Diocese wide Lenten book study launched

By DAWN PROSSER
Director of Communications
 
In response to feedback from the diocesan faithful, the Office of Faith Formation is offering a diocese wide Lenten book study based on Liz Kelly’s book, A Place Called Golgotha: Meditations on the Last Words of Christ.
 
“In reviewing feedback from the Synod (on Synodality), we often saw there were lots of conversations and requests for more opportunities for adult faith formation studies,” Karmen Bower, director of Faith Formation pointed out. “A lot of parishes have really been great at responding to this desire and a lot of people have stepped up in their parishes to be a bigger part of providing those opportunities.”
 
 As a way to support those local efforts, the Faith Formation Office staff has created diocese wide study for Lent, accessible to Catholics throughout the diocese and easy to implement for both parishes and individuals. The program also provides an opportunity for parishioners to lead a parish group. However, anyone can also participate as an individual.
 
“We also thought about that sense of solidarity with the study. We are spread out over northwest Iowa and to know that your brothers and sisters in Christ across the diocese are reflecting on the same things, maybe allowing the Holy Spirit to move within that as well,” the director said.
 
Liz Kelly was the keynote speaker at the November 2025 Women's Gathering./Lumen Media file photoA Place Called Golgotha was selected due to the “high quality content,” and the opportunity to work with Kelly, who was the keynote speaker at the 2025 Women’s Gathering. Bower said Kelly was willing to partner with the diocese to help offer the book study. 

“She has a wonderful storytelling ability that is not always found in Catholic study resources, but she also has the theological depth to go along with it,” she said. “Liz has a very unique gift of bringing those two worlds together.”
 
As the faithful are at different levels of comfort and skill with technology, the organizers wanted to offer a resource that didn’t require an online subscription or purchase of DVDs. (The book can be purchased at www.scdiocese.org/lent and wherever books are sold.)

By registering with the Office of Faith Formation for the book study, participants will receive a weekly email relating to that week’s chapter in the book. Each email will have a reflection to enhance the themes of each chapter of the book, with Kelly providing some of those reflections.
 
Another facet unique to the diocesan Lenten book study will be a virtual Evening of Reflection with the author.
 
“Because we wanted to have that solidarity with people throughout the diocese working through similar content together, it was important for us to include a moment within the series where people can gather together,” Bower said, noting that physically gathering as a group would be problematic. “Liz is very experienced in leading virtual reflections and times together.”
 
The author will offer a reflection on the theme of suffering, which is “appropriate for Lent,” Bower said. In addition to the reflection, there will be a question and answer period with Kelly about the book as well as time for participants to share their experiences regarding the book study.
 
“It will be a great opportunity to see people from different parishes come together because it’s one community, one body of Christ,” Bower said.
 
Small groups
The study would be most beneficial as a small parish group participant, the director stressed, although individuals are also welcome.
 
“There’s always fruit that comes from small group conversation,” she said. “I think those who have been part of study groups or things like that always walk away enriched by the experience, by the different insights that are brought forth throughout conversation.”
 
Those who had considered becoming more involved in their parish or even leading a small group are encouraged to volunteer to lead as the book was written to assist group leaders.
 
“We would really love for those out there who have had it on their hearts to be more involved in their parish, we wanted them to think, I can do this,” she explained. “It contains the discussion questions. It contains prayer prompts. The questions can be done individually as part of journaling or in a group. It really is an all-in-one resource.”
 
How to lead
To participate in the study, the faithful should check with their parish first to see if there is already a group formed or an alternative Lenten program offered. Existing mothers’ groups, prayer groups or other parish entities might consider taking on the project for Lent in their parish.
 
“We encourage you to start with your pastor because they might have their own plans already for Lent. We certainly don’t want to step on their toes,” Bower pointed out.
 
Once a pastor has been contacted and encourages a group in their parish, potential leaders can reach out to the Faith Formation Office for their assistance in getting a group started.
 
“It’s not that hard. It’s not that complicated. Mostly, it’s finding the time and the place and then marketing it through your parish means,” Bower said.
 
A group session could begin with prayer, followed by asking participants if any parts of the week’s chapter stood out to them to start the conversations. The group can then work on the questions and prayer experiences together as part of the study.
 
“It’s not just about the knowledge and learning more,” the director said of the study. “It’s also about entering more deeply into prayer, because that’s what really is going to move our hearts … So many times, people leave Lent and think I didn’t do enough of this and enough of that, but it’s really not about what you did. It’s softening your heart to prayer and that’s really what’s going to change you.”
 
To learn more or to register for the 2026 Lenten study, go to www.scdiocese.org/lent. There’s also links for purchasing the book, FAQs, and contact information for the Faith Formation Office and parish group leaders.

Ministry programs offered by the diocese are sponsored in part by Together As One. 
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