover the transforming power of God’s word. Every genuine conversion begins when we allow ourselves to be touched, challenged, and shaped by attentive listening and a docile heart.
Listening stands at the heart of this Lenten journey. Drawing on the image of Moses before the burning bush, where God hears the cry of the oppressed, Pope Leo reminds us that listening is essential for authentic relationships, liberation, and salvation. To listen is to open ourselves to God, to one another, and to the cries of the poor and the wounded earth. He encourages families, parishes, and communities to cultivate spaces of attentive listening, where God’s word and human suffering are taken seriously.
Fasting is presented as a powerful spiritual practice. More than abstaining from food, fasting helps us regulate our desires, purify our intentions, and renew our hunger and thirst for justice. Pope Leo highlights the importance of fasting from harmful language: abstaining from harsh words, gossip, slander, and rash judgment. Whether at home, at work, online, and within our Christian communities, he calls us to speak words of hope, kindness, and peace.
Conversion and Community form the broader horizon of Lent. This season is not only about personal reflection but also about renewing our relationships and strengthening communal bonds. The Pope encourages shared Lenten practices that promote dialogue, reconciliation, and solidarity. These help in the building of what he calls a “civilization of love.”
Practical Guidance for Lent:
- Seek the grace of attentiveness to God and to the least among us.
- Practice active listening to God’s word and to the needs of others.
- Embrace fasting that purifies desires and fosters justice.
- Disarm language by cultivating kindness, respect, and compassion.
- Foster community participation, ensuring that no voice goes unheard.
Pope Leo XIV concludes by inviting all the faithful to embrace Lent as a season of renewal, attentiveness, and active love, preparing our hearts for the joy of Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection. (Vatican Press)
God bless you.
Fr Silvio