Quick Questions About Lent with Amy Wojcikowski
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This week with Amy Wojcikowski, Pastoral Associate of Education/Youth Minister, Epiphany Parish, Liverpool
1. What does the season of Lent mean to you?
It is a true sense of renewal for me. Lent means doing hard things. Sacrificing something we love for 40 whole days (and no, Sunday isn’t a free day in our house)! It is a time of reflection and obvious prayer (Good Catholic answer, Amy!). Seriously, finding extra times to pray can be challenging as a working woman in today’s hectic and crazy world! And oh yes, a wife and mother as well! Quiet is not always readily available in my world.
The teens I minister to tease me and say “’Oh you work for the Church, you can pray all day!’” Being the “’Church lady’” does offer more opportunities for prayer than in the secular world, however, just like everything else, we have to sacrifice other things to make the dedicated time.
2. Do you give something up? Do you do something extra?
I usually give up soda, and sweets, however, I was listening to a Catholic podcast, and they suggested “A Lenten Resolution,” ’cause we are all so good at keeping resolutions, but I thought OK that is a different way to look at it. They suggested three ideas: Give up something, do something for a favorite charity and to pray for someone, but to pray in a specific way with an action.
3. What’s your foremost childhood memory of Lent?
I do remember my Nana reading the Bible to us when we were little. She said it was our Lenten reading. I would do sleepovers quite frequently at their house so I remember that and Lawrence Welk! My grandfather was a huge outdoorsman. So for me, when I was little, my mom made fish dinner every Friday, from the fish my grandfather caught.
4. On meatless Fridays, what is your go-to meal, parish fish fry or restaurant during Lent?
When my boys were little, homemade pizza was always the go-to on Fridays. Now that they are older they order fish from Epiphany’s fish fry (after Stations, of course!). Epiphany Fish Fry? It is at St. Joseph’s, 1001 Tulip Street, Liverpool! LOL.
5. How do you like to observe Holy Week?
This is the week of renewal and of joy! We do a ton of activities with our youth during Holy Week and it’s great to see these young people together, whether at Mass, Stations, Visitation retreat on Holy Thursday, whatever! In every aspect of it you can see God in each one of them at some point and it is some of the most beautiful moments I can remember in the whole year of ministry. It brings all of the hard work to fruition and is a reminder of how blessed I am to work with the youth! God is good!
Bonus question: What’s your favorite Easter morning treat?
Even though my boys are older it is still the look on their faces when they find their baskets!
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