St. Francis celebrates Lent
Published Feb 14, 2008For the past couple of weeks, St. Francis High School has been preparing for Lent by thinking of some great ways to actively involve the students and teachers in this 40-day faith journey. Through prayer, fasting and almsgiving, the school makes sure its students know the true meaning of Lent.
It has been a tradition at St. Francis to participate in Operation Rice Bowl during Lent. This initiative is intended to guide people during their Lenten journeys to help others in need. Every day, the students have the option of donating money to Operation Rice Bowl, which will then send 75 percent of proceeds to help fund the developmental processes of over 40 countries, specifically Guatemala, Mali, India, Haiti and Cameroon. The remaining 25 percent of the donations will go toward fighting hunger and poverty in the United States. Through Operation Rice Bowl, the students of St. Francis also can pray together for the poor, fast to gain a better understanding of the effects of hunger and learn about the needs of surrounding countries. Overall, Operation Rice Bowl is a great experience that the St. Francis community looks forward to each year.
In addition to Operation Rice Bowl, St. Francis provides other ways to learn about themselves and others during Lent. For example, every Wednesday during Lent, there is a 20-minute prayer service that includes the Gospel of the day as well as silent, personal prayer time. These services are often found to be very spiritual, relaxing experiences that bring many closer to God. Also, on all Fridays during Lent, the school asks its students to have simple meals, which means skipping the chips and candy, in respect for those who can’t afford food like chips or candy. In addition to fasting at lunch, there are always activities going on or fact sheets being passed out that raise awareness about certain impoverished countries.
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