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John 4:5-52 Third Sunday of Lent During Lent, we try to quench our thirst for God. To help us do so, the Church invites us to encounter Jesus, who came to our world to show us the spring of living water that leads to eternal life. Through this passage from the Gospel of John, we soar with the eagle of his narrative, which invites us to interpret “the signs and miracles of Jesus” to believe in Him. The encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman on this third Sunday of Lent is one of those signs that reveal Jesus as the Son of God and the promised Messiah. The scene is captivating. “Tired from his journey.” Jesus walked from town to town, proclaiming the good news of a God who loves everyone. During His travels, He arrived in the village of Sychar and sat down by Jacob’s well. A Samaritan woman came to draw water from the well to quench her thirst. Jesus and the Samaritan woman met in the same place, both thirsty. There could not have been a better moment! Jesus initiates the dialogue: “Give me a drink.” Without further ado, the defiant and belligerent Samaritan woman vents all her feelings against the Jews. “How can you, a Jewish man, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” Jesus seizes the opportunity to speak of a thirst that is quenched forever and surprises her even more: “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would ask Him, and He would give you living water.” When she incredulously and mockingly points out that she doesn’t have anything to draw water with, she thinks she has ended the conversation by appealing to the Messiah, who will reveal all truth. The answer was right in front of her. “I am He who is speaking to you.” The “good news” spread immediately and continues to circulate throughout the world to this day: “Come and see...” This scene is real in this Lenten dialogue with Jesus. “Give me a drink” is the request Jesus makes of us all. Lent gives us the opportunity to reflect on whether following Jesus, who is “the way, the truth, and the life,” truly quenches our thirst. As He told the Samaritan woman, Jesus will tell us “everything we have done,” and we will proclaim through our testimony that He has truly saved us through his cross and resurrection. It seems that dialogue was the key that opened the Samaritan woman’s heart to receive God’s gift. Jesus expresses His intimate desire to her: “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that says to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would ask Him, and He would give you living water.” Holy Week celebrates the fountain of eternal life: the redeeming love of Jesus. He tells us, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends,” and then adds, “You are my friends,” and asks us: “Love one another as I have loved you.” What if we listen to how He asks His Father before His passion? “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me, where I am.” Jesus’s cry on the cross, “I thirst,” echoes to the ends of the earth.

By Margaret Hampton Development Director Diocese of Bois e “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (Jn 8:12). In a world often marked by uncertainty, division and need, Christ’s words from the Gospel of John shine with renewed urgency. Jesus does not merely promise light; he invites each of us to walk in it — and to reflect that light to others. This year’s Idaho Catholic Appeal embraces that call with the theme Share His Peace, Be His Light, reminding us that through our faith and generosity, Christ continues to touch lives across our diocese. The Idaho Catholic Appeal is more than an annual Lenten fundraiser. It is a shared mission that supports more than 20 life-giving ministries, each one an expression of Christ’s peace and light in action. Through the Appeal, seminarians are formed and prepared to answer God’s call to the priesthood, ensuring that the sacraments and pastoral care remain vibrant for generations to come. Deacons and lay leaders receive essential training, equipping them to serve faithfully in parishes, schools and ministries throughout our communities. The Appeal also strengthens Catholic education at every stage of life. From our elementary and secondary schools to parish faith formation programs and campus ministries, young people are guided to know Christ, grow in faith and live as disciples. College students, navigating some of the most formative years of their lives, encounter a faith community that grounds them in truth, hope and purpose. Beyond formation and education, the Idaho Catholic Appeal extends Christ’s compassion to families and individuals facing real challenges. Outreach ministries supported by the Appeal provide assistance to families in need, promote healing and hope, and strengthen marriages and family life. Youth and young adult ministries help form faithful leaders who are ready to bring Christ’s light into the world with courage and joy. When we support the Idaho Catholic Appeal, we become active participants in this mission. Our gifts — whatever their size — join with those of others to make Christ’s presence tangible: in classrooms and parishes, in moments of hardship and in the quiet discernment of those called to serve. As we reflect on Christ’s promise to be the light of the world, may we respond generously. Contributions can be made online through the Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise or at your parish. For questions, contact Margaret at (208) 350-7539 or email mhampton@rcdb.org. Idaho Catholic Appeal at a Glance Goal: $3,775,000 The Catholic Appeal supports more than 20 life-giving ministries across our diocese, including: • Formation of seminarians for the priesthood • Training of permanent deacons and lay leaders • Catholic education partnerships with schools, parishes and campus ministries • Outreach to individuals and families in need • Faith formation for youth and young adults An Important Promise: Every dollar collected beyond your parish’s goal is returned to your community to support local programs, ministries and parish projects, strengthening our faith communities close to home.

A view from the back of Holy Apostles Catholic Church in Meridian, looking toward the altar where Bishop Peter F. Christensen celebrated Mass marking the beginning of the 2026 Idaho Catholic Men’s Conference. (Victor Sanchez Photography) By Deacon Gene Fadness For the Idaho Catholic Register MERIDIAN —It’s said that speakers like those at the Jan. 31 Idaho Catholic Men’s Conference don’t have a conference call or group chat to synchronize messages in advance. They know the theme—this one, “Keep Your Eyes Fixed on Christ” — but that is the extent of the collusion. However, to hear the messages of Bishop Peter Christensen, Bishop Joseph Coffey, Father Chris Alar and Justin Fatica, one might find it hard to believe there was no coordination, making it more likely to trust the obvious: the Holy Spirit is the One doing the spiritual legwork. Those doing the physical legwork, chief organizers Johnny Horn and Travis Wingo, the staff at Salt & Light Radio, including Keith Pettyjohn and Carol Brown, all know that their hard work, buttressed by divine intervention, is what makes this conference, among the largest in the Northwest, so successful. It’s been a dozen years since Horn and Wingo attended a men’s conference in Pendleton, Ore., and wondered, why can’t Boise do the same? Now it does: religiously held on the only weekend early in the year that doesn’t include a bowl game, an NFL playoff game or the Super Bowl. Bishop Christensen, left, delivers his homily during the 2026 Idaho Men’s Conference opening Mass. (Victor Sanchez Photography) This year’s conference was the 11th annual, coinciding with the number of years Bishop Peter Christensen has served the Diocese of Boise. He has spoken at every conference, opening this year, as always, with Mass. As the conference has grown, it has expanded to include “watch parties,” for men who couldn’t attend at Holy Apostles Catholic Church in Meridian. Watch parties this year included, but were not limited to, Challis, Grangeville, Lewiston, Moscow, Pocatello, Rupert, Salmon, Sun Valley and Boise. This year’s registration at nearly 1,100 was the largest to date, with tickets selling out more quickly than ever before, according to Wingo. The men heard several examples of what it is like to be encouragers and examples to others: Jesus to his disciples, particularly Peter; St. Paul to the Church at Corinth; St. Francis de Sales to St. John Bosco and to Bishop Peter Christensen; Sister Winifred to Bishop Joseph Coffey; Father Larry Richards to Justin Fatica; and St. Faustina to Father Chris Alar. The day began with Mass and a message from Bishop Peter Christensen urging the men not to dwell on their past and to look forward in faith. Bishop Coffey, auxiliary bishop to the Archdiocese of Military Services, spoke of the call to vocation, be it his own priesthood or, for others, marriage and family. Father Alar spoke of responding to one’s call by developing a deeper sacramental life, particularly in the Mass and with devotion to Divine Mercy. Justin Fatica, a fiery, lay Catholic “preacher,” told the men how, once converted, they can change the lives of others via “unreasonable encouragement.” “Our Christianity is an interesting journey to say the least,” Bishop Peter said. “Looking back at my life, I had no idea that I would be called to do what I do today.” He didn’t get to where he is by dwelling on his past, he said. One of the biggest obstacles to growth is a “tendency to look back on our past, including sins and failures.” By looking back on past failures, “we get paralyzed from moving forward, doubting ourselves and weakening any semblance for self-worth.” It’s important to learn from mistakes, but not to dwell on them, the Bishop said. Doing so, “makes us fear from doing what is being asked of us, fearing we will not be prepared for what’s coming.” Men attended the Idaho Catholic Men's Conference from around the region, filling Holy Apostles Church in Meridian to capacity. (Victor Sanchez Photography) The Bishop quoted the writer to the Hebrews who told the believers to “rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us, while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus.” The gospel story of Peter’s attempt to walk on the water is a good illustration of what happens when we take our eyes off Jesus, the Bishop said. Peter walks on water, briefly, “but he broke his focus, his eyes were off Jesus.” When Peter cries out, “Lord save me,” the scripture says Jesus immediately stretched out his hands to save him. “I like that it says immediately,” the Bishop said. Perhaps more interesting, he noted, is that Peter’s doubt is used to strengthen all the disciples’ faith.” Jesus confirms his love to Peter and others, he said, “offering ongoing healing to their weak faith.” Jesus encouraged Peter and the others to “not dwell on their past, nor should we dwell on ours.” However, their mistakes were not wasted because they helped them to know God’s love and mercy toward them, he said. An avid sailor, the Bishop provided an illustration in moving forward by explaining the role of a “coxswain,” or the forward-facing leader of a rowing crew. All other crew members face backward, while the coxswain directs the crew whose members are looking to him for direction. “The cockswain steers the boat and keeps his eyes on the goal, and the crew keeps their focus on him,” the Bishop said. The crew members can see how far they’ve come, but they are not to dwell on the finish line by looking over their shoulders. “Like each of us, they don’t see the full picture of where everything is going. It is a journey of trust; trust in Jesus who is directing because He sees the beginning, the end and the everything in-between of our lives.” To follow Jesus as our leader is an act of faithfulness and obedience, he said. “Rowers don’t stop to ask, ‘Why?’ every time directions are given. Trust means obeying, even when we don’t understand.” The Bishop quoted his patron saint, St. Francis de Sales who wrote, “You shall steer safely through every storm as long as our heart is right, our intention fervent, our courage steadfast and our trust is fixed on the Lord.” The day of the conference was the feast day of St. John Bosco, who learned the spirituality of St. Francis de Sales and named the order St. John Bosco founded — the Salesians — after St. Francis. St. John Bosco likely did not see the fruit he would produce in his life, Bishop Peter said, but because he trusted in the Lord, he was able to do great things. He cared for neglected boys in his home city of Turin, Italy, beginning with six in his home, but eventually growing to 600. St. John Bosco taught them to read and took them to Mass, promoting devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. When he died at age 77 in 1888, there were 768 members of his religious community and today the Salesians are a worldwide congregation devoted to the religious education of youth. A relic of St. John Bosco was made available at the conference. Bishop Joseph Coffey is an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese for Military Services. (Victor Sanchez Photography) Bishop Joseph Coffey is one of five auxiliary bishops for the Archdiocese for Military Services, with a primary responsibility to visit priest-chaplains at 150 Veterans Administration hospitals, which he did while in Boise. As a young man, Bishop Coffey was a member of the crew team at LaSalle University in his hometown of Philadelphia. After graduating from LaSalle, he taught in Catholic school, where a nun, Sister Winifred, told him he was going to become a priest, and directed all the young women “to keep their hands off” him. Coffey didn’t take Sister Winifred too seriously. Struck by a wanderlust, he taught fifth-graders for just one year and then left to become a ski instructor in Switzerland. Later he was in Germany where “I sold Japanese cars to American soldiers in Germany.” Adventuresome as they were, those experiences didn’t provide any answers about his future. In 1988, while living in Belgium, Bishop Coffey said he started praying about his future, praying every night for six months. He came across a newspaper story that said 500 pro-life people, including his own sister, were arrested in Cherry Hill, N.J., just across the river from his boyhood home. “Something’s going on in America, and I want to be part of it,” the Bishop told himself. Ten days later, he was arrested in Delaware at a pro-life rescue. “I could make one phone call, and it was to my mother. It was her birthday.” Then, on Good Friday of 1989, Coffey, his mother and seven of her kids were arrested. “We were pro-life crazy people, but always peaceful, always non-violent.” He attended a pro-life retreat at Malvern Retreat House in Philadelphia. While praying before a painting of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, his call to the priesthood became clear. “That was 35 years ago, and I’ve never looked back.” His ordination came 14 years after Sister Winifred’s prophecy. She attended his first Mass. Bishop Coffey said he planned to become a parish priest in Philadelphia until a military chaplain told him about the opportunity to serve God and country in the military. He received permission from his bishop, Anthony Bevilacqua, now a Cardinal, to train in San Diego as a reservist while still in seminary. Ordained in 1996, he taught in Philadelphia schools for five years, waiting for a release from his Bishop to go on active duty. He wrote the bishop, but didn’t hear anything for three months. “I prayed before the Blessed Sacrament, and the next day a letter came allowing me to go on active duty,” he said. Military chaplains endure the same rigors of training as anyone in the Marines, the branch he chose. “Everything they did, I did. When they went on a long hump in the pouring rain, I was with them,” Bishop Coffey explained. One day, while participating in a gas mask drill with Navy chaplains at Camp Johnson, N.C., word got out of an attack on the Twin Towers in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001. “I will never forget seeing on TV those towers coming down. I felt sick to my stomach and true fear,” he said. “I knew we were at war, and chaplains have died on the battlefield.” He served on an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf, the only priest for 5,000 sailors. “I would visit other ships in our strike group by helicopter. I loved being a chaplain on an aircraft carrier.” He spent some time at a Coast Guard boot camp in New Jersey, talking recruits out of going home. He was later assigned to a Marine Air Group in Pendleton, Calif., his squadron later going to Afghanistan for seven months. “That was pretty scary. I worried about getting shot by a sniper or blown up by an IED.” That fear, however, did not stop him from showing up with his small Mass kit anywhere where Marines needed him. Back home, he became a military recruiter of a different sort: persuading bishops and religious order superiors to give their priests and brothers an opportunity to serve as chaplains. His final assignment, after 19 years of duty, was at a Marine boot camp in San Diego. After one more year in the military, he looked forward to returning home and becoming a parish priest. Those plans abruptly changed when he got a call from Christophe Pierre, papal nuncio to the United States, asking Coffey to become an Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese for Military Services. “’Do you accept?” the papal nuncio wanted to know now. Bishop Coffey said a quick prayer and, while praying, thought of St. Francis de Sales, who said, “Seek nothing, refuse nothing.” “That gave me peace, so I accepted. I’m glad I said yes.” He was ordained bishop on March 25, 2019. Not all men are called to priesthood, but, as important, are the majority who are called to be fathers and husbands. “Every man I know suffers from temptation,” he said. To fight it, he encouraged the men to develop the chief cardinal virtue of prudence; the others being justice, fortitude and temperance. “Cardinal means ‘hinge’ because all other virtues hinge on these. Prudence is the strongest because it helps us distinguish right and wrong,” Bishop Coffey urged. “We hear a lot of confessions, and the thing they struggle with most is pornography,” he said. Pornography is ubiquitous when compared to the days when it was accessible only at movie theatres and in sealed bags with brown paper wrapping, he said. “Now with cell phones, a little kid can see more hard-core porn in five minutes than anyone could ever see years ago.” He encouraged the men to seek the aid of St. Joseph, attend Mass and Reconciliation frequently and pray the rosary. “Finally, don’t give up on kids who have stopped going to Church. Be strong and be faithful.” Father Chris Alar, MIC speaks about Divine Mercy at the Idaho Catholic Men's Conference. (Victor Sanchez Photography) Father Chris Alar, MIC , is the Provincial Superior for the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, responsible for all the Order’s priests in the United States, England and Argentina. He is based at the National Shrine of Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Mass. The Order is best known for promoting the message of Divine Mercy as revealed in apparitions of Jesus to Sister Faustina Kowalska in Poland beginning in 1931. Father Alar appears regularly on the Eternal World Television Network with his programs, “Explaining Divine Mercy,” and “Living the Faith.” He spent much of his time explaining the celebration of the Mass and how it pertains to Divine Mercy. Divine Mercy, Father Alar said, is the “heart of the gospel,” tracing its beginnings back to the book of Genesis where God, after the fall, promises Adam and Eve the gift of a mother and the promise of a savior. (Gen. 3:15) “It’s the culmination of salvation,” he said. “After the fall, God could have crushed us out of existence, but he didn’t. He gave us the first message of divine mercy in the garden.” “One word gets us to heaven and that is grace,” Father Alar reminded. “If we don’t have God’s grace, we’re not going to make it.” Grace comes when, realizing we are sinners, we ask for God’s mercy. “The unforgivable sin, or the sin against the Holy Spirit, is not asking for God’s mercy,” he said. Jesus told St. Faustina that trust is the vessel by which all grace is received. “Trust is simply accepting the help somebody offers you,” Father Alar said. Mercy comes to the believer in three primary ways, Father Alar said. The first act of mercy was creation, attributed to God the Father. The second was redemption, attributed to Jesus, and the third great act of mercy is sanctification, attributed to the Holy Spirit. Jesus had to die on the cross because of God’s own law, which said the penalty for sin is death. In the Old Testament, Israel sacrificed animals to atone for sin. “It wasn’t a goat that committed sin,” Father Alar said. “The goat was offered up as a reparation for the sins of Jews; the term ‘scapegoat’ comes from that. A life had to be given and blood had to be shed, that’s how serious sin is.” From Old Testament times and even to today, one can’t have worship without sacrifice, Father Alar said. “The sacrifice of the Mass is necessary because a sacrifice has to be made to atone for sin. Jesus accepted that and died on our behalf.” That sacrifice of Jesus is made present at every Mass, he added. The reason most altars are elevated is because they represent Mount Calvary. When we are at Mass, we are at Calvary because in eternity there is no time. “God is outside of time.” To illustrate, Father Alar provided the example of the conception of Mary, who was saved from her sin through her Immaculate Conception nearly 50 years before Jesus died on the Cross. Also, at the Last Supper, Jesus told the disciples that the bread represented his body and the wine his blood, even though he had not yet been crucified.The Greek term “anamnesis” refers to Jesus’ words, “Do this in memory of me,” because at the Last Supper, Jesus is doing something that, on the altar, will always be present. During the Mass, heaven and earth are united, Father Alar said, quoting Pope Benedict, who said that during the Mass “historical time and sacred time come together.” Coming up the aisle to receive the Eucharist is a “wedding march,” he said. “The Mass is the wedding feast of the Lamb. Mother Church is the bride. Waiting for her at the altar is Christ, the bridegroom.” During Eucharist, Jesus enters the bride, and the union between the bride (the Church) and the bridegroom (Christ) is consummated. “It’s union, it’s communion,” Father Alar said. “The entire Bible is about God seeking his wayward bride—Israel—to bring her back.” In the Old Testament, every bride was to be spotless, before the groom could take her home to his mother and father. At Mass, during the penitential rite, venial sin is forgiven. If one does not have deadly or mortal sin, all venial sins are forgiven and the bride is spotless for the bridegroom. However, even after being forgiven our sins, there is still consequence—or temporal punishment—for sin. “God did not say he would let you out of any consequence, even though you are forgiven,” Father Alar said. “Love includes discipline.” A father may forgive his son for breaking a window with his baseball, but the son will still have to pay for the broken window. When a Catholic confesses, he or she is often given penance, which can include prayers, fasting and sacrifice. Having said all that, Father Alar noted that even in the Old Testament, there were special times of grace when all sin and all punishment were forgiven. For example, once a year at Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement, the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies to make reparation for the sins of the nation. In Jewish tradition, seven was regarded as the perfect number as it relates to time, while eight was the perfect number for infinity or eternity. Jesus told St. Faustina that on the eighth day after Christ’s victory over sin and death at the resurrection, the faithful could be absolved of all sin and all the punishment related to sin. The eighth day after Easter is Divine Mercy Sunday. St. Faustina’s diary records this message from Jesus about Divine Mercy Sunday: “On that very day, the very depths of my tender Mercy are open, I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the Fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sin and punishment.” The eighth day also represents the day of our death after having lived our “seven days” of time and now we enter into the eighth day of eternity. “On that day, your groom is coming for you to take you to his father and his mother, if he finds you spotless,” Father Alar stressed. That is accomplished by asking for God’s mercy and by receiving the Sacraments, particularly in Reconciliation and in the Sacrifice of the Mass. “At Mass you are getting a foretaste of what is going to happen to you at the end of your life,” he said. “The bride is going to come to the groom, who wants to take you back to his Father and mother. Your whole purpose in life is to be created by him, to be redeemed by him and to be sanctified by him and then be returned to the Father.” All this is accomplished, first, by the mercy of God. Jesus told St. Faustina that Divine Mercy is mankind’s last hope of salvation. “If you don’t pass through the doors of mercy, you must pass through the doors of my justice,” the Lord told the Polish saint. Another Pole, St. John Paul II, said the world needs nothing more today than Divine Mercy. Father Alar encouraged the men to remember ABC: “Ask” for God’s Mercy; “Be” merciful to each other; and “Completely” trust in the mercy of God. The Divine Mercy image revealed to St. Faustina shows white and red rays coming from the heart of Jesus. When Jesus was crucified, a Roman soldier thrust a spear into Jesus’ side. The spear went through Jesus’ chest cavity and pierced his heart, causing blood to come from his heart. The white or pale rays represent water, which makes souls righteous. The red rays represent the blood, the life of the soul. Justin Fatica encouraged men to make time for the people in their lives and to believe in others as Christ believes in each of us. (Victor Sanchez Photography) Justin Fatica is the founder of Your Amazing Fitness and Hard As Nails. He challenges men to “step up, live with purpose, take faith seriously and do unreasonable things for the Lord every day.” Everyone needs encouragement, even if it seems unreasonable or is mocked by the world. Showing a picture of the crucifixion, he said, “That’s unreasonable encouragement.” “We should bring unreasonable encouragement to every day of our life,” and not worry about how we look, talk or feel. The possibility of rejection should not be what moves us. “The love of the Father should move us,” he said, showing two more photos of unreasonable encouragement: the Pieta sculpture and St. Teresa of Calcutta among the poorest of the poor. Fatica attended an all-Catholic boys’ prep school in Erie, Pa., where he, and a few others, did their best to get teachers to quit as soon as possible. One teacher, in particular, took an interest in Fatica and recognized that “I wasn’t good for what I did, I was good for who I am.” “That priest did some unreasonable things,” including praying for Fatica every day even though the two battled daily in the classroom. God prompted the priest to invite Fatica, then a junior in high school, on a retreat. The priest later told Fatica that he wrestled with God’s prompting, confessing that he couldn’t imagine spending 48 minutes with Fatica, let alone 48 hours. But the priest did not hold back and invited Fatica to the retreat. “I challenge each one of you today to stop holding back your love,” Fatica said in his staccato, pentecostal, preaching style. “We’re afraid of being rejected, but when we see Christ, we know who we are, and no one who rejects us can take away our encouragement, our love and our belief in all humanity,” he said. We believe in others “not because of what they believe but because of who they are, sons and daughters of the most high king, who had his son die for us.” When the priest invited Fatica on the retreat, he said he was a “17-year-old boy who didn’t know he had a father who loved him.” His own father, though extremely wealthy, paid him little heed. The retreat was life-changing. He went to confession, then prayed from his heart for the first time in Adoration. Worried about troubles in school and in relationships, “I opened my mouth for the first time in prayer. My first prayer was, ‘I’ll give you everything if you get me through this.” Looking at a crucifix, he prayed, “Jesus you died for me, I want to die for you.” “Don’t pray that prayer unless you mean it, but I meant it like any 17-year-old kid could,” he said. Fatica started going to Daily Mass and, in his forceful way, bringing other teammates with him. The priest who tried to tolerate Fatica in the classroom, sometimes without success, and who invited him to the retreat was Father Larry Richards, a well-known Catholic speaker and author. “From that day he has been my spiritual father,” Fatica said of Father Richards. “He has been my constant encouragement,” Fatica said, noting that Father Richards texts him frequently now that Fatica’s dad is in the final stages of his life. “We can be men and still be tender-hearted,” Fatica said. Men should pray each day, asking God, “Who are you calling me to believe in and inspire today, who are you calling me to love?” Thousands of kids have approached Fatica during his ministry, some saying they were going to take their lives. “Many of them never had a father,” Fatica said. “I tell them they’re going to be great husbands and fathers. I tell them I believe in them. They need people to believe in them like Christ believes in us.” Men need to make time for the people in their lives, Fatical said. “Kids are on social media because we don’t make appointments with kids and grandkids.” The best friend he had in life was a grandmother who made time for him, Fatica said. “We talked every two weeks for two hours. There wasn’t one time when I called that she didn’t pick up.” She recently passed away, he said. “Her legacy was one word: presence. Can we be that one person in someone’s life?”

"St. Diego Giving Alms" by Bartolome Esteban Murillo, c.1645 (Public Domain) By Marco Roman, Ph.D. Director of Communications Lent is not merely a time of self-denial; it is a privileged season of disciplined discipleship, in which the Church calls us to strive intentionally for holiness and deeper union with Christ. Each year, the Church calls us back to the Gospel with urgency and tenderness: urgency because sin dulls our hearts; tenderness because Christ never stops inviting us to deeper communion with him. Lent, therefore, is a season for continuing and maturing discipleship—a time when we are both challenged and encouraged to become more fully what we were made to be in Christ. Jesus begins his public ministry with a clear summons that defines every Lent: “Repent and believe in the Gospel” (Mk 1:15). This is not a momentary conversion but a lifelong journey. The Christian life is not static; disciples are meant to grow, deepen, and be purified. As St. Paul reminds us, “We are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory” (2 Cor 3:18). Lent gives us a concentrated time to cooperate with this work of transformation. Dr. Marco Roman The catechism and the meaning of Lent The Catechism of the Catholic Church situates Lent within the Church’s liturgical rhythm as a time of interior renewal and preparation for Easter. In speaking of the liturgical year, the Catechism teaches that Lent is ordered toward repentance, conversion and a more profound participation in Christ’s Paschal Mystery (CCC 540; 1095). It is a season in which the Church accompanies the Lord into the desert—not to escape the world, but to be strengthened for mission within it. Lent, therefore, is not a retreat from discipleship but its intensification. Mature disciples do not simply “give something up”; they allow the Holy Spirit to reorder their loves so that Christ stands at the center of their lives. Prayer: deepening communion with Christ The first great Lenten discipline is prayer. The Catechism reminds us that prayer is “a vital and personal relationship with the living and true God” (CCC 2558). Lent invites us to move beyond routine prayer, toward an intentional, sustained, personal encounter with the Lord. Jesus himself teaches that prayer is the heart of discipleship: “When you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret” (Mt 6:6). Mature disciples learn to create real space for God—not only in moments of crisis, but as a daily habit of love and friendship. This is where fasting becomes deeply connected to prayer. We do not fast merely to test our willpower; we fast to free our hearts and make more time and room for God. If we give up unnecessary distractions—excessive screen time, social media, constant entertainment or over-scheduling—we gain precious silence in which the Lord can speak. Here, a simple personal reflection may be helpful. Many of us, including myself, readily devote three or four hours each week to the gym in order to care for our physical and mental well-being. We plan for it, protect time, and accept the discipline because we know our bodies and minds need it. If we are that intentional about our physical health, how much more should we be willing to give the same amount of time to our spiritual well-being—to prayer, scripture, Adoration or silent listening before the Lord? Lent challenges us to bring that same intentionality, consistency and generosity to the care of our souls. In practical terms, this Lent might invite each of us to ask: Where can I simplify my life to pray more? Can fasting from something result in more room for daily Mass, Scripture or quiet prayer? How can my family pray together more intentionally this season? Fasting: training the heart of a disciple The Catechism teaches that fasting helps us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart (CCC 2043). Christian fasting is not self-punishment; it is spiritual training. Just as athletes discipline their bodies to compete well, disciples discipline their desires to love well. Jesus warns us that fasting must be sincere, not performative: “When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites” (Mt 6:16). The goal is not appearance but conversion. For mature disciples, fasting is most fruitful when it is ordered toward charity and prayer. This means choosing sacrifices that sharpen our focus on God and others rather than ourselves. A meaningful Lenten fast should make us more patient, more attentive, more generous and more prayerful. Almsgiving: Love in Action If prayer turns our hearts to God and fasting purifies our desires, almsgiving directs our love outward in concrete charity. The Catechism describes almsgiving as a work of mercy that witnesses to fraternal charity and justice (CCC 2447). Jesus places almsgiving at the center of authentic discipleship: “Give alms… for where your treasure is, there also will your heart be” (Mt 6:19–21). Lent asks us to examine not only what we spend, but what we value. In the Diocese of Boise, this has particular pastoral significance. Mature disciples are called to support both their local parish and the broader mission of the Diocese, which serves the poor, forms youth and families, supports Catholic schools, cares for immigrants and refugees, and proclaims the Gospel throughout Idaho. This Lent is an opportunity to ask: How can my family give more intentionally to our parish? Can we redirect part of our discretionary spending toward charity? How might our sacrifices strengthen the ministries of the Diocese? Salt and Light in a Lenten World Jesus calls His disciples to be “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world” (Mt 5:13–16). Lent does not draw us inward for our own sake; it prepares us to shine more brightly in the world. Mature disciples do not merely survive Lent—they witness through it. Our patience, generosity, prayerfulness and joy become a quiet proclamation of Christ to those around us. In workplaces, schools, families and parishes, our Lenten discipline should make others ask: “What gives them that peace, serenity and evident conviction that draws others to inquire — and to friendship?” A Season of Growth, Not Perfection Finally, Lent is not about proving our spiritual excellence but deepening our dependence on grace. The Church walks this journey with us—through the Sacraments, especially Reconciliation and the Eucharist—so that Christ Himself forms us more fully in His image. As we begin this holy season, let us embrace Lent not as a burden, but as a gift: a time to grow, mature and be renewed as disciples who pray more deeply, fast more wisely and give more generously for the life of the Church in the Diocese of Boise. May this Lent draw us closer to Christ, deepen our love for His Church and prepare our hearts for the joy of Easter.

By Bishop Peter F. Christensen For the Idaho Catholic Register My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, On Ash Wednesday the Church marks our foreheads with ashes and gently invites us to begin again. These ashes remind us that our lives are fragile and finite, yet they also speak a deeper truth: we are beloved by God, and he never grows tired of calling us back to himself. Lent is not first a season of our effort or self-improvement. It is, above all, a season of God’s mercy and action in our lives through the gift of the Holy Spirit. At the same time, this gift is never forced upon us. The Holy Spirit is freely given, but he must also be freely received. During these forty days, the Lord invites us to open our hearts more fully, to listen more attentively, and to cooperate more generously with the Spirit’s gentle promptings. We are not passive spectators in Lent; we are beloved sons and daughters who are called to walk willingly with the Spirit who leads us. Bishop Peter F. Christensen For forty days we accompany Jesus into the desert. Yet we do not walk there alone or by our own strength. St. Luke tells us that Jesus himself was “filled with the Holy Spirit” and “led by the Spirit in the desert” (Lk 4:1). This is the pattern for our own Lenten journey: like Christ, we allow the Spirit to guide us, shape us, and draw us closer to the Father. In a reflection I shared with you during Lent last year, I spoke from my heart about the temptation we all face to rely only on ourselves. I encouraged you — and I continue to encourage you — to hear the Lord’s invitation to trust him more deeply: “Fast from your self-sufficiency, fast from your self-reliance. Rely on me for your true identity and for all that you need… I will lead you if you just hold on to my hand. I will be with you.” ( Idaho Catholic Register , March 20, 2025). This remains at the heart of Lent. The Holy Spirit does not simply correct our behavior from the outside; he works within us, healing our hearts, reordering our loves, and reminding us that our true identity is found in being God’s children. Lent is like a family retreat for the whole Church — a time of quieter prayer, deeper listening, and renewed trust in our heavenly Father. Sacred Scripture consistently presents the Holy Spirit not merely as a force or agent, but as the divine Person; a consoler who walks alongside us purifying and sanctifying the people of God. His work is gentle and yet, powerful. He comes close to our hearts, meets us in our weakness, and patiently shapes us into the image of Christ. Lent is the season when we give him more room to do this saving work within us. The prophet Ezekiel speaks tenderly of God’s promise: “I will sprinkle clean water upon you… I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you” (Ez 36:25–27). Each day in Lent, the Church places on our lips the prayer of Psalm 51: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Ps 51:12). St. Paul then invites us to understand what life in the Holy Spirit truly looks like. The following passage so clearly reveals the drama of conversion and the beauty of a Spirit-filled life. I invite you to read it often, take it to prayer and examine your life to more fully be filled by the Holy Spirit. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. Now the works of the flesh are plain: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like; I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit; let us have no self-conceit, no provoking of one another, no envy of one another. (Ga 5:16, 19-26). This passage is not meant to frighten us, but to convict our hearts and move us toward the light of truth. Lent is the time when we allow the Holy Spirit to gently uncover what needs healing, so that his beautiful fruits — love, joy, and peace — can flourish more fully in our lives. When we fast, pray, and give alms, we are not trying to earn God’s love. We are making space for his Spirit to work more freely within us. Fasting quiets our appetites so that our hearts can listen. Prayer opens us to God’s voice and presence. Almsgiving loosens our grip on possessions and teaches us generosity. When these practices are rooted in faith, they become cooperation with the Holy Spirit — our humble “yes” to his transforming grace. Many of you tell me that you want to be more aware of the Holy Spirit in your daily life. Lent gives us a simple and practical path. Begin each morning with a quiet prayer: “Come, Holy Spirit. Purify my heart. Lead me today in truth and charity.” If possible, kneel before a crucifix or holy image. Then pause for a moment in silence — this is often where the Spirit speaks most clearly. Choose one interior fast this Lent. Ask the Spirit to reveal what most needs healing — perhaps impatience, harsh speech, resentment, gossip, or too much time online — and gently commit to fasting from it. This may open the door of time for a personal visit to a Church to sit in front of the Divine Physician in the Blessed Sacrament. Make Confession a central part of your Lent. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin not to condemn us, but to free us. In Reconciliation, we experience the joy of mercy and the renewal of grace. My hope for all of us this Lent is not simply that we “do better,” but that we become freer — freer from sin, freer from fear, and freer to love God and one another. If we allow the Holy Spirit to work, we will notice his fruits slowly growing in our lives: more patience in our families, more peace in our hearts, more generosity toward the poor, and deeper joy in our faith. As we begin this sacred season together, let us ask for one grace above all: the grace to be led by the Holy Spirit — led into repentance, led into truth, and led into the radiant joy of Easter. May the Holy Spirit purify every heart in our Diocese of Boise, strengthen relationship we hold dear, and renew our Church in holiness and love. With my prayers and God’s blessings, Bishop Peter F. Christensen

By Bishop Peter F. Christensen Bishop of Boise Each year, the Church gives us a moment to pause and rejoice in the gift of Christian marriage. National Marriage Week, celebrated Feb. 7–14, and World Marriage Day, on Sunday, Feb. 8, invite us to renew our gratitude for the vocation of husband and wife and to strengthen the domestic Church — the family home where faith is first lived and loved. This year, the bishops of the United States offer a theme that speaks with clarity and hope to our time: “Man and Woman, He Created Them: Together with Purpose.” In a culture that can confuse identity, weaken commitment and reduce love to feelings alone, the Church proclaims with confidence and compassion what Jesus Himself reveals: that marriage is not a private experiment, but a divine gift — an enduring covenant of faithful love, ordered toward communion and fruitfulness, and elevated by Christ to the dignity of a sacrament. A renewed word for our diocese: Marriage for Life Here in the Diocese of Boise, Marriage Week is also a providential time to recall a pastoral initiative that continues to bear fruit in our local Church: the Marriage for Life campaign. Launched to strengthen marriage preparation, support married couples, and renew parish attentiveness to the beauty of matrimony, this campaign remains timely and necessary. I want to highlight this clearly: Marriage for Life is not a program of the past, but a pastoral priority for the present. The needs of couples, families and children have not diminished. If anything, the pressures facing marriage today make our commitment to this mission even more urgent. Jesus proclaims the truth and beauty of marriage When Jesus speaks about marriage, He does not offer a burden; He reveals a blessing. He proclaims marriage as part of God’s original design — rooted in creation and fulfilled in grace. In calling husband and wife to a love that is faithful, permanent and life-giving, Jesus reveals a path that mirrors God’s own covenant of love for His people. The Church has safeguarded and preached this truth for centuries, not because she is nostalgic, but because she is maternal. She knows what helps human love flourish, and she knows what harms it. Christian marriage is not merely a human contract; it is a sacramental vocation — a path of holiness where spouses become gifts to one another, learning day by day what it means to love as Christ loves: patiently, truthfully, mercifully and steadfastly. In every era, the world needs witnesses to this kind of love. In our own time, it needs them more than ever. A word to married couples: Your vocation matters To every married couple in our diocese: thank you. Thank you for your daily “yes” — spoken in ordinary moments as much as extraordinary ones. Thank you for choosing forgiveness over resentment, dialogue over silence, prayer over isolation and perseverance over quitting. Thank you for building homes where children can learn trust, where faith can be practiced and where joy can be restored after hardship. If your marriage is in a season of peace, give thanks — and protect that peace with prayer, tenderness and intentional time together. If your marriage is in a season of strain, do not lose heart. The Lord who joined you is not absent from your trials. Seek help early, seek it humbly and seek it with hope. The Church is not here to judge couples who struggle; she is here to accompany, heal and strengthen. Marriage Week is an invitation to take one concrete step: a conversation you’ve been postponing, a “date night” you haven’t made time for, a return to Sunday Mass together, a simple prayer each evening, a call to a trusted priest or mentor couple or participation in a parish renewal opportunity. Small steps, taken consistently, can open doors to grace. A word to parishes: Marriage is mission Marriage is not a “side ministry” of parish life. It is central to the Church’s mission of evangelization. Strong marriages strengthen families; strong families strengthen parishes; and strong parishes strengthen society. For this reason, I encourage every parish to treat Marriage Week 2026 as more than an announcement on the calendar. Let it be a moment of pastoral focus and renewed attentiveness: • Proclaim the Gospel of marriage clearly in preaching and catechesis — without embarrassment and without harshness. • Invest in marriage preparation, recognizing that marriage preparation stands at the very forefront of the Church’s mission of evangelization. Through thoughtful, prayerful and well-formed preparation, engaged couples encounter not only the Church’s teaching on marriage, but the living Christ who calls them to lifelong discipleship and self-giving love. Authentic marriage preparation is therefore not merely instructional, but missionary — forming couples to live and witness the Gospel within their homes and in the wider community. • Build a culture of accompaniment for newly married couples, especially during the first five years, when many couples face intense transitions. • Offer pathways of marriage renewal — retreats, small groups, mentoring, enrichment evenings and opportunities for confession, prayer and Eucharistic Adoration. • Make sure couples know they are not alone and that help is available when difficulties arise. Together with purpose: Hope for the future The theme “Together with Purpose” reminds us that marriage is never merely “together” — it is together for something. Together for holiness. Together for mutual sanctification. Together for the good of children and the building up of the community. Together as a sign to the world that faithful love is possible, because God is faithful. In that light, I renew my invitation to our diocesan family: let us continue to strengthen Marriage for Life in every parish and across every community in Idaho. Let us support engaged couples with robust preparation. Let us accompany married couples with steady encouragement. Let us provide real opportunities for renewal and healing. And let us proclaim — without fear and with genuine joy — the beauty and truth of marriage taught by Jesus and faithfully handed on by the Catholic Church through the centuries. May the Holy Family of Nazareth intercede for every husband and wife, father and mother in our diocese. May the Lord bless your homes with peace and joy. And may this Marriage Week be a genuine moment of grace — renewing love, deepening communion and strengthening the Church’s mission, one family at a time.

Jay Wonacott walks his daughter, Cathleen, down the aisle of St. Mark's Church in Boise on her wedding day. (Courtesy photo/Starr Photo & Video) By Jay Wonacott Director of Marriage and Family Life for the Diocese of Boise On February 1, 2026, I joined the ranks of parents who have had a child marry. My second daughter, Cathleen, married Tyler Tackett at St. Mark’s Catholic Church. Wedding days are filled with so much excitement, and as her father, I wanted to take a lot of “mental pictures” of the key events. I can say that it was truly one of the best days of my life. I know it was for my daughter and her new husband. It was amazing seeing Cathleen in her gorgeous wedding dress. It takes hours for a bride to get ready — hair, makeup, the fuss over the dress — everything must be just right. For the groom, it is different! Upon arriving at the church a few minutes late, Tyler needed my help getting his necktie on and pinning a boutonniere to his suit. I have only daughters, so I got a small glimpse of what it might be like to have a son and of the differences between men and women when it comes to weddings (and maybe life, too). Father Caleb Vogel, vicar general for the Diocese of Boise, blesses Cathleen Wonacott and Tyler Tackett during their marriage vows. (Courtesy photo/Starr Photo & Video) From generation to generation I was particularly touched by the traditional “giving away” ceremony, where the father of the bride joins the hand of his daughter with the hand of the groom. With the congregation of friends and family looking towards the back of the Church, I accompanied Cathleen as we processed up the main aisle to the altar. We bowed, and then I shook Tyler’s hand and took Cathleen’s hand, and put it in Tyler’s. I stepped back as Cathleen and Tyler proceeded to the altar together. This symbolized the action of what the book of Genesis calls the “leaving” and “cleaving.” The couple, after exchanging vows, conceives a new family. They “leave” their families to “cleave” to one another. The exchange of their vows creates a union that God blesses with the gift of one another as a couple and with possibility and openness to new life—the next generation. As the father of the bride, it hit home very clearly that my daughter was now a woman entering into a covenantal bond with a man, which hopefully will bring about grandchildren. I was reminded of the words of Mary’s Magnificat: “His mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear [the Lord].” It is a wondrous thing to consider the goodness of life through the eyes of the newly made bride and groom , who become husband and wife, who are open to love and life that it might bring. From generation to generation, witnessing the marriage of a man and woman open to life brings hope to the whole human race. All of those gathered to hear Cathleen and Tyler exchange vows witnessed the fact that marriage is truly a social sacrament. Those gathered are those who will also support them in their life together. Following their vows and the blessing by Father Caleb Vogel, the newly pronounced "husband and wife," Mr. and Mrs. Tackett, kiss. (Courtesy photo/Starr Photo & Video) One of the false myths of our society (maybe call it the “Disney princess effect”) is that marriage, in the eyes of popular culture, is the “perfect” man and “perfect” woman, problem-free, with unrealistic romantic notions of love at the center of their lives. The truth is that marriage involves imperfect people, often with many problems, and the cross—a different meaning of love—is at the center of life as a Christian. The good news is that God pours out his blessings, especially in the support of friends and family to help support a couple in all the stages of married life. The union of hearts in marriage is also the union of families. This connection with past generations is exemplified in Tyler’s and Cathleen’s wedding rings. On the wedding program, we shared the history of their rings: “Tyler’s dad, Forest, passed away when Tyler was just 13 years old. When Cathleen and Tyler became engaged last year, Tyler’s mom, Bonnie, offered Forest’s wedding ring to him, to serve as a reminder of his dad’s presence in his life and in his marriage. Tyler happily accepted the offer, and it is his dad’s ring that he will accept from Cathleen today.” “Cathleen’s grandfather, Bill Molitor, passed away on February 1, 2018. Grandpa Bill was Cathleen’s godfather, so having her wedding on the anniversary of his death is a special privilege. Cathleen’s grandmother, MaryLou, asked Cathleen if she would like to have her wedding ring, since she no longer wore it. Now, wearing the ring given to her grandmother by her Grandpa Bill will be a forever reminder of their steadfast love and their enduring marriage.” Marriage advice from Dad During the reception celebration, I shared with Cathleen and Tyler some marriage advice that I got from one of Cathleen’s favorite sitcoms, The Office. In communicating with my children, I try to find examples in popular culture that make a meaningful point and, in this way, speak a love language that my daughters understand. Our family’s love language is quoting our favorite TV shows to one another. Cathleen and Tyler Tackett recess to the back of the church following their wedding ceremony. (Courtesy photo/Starr Photo & Video) One of my favorite episodes of The Office is the one when Jim Halpert and Pam Beasley get married. There is a scene where Jim and Pam are talking about how quickly the wedding day goes by. Pam shows Jim how to take a “mental picture” of the day, so they don’t forget the special moments. Using this scene as context, I shared this advice with Cathleen and Tyler. I encouraged them to take lots of mental pictures every day of their lives together. Capture mental pictures of moments wherever you encounter goodness, truth and beauty in persons, places or things. At the end of each day, as you lie in bed together and examine the events of your day, take another look at the mental pictures of those moments that brought meaning to your lives that day. Take mental pictures also of those first times and the last times. On top of all the firsts, which are usually filled with joy, there will be mental pictures of things that are difficult or hard to face—like the goodbye of a friend or death of a loved one. Sharing one beautiful insight that brought meaning to your life that day will greatly impact your marriage and bring you both happiness. You will use these mental pictures to build an album of memories that you can take with you into 10, 20, 30, 40 or even 50 years of marriage. From left, EmmaRose, Teresa, Lucy, and Mary Wonacott, Cathleen and Tyler Tackett, Michelle and Jay Wonacott are at St. Mark's Catholic Church. (Courtesy photo/Starr Photo & Video) I know that I took many mental pictures of this wedding day in our lives as a family. We truly are blessed to see the next generation marry and open themselves to a new adventure of life and love. Let us continue to support marriage in our culture and encourage young people, like Tyler and Cathleen, to say “yes” to married life and all the goodness it brings to every generation.

Kaitlyn Facista's new book is a book for all who want to journey in a closer relationship with Jesus and His Church. (Courtesy photo/Ave Maria Press) By Emily Woodham Staff Writer The popularity of J.R.R. Tolkien’s writing has inspired many authors over the years. It would seem that commentary on his rich fantasy world of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings has been exhausted. However, a new book by Kaitlyn Facista brings a fresh and uplifting look at the Catholic spirituality in Tolkien’s world. Into the Heart of Middle-earth: Exploring Faith and Fellowship in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings ( Ave Maria Press ) is being released at the end of February. Readers do not need to be hardcore, Elvish-speaking Tolkien fans to appreciate Into the Heart of Middle-earth. Facista does an excellent job explaining Tolkien’s world in the preface and introduction. For those who want to understand his world in more depth, Facista has provided several appendices in the back. Although some Tolkien fans border on snobbery, rejecting the movies and TV shows that have followed Tolkien’s “canon,” Facista has an approachable and open attitude to readers. Her blog, “ Tea with Tolkien ,” is a popular and welcoming online platform for Tolkien fans of all backgrounds, levels of interest and religious beliefs. In the preface of her book, she explains her own journey as a fan of Tolkien’s works and into the Catholic Church. Anyone with even a mild interest in Tolkien and only a cursory knowledge of his tales will find her book engaging. Her intention is to provide insights and food for thought into the Catholic spirituality and virtues of Middle-earth, and she achieves this beautifully. Her tone is one of encouragement and friendship. The first two chapters, “Establish Your Shire” and “Open the Door to Providence,” provide the groundwork for the rest of the book. These two chapters lay out the importance of daily formation. Using examples from life in the Shire (one of the two regions where hobbits live), Facista explains how everyday, ordinary habits prepare one for the journeys brought by Providence. Although Tolkien was a devout Catholic, he was careful not to write his books as explicitly religious or an allegory. However, Catholic truth is woven into his stories. Facista shows readers how Tolkien’s ideas on formation are not so much in having second breakfast, gardening or indulging in teatime, but come from practicing Catholic virtues and values even when no one is looking. The following 12 chapters delve into Catholic spirituality beginning with “Discover the Little Way to Let Go of Your ‘Ring.’” Facista uses examples from different characters and stories to explore virtues such as mercy, hope and wisdom. Woven throughout, she approaches the difficulty of Fate and the free will of characters. Tolkien’s view of Fate in his book was based on his Catholic view of Providence (as opposed to a predestined or fatalistic view). Time and again, the characters make their choices through virtues that they have formed over time. Providence has brought the opportunity to them, but the characters must choose. Their choices come from what they have cultivated in their lives. Facista includes questions at the end of each chapter, with the heading “The Road Goes On,” to help readers consider how to apply the virtues and values of Middle-earth to their own lives. These questions could be used in a group setting, such as in a prayer group, or by individuals as journal prompts. The amount of research Facista did to write the book shows from beginning to end. She is able to take complex theological ideas and problems (such as the Eucharist and suffering) and explain them through Tolkien’s books with ease. It is often said that one does not understand a subject unless one can explain it to a child. It is clear that Facista knows Tolkien, his works and Catholic beliefs well. She writes without talking down to her audience with long, overdrawn explanations. She also writes without oversimplifying ideas to the point of being trite. This book is an excellent choice for teenagers and older. Author Kaitlyn Facista The Idaho Catholic Register reached out to Kaitlyn Facista with some questions about her work: You put so much research into this book. Are you working on a graduate degree in literature and Tolkien? I would love to do something like that someday! For now, this is something I enjoy in my free time. I’ve learned so much! But perhaps I could go back to school someday when my children are older. You point out Tolkien’s love of St. Thomas Aquinas and his metaphysics. How has this understanding of metaphysics through Tolkien impacted your faith journey? I’ve found that Tolkien’s works can almost serve as an introduction to philosophy and metaphysics in an approachable and applicable way. While I’ll admit that I find the great teachers of our Church history like Aquinas very intimidating, I’ve discovered that a lot of underlying yet more complex principles have become much easier for me to grasp after becoming so familiar with Tolkien. So it’s almost as if Tolkien’s works have been a bridge into a deeper understanding of my own faith - quite unexpectedly. You emphasized that though Fate/Providence bring opportunities, Tolkien’s characters still have free will and must make a choice. How do you think this would change the story if there was no free will? A world without free will is Sauron’s endgame. So, to put it plainly, the story would’ve been over before it even began. Tolkien places an emphasis on his heroic characters freely choosing good, while at the same time, his villains freely choose their own descents into evil. Nothing is created evil, and so to become evil is a choice. It’s in this choice that the story lives. You mention the circumstances that impacted Tolkien’s formation, including his connection to St. John Henry Newman through the Brompton Oratory. What have you found most helpful in your own formation and/or in the formation of your family? The simplest thing that we’ve done is trying to center our lives around our church community, whether that’s as simple as attending Mass at the same time every week, participating in as many church events as we can, or even taking on volunteer responsibilities. In a culture that is often so disconnected from one another, I’ve found that fully committing to my own parish has really cemented both a sense of belonging and of duty.

Father Germán Osorio, rector at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, administers the Anointing of the Sick. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) By Emily Woodham Staff Writer BOISE —The Anointing of the Sick is a sacrament of the Church that offers healing to those who are suffering in every aspect: physical, emotional, mental or spiritual. “This sacrament is not only for the final moments of life; it is a sacrament of strength, encounter and healing,” said Father Germán Osorio, rector at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Boise in his homily for the Mass of the World Day of the Sick. Through this sacrament, “Christ tells the sick: ‘You are not alone. I am with you,’” he continued. “He offers healing of the body, when it serves our salvation, and always healing of the heart— freedom from fear, forgiveness of sins, and the grace to endure with faith.” Father Osorio thanked the Order of Malta for organizing the celebration of the World Day of the Sick. “Their charism— defense of the faith and service of the poor— shines especially bright today,” he said. “In caring for the sick, they continue the mission of Christ himself, reminding us that to serve the suffering is to touch the wounded body of Jesus.” The Mass for the World Day of the Sick with the Anointing of the Sick was hosted by the Order of Malta chapter of Boise. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) He asked all those present, whether “seeking healing, offering care, or praying in solidarity,” to entrust themselves to the Lord. “May this sacrament bring comfort to the sick, strength to caregivers, and renewed compassion to all of us.” About 400 attended the Mass that was hosted by the Order of Malta chapter of Boise on Feb. 7. Following the Mass, the Order gave out bottles of water from the miraculous spring in Lourdes, France. The spring appeared when, in 1858, Our Lady appeared to St. Bernadette Soubirous and said, “I am the Immacuate Conception.” Thousands of pilgrims report being healed at the spring. To date, 72 medical miracles have been confirmed by Vatican investigations. The Order of Malta also collected prayer petitions, which they will submit at the Grotto during their annual pilgrimage to Lourdes. The Order is 900 years old. It is a worldwide, lay Religious Order of the Catholic Church and cares for the poor and sick without regard to race or religion. For more information about the Boise chapter of the Order of Malta, contact Susan Karpiel, convenor for the Boise area, at susankarpiel@verizon.net.

Students lead the procession at the Treasure Valley All Schools Mass at St. Mark's Church in Boise. (ICR photo/(ICR photo/Vero Gutiérrez) By Emily Woodham Staff Writer Across Idaho, more than 4,000 students in 16 Catholic schools celebrated Catholic Schools Week, from Jan. 25 to Jan. 31. Catholic Schools Week is promoted by the National Catholic Educational Association and has been celebrated nationally since 1974. The week is meant to highlight the importance of Catholic education in the life of the Church. “I want to give thanks during this Catholic Schools Week to all of our educators, administrators and families who understand that Catholic schools are not called to be a mirror of culture, but to evangelize in what they’re doing,” said Bishop Peter Christensen during his homily at the All Schools Mass in Boise on Jan. 28. “Catholic schools vangelize in teaching and presenting the fullness of the faith in clarity and charity. As a result, we’ll be helping the world around us to be set free.” Bishop Peter is with Caleb Welp, a third grade student at St. Mark’s School. (ICR photo/Vero Gutiérrez) More than 1,700 students, faculty and staff attended the Diocese of Boise Treasure Valley All Schools Mass at St. Mark’s Church in Boise on Jan. 28, the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, one of the patron saints of Catholic education. Bishop Kelly High School, St. Mark’s, St. Joseph’s, St. Mary’s, Sacred Heart Schools in Boise, St. Ignatius School in Meridian, and St. Paul’s School in Nampa attended or had representatives at the Mass. “Our world needs the wisdom Christ offers,” Bishop Peter said at the Mass. “We take that gift, in our schooling, in our faith and in our families, and take it to our heart, and live that as Jesus asked.” The Gospel reading was from Luke 2:41-52, when Mary and Joseph lost Jesus and found him in the Temple. “Jesus, at the young age of 12, teaches us what we must do for wisdom and where to go” Bishop Peter explained. “Go to your Heavenly Father, you will learn truth for your lives and that which is most important within your life. “My brothers and sisters, wisdom comes from God and spending time with God in our own private prayer, communal prayer, in being obedient to his commandments, and living as he desires us to live. Seeking God’s presence in our life is where it all begins.” Young students pray during the All Schools Mass. (ICR photo/Vero Gutiérrez) We are blessed, he continued, because “Jesus never tires of giving himself from birth to death. He gives himself today in the Eucharist. He gives himself in the power of his Holy Spirit. All truth, all goodness, all love, all wisdom come through Jesus.” Father Germán Osorio, rector of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist and of St. Joseph’s School in Boise, and Father Vitalis Onyeama, SMMM, pastor at Holy Apostles and St. Ignatius School in Meridian, concelebrated the Mass. Deacon Don Blythe and Deacon Peter Lauder, both at St. Mark’s, assisted. A young student from St. Joseph’s School in Boise receives communion from Father Vitalis Onyeama, SMMM, pastor at Holy Apostles Parish and St. Ignatius School in Meridian. (ICR photo/Vero Gutiérrez) At the end of the Mass, Bishop Peter thanked Tammy Emerich, superintendent of Catholic schools, and Christina Linder, assistant superintendent, for their work and dedication. The bishop asked all principals, administrators and teachers to stand for a special prayer and blessing. Catholic schools throughout the diocese celebrated each day of the week with daily themes and activities that highlighted vocations, the saints, parish life and community life.

Members of the Treasure Valley Teens for Life present the gifts during the offertory to Bishop Peter Christensen and Father Germán Osorio, rector at the Cathedral. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) By Emily Woodham Staff Writer The needs of the world are numerous, and none is more pressing than protecting the dignity of human life. “There’s a great deal more healing that needs to take place in our world at this time,” Bishop Peter Christensen said in his homily for the Mass for Life on Jan. 24 at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Boise. More than 600 attended. “Our world needs greater peace, hope, unity and love,” he said. “Our world needs prayer. We pray especially for the protection and the respect of all human life, for each and every life is precious in the eyes of God.” More than 600 attended the Mass for Life. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) Although the world is struggling with so many things, there is also a movement of renewed faith, Bishop Peter continued. “Something is going on in our world. There’s a darkness that I haven’t seen before in 73 years of life, but there’s also a light that is coming,” he said with encouragement. This light is a renewal of faith, which is a sign that “a new day is dawning,” Bishop Peter said, adding that at the Cathedral, a record number of 120 people are preparing to enter the Church on Easter Vigil through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA). St. Paul’s Student Center at Boise State also has the most they have seen in OCIA in its history. They have 35 people who are planning to become Catholic this Easter. This renewal of faith “is happening all over the country, all over the world.” “However, many people remain who have been numbed by a mundane and hopeless understanding of life, in which life holds little value,” Bishop Peter explained. “They see this life on a two-dimensional level without much purpose or value. Each of us needs to be courageous in spreading the news of the Kingdom of God among us.” It is through spreading the Gospel that people “will come to see their own value as created in the image and likeness of God, that the God of the entire universe is their loving Father,” he continued. “If people truly value their lives as unique and precious in the eyes of God, they would never even consider taking the life of another.” Sharing a story from his time in seminary, Bishop Peter highlighted the importance of considering what is truly worth dying for. When he was struggling with several difficulties at seminary, he went to speak to his pastor about the things that were bothering him. His pastor told him: “Peter, not everything in life is worth laying down your life for. Can you name just a few? Those things you have strong conviction about. Think about it.” After considering the question, Bishop Peter realized he was willing to lay down his life for the protection of human life and for the Eucharist. Bishop Peter greets Zane and Isabelle Pulver, who presented roses to the Blessed Virgin Mary. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) "I believe a child in the womb is a human being, needing protection in life,” he said. “I’m also convinced of the importance of the Eucharist. I saw then, as I do now, that the Eucharist is our faith in Jesus Christ and his Church. The Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Christ. It is the faith of the Church that Jesus is here. I would lay my life down for that.” Bishop Peter asked the congregation to consider the same question. “What is the most important thing in your life that you would lay down your life for it? You can think about them in the days to come. Being focused on just two has helped me to be a lot less petty– that was brilliant of my pastor. Stop worrying about the little things. You’re giving way too much energy to those things that don’t matter. What really matters? What would you give your life for?” Bishop Peter used the life of St. Peter, who gave his life for Christ and the Church, to illustrate the power of God’s love to transform us and the world. In the Gospel reading from John 21:15-19, the Risen Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves him. The first two times, Jesus uses the Greek word agape for love. Agape means a sacrificial, unconditional love. Peter says he does love Jesus, but each time he replies with phileo. Phileo means a friendly, brotherly love between people who have similar interests. The third time that Jesus asks Peter, he uses phileo, just as Peter used. “Jesus has switched it up,” Bishop Peter said. “Jesus never rejects Peter’s love. He’ll take the love he has to offer and grow it into agape love over time, as he does with each of us.” Although Peter confessed only a phileo love for Jesus each of the three times he was asked, Jesus ended each exchange with commands: “Feed my lambs,” Tend my sheep,” and “Feed my sheep.” He entrusted Peter with care for the Church, knowing that at Pentecost Peter’s love would be transformed. “Just 50 days after the Resurrection, the disciples are gathered back in the upper room, and the Holy Spirit is poured down upon them. It is at this point filled with the Holy Spirit that Peter is also filled with agape love for Jesus. Peter is no longer afraid. He’s no longer guarded, calculating his relationship with Jesus. He’s all in.” Peter immediately preached the Gospel to the crowd of thousands that were gathering near the apostles after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Because of Peter’s courageous witness, about 3,000 were baptized that day. “What happened to the betrayer? Peter figured out how much the Lord really truly loved him. Peter takes the grace of that love and incorporates it into his own mind and heart and being. Peter, is ready with agape love for the Lord, that unconditional, selfless, sacrificial love, a love that is willing to give all of one’s self for the other, which Peter certainly did.” Bishop Peter gives the final blessing at the Life Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Boise. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) “We need to be courageous in spreading the Good News of our Lord’s agape love for others, by our words and our actions,” Bishop Peter continued. “If we do so, abortion will be no more.” “Let us follow Jesus above all else, for Jesus truly is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. May we join his mission, may we follow Him. The Lord hears our prayers. He hears you; he knows your heart; he loves you; he’s with you. Do not be afraid. He will direct you to all that is right and true.”

By Jay Wonacott Director of Marriage and Family Life for the Diocese of Boise with Jim Otremba, M.Div, M.S., LICSW Writer’s note: Many faithful Catholics in our Diocese find themselves caught in a cycle of “survival mode”—juggling the demands of growing families, the pressures of work, and an ever-increasing sense of anxiety. I had the opportunity to speak with Jim Otremba—a licensed therapist and a frequent voice on Relevant Radio—to discuss part of the solution: the upcoming virtual retreat, “Naming & Taming Anxiety and Negative Stress,” which begins March 3. Jay Wonacott: Jim, we are so pleased to bring you to the people of the Diocese of Boise again, even if it is virtually. You and your wife, Maureen, were here in the fall of 2024 to lead a marriage retreat. I know many people who love God and love the Church, but they are absolutely exhausted. They feel guilty that they aren’t “joyful” enough. Why do you think so many faithful Catholics struggle with this? Jim Otremba: Jay, it’s a pleasure to be with you. You hit on a major pain point right away: the “guilt of the stressed Catholic.” We often tell ourselves, “If I just trusted God more, I wouldn’t feel this way.” But that’s a misunderstanding of how God designed our bodies. Anxiety isn’t a lack of faith; often, it’s a nervous system that has been stuck on “high alert” for too long. Whether it’s the high cost of living, the pressures of parenting in a digital age or personal wounds, our brains get wired for survival. When we are in survival mode, we can’t be fully present to our spouse, our children or even the Holy Spirit. We end up “time-a-ciding”—killing our time with worry instead of living in the peace Christ promised. Jay: You’ve been a therapist for nearly three decades. What makes this retreat different from a standard secular stress-management course or a typical parish mission? Jim: It’s a “whole-person” approach. Most secular programs focus only on the brain, and some spiritual retreats focus only on the soul. But God created us as a unity of body and spirit. This retreat bridges 21st-century brain science with the timeless truths of our Catholic faith. We aren’t just “sprinkling Bible verses” on top of self-help. We are inviting Christ into the very biology of our stress. For example, in Week 2 of our four-week program, we look at the Gospel of John alongside brain biology to understand how to rewire our response to triggers. We use the tools God gave us—both scientific and spiritual—to move from chronic stress to Christ-centered calm. Jay Wonacot Jay: Let’s talk about the structure. It’s a four-week journey starting March 3, 2026. What can a busy dad or a stressed-out mom expect when they log onto Zoom each Tuesday night? Jim: I designed this to be “Maximum Engagement, Minimum Stress.” I know people are tired, so I don’t want to give them more “homework.” Here’s the four-week schedule. • Week 1: Name It to Tame It We use validated tools like the GAD-7 to see where you actually are. We look at the roots of your anxiety and start using Gospel-based self-talk to stop the cycle of negative thoughts. We also jump right into other interventions that will help your stress today. • Week 2: Rewire Your Response This is where we learn about the nervous system. We practice the “Prayerful Choice”—a specific way to shift from a state of panic to a state of virtue. • Week 3: Anchor Your Heart We dive into the “forgiveness fundamentals.” Unresolved wounds are often the fuel for anxiety. We also practice Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) to help the body physically let go of tension. • Week 4: Create a New Rhythm Finally, we build your “Rhythm of Peace.” This ensures that when the retreat ends, the transformation continues. Jay: I appreciate the fact that you use the terms “Gospel-based self-talk.” I think many of us are our own worst critics. We wouldn’t talk to a friend the way we talk to ourselves. God doesn’t speak to us this way either. Jim Otremba,  M.Div, M.S., LICSW  Jim: Exactly. One of our past participants, Colleen, mentioned she struggled with perfectionism. She learned that “little changes make positive differences” and that it’s okay not to do it all perfectly. That is the Holy Spirit at work. We replace the “garbage self-talk” with God’s Word. When you do that, your brain biology actually begins to change. Jay: You’ve helped thousands of couples throughout the U.S. through the Fully Engaged marriage prep program. How does this retreat impact marriages and parenting? Jim: It’s transformative. One mother who took the class mentioned she signed up because of her 11-year-old son who was struggling. After she started using the Catholic meditation that I teach and calming tools she learned in the first session, they went eight school mornings in a row without a panic attack! When a parent or spouse learns to “tame” their own anxiety, it changes the entire atmosphere of the home. You become “available” to the Holy Spirit and to your family again. You move from reacting to your children to responding to them with the gentleness of Christ. Jay: I know that some can be skeptical of “virtual” retreats. They wonder if they can really connect or get their questions answered through a screen. How do you handle that? Jim: Every session is live. This isn’t a pre-recorded video series. We spend 45 minutes on active skill-building—we actually fill out the handouts together—and then we have 15 minutes of dedicated, live Q&A. I am there with all the participants. Plus, if someone signs up before February 24, he will get the “Early-Bird” bonuses, which include two months access to unedited retreat recordings, and two months of email follow-up from me to help him integrate these habits. Jay: Jim, for the exhausted person who is reading this right now, feeling like they are just barely treading water, what is your message to them? Jim: My message is: You were not created to simply survive. God wants you to thrive in your vocation. Whether you are struggling with work stress, sleep issues or a constant “hum” of worry, there is a way out. I have seen patterns that work in my 28 years of clinical practice, and I’ve seen the power of the Holy Spirit move in ways science can’t explain. This retreat is a safe, Spirit-led environment where you can finally get the tools you need. It’s $97 for the whole four weeks—that’s about $25 a session. It is an investment in your mental health and your spiritual life that will pay dividends for your family for years to come. Space is limited, so register today. I truly believe this is going to be a blessing for the Diocese of Boise. To register, visit lowermyanxiety.com . Retreat Details at a Glance • What: Naming & Taming Anxiety and Negative Stress (a 4-Week Virtual Retreat) • When: Tuesdays: March 3, 10, 17, & 24, 2026 • Time: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM MST (Boise time) • Where: Live on Zoom (flexible replays available) • Cost: $97.00 total (less than $25.00 per session). • Early-Bird Deadline: Register by Feb. 24, 2026, for free recordings and email follow-up support. • Limited Space: Register today. Register here: www.lowermyanxiety.com