~Resources for Lent ~

General

Bishop Barron Daily Gospel reflections (free, but you have to sign up)



Creighton Online Preparing for Lent freed downloadable Stations of the Cross, online retreats, bulletin flyers.

Hallow: Complete Guide to Lent a full guide to all aspects of the season

40 Ideas or Living as a Disciple during Lent (Sr. Janet Schaeffler, OP)

Novenas to Saints Lent 2026 Guide new on list, lots of prayer and good information

USCCB Lent Resources

Small Group Reflection Guide for Lent 2026 (free)

The Archdiocese of Seattle created a new Lent 2026 five-week small group reflection guide, which includes this year's Lenten Scripture readings, reflections from Pope Leo XIV from Dilexi te, On the Love for the Poor, prayers and reflection questions. Use this for your family or faith group. 

Guide in English

Guide in Spanish

Youth and Families

Cross Catholic Activity Booklet for Lent 2026 free downloadable activity book. This is new on this list.

Diocese of Des Moines ~ Living Lent Activities for the whole family, available in Spanish and English.

Family Lenten "Chain" of Daily Activity Courtesy of Sr. Janet Schaeffler, OP

Holy Heroes Lent Activity

Loyola Press Lenten Family Activities and Resources

NCCL Family Lent Resources

Project Nazareth Stations of the Cross for Families.

Sadlier Lent For classroom or home. Spanish and English

Rites of Election

The 4 Celebrations of the Rite of Election are scheduled for: February 22, February 28 (2 x) and March 1. Please find here the instructional letter for pastors and OCIA Coordinators:

Pastor/Coordinator instructional letter

And as promised, the program for each of the celebrations of the Rite of Election.

Rite of Election Worship Aid

Some of the Power Points from the Conference, waiting on translations for the others

Forming and Sustaining an OCIA Team (McGeever - English)

Liturgical Rites (Willis- English)

Models of Year- Round Catechumenate (Miller-English)

OCIA Adapted for Children (Miller-English)

OCIA Adapted for Children (Spanish-Hernandez)

Discover Your Path to Service, Leadership, and Faith Formation ~ the Diocesan Ministry Formation Program

The Diocesan Lay Ministry Program (MFP) is a path for those who desire to be recognized leaders in faith formation in the Diocese of St. Augustine. Now entering its 35th year, the MFP has formed several hundred of the faithful for service to the mission of Jesus Christ.

As we begin our initial recruitment for suitable candidates for the Class of 2029, we invite pastors and current leaders to help us look for these individuals and to invite them to at last learn about the benefits of commissioned lay ministry. if we are planning for the current and future mission of the Church, we need capable and formed people to lead the way.

The MFP Office is hosting 6 information sessions across the diocese for people to learn more about the program, its benefits, its requirements, and to begin a period of discernment for this upcoming year that begins in August.

Sessions will be held:

February 17 at San Sebastian Parish, St. Augustine 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

March 3 at Mary Queen of Heaven Parish 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

March 24 at Sacred Heart, Fleming Island 6:30 pm- 8:00 pm

A RSVP is very helpful, but not absolutely necessary. Please share.

Email Ann at Lay Ministry Email

Adult Confirmation

The next celebration of adult Confirmation will be celebrated by Bishop Pohlmeier in the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine on Pentecost Sunday, May 24 at 2:00 pm. 

This celebration is for Catholics who are baptized and received First Communion in their youth but for whatever reason were not confirmed.  Formation sessions should start now and these begin with the verification of current sacramental status.

Completed, typed registrations are due 6 week prior to the celebration.

Our Diocesan Eucharistic Encounter event will be held March 6 and 7, 2026 in two locations. On Friday night, we will be at Queen of Peace in Gainesville. On Saturday, we will be at St. Joseph Parish in Jacksonville. This Eucharistic Encounter will have at its heart an evangelization focus, particularly in how it the Eucharist draws us closer to Christ.

Our keynote speaker for both days will be Julianne Stanz. She will be joined by our other main speakers, Fr. Stephen Gadberry and Dr. Gerardo Salazar. This is a Level III opportunity.

Manna is a free, comprehensive digital app (website available as well) from the National Eucharistic Congress. Manna is designed to support the National Eucharistic Revival. It serves as a Catholic digital, content platform that provides talks, recordings, keynotes, etc from the Congress itself.

New to the app/website is a prayer study, The Heart of Prayer, with Bishop Andrew Cozzens. This study might be a good activity for Lent. It is put together in conjunction with the Augustine Institute.

Manna

Accompanying Parents of Young Children is designed to assist parishes in developing a plan and learning the processes and skills to accompany parents from Baptism to First Eucharist using an intergenerational mentoring approach which connects parents of young children with an adult from the parish community for support, encouragement, and faith sharing. 

This program of training and program development is led by Ron DeVries and Anna Radcliffe who lead the Generation Spark Project, funded by the Lilly Endowment, Inc. Generation Spark partners with church leaders to provide a research-based action plan that builds successful, authentic, and safe intergenerational mentoring relationships that spark intimacy with Jesus, a sense of mission, and meaningful connection. 

A Five-Session Online Training Program: Wednesdays, February 11 – April 8, 2026 from 1-2:30 pm ET on Zoom 

Your parish will need to register in order to participate in the Accompaniment/ Mentoring Program. Your registration includes the five-session online program and the facilitated design work. 

Register on Zoom. You will receive a Zoom link that will be used for all five sessions.

Zoom to register

The Program - Led by on DeVries and Anna Radcliffe

Session 1. Understanding Today’s Parents

Wednesday, February 11, 2026 @ 1 pm ET on Zoom (90 minutes)

Session 2. Forming Intergenerational Relationships of Mentoring and Accompaniment 

February 25, 2026 @ 1 pm ET on Zoom (90 minutes)

Session 3. Developing a Practical Approach to Mentoring  

March 11, 2026 @ 1 pm ET on Zoom (90 minutes)

Session 4. Engaging in Storytelling 

March 25, 2026 @ 1 pm ET on Zoom (90 minutes)

Session 5. Designing Parent and Family Faith Formation – with Mentoring - from Baptism to First Eucharist

April  8 @ 1 pm ET on Zoom (90 minutes)

This series is a part of our NCCL Grant Program, but it is open to all catechetical leaders and their volunteers.

Welcome to An Ignatian Prayer Adventure

This is an adapted version of the Spiritual Exercises. Materials are modified from the longer retreat in The Ignatian Adventure by Kevin O’Brien, SJ.

The eight-week schedule makes it perfectly timed as a Lent and Easter retreat, but the adventure can be started at any time, on your schedule. Join in a flexible experience of daily prayer and reflection. Choose to commit to a regular period of prayer each day, or start with only one day a week. Use as much or as little of the material as helps you in your Ignatian adventure.

Before You Begin

Week 1: Love, Freedom, and Purpose

Week 2: Finding God in All Things

Week 3: Something’s Broken

Week 4: Knowing Jesus

Week 5: What Do I Really Want?

Week 6: The Public Ministry of Jesus

Week 7: The Suffering Jesus

Week 8: God’s Love and Our Response

Purchase The Ignatian Adventure for the special price of $10 by using the code 4559. Shipping and handling are extra.

Link to find out more and to participate

Lent Book Program from Ave Maria Press

Ash Wednesday is only 3 weeks away!

Our newest Lenten offerings include the following titles:

• What Wondrous Love – $2.95 (bulk discount available) - Draw closer to Christ through the transformative power of prayer and song in our newest Ave devotional. This title includes a meditation, morning and evening prayers, and a question to ponder throughout the day. QR codes throughout the book link to individual songs and a full seasonal playlist.
• Praying with the Psalms – $3.25 (bulk discount available) - In just three meaningful minutes each day, you’ll be invited to lay down your burdens, open your heart to God’s mercy, and prepare your soul for the joy of Easter. This compact resource by author Emily Mae Mentock offers a beautiful and practical way to encounter God in the sacred poetry of the psalms—and to be transformed by his Word.
• Witness - $14.95 ($9.95 for 10+ copies / $7.00 for 100+ copies) - Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe, OP, is your guide on a Lenten journey, bringing you face-to-face with the people of the Bible who encountered Christ in his Passion—saints and sinners, friends and enemies, the faithful and the afraid. Each day features a meditation, reflection questions, prayers, and space for journaling. Free companion videos and a downloadable leader’s guide are available. Watch the video trailer here! 

We also recently released 3 new Special Edition books under our Bulk Rate Program. All of these titles are excellent resources for book clubs, small groups, OCIA, and gifts for Lent studies and Easter. These books are $2.99 each for 100+ and FREE shipping! 

• Why I Am Catholic - Best-selling title from Brandon Vogt. Free Study Guide and Teacher Resource Guide available. Vogt shares his own conversion story and presents a compelling, twenty-first-century case for Catholicism.
• Praying with the Popes - This recent release gathers quotes and timeless teachings from twelve modern popes into one powerful prayer book.
• Bible Basics for Catholics Expanded Edition - Best-selling title from Dr. John Bergsma is an easy-to-read, straightforward, and thorough look at the “big picture” of salvation history. Also included are chapter-by-chapter study questions and a seven-week program for small groups. Companion videos for deeper understanding are also available from Dr. Bergsma.  

To order: 

· Phone: (800) 282-1865, ext. 1 

· Fax: (574) 239-2908  

· Email: avemariapress.1@nd.edu

Have a blessed day. 

Kindest Regards,

Julie Melchior

Basic Certification (Level I)

Summer Offering:



Catholic School Special~ St. Paul, Jacksonville Beach, June 15 -18, 2026

Registration will open in April.

Standard certification is achieved either through courses through the McGrath Institute (STEP) or through the University of Dayton (VLCFF).

Standard Certification Options

STEP through the McGrath Institute

STEP Camino Courses Comprehensive list for the year.

VLCFF through the University of Dayton

VLCFF Calendar

What God Wants You to Offer Up for Lent

Presented by Fr. Robert Gahl, PhD

Tuesday, February 10, 5 p.m. EST

This Lent, join us for a free online retreat that invites you to reflect more deeply on the question: What does God truly ask us to offer up during Lent?

Fr. Robert Gahl, PhD, will guide participants through prayerful reflection on sacrifice, conversion of heart, and authentic renewal. Together, we will explore how Lent is not only about giving something up, but about offering ourselves more fully to God as we prepare for the joy of Easter.

If you are unable to attend live, we encourage you to register to receive the recording.

Register

Para registrarse al seminario web en español, haga clic aquí. Registrarse

Rev. Robert Gahl, PhD is a Catholic priest, theologian, and ethicist. Church management, and moral philosophy. A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he holds a doctorate in philosophy and serves as Associate Professor at the Busch School of Business at the Catholic University of America, where he relaunched ecclesiastical administration programs. He also teaches ethics at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome and has lectured internationally on natural law, virtue, and human flourishing. Ordained to the priesthood by St. John Paul II, Fr. Gahl has published widely and contributed to discussions on ethics and Church affairs in major media.

Using AI in Ministry

AI is already reshaping the world, and ministry leaders can engage it with confidence rather than fear. In this 75-minute presentation, you’ll learn practical, ministry-ready ways to use AI for communication, formation, planning, and leadership—without losing the relational heart of your work. You’ll walk away with simple workflows and real examples you can apply immediately.

Christopher Wesley

February 12, 2026 at 2:00 pm

Course 285