Book Review – The Essential Lenten Handbook

The Essential Lenten Handbook: A Daily Companion, published by Liguori Publications, is a fabulous one-stop resource for all your Lenten needs.  It is divided into 6 sections.   The first is on the meaning and history of Lent.   The next is on traditional practices of Lent, including in depth information on the Stations of the Cross, Lenten Meditations, the Lenten Reconciliation Service, as well as information on Confession, Adoration and other little known devotions.   The third section is on St. Alphonsus Liguori’s Rule of Life, while section four centers on traditional prayers in Lent.

If you’re looking for some more modern Lenten resources, you will find what you are looking for in the next section.  Section five covers modern practices and prayers including a version of the Way of the Cross for use with families that have small children.   Section six continues by providing daily Lenten meditations for each of the Cycles in the Novus Ordo calendar.

One of the things I love the best about this book is that it has a lot of Lenten devotions of all sorts.  Whether you are more modern and follow the Novus Ordo calendar and like the more modern parts of Catholicism, are more traditional and follow the Extraordinary Form and it’s calendar, or fall somewhere in between, you will find use in this book.

To my knowledge, there is nothing contrary to the faith in this book.   In addition, the traditional information includes several devotions and such from St. Alphonsus Liguori.   I am looking forward to exploring his work more in depth in the upcoming Lenten season.   I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a way to deepen their Lenten journey, whether they are just starting out in their spiritual journey.   Either way, they will find this book an indispensable part of their Catholic library.

You can purchase this book here.