March 1, 2026, Second Sunday of Lent

From Father Gabriel’s Desk

Dear Mothers and Grandmothers,

As we journey through this sacred season of Lent, we are guided by the words of the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, who reminds us that Lent is a time of “Listening and Fasting: Lent is a Time of Conversion.” His message invites us to place God once again at the center of our lives, to quiet the many anxieties and distractions around us, and to allow our hearts to be renewed. In a special way for you to listen with a Mother’s Heart as the Blessed Mother did who kept everything in her heart.

In his Lenten message to us, the Holy Father speaks first about listening and making room for the Word of God and for the cry of those who suffer. Listening is the first expression of love, it is how God reveals Himself to us: “I have heard the cry of the poor.”

How often have you listened to the worries of your children, to the struggles of your grandchildren, to the silent needs of your families. In your attentive hearts, we see a reflection of God’s own listening love.
This month of March we also celebrate the feast of the Annunciation, when the Angel Gabriel spoke to Mary and she responded with her generous “yes”. At the Annunciation, Mary first listened before she answered. Her “Fiat” “Let it be done to me according to your Word” was born from her deep trust and openness to God.

Mothers and grandmothers, I encourage you to follow Mary’s example. Through your prayerful listening, you teach your families how to recognize God’s voice amid the noise of the world. By fasting with Love and Humility you advance in your spiritual life during this season of Lent.

The Holy Father also reminds us that fasting is not merely abstaining from food but ordering our desires toward God and toward justice. It helps us recognize what we truly hunger for.
For many of you, fasting has often taken the form of hidden sacrifices — giving up comfort for your children, placing the needs of others before your own, choosing patience instead of harsh words. Pope Leo XIV encourages us to fast especially from words that wound and to cultivate language that builds peace and hope within our families and communities.

In homes where mothers and grandmothers choose kindness over anger, forgiveness over resentment, and encouragement over criticism, Lent becomes alive and transformative.
As you walk this journey of Lent and offer your prayers, sacrifices and even your joyful moments in union with the whole Church, then your prayers and sacrifices become salvific not only for your children and grandchildren but for the universal Church. The Holy Father calls families and parishes to journey together to listen to the Word, hearing the cry of the poor, and allowing us to be renew from the inside out.

Dear mothers and grandmothers, as women of faith through your prayers, your rosaries, your quiet acts of charity, you hold your families together and gently guide them back to Christ. Like Mary at the Annunciation, your daily “yes” allows God’s grace to enter your homes bringing healing and all that is needed for you and your loved ones.

I pray that during this Lent you may deepen your attentiveness to God. May your listening hearts reflect His compassion and love for your children. May your fasting purify and expand your love. And may Mary’s faithful “Fiat” inspire you to renew your own “yes” each day, trusting that God continues to work through you for the salvation and peace of your families.

Finally, I encourage you to read the full message of Pope Leo XIV and make it part of your Lenten reading.
May God continue to bless you in your mission and may the Blessing of Almighty God, The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit descend upon each one of you, your children, and your families, and remain with you forever. Amen

Fiat,
+Fr. Gabriel Barrera.