Lent Madness began in 2010 as the brainchild of the Rev.
Tim Schenck.
In seeking a fun, engaging way for people to learn about the men and
women comprising the Church’s Calendar of Saints, Tim came up with this
unique Lenten devotion. Combining his love of sports with his passion
for the lives of the saints, Lent Madness was born on his blog “
Clergy Family Confidential.”
The format is straightforward: 32 saints are placed into a
tournament-like single elimination bracket. Each pairing remains open
for a set period of time and people vote for their favorite saint. 16
saints make it to the Round of the Saintly Sixteen; eight advance to the
Round of the Elate Eight; four make it to the Final Four; two to the
Championship; and the winner is awarded the coveted Golden Halo. The
first round consists of basic biographical information about each of the
32 saints. Things get a bit more interesting in the subsequent rounds
as we offer quotes and quirks, explore legends, and even move into the
area of saintly kitsch.
This year we have partnered with
Forward Movement
and Executive Director Scott Gunn to create our own website and broaden
the number of people involved in the selection and writing process. We
hope this will make Lent Madness 2012 even more lively, allow more
voices to be heard, and broaden the audience of this Lenten discipline.
What won’t change is the essence of Lent Madness: allowing people to get
to know some amazing people who have come before us in the faith and
reminding one another that there’s no reason for a dreary Lenten
discipline. If this helps people connect with the risen Christ during
this season of penitence and renewal, and have a bit of fun in the
process, then it continues to be worthwhile.
Click on the picture above to go to the Lent Madness web site, and vote for your favorite saint!
