I'm observing Lent this year.

[pinto]

It seems right. No meat until Easter and $3 a day to Gulf coast relief programs. It's not much, but seeing the Mardi Gras coverage in a devastated New Orleans, I was reminded that this is Fat Tuesday, tomorrow is Lent and I am a Roman Catholic. It seems right.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. That is good of you

to do this. Will you attend Ash Wednesday services?

Do Catholics use Lent as a time to read through the New Testament? During Ramadan, a Muslim may read through the Qur'an; mine has the sections marked so that by the end of the month you've read the entire Qur'an.

[froshty1960]

3. I'm an Episcopalian

Welcome! I'm observing Lent by giving up snacks. Maybe I can give to Hurricane Relief, too.

[ThJ]

7. There is no specific time...

set aside for the reading of the New Testament, although Lent would probably be as good a time as any.

[pinto]

8. Yeah. I'm going to Ash Wednesday mass. I can't speak for all Catholics

...Lent is a time of reflection, hence the "nudge" of giving something up. Making it conscious and concrete. Probably similar to Ramadan but I'm not sure.

[davidinalameda]

2. so am I

I'm not giving things up per se as adopting new habits

nothing bad but more prayer and meditation

I'm new to the Episcopal Church and am going through new attendee classes

we talked about Lent this past Sunday

[Gormy Cuss]

4. That plan is in the spirit of Lent.

:applause:

When I was a kid it was a standard Lenten ritual to do without something like candy and to put the saved coins in our mite boxes.

[ThJ]

5. Something our priest said...

I attended mass with my girlfriend this Saturday, and he noted we should not be too focused on the giving up of things, or become too obsessed with making showy performances of giving up such and such, etc. (not saying you're doing that), but that we should see Lent as a time to renew ourselves in Christ, to renew our relationships with family, neighbors, the Church, etc.

[Warpy]

6. I'm an atheist

and that sounds like a good plan to me.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

9. Me, too

I'm giving up sugar and putting a daily offering in the box that my church sent home with us for Episcopal Relief and Development. The money goes to a lot of places, including the Gulf Coast, Pakistan, and Sudan.

I just came from my parish's traditional Shrove Tuesday pancake supper. :-)

[1620rock]

10. I'm kind of an agnostic Episcopalian, but....

...I gave up meat for Lent twelve years ago, and never went back. Now a vegetarian for life. :)

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

11. Cool

The Episcopalians do a lot of neat things around the world. I have a friend active in that church and sort of follow what is happening via what he's doing for them.