Bishops of Bangladesh: Living Lent through loving service
by Sumon Corraya
The Bishops' Conference (CBCB) publishes a pastoral letter for the period of preparation for Easter. It is a time to devote to "sacrifice, prayer and mercy to purify ourselves and become saints."

Dhaka (AsiaNews) - "Sacrifice, prayer, mercy: by exercising these practices during Lent we can purify ourselves to become saints", explain the Catholic Bishops of Bangladesh. The National Bishops' Conference (CBCB) has issued a pastoral letter for Lent, titled " Fruit of Faith is Loving Service ". The document was published in the Pratibeshi, the local Catholic Churches' weekly magazine.

"Sacrifice - the bishops explain - us not only to become hungry but also leave all bad things from our lives. It also helps us to become frugal and kind. Our prayer also should be to avoid all bad thinking, envy and pride. Jesus washed the feet of his disciples in sign of his great kindness. All of us must try to be kind in our path".

"During Lent - the prelates conclude- we will pray personally and as a community and carry out acts of mercy. We will also encourage to children and youth to do same through special programs geared towards the poor. This is how we can make a peaceful society through our love and by removing conflict and resentments".

The letter concludes by recalling that "if we want to deepen our lives, then we need to strengthen our faith, hope and love".