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ALA_5327

Pope Francis' Lenten Message 2020

Vatican City, 26 February 2020 -- The 2020 Lenten Message of Pope Francis calls our attention to a very concrete conversion: “We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:20),” this 2020 Lenten message calls for renewed conversion and not living this period in vain. After an appeal to be charitable and less self-centered toward the end of the document’s four sections, Pope Francis speaks about his motivation for convoking the “Economy of Francis” event, where he will be participating next March 26-28, noting: “We can and must go even further, and consider the structural aspects of our economic life.”

The four parts of the 2020 Lenten message:

The Paschal mystery as the basis of conversion - God loves us so much! - "Keep your eyes fixed on the outstretched arms of Christ crucified, let yourself be saved over and over again.. Contemplate his blood poured out with such great love and let yourself be cleansed by it" (Christus Vivit, 123)
The urgency of conversion: strong invitation not to miss this favourable time - 'the more fully we are engaged with his word, the more we will experience the mercy he freely gives us'.
God's passionate will to dialogue with his children - the fact, that the Lord once again offers us a favourable time for our conversion that should never be taken for granted.
A richness to be shared, not kept for oneself - putting the paschal mystery at the center of our lives means feeling compassion towards the wounds of the crucified Lord present in many innocent victims of was, in attacks on life... various forms of violence, in environmental disasters, the unequal distribution of the earth's goods, human trafficking in all its forms and the thirst for profit, that is a form of idolatry..."

This year Pope Francis called a large gathering of 2000+ young people under 35 years, from all over the world, to Assisi. They will take part in the 'Francis Economy' event, being involved with the common goal of building a fairer and more sustainable world as indicated by Pope Francis in his encyclical 'Laudato si'. Young people will take part in 12 'villages' (workshops for a new economy): management and gift, finance and humanity, work and care, energy and poverty, agriculture and justice, business and peace, women for economy, CO2, inequalities, vocations, companies in transition, life and lifestyles, policies and happiness.

One of the typical Salesian activities is the 'Green Lenten Calendar 2020' produced by the "Don Bosco Green Alliance" ( https://donboscogreen.org spread across 53 countries and 251 Salesian education institutions around the world) that suggests a simple environment-related 'Lenten action' for our young people. For example for Ash Wednesday (February 26) it suggests: 'dedicate your fast for those who hunger every day'.