Here are 40 ideas to help you keep a holy Lent this year. You don’t have to do them all, but pick several:

1. Invite 40 people to church. Invite Catholics and non-Catholics to: Mass, Confession, Penance services, parish missions, a retreat, a recollection, a Catholic conference or pilgrimage later in the year. 40 different people. Make a list and do it. 7 people each week.
2. Pray Divine Mercy chaplet daily.
3. Increase your weekly giving by $40 to your parish, ministry, or the poor.
4. Give up alcohol, including Sundays.
5. Eat Paleo (no grains, no sugar, no dairy, no alcohol) for Lent.
6. Pick up the check for friends during the rest of Lent.
7. Attend a recollection or mission once during Lent.
8. Attend the Stations of the Cross once during Lent.
9. Pray the Rosary daily.
10. Attend daily Mass.
11. Invite someone to your home for a meal every week in Lent.
12. Write a kind letter to a priest you and know and thank him for his ministry.
13. Write a kind text or email to a mother that you know who needs encouragement.
14. Write a kind text or email to a parent or grandparent.
15. Pray the Angelus daily at 11:55am.
16. Say 3 Hail Mary’s every day for graces against sexual sins and temptations.
17. Set up a domestic altar in your home with a crucifix, candle, and holy cards (and incense if you want to go all out).
18. Stop at a church on the way home from work for 5 minutes every day. Make a visit to Jesus in the tabernacle.
19. Read all 4 Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) during Lent.
20. Wake up at a set time in the morning during Lent (even on Saturdays and Sundays).
21. Attend an earlier Sunday Mass as a Penance.
22. Give up adding salt and pepper at all meals in Lent.
23. Give up using butter on bread during Lent.
24. Give up milk and sugar in coffee for Lent.
25. Give up coffee for Lent.
26. Give up smoking for Lent.
27. Give up cussing for Lent.
28. Give up one meal per day for Lent.
29. Write a Thank You note every day (email and texts work great for this).
30. Create a list of all the things going great in your life (and read it every day during Lent).
31. Sign up for a pilgrimage.
32. Purchase a beautiful image of Our Lady, have it blessed, and place it in a prominent place in your home.
33. Thank God for priests by making a seminary donation. Here’s my seminary donation recommendation and why: click here.
34. Plan an blow out Easter Party and send out invitations to family and friends for Easter Sunday after Mass.
35. Say the Saint Michael prayer daily.
36. Pray an Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be for the Pope daily.
37. Read one Papal Encyclical on a topic that interests you.
38. Attend all or some of the Triduum liturgies (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday).
39. Make a nightly examination of conscience and pray an act of contrition before bed each night.
40. Go to confession weekly.

[reminder]What are you doing for Lent? Any more ideas?[/reminder]