Updated 8/31/2023

Today La Salle students and staff celebrated the beginning of Lent with the Ash Wednesday mass. This Catholic holiday is forty days long and will continue until March 29th.  

Lent is a time of remembrance and fasting. Catholics around the world give up something they are close to in order to remember the time Jesus gave his life for all of humanity.

To get a sampling of some of the commitments that members of our community are beginning today, we asked several staff and students what they are giving up for Lent. Here is what they said.

Teachers:

“I am giving up my beard… I wanted to show students, not just tell, but show students the connection between the sacrifices we make for Lent and identity and materialism. [It is about] how our self-image sometimes gets in the way of understanding our relationship with God. If we get wrapped up in how we look and how other people perceive us then we are not putting our focus or concern into our relationship with God.” -Mr. Darmody, religion teacher.

“I kind of stopped giving up things, and instead I switched it to doing something special on purpose… I make a point everyday to just picking out somebody random, and doing something kind for them… so every day I just randomly say something nice to somebody, hold a door, whatever it happens to be, whatever presents itself. So each day I know somebody treated somebody else kinder.” -Mr. Devenney, health teacher.

“I tend to add something every year. Last year was my first year being a vegetarian for Lent, so I am doing that again this year. I realized I can’t give up drinking coffee so I gave up buying coffee from a coffee shop… I am going to try and journal every day which I did last year as well… No phone games. I used to play Clash of Clans, but I play Skyrim Legends and so I am going to give that up for Lent.” -Mr. Kendrick, religion teacher.

Students:

“I’m either giving up Instagram for a whole forty days, or I’m fasting by giving up snacks at break and at practice.” –Lauren Nebels, junior.

“I am giving up sugar, because I [am] a sugar addict. I do eat a lot of candy. And I think since Jesus gave up a lot for us, [and] he died for our sins, I think we should give up something because it is a commitment.” -Ethan Khal, junior.

“For Lent I am giving up eating out and spending my money on artificial things.” -Kacie Redmond, senior.

“I am giving up social media, because it takes up a lot of time and I want to be able to focus on school and relationships with my family and friends. I [like] things in person rather than online. Maybe [I will succeed], maybe not. You always [have to] keep up the Snapchat streaks.” -Dakota Canzano, freshman.

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What are you giving up for Lent? Let us know in the comments below.