Lent 2025
Lent is a 40 day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
ACROSS THE DIOCESE
Lenten Penance Service
As more dates are submitted, this listing will be continuously update throughout the season of Lent. If you would like to submit a date and time for your parish penance service we encourage you to fill out the form at the bottom of the page.
Niagara/Orleans
- April 2 at 7:00 pm | St. Peter, Lewiston
- April 2 at 7:00 pm | St. John, Lockport
- April 7 at 6:00 pm | St. Brendan, Newfane
- April 7 at 6:00 pm | Our Lady of the Lake, Barker
- April 8 at 6:30 pm | Holy Trinity, Medina
- April 9 at 6:30 pm | St. Mary’s, Holley
- April 10 at 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm | St. Joseph Church site
- April 10 at 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm | Prince of Peace Church
- April 10 at 6:30 pm | Holy Family, Albion
Buffalo
- April 2 at 5:00 pm | St. Andrew, Sloan
- April 4 at 6:30 pm | Our Lady of Hope, Buffalo
- April 7 at 7:00pm | St. Martin de Porres, Buffalo
- April 9 from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm | Our Lady of Czestochowa, Cheektowaga (OLOC)
- April 11 at 6:30 pm | Our Lady of Hope, Buffalo
- Every Saturday at 3:15 pm | St. Andrew, Sloan and OLOC, Cheektowaga
Northern Erie
- March 24 at 3:00 pm | Christ the King, Amherst
- March 24 at 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm | St. Gregory the Great, Williamsville
- March 24 at 7:00 pm | Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Williamsville
- March 31 at 6:30 pm | with a Soup Supper at 5 PM | St. Leo the Great, Amherst
- April 7 at 3:00pm | St. Christopher, Tonawanda
- April 7 at 3:00 pm | St. Pius X, Getzville
- April 7 at 6:30 pm | Ss. Peter & Paul, Amherst
- April 7 at 6:30pm | St. Amelia , Tonawanda
- April 8 at 7:00 pm | St. Stephen, Grand Island
- April 7 at 7:00 pm | Good Shepherd, Pendleton
Southern Erie
- March 24 at 7:00 pm | St. Francis of Assisi, Athol Springs
- March 31 at 3:00 pm & 7:00 pm | St. Martha, Depew
- April 9 at 7:00 pm | St. Anthony, Farnham
- April 9 at 3:00 pm & 7:00 pm | St. Mary of the Assumption, Lancaster
- April 10 at 6:00 pm | Queen of Martyrs, Cheektowaga
- April 9 at 4:00 & 7:00 pm | St. Gabriel, Elma
- April 10 at 7:00 pm | St. Bernadette, Orchard Park
- April 12 at 3:00 pm & 7:00 pm | Our Lady of Victory Basilica, Lackawanna
- April 14 at 3:30 & 6:30 pm | Queen of Heaven, West Seneca
- April 14 from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm | Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Orchard Park
- April 15 at 3:00 pm | Our Lady Victory Basilica, Lackawanna
- April 16 from 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm and 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm | Our Lady of Victory Basilica, Lackawanna
Genesee/Wyoming
- March 30 from 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm | St. Joseph, Holland
- April 9 at 7:00pm | St. Michael, Warsaw
- April 11 from 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm | Annunciation, Elma
- April 12 at 10:00am | St. John Neumann, St. Cecilia worship site, Sheldon
- April 18 at 11:00 am | Out Lady of Mercy, LeRoy
Southern Tier West
- March 24 at 7:00 pm | St. John, Jamestown
- March 30 at 3:00 pm | Christ our Hope, French Creek
Southern Tier East
- March 26 at 6:00 pm | Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, Olean
- March 31 at 6:30pm | Our Lady of Peace Salamanca
- April 1 at 3:00 pm | St. Mary, Arcade
- April 1 at 6:00 pm | St. Mary, Arcade
- April 7 at 7:00 pm | Immaculate Conception, Wellsville
- April 10 at 3:00 pm | St. Aloysius, Springville
- April 10 at 6:00 pm | St. Aloysius, Springville
Resources
Resources for parishes, families and individual to share during this Lenten season. More will be added throughout the season.
USCCB 2025 Lenten Resources
- Follow the season of lent with the Lent 2025 Calendar
- During this Lent season, examine your conscience based on the Ten Commandments.
Dynamic Catholic Best Lent Ever 2.0
Ignatian Workout for Lent: Online Retreat
Lent in 3 Minutes (Busted Halo)
Fast – Pray – Give Calendar (Busted Halo)
Praying Lent: Online resource for prayer and retreat.
40 Ways for 40 Days from Life Teen
Stations of the Cross with Deacon Matt (Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels)
Recipes for Lent from Pinterest
40 Days of Soup with Reflections (Ave Maria Press)
Quick Guide to Fasting and Abstinence during Lent
Almsgiving: CRS Rice Bowl
Almsgiving: National Black and Indian Collection
Why is Lent 40 days long?
Lent lasts for 40 days because Christ suffered in the desert for 40 days.
How is the date of Ash Wednesday determined?
Ash Wednesday always falls six and half weeks before Easter.
How is the date of Easter determined?
Easter is a moveable feast as opposed to a fixed date each year. Easter being celebrated on the Sunday following the first full moon of spring (March 21 or later) dates back to the Council of Nicea in 325.
How long is Lent?
Lent lasts 40 days from Ash Wednesday to Holy Thursday, excluding Sundays. Sundays are an important part of Lent, but we do not include them in the “40 days” because on every Sunday we remember and celebrate the Resurrection of Christ in the Mass.
Do Sundays count in Lent?
Technically, the Church does not obligate us to fast on Sundays. However, the Sundays during Lent are still part of the Lenten season. Choosing to continue your Lenten sacrifice on Sunday is a personal choice.
Why is Lent purple?
The color purple holds significant symbolism, associated with royalty, it signifies Jesus as our eternal King. It recalls the robe that Pontius Pilate placed on Jesus before His crucifixion, serving as a reminder of Christ’s suffering and sacrifice.
