Happy Celebrity Blogger Day! Sure, in years past we’ve had Celebrity Blogger Week (okay, week and a half). But the 10th year of Lent Madness calls for hyper-efficiency. Hence our incredible, super star Celebrity Bloggers are relegated to a single day. But what a day it is!
Not only are we highlighting the talented and faithful souls who will bring alive the saints of Lent Madness X, you get to eat pancakes while reading all about them. Plus the Supreme Executive Committee, in its benevolent wisdom, has conferred upon this momentous occasion the gift of its very own hashtag: #ShroveBloggerDay. Yes, this is one mashup you won’t won’t to miss. It’s sure to go viral — just kindly don’t spill syrup on any of our Celebrity Bloggers. It’s so…sticky.
Who are these semi-mysterious folks who toil under the bright lights of penitential celebrity status? Well, they’ll sound familiar because, for the first time in Lent Madness history, the lineup is unchanged. That’s right. The same amazing writers who brought you Lent Madness 2018 will bring you Lent Madness 2019. Not that they aren’t free to go at any time. Really.
Here they are (imagine their names aglow in purple neon): the Rev. Amber Belldene of San Francisco, CA; the Rev. Laurie Brock of Lexington, KY; the Rev. Megan Castellan of Ithaca, NY; Anna Fitch Courie of Honolulu, HI; Dr. David Creech of Morehead, MN; the Rev. David Hansen of Woodlands, TX; Emily Miller of Chicago, IL; Carol Howard Merritt of Chattanooga, TN; The Rev. Marcus Halley of Minneapolis, MN; and the Rev. David Sibley of Walla Walla, WA. In addition, the Rev. Adam Thomas of Mystic, CT, returns as Bracket Czar; Maria Virginia of Wilmington, NC, as Celebrity Chef; and Sr. Diana Doncaster of Cincinnati, OH, has been named Hymn Writer in Residence.
You can read all about our Celebrity Bloggers by clicking here. Learn their stories, buy their books, follow them on social media, read their blogs (does anyone blog anymore?). Just please don’t ask for their autographs in the grocery store — let them buy Lent Madness-themed food items in peace (beets, purple (not green!) grapes, eggplant, plums, that purple stalk thing in the vegetable aisle.
One of the big questions of Lent Madness X, is will anyone be able to dethrone Anna Courie as the reigning Golden Halo advocate? Whether by skill, luck, faith, bribery, or some combination thereof, Anna has shepherded the last two Golden Halo winners to (further) glory. In 2017 it was Florence Nightingale. In 2018 it was Anna Alexander. Will 2019 be the year of the three-peat? Only time and the votes of the global Lent Madness public will tell.
In the meantime, get ready for the first vote of the season as Mary prepares to take on Martha in a battle of Biblical heavyweights. Voting opens on Ash Thursday, March 7, at 8:00 am Eastern Time, and the polls remain open for 24 hours. Lent Madness X is just two days away!
Welcom back Lent Madness!
The link in the Lentorium for the Perpetual Purple mug is unproductive! 🙁
There is a Perpetual Purple mug?
I’m sorry – they are sold out.
Peggy at Forward Movement Customer Service
Scalpers
Bring on the pancakes!
Sooo happy! Sooo missed you guys!!! Sooo got my church involved! I’m ready to. ROLL! (I can do more than dye Easter eggs)
I love you all. Peace be with you…and is Olver driving?❤️
Looking forward..day by day..assuming no minimum age for sainthood: Suggest Honorary Saint 2019: Oliver
PANCAKES!!!
Bring on the Lent Madness!
Seems to be some inconsistency about how some of the bloggers are titled (or not titled, in some cases)…?
Grapeful for permission to partake in purple pancake pleasures! But, always cautious due to sightings of Purple People Eaters. Oh, the madness!
Hooray for Lent Madness season!
Is there a black and white plain bracket sheet to print without the beautiful pictures?
Can’t wait..
OMG! Our church is in the process of searching for a new rector, and I realized that I just checked out all the celebrity bloggers to see if any might be possibilities for us. Our Interim begins this Sunday. Is my Lenten Practice already tainted by my own agenda or am I living into my faith? Should I just go get some pancakes?
WooHoo! Pancakes followed by Saints! It doesn’t get better than this!
Purple Pancakes: Even better than Green Eggs & Ham!
So glad we’re back together – I’ve missed you all! Our church has the bracket up this year! Most of the choices I haven’t ever heard of so it will be a good learning Lent!
“That’s right. The same amazing writers who brought you Lent Madness 2018 will bring you Lent Madness 2019. Not that they aren’t free to go at any time.”
I believe Neva Rae Fox, not a celebrity blogger this year, was a celebrity blogger for Lent Madness 2018.
I think Megan Castellon is already in New York- it seems here bio is from last years Lent- Yikes!
Celeste,
That would be great, except that saints have to be dead. And we definitely do NOT want that for our dear Oliver!
Maybe Fred Rogers? (AKA Mister Rogers)
Oooo…..what a sweet idea..!
looking forward to another round of lent madness. (i almost said another fun lent – is that wrong?) there’s always something to learn, both from the posts and the comments/discussion.
And for those who are combining Pancake Day with Mardi Gras as practiced in New Orleans: Bananas Foster make a VERY good topping for pancakes. Just sayin’.
A question…I ordered the Lent Madness pamphlet from Forward, but it never came…the books I ordered at the same time came promptly. Can I still vote?
Virginia, yes you can vote, there’s no secret log in code in the booklet.
Do you need a Saintly Scorecard? We at St. Stephen’s in Santa Clarita (CA) have some extras. I ordered 30 and so did our office manager. Gave a bunch to a friend at another church but we still have a few to spare.
Mister Rogers!!!!!!! How did the nominating committee overlook him!? Verdery, you nominate and I’ll gladly second for his inclusion in Lent Madness 2020! (Have I included enough exclamation points? I’m just so excited!!!!)
Blessings on all, Mama J
Yes to Saint Fred of the Neighborhood getting into next year’s Bracket!
So ready for Lent Madness. Happy Shrove Tuesday everyone.
How do I sign up for lent Madness?
Great lineup! As always. Looking forward to the Madness.
YooHoo!!! I would go along with the Fred Rogers nominations. He certainly saved my childhood in many ways.
My first year, it was the letter from the Supremes that got me!!
New to the game
Just ordered the Kindle version of Dust Bunnies by Tim Schenck – in the intro, the greeting, “Holy Lent” is suggested (as opposed to “Happy Lent”) so I tried it out leaving the Ash Wednesday service this morning, with a fellow worshiper as we bundled up and headed to our parked cars. It went well. Thank you for the tip, Tim!
I have waited all year long for Lent Madness to start up again!!! I hope Oliver hasn’t outgrown commenting!
Looking forward to another great year of Madness! After getting knocked out in the first round last year, I am sure that this is my year!
I, too, would love to see Fred Rogers as one of our aspiring Golden Halos and have nominated him in the past. But, alas, pesky Nominationtide rule #2 states: ” The nominee must be on the official calendar of saintly commemorations of some church.”
To my knowledge, Fred Rogers is not on any such list, thus making him ineligible. And since they changed the rules to say they will only accept one nominee per person (irritating rule #3), if you nominated Fred Rogers you will have “wasted” your one nomination. Perhaps the venerable SEC can add amend rule #3 to allow a nomination of one ineligible person in addition to the eligible one??
There is at least one Episcopal parish in the Diocese of Massachusetts that has a stained glass window dedicated to Mr. Rogers or as I prefer to call him Saint Fred of the Neighborhood.
Mary prepares to take on Martha
I thought the BVM was not eligible because she’d trounce anyone. And hasn’t Mary Magdalene already won a Golden Halo? So do you mean Mary of Bethany?