Lenten Program
Week 1

Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, we give thanks for the freedom to gather freely to reflect on, discuss and ponder the imaginary life of Fantine. Help us to remember that there are many Fantines around us today. Help us to be aware of the difficulties facing single mothers. Help us to understand the pressures facing young women in our society. Grant that we may recognise that we, too, have gone astray. Help us to understand where we have fallen short of your will.
Grant that as we seek forgiveness of sins, we may turn back to your ways. Give us the strength to identify and bring to light social injustice where we find it. Keep us from putting partitions between our own lives and those around us. Give us the courage to see what lives people live and how bad things really are. Keep us from daydreaming the world to rights without acting on our thoughts.
As we progress through this season of Lent, grant that we may see things anew and be changed.
We ask all this in the name of your Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ.