What has Lent done for you lately?

Quite a bit, according to a survey of U.S. CATHOLIC readers. The traditional 40 days of fasting; penance, and almsgiving have gotten something of a makeover from Catholics who now see it as a time for spiritual growth, inner reflection, and service to others.

FEW CATHOLICS HAVE what you would call "fond" memories of Lent. Sure, ashes on the forehead and macaroni and cheese on Fridays gave us a feeling of belonging to something bigger than ourselves, but could anyone really get excited about 40 days of no candy, no ice cream, or no beer? Be honest: It could be such a downer.

Not anymore. These days, many Catholics actually look forward to Lent, seeing it as a special time of spiritual growth, inner reflection, and service to others. According to a survey of U.S. CATHOLIC readers, attitudes toward Lent have shifted from dread to near-anticipation, as more and more Catholics decide to trade in the rote practice of giving up something relatively insignificant and instead are making an intentional effort to do the deeper work of spiritual conversion.

"I used to dread Lent because all it led to was Good Friday," says Peter Lagges of Des Plaines, Illinois. "Now I welcome this quiet time and reflect more, and I look beyond Good Friday to Easter."

Jeff Austin of Marshfield, Wisconsin views Lent "as less of a burden and as much more of an opportunity to better understand my faith and my relationship with God and my church," while Rosann Felder of Wakeeney, Kansas sees it as "a time of renewal to grow closer to God."

These readers are typical. Appreciation for a designated period of intense spiritual discipline seems to have replaced fear and dread of restrictions and mortifications. Survey respondents also report a shift from exterior practices to inward attentiveness.

"I do things that help me spiritually instead of worrying about the pre-Vatican II rules and regulations," says Rose Lafferty of Antioch, California. Marianne Spampinato of Johnstown, Pennsylvania considers Lent "as much a time to grow spiritually and emotionally as a time to repent."

In some ways, Lent has taken on some aspects of Advent, becoming a time of joyous preparation--sans the holidays hassles of Christmas.

"I confess that during Advent I am often too harried with the shopping, decorating, and other preparations for Christmas to give as full attention as I'd like to preparing spiritually," confesses Jean Ann Holwell of Islip, New York. "But Lent is a less hectic time, and I look forward to it as a way to make some progress on my spiritual journey. It's become my most productive, prayerful season."

Giving up "giving up"

Though some recall the year they lost 10 pounds because they gave up sweets as their best Lent yet, most agree that the idea of Lent-as-diet-plan leaves something to be desired. In fact, nearly three quarters of readers who responded to the survey agreed that too much emphasis during Lent is placed on sacrifice and giving up.

These days, many Catholics are deciding to give up "giving up" during Lent and are instead focusing more on just giving. If they do make a sacrifice, they take the money they would have spent and give it to charity. Or they give Lent a more positive spin altogether and try to do something constructive during those 40 days.

Although fasting topped the list of Lenten spiritual practices readers checked off as having done in the past three years, "giving up" didn't even make it into the top five. Instead, readers say they would rather perform some special act of kindness or service, do spiritual reading, go to Mass more frequently, or receive the sacrament of Reconciliation.

"Not much effort is required to `give up' something for Lent," says a reader from Brunswick, Ohio. "It is more challenging to try to follow Jesus and work on our weaknesses. Lent gives us an added incentive to work on what we should be doing all year."

Jo Schafer of Yakima, Washington says her most meaningful Lent came when she realized "giving up" stuff wasn't the point. "Instead I learned to sacrifice time-wasters like soap operas, so I could fill those minutes and hours with extra devotions and liturgies, even daily Mass."

Yet there's something to be said for the discipline of denying yourself a luxury. A Maryland reader says giving up junk food one Lent "made me realize how much people suffer who are really hungry."

And, with nearly two thirds of survey respondents saying they don't think modern-day Catholics take Lent as seriously as they should, maybe the time-honored tradition of forgoing chocolate, Scotch on the rocks, or that morning latte for 40 days has its merit.

"I appreciate the wisdom of the church in changing the emphasis from giving up something we like doing to something more positive," says Alice Zoda of St. Charles, Illinois. "But I do think self-discipline is lacking in our society and needs to be reemphasized."

Still, many more reflected the attitude of Judy Kipka. "I believe Lent must be experienced in your heart," says the Bloomington, Minnesota resident. "If Lent is limited to complying with rules or giving up something with no inner growth, it's an opportunity wasted."

Practice makes perfect

This new take on an ancient season doesn't mean tradition has been thrown to the wind. On the contrary: It seems traditional Lenten practices are still favored by a majority of U.S. CATHOLIC readers. Not only do 81 percent continue to follow the prescribed fasting and abstinence on Fridays and Ash Wednesday, but sizable numbers still do the Stations of the Cross (40 percent), receive the sacrament of Reconciliation (56 percent), or say the rosary (29 percent) during Lent.

But--after fasting--the most common Lenten practice remains attending Mass more frequently, even daily, and many readers elaborated about how beneficial it has been for them. Mike Herhold of Akron, Ohio says his most meaningful Lent was the year he got up early and went to 7 a.m. Mass each morning before work. "It was a real sacrifice, but well worth it," he says.

The daily scripture readings are a focal point for many. "I try to attend Mass as often as possible during the week and really make an effort to listen to the readings and get a lot out of them," says an Illinois reader. A nun from Pennsylvania says she makes time to reflect on the daily readings, "which invite me to choose life in everyday life."

A Florida priest journals about the daily readings, connecting them to what's going on in his life. "My daily written reflections have deepened my sense of the whole Lenten journey," says Father Eamon Tobin.

But the traditional practices aren't the only ways Catholics make for a meaningful Lent. When asked to name the most meaningful practice they've done to observe Lent, many readers mentioned creative ways to carve out a little extra time for prayer or reflection.

Carmelite Father Niles Gillen of Louisville, Kentucky gets up an hour earlier to do exclusively religious or spiritual reading, while Mary Lynch of Timonium, Maryland finds time for spiritual reading by giving up her daily newspaper during Lent. Janet Grover of Export, Pennsylvania reads a psalm every night.

Several readers say they turn off the radio while in the car and use that time for prayer and reflection, and a retiree in Arizona says she squeezes even more prayer time in by driving slower or taking a longer route to her destinations.

Parish pointers

Parishes can assist Catholics in making Lent more prayerful by offering communal penance services, parish missions, and opportunities to meet in small groups, according to readers' memories of their most meaningful Lents. Among the other parish Lenten activities cited by survey respondents were Taize services, a Lenten "giving tree" decorated with paper crosses inscribed with acts of service to do during Lent, and giving parishioners a nail to carry around with them during the 40 days.

A Good Friday service in which parishioners nailed nails into a wooden cross was particularly memorable for a Virginia reader, while another survey respondent appreciated the year parishioners drew each others' names and prayed for that individual during Lent.

Lenten soup suppers have become a popular parish event, perhaps even replacing the ever-popular Friday night fish fry. At Mary Gramins' parish in Deerfield, Illinois, different parish groups prepare a simple soup dinner each Wednesday evening during Lent. Not only does the sparse meal encourage fasting and almsgiving, but "we all really enjoy the sense of community," Gramins says.

More and more, however, Catholics seem to be finding help with Lent in bookstores and library shelves. When asked about their most helpful Lenten reading resources, survey respondents listed a variety of titles, although several names came up time and time again. Henri Nouwen was far and away the most-read Lenten guide for U.S CATHOLIC readers, with Thomas Merton and Joyce Rupp also receiving lots of mentions.

Faith in action

Yet a growing number of Catholics are trying to do something more active for Lent: working at a soup kitchen, donating used clothing to charity, visiting the sick, or going out of their way to help a friend or neighbor.

Operation Rice Bowl, a program sponsored by Catholic Relief Services, encourages families to eat a simple supper once a week during Lent and to donate the money from the meal they would have eaten to CRS, which assists people in developing countries.

Marianne Engelmann of New Concord, Ohio sets the Rice Bowl container on her dining room table during Lent and places a dollar in it every time she goes shopping or eats out in a restaurant. "This really adds up to a significant donation at the end of Lent, and it makes me conscious of the everyday struggles of people who lack such convenience."

Saying the rosary and giving up chocolate are part of Elisabeth Deffner's annual Lenten practices, but the Orange, California resident has also added a service project to help her prepare for Easter. "I give some time each week of Lent to volunteering with a different local organization, from a food bank to a soup kitchen," she says. "It felt wonderful to do a few hours' work for someone else's benefit."

A Maryland reader involves her whole family, including teenagers, in social service activities for those less fortunate. "It gives us a feeling of helping them carry their crosses," this mother says. "In their eyes was the suffering Jesus, and we felt a part of `wiping their brows.'"

Reason for the season

Some of the most moving stories told by survey respondents were those that involved true stories of Lenten conversion. For one North Carolina reader, her first Lent after several years away from the church was especially deep and meaningful.

Several mentioned involvement in the RCIA process, either as converts or as sponsors. Dru Summy of Overland Park, Kansas got the real feeling of new life when someone she sponsored was baptized during the Easter Vigil. "I received as much as I gave," she says. "It truly enriched my journey of faith."

In the end, whether Catholics choose to fast, pray the Stations, and give up dessert, or meditate, read a reflection-a-day, and visit shut-ins, they are all taking time away from the everyday busyness of life and creating a "desert" experience where they can be more intentional about preparing for the very holy feast of Easter.

Maybe it's not so important what Catholics do, as the fact that they still find it very important to do something during Lent--even when we don't realize we're doing it. That's what happened to Jeanie Kraft of Bismarck, North Dakota. "I was caring for parents and was unable to attend extra services or spend time in extra prayer, when suddenly I realized my unconditional love and care was a true Lenten experience."

The true test of a Lenten journey may be whether it lasts past Easter. Dolores Ullstrom of Independence, Minnesota has found that, as she ages, Lent has become "less of a season and more of an attitude," she says. "It is a way of disciplining myself in order to move closer in spirit to God, and it can happen at any time of year."

AND THE SURVEY SAYS ...

1. I don't think most modem-day Catholics take Lent as seriously as they should.

[GRAPH OMITTED]

2. In the last three years, which of the following have you done as a special practice for Lent?

81%   Fasting on Fridays and
      Ash Wednesday.

68%   Performing special acts of
      kindness or service.

61%   Going to Mass more
      frequently.

57%   Spiritual reading.

56%   Sacrament of Reconciliation.

47%   "Giving up" something for
      Lent.

40%   Bible reading.

40%   Stations of the Cross.

29%   Rosary.

 3%   I don't do anything
      special for Lent

16%   Other.

3. I think too much emphasis during Lent is placed on sacrifice and "giving up." Lent should include some joyous anticipation, too.

[GRAPH OMITTED]

Representative of "other": "I don't think there is too much emphasis on sacrifice, but l do think Lent should include anticipation, too."

GIVE IT UP

We asked readers what was the most unusual thing they'd ever given up for Lent. Here's what they said:

Peanut butter Shopping, except for groceries Listening to the radio in the car Eating out in restaurants Starbucks venti decaf skinny latte Swearing Reading the horoscope column Reading women's magazines Arguing Complaining The concept of "doing good" Making critical remarks Tea Pizza Cursing at motorists who cut me off Uncharitable words T.V. Cream and sugar for my coffee Nagging my children Wine Cattiness or gossip Cigarettes Worry and anxiety

Join the conversation--online. In addition to a sample of subscribers, all are invited to respond to U.S. CATHOLIC'S monthly Sounding Board survey at www.uscatholic.org. This month, join U.S. CATHOLIC readers as they debate whether Catholic schools are worth the sacrifice.

HEIDI SCHLUMPF, assistant editor of U.S. CATHOLIC