Whatever happened to Lent? It has been some time now since church attendance was swollen during this season. Congregations also conducted weekday services that were well attended. Lenten reading was popular, and people talked a great deal about their Lenten fasting. "What did you give up for Lent?" was a common question. Very often that was done with little thought. In the Chicago area in the '50s, where and when Lenten piety was quite prominent, a woman was shopping at the bakery. While she was waiting her turn to be served, a young lad told her he was going to buy some brownies instead of cream puffs. That, he said, was his Lenten sacrifice. The woman suggested that was not much of a sacrifice for Lent. The boy said, "Lady, you don't know how much I like cream puffs."

In a way…