Peace compels us: Reflections for Lent 2026 -- This year’s Lent booklet features reflections for every day of Lent from Ash Wednesday (February 18) through Easter Sunday (April 5) written by Michael Angel Martín and Bishop John Stowe -- Michael has written the reflections for Monday-Saturday, and Bishop John has written the Sunday reflections.
Michael Angel Martín is the state coordinator of Pax Christi Florida and a member of the Pax Christi Young Adult Caucus. His poetry and essays have appeared in America magazine, Presence: A Journal of Catholic Poetry, and other literary and spiritual publications. A Benedictine oblate, he lives in Miami, Florida.
Bishop John Stowe, OFM Conv., is the third bishop of Lexington. He was appointed by Pope Francis in 2015 and was ordained to the episcopacy on May 5 of that year. He previously served as the Rector of the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey, Ohio and was the Vicar Provincial for the Franciscan province of the same name. From the time of his ordination to the priesthood in 1995, Bishop John served in the Diocese of El Paso on the US-Mexico border until 2010. There he served as a pastor as well as the Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia of the diocese from 2002 until 2010. He has BAs in Philosophy and History from St Louis University and an M.Div. and STL from the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley (now part of Santa Clara University).
