Lent in the 17th century was observed more strictly than it is today. Learning about these ancient practices and how Catholics lived out their faith, despite living under the threat of persecution for being “papists,” inspires modern readers to appreciate the faith we share and the sacrifices made over the centuries to hand the faith down to us from our ancestors.

In my short story “A Big Ask,” I considered a very large sacrifice, one so great that I think many of us would dismiss it out of hand.

Image by Larisa Koshkina from Pixabay

When people think of March, St. Patrick’s Day often comes to mind—along with leprechauns and pots of gold! But, hopefully, as Catholics,...