Lent finds its origin in the Gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark and Luke, which describe the 40 days Jesus spent fasting and praying in the desert while being tempted. Early Christians adopted this period as a time of spiritual preparation for the commemoration of Christ’s Passion, forming the basis of what became the season of Lent.
By the fourth and fifth centuries, Church councils such as Nicaea in A.D. 325, along with monastic traditions like the Rule of St. Benedict, helped formalize the Lenten disciplines of fasting and prayer. These practices remain central to Catholic observance today and are honored by many other Christian denominations throughout the world.
The Catholic Campus Ministry at NC State was founded in 1965 by Father John Breunig, marking the beginning of a full-time Catholic ministry at the university. It became a personal parish in 1968, serving students with Mass, prayer, and community activities.
Under various priests, the ministry grew, including the establishment of meeting spaces and support for student involvement for over six decades. Despite the challenges with constant relocation, the ministry has continued to serve the Catholic community on campus throughout the years, and in a particularly special way during the Lenten season.
Joel Robinson, a third-year studying civil engineering, is part of the Catholic Campus Ministry. He has found Lent particularly helpful during this period, which often coincides with the end of the spring semester and exam season.
“Lent does a really great job of cutting out the noise,” Robinson said. “If Instagram Reels are trying to get me back in the ring, I’m like, ‘No — I’m focused on growing closer to our Lord Jesus. I’m focusing on my studies.’”
For Robinson, Lent is also a deliberate challenge that runs counter to the prevailing comfort culture on college campuses.
“You can make Lent as easy or as hard as you want to make it,” Robinson said. “Ultimately, you’ll get the most out of it when you choose the harder path. Like St. Benedict said, ‘You were not made for comfort, but for greatness.’”
Amid the semester’s mounting deadlines and constant noise, Henry Stearns, a second-year studying mechanical engineering, said the difficulty of Lent on a college campus lies in balancing spiritual discipline with academic rigor.
“Even the healthy distractions, like keeping up your grades still make Lent more difficult,” Strearns said.
Stearns and other members of the Catholic ministry took on a challenge called “Murphs for Mary,” a grueling physical workout repeated twice a week throughout Lent.
“To experience just a small fraction of the suffering, and to meditate on that pain in the middle of your workout, really helps you grow closer to Him,” Stearns said.
The dedication is devoted to the Virgin Mary, a central figure in Catholicism. In John 19:25, Mary stood by Jesus at the cross and shared deeply in His suffering.
“Mary, our Blessed Mother, suffered immensely as she watched her Son being crucified,” Stearns said.
Holy Saturday, the day before Easter, is a day of waiting and commemorating Jesus’ rest in the tomb. It concludes with the Easter Vigil, a long Mass that begins in darkness and ends in candlelight. Some students at NC State are baptized or received into the Catholic Church at this vigil.
But in the end, Easter Sunday is the highlight. It celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus and is the cornerstone of Christian belief. Without the Resurrection, Christianity would hold no more weight than the death of Socrates – noble, perhaps, but not salvific.
But the culmination of Lent extends beyond Catholic circles.
Ethan Wallis, a second-year studying statistics, is a Southern Baptist member of The Summit Church. Wallis said the holiday creates space for new conversations about faith.
“People who aren’t in the faith are more likely to stop by. It’s crucial to be able to share religion with people who have never heard of it before,” Wallis said.
Lent has a significant spiritual and cultural impact on the Catholic community at NC State. It is a time to reconnect with your faith and ground yourself, especially amid ever-increasing workloads.
