THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 37, NO. 25 | FEBRUARY 5, 2016
Sister Maria Larkin, OSB, has been involved in jail ministry for the past 14 years — something she felt called to at the age of 73.
We no more finished celebrating women religious like Sister Maria Larkin, OSB, in the Year of Consecrated Life, than we found her to be the exemplar of Pope Francis’ Year of Mercy.
WHEN A CORPORAL WORK OF MERCY COMES CALLING LENTEN REGULATIONS
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Although Sister Maria has now TCHISON — With been committed to the ministry for shows like “Orange Is more than a decade, what may be the New Black” and surprising is how long it took her to “Prison Break” scoring discover this calling. top ratings, the lives of “I was 73 years old America’s inmates have when I began,” she said. become nothing more Story by But she knew in an inthan a salacious stoERIN stant. ryline for some viewers. HUNNINGHAKE “I felt from the very Sister Maria Larkin, beginning that God OSB, however, sees it Photo by blessed me the moment much differently. ROX STEC those sliding metal doors For the past 14 years, opened to the three pods Sister Maria has made a at the Atchison County weekly journey, usually Jail,” said Sister Maria. on foot, from Mount St. Scholastica It stated back in June 2001, convent on South Third Street, over when Sister Rita Claire Judge, OSB, the Fifth Street Viaduct and through the doors of the Atchison County >> See “BENEDICTINE” on page 4 Jail.
All Catholics 14 years of age and older are obliged to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 10, and all the Fridays of Lent. Catholics 18 to 59 years of age are obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday — a fast consisting of one normal meal and two lesser meals, with no eating in between. It is also recommended that Catholics find opportunities throughout the Lenten season to complement their fasts with prayer, reception of the sacraments of reconciliation and the Eucharist, and positive works of charity.