*Fr. Rubens Sylvain, a Scalabrini missionary of the Congregation of the Missionaries of St. Charles Borromeo, preaches during a celebration of Mass at Louverture Cleary School.*

Marked with love.

With Ashes on our foreheads and a little hunger in our bellies, the first day of Lent begins a period of spiritual simplicity. By going without the “extras” of life, we remember precisely that which we can never be without—the love of God.

During Lent, we prepare for the celebration of Christ’s resurrection through prayer and reflection. And amid the flurry of preparations, we look for practical ways to observe the holiness of the season in our everyday lives.

Within The Haitian Project community, there is an ever-present need to focus on what is essential. Pausing to remember what is important helps us offer our own generous and free response to the needs of others.

May this season of Lent be a time of renewal for you and your family. We appreciate your continued support to The Haitian Project as we all seek to remember that which is essential.

Special thanks to former Volunteer ('00-'01), staff member, and long time community member Mary Jo LeGrand for expressing the beautiful thoughts on which this article is based.