Solidarity
March 2026
Core Principle
As the Lenten season unfolds this March, we journey into the heart of Solidarity. In the Catholic tradition, solidarity is not a “vague compassion or shallow distress” at the misfortunes of others; it is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good. It is the recognition that, regardless of our differences, we are all one human family, and we are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers.
This month, as we enter the desert of Lent, our practice of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving takes on a deeper meaning through this principle. Solidarity reminds us that our Lenten sacrifices are not solitary acts of piety but communal movements toward love. When we fast, we stand with those who hunger; when we pray, we lift up the global family; and when we give, we acknowledge that what we have belongs to all.
In this season of repentance and renewal, solidarity calls us to break down the barriers of indifference. By standing together in our brokenness and our hope, we prepare our hearts for the joy of Easter, recognizing that the resurrection is a promise for the entire human family.
Scriptural Reflection
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ… If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
1 Corinthians 12:12, 26
Prayer & Petition
Lord God, You created the human family as a masterpiece of unity and diversity. During this Lenten journey, open our eyes to see Your face in the stranger, the immigrant, and the marginalized. Teach us that we are not islands, but part of a vast body held together by Your love. May our Lenten sacrifices bear the fruit of solidarity, turning our hearts away from selfishness and toward the needs of our neighbors.
For the global human family—that in times of conflict and division, we may seek the paths of peace and recognize our shared dignity.
For those observing Lent—that our fasting may increase our hunger for justice and our almsgiving may be a true expression of our bond with the poor.
For those who feel forgotten or alone—that through our reach and our presence, they may experience the comforting truth that they are cherished members of our family.
- For our own hearts—that we may move from indifference to involvement, learning to suffer with those who suffer and rejoice with those who rejoice.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.