{"id":937,"date":"2009-03-12T12:26:00","date_gmt":"2009-03-12T12:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/deaconsbench\/2009\/03\/on-lent-students-striving-to-turn-around-more-to-face-god.html"},"modified":"2009-03-12T12:26:00","modified_gmt":"2009-03-12T12:26:00","slug":"on-lent-students-striving-to-turn-around-more-to-face-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/deaconsbench\/2009\/03\/on-lent-students-striving-to-turn-around-more-to-face-god.html","title":{"rendered":"On Lent: students striving to “turn around more to face God”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Down at Louisiana State University, the student paper<\/a> is looking into Lent — and what some of the students are doing for the season: <\/p>\n

Thomas Kajor is more productive these days. <\/p>\n

Since Ash Wednesday, Kajor, mechanical engineering sophomore, hasn\u2019t been on Facebook for more than 15 minutes a day \u2014 which he attributes to his new-found productivity. Before, Kajor said he easily spent more than an hour a day on Facebook \u201cjust wasting time.\u201d <\/p>\n

And Kendall Voelker, kinesiology freshman, has some extra money \u2014 not from saving because of the economic slump, but because she hasn\u2019t had her nails done since Ash Wednesday, and she won\u2019t again until at least Easter Sunday. <\/p>\n

These sacrifices are part of a familiar tradition in Louisiana. <\/p>\n

<\/a>Lent is a time of fasting and prayer. Beginning every year on Ash Wednesday and ending Easter Sunday, Catholics are expected to forgo the consumption of meat every Friday and give up \u2014 or \u201csacrifice\u201d \u2014 some additional personal addiction. <\/p>\n

Louisiana \u2014 particularly in southern portions of the state \u2014 has a historically large Catholic population. The state has the 12th-highest number of Catholic congregations in the country, according to the Association of Religious Data Archives. <\/p>\n

There are 1.3 million Catholics in Louisiana, and East Baton Rouge Parish ranks fourth in the number of Catholic \u201cadherents\u201d in the state with 95,878, according to the ARDA. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe purpose of Lent is conversion\u201d said Rev. Than Vu, pastor at Christ the King Parish and Catholic Center.<\/p>\n

Vu said this tradition originally began as a way to prepare people for baptism and, as time went on, also became a time for \u201cpeople to recall our own baptism.\u201d <\/p>\n

The purpose of sacrificing \u201csomething that is precious,\u201d Vu said, is repentance \u2014 forgoing an addiction or habit to \u201cturn around more to face God, other people and yourself.\u201d <\/p>\n

The addiction each person chooses to sacrifice, Vu said, is a personal decision that can range from alcohol to television to Facebook.<\/p>\n

As long as the primary goal of the sacrifice is repentance, the kicked addiction is fine, Vu said, no matter how strange those sacrifices might seem to other people. <\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t tell you what your addictions are,\u201d Vu said. <\/p>\n

While Kajor is satisfied with the extra time he has on his hands now, he\u2019s also made it a point to \u201cmake every effort\u201d to attend church on Sunday. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe point is, even after Lent, stick with the goals,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

In the past, Kajor said he has tried \u201cgoing all day without saying negative things about people,\u201d and given up computer games and soft drinks.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like to look at it as a chance to make yourself a better person,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Voelker said she uses the money she saves from not getting her nails done to make an extra donation to her church \u2014 she estimated she\u2019ll save, and donate about $50. She said when thinking about what to sacrifice each year, she considers \u201csomething that has a level of importance.\u201d <\/p>\n

But Vu said not everyone chooses to sacrifice something in the same way. Other options, like taking on an extra project, are acceptable. Vu said for Lent, he has made it a point to pay at least two visits to sick people per week. He said it\u2019s important to look at \u201cyour addictions\u201d and ask yourself what you can do about it. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

You can find out more by visiting the link<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Down at Louisiana State University, the student paper is looking into Lent — and what some of the students are doing for the season: Thomas Kajor is more productive these days. 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