The Jesuit Center helps university members in celebrating the Lenten spirit with events that reflect on relationships with God.

The 2013 Lenten Series is a succession of events celebrating the season of Lent. All of the events focus on the Lenten message of reflection and personal relationships with God.

The Rev. Edward Vacek, religious studies professor and Stephen J. Duffy Chair in Roman Catholic Systematic Theology, said in response to his March 13 event “Can our conscience be wrong?” that reflecting on conscience is an important topic for the message of Lent.

“Conscience is something people often do but rarely reflect. They sometimes think there is something wrong with following their conscience, so I thought I could reflect on those topics,” Vacek said.

Loyola has held this Lenten series tradition for seven seasons of Lent in hope of inspiring students, faculty and the general public to reflect on the reason for the season.

Jesuit Center administrative assistant Eric Walsh said that the series is an important way for faculty, staff and students to gather together for the Lenten season.

“It’s an opportunity for the students and faculty, and even the Loyola community, to come together to share in this time of reflection in this Lenten series. The people of the community can come together to reflect on the goodness of God, His grace and His mercy,” Walsh said.

This season’s topic, “Church in the Desert, Church in the World: Reflections in the Spirit of the Second Vatican Council,” was chosen as a way for the community to reflect on the relation between the desert and fasting and the season of Lent. Fasting is something that is often not completely understood, but Ricardo Marquez, Jesuit Center assistant director for faculty & staff development, describes it as a way “to prepare your body to celebrate and engage and connect.”

“What we are trying to do is offer alternatives to the community to get into the spirit of Lenten and to get into the preparation mood of Easter,” Marquez said. “So, in tradition, we want to offer different alternatives to people so they can get the chance to reflect and to listen to something that can help them prepare.”

The series’ last running event, titled “Not by Bread Alone: An Interfaith Conversation on Fasting,” will discuss how fasting can be important and relatable in today’s society. The lecture will be held March 20 in Ignatius Chapel and is free to the public.

Mary Graci can be reached at [email protected]