The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website says Lent is a 40 day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday. It's a period of preparation to celebrate the Lord's Resurrection at Easter. During Lent, we seek the Lord in prayer by reading Sacred Scripture; we serve by giving alms; and we practice self-control through fasting. We are called not only to abstain from luxuries during Lent, but to a true inner conversion of heart as we seek to follow Christ's will more faithfully. We recall the waters of baptism in which we were also baptized into Christ's death, died to sin and evil, and began new life in Christ. Joining us for today’s program to talk about the liturgies of Lent is Todd Williamson, Director of the Office for Divine Worship.

Host Beth White first spends time talking to the Director of Divine Worship, Todd Williamson, about the Rite of Christian Initiation (RCIA) and then Beth has a conversation with the Director of the Global Mission Office, Megan Mio, about World Mission.

Host Bob Gilligan, Executive Director of the Catholic Conference of Illinois, speaks with Bobby Sylvester with Empower Illinois about the status of Tax Credit Scholarships in Illinois. Bob also speaks with Jeanette Malafa about the issue of assisted suicide.

Deacon Richard Hudzik, Director of Ongoing Formation for the Permanent Diaconate discusses the baptismal call and how to effectively live daily as Priest, Prophet and King.

Chicago Catholic editor, Joyce Duriga, spends time talking with Deacon John Vidmar about the Buckets of Hope Ministry.

Co-hosts Ray Pingoy and Cindy Cramer speak with teens who will be participating as leaders at this year's Catholic Youth Climate Summit.

Sister Connie Bach, PHJC (Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ) returns to Dare to Love to share more of her vocation story, takeaways from the Leadership Collaborative gathering of women religious under 65 in Chicago that she attended with Sister Lovina, and the importance of making the voiceless count. Father Adam provides a history of World Day of Consecrated Life (WDCL) and his experience of the Synodal process.

In this broadcast, hosts Timothy Johnston and Todd Williamson discuss the Lenten period of Purification and Enlightenment for those who are part of the RICA Process – the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. They talk about the periods of conversion, the Rites that are celebrated, and in particular they discuss the Rites of Election: the diocesan celebrations for those who will be baptized, confirmed and receive the Eucharist at this year’s Easter Vigil.

This month Megan talks with Srs. Teresa Quintero, Adriana Galay and Revelina Santiago, who are members of the missionary Congregation of the Sisters of Jesus Good Shepherd. They seek to communicate Jesus Christ as the Way, Truth and Life to the world. They share in the pastoral mission of Christ, building up Christian communities in communion with the Pastors of the Church, and in collaboration with those who are dedicated to pastoral care. Srs. Teresa and Revelina are Pastoral Associates at Mary, Mother of Martyrs Parish in Des Plaines and Sr. Adriana is Pastoral Associate at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe also in Des Plaines.

We are now into the Month of February, which of course is Black History Month. Black History Month is a time to honor the contributions and legacy of African Americans across U.S. history and society—from activists and civil rights pioneers such as Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and Rosa Parks to leaders in industry, politics, science, culture and more. According to History dot com, the Black History Month 2024 theme, “African Americans and the Arts,” explores the key influence that African Americans have had in the fields of "visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, folklore, language, film, music, architecture, culinary and other forms of cultural expression." In honor of this theme, our guest today is author, artist, and old friend, Andrew Lyke.