The Lenten season began in February and the LOTAs are working to strengthen their relationships with God. Lent is impactful to the Holy Cross community as it is a time of reflection on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and a period of prayer and attention turned towards God.

 This 40-day season also comes with a form of self-discipline, where Catholics are encouraged to give something up similarly to how Jesus fasted in the desert for the same duration. LOTAs have chosen to give up a number of things. Junior Molly McNamara gave up buying snacks from the vending machine.

“Lent is a time for me to grow my relationship with God and become a stronger person through my sacrifice,” McNamara stated.

She, like many other students, is executing a small sacrifice so that she can focus more on bettering herself. McNamara is looking forward most to celebrating Easter with her loved ones at the end of Lent and reflecting on the resurrection.

A number of other students also gave up treats for Lent. Both senior Mary Murphy and junior Megan Depman gave up sugar and sweets. However, Depman suggested that the purpose of Lent is not solely giving something up.

“It’s not just about giving something up but it’s about doing something in its place,” Depman reflected. “This can be replacing the urge to have a sweet with a reminder to be focused on God.”

This discipline pushes students to think about why they are doing it. Depman’s favorite part of Lent is the opening Ash Wednesday Mass. She loves the comradery of everyone’s visible commitment to Christ’s sacrifice and how everyone appears connected.

 This aspect of the community is appealing to many other students and staff including the Director of Campus Ministry Linda Ruszkowski, who has done much work preparing Lenten season school activities. Instead of giving something up she has chosen to take on watching an educational show based in theology with her family. This is a way for her family to reflect together on the stories of Jesus and his apostles and to teach her younger children about the meaning of Lent. She appreciates Ash Wednesday for similar reasons to Depman. She loves the physical symbol of the cross and how it makes people recognizable. 

“You could be in a Starbucks and see someone with ashes and immediately know I believe the same things that this stranger believes,” Ruszkowski said.

To her, Lent is a time to step back and evaluate.

“It’s a time to cut back, step back and grow your faith life in preparation for a time of great joy,” Ruszkowski said.