Welcome to Carry Your Cross, the De Mazenod Family Lent Program for 2026.

Carry Your Cross is the Lent Program for 2026, inviting us in the Year of Matthew to turn our gaze to the Cross and to walk the Lenten journey with honesty, courage, and hope. As we accompany Jesus through the Sunday Gospel readings of the season, we seek the strength to carry our own crosses with love, trusting in the new life and immense hope revealed through His Cross and Resurrection.

Each week of Lent draws us into deeper reflection on the life of Jesus. Through the Gospel, our faith, hope, and love are stirred and renewed, calling us beyond ourselves. We are challenged to think less of self and more of others, and to share the Good News not only in word, but through compassionate action along the road we walk together. In contemplating the events of Jesus’ life, may we find the grace to carry all crosses, knowing that ours are held within the greater mystery of the Cross of Calvary.

The stories we encounter this Lent speak powerfully into our present moment. In a world marked by uncertainty and suffering, many people carry heavy burdens and long for compassion, understanding, and support. May this program encourage us to notice one another more deeply, to walk alongside those who are struggling, and to help bear the crosses of our sisters and brothers with gentleness and love.

Carry Your Cross can be used in a variety of ways throughout the Lenten season. You may choose to use it a resource for individual prayer and reflection, as a personal Lenten commitment, or within your family as a shared journey through the Gospels. It can also be used by parishes, schools, and other groups wishing to gather regularly for reflection and discussion within their community - and we encourage you to consider doing this.

For those meeting together, a simple prayer space is suggested: a table draped with purple cloth, with a candle and a crucifix as a focal point. Invite participants to read parts of the program aloud, and use the weekly resources in a way that best suits your context and needs.

If you would like to run this program locally and would appreciate suggestions, ideas, or additional resources, please reach out. We would love to support you in any way we can.

If you require any additional assistance on how to use the program within your community, have any questions or need any extra resources – e.g. PowerPoint, extra readings, etc. please contact the De Mazenod Family Team – demazenodfamily@omi.com.au