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Lent, 2026

Dear Sisters and Associates,

There is a quote from Meister Eckhart that says, “There is a journey you must take.  It is a journey without destination.  There is no map.  Your soul will lead you.  And you can take nothing with you.”

As we enter this holy season of Lent, Jesus once again extends a simple but demanding invitation: “Come, follow me.”  He does not hand us a map, either, or explain every step ahead.  Instead, he asks us to walk with him—to trust the journey itself.  This is a deeply Providence call.  We are invited to move forward not because we see the whole path, but because we trust the God of Providence, whose loving care goes before us, accompanies us, and unfolds through our faithful response. 

Faith, grounded in Providence, helps us move beyond the pain and limitations of the present moment, and there are many!  It urges us onward, trusting in a future we cannot yet see but are bound to pursue if our humanity is ever to come to the fullness of life.  Lent reminds us that trust in Providence is never passive.  It calls us to attentiveness—to notice where life is diminished, where dignity is threatened, and where God’s people are longing for hope.  As women and men shaped by the spirit
of Providence, we ask ourselves:  How can our choices, our voices, and our presence help make life better?  Where is God inviting us to respond for the sake of justice, compassion, and the common good?  I heard those same questions in the responses during our International meetings.  Good questions as we move toward Chapter!

This season also challenges us to integrity of life.  Lent gently but firmly calls us to be who we say
we are.  Our integrity is measured not by perfection, but by three essential practices:  self-control that frees us from habits that bind us; respect that honors the dignity of every person, especially those on the margins, and freedom from self-deception—the courage to see reality truthfully and respond with love.  These practices ground our mission and give credibility to our witness in a world longing for authenticity and hope. 

Bishop Ketteler, whose vision continues to shape our commitment to justice, reminds us that trust in Providence must be lived out through action.  He urged us to rely on God’s guidance while taking responsibility for the needs of our times, especially where injustice and suffering prevail.  Lent invites us into that same courageous faith—trusting Providence while allowing ourselves to be used as instruments of God’s compassionate care. 

Remember always that we are God’s Beloved.  Our fasting, prayers, and almsgiving do not earn that love—they flow from it.  Rooted in Providence, we trust that God’s care surrounds us and calls us outward.  As we walk this mapless journey together, this holy adventure, may we be attentive, courageous, and faithful—confident that God is still at work through us, shaping a more just and hope-filled world.   Have a good Lent!

One with you in God’s loving Providence,

Sr. Barbara McMullen, Congregational Leader