“Let us focus especially on our relationship with the poor” writes Fr. Gregory Gay in his Lenten letter. (Lent-2011-ENG)

If “metanonia” literally means “change your way of thinking”, then Lent is the perfect time for us to look at systemic change in our own lives and especially as followers of Vincent, Louise,   Frederic, Elizabeth, etc. John Paul ll challenged Vincentians to  understand underlying causes and work toward long-term solutions.

This Lent… How do we need to change our way of thinking about

• our own lives – from “Just Us” to Justice?
• about how we serve –  from just service to also fostering empowerment?

Last year the Lenten Letter of Fr. Gregory Gay, CM provided some food for thought with its emphasis on the themes: Non-violence towards the planet, Building new life out of fragility, Promoting new life through non-violent means,  and Non-violence towards the other. See the VinFormation site for a series of visual thought starters on these themes

The Vincentian Encyclopedia presents an overview of Lenten resources  entitled “Vincentian and Lent.”

The Sisters of Charity of New York present a very nice summary of Vincentian Spirituality which relates nicely to the Lenten call to “change our way of thinking”.

Sr. Anita M. Constance, a Sister of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station, NJ, has written Living the Days of Lent 2011..Available from Paulist Press for $4.95, this resource offers a one-page Scriptural meditation for each day of Lent, with illustrations and detachable

Lenten Reflection Program for Vincentians (PDF) with Dr. Susan Muto (Pittsburgh)

Catholic Relief Services excerpts from Benedict XV!’s Lenten Letter

Lenten Letters of Superiors General

• Robert Maloney – Lenten Letters 1995-2002
• Gregory Gay – Lenter Letters 2004 –

Miscellaneous other resources

• Conversion

• Dark Side of the Vincentian Charism John Prager, CM

• Almsgiving The Jubilee in St. Vincent’s Thought

• A Spiritualilty of Justice; A spirituality of the Poor Fr. Dan Borlick, CM

Miscellaneous

• Bread on the Waters One of the most heavily visited sites on the Internet for material on lent and the Passion. During the Lent the entry page to this site features an incredibly rich covariety of perspectives.

• Daily Lenten Meditations on Justice and Peace A series done a number of years ago by Cathoic Worker Robert Walkdrop but still relevant.

• Alms for the Poor; the Environment
• Ember Days A reminder of moderation in the use material goods
• Social Justice Spirituality

• Stations of the Cross from World Youth Day (Requires Real Player)

EDUCATION FOR JUSTICE

• Lenten Fast from Violence
• The Eucharist and Bread for a Hungry World
• A Global Way of the Cross
• Stations of the Cross & Meditations on the Death Penalty
• Walking with Jesus for Peace: Iraq Stations of the Cross
• Weekly Lenten Reflections for 2010 – based on Caritas in Veritate