Liturgy Schedule for Ash Wednesday – February 18th

Ash Wednesday – February 18
Ash Wednesday is a day of universal fasting and abstinence in the Church.
Remember, you are dust, and to dust, you shall return.

Mass Schedule for Ash Wednesday

– 7:00 AM       Mass & distribution of ashes
– 9:15 AM       Mass & distribution of ashes
– 4:30 PM       Liturgy of the Word & distribution of ashes
– 6 PM (SPN) Mass & distribution of ashes
– 8:00 PM       Mass & distribution of ashes

*All Liturgies will be held in the Parish Life Center

 

 

What is Ash Wednesday?
Ash Wednesday opens the season of Lent. It takes place 40 days before Easter commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting and praying in the desert. These 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter do not include Sundays which are solemnities. The ashes received on Ash Wednesday symbolize the dust from which God made us and remind us of penance and renewal.

Where do the ashes come from?
The ashes used on Ash Wednesday come from the blessed palms from the previous year’s Palm Sunday. On Palm Sunday, the people rejoiced at Jesus’ triumphant entrance to Jerusalem, waving palm fronds. They didn’t realize that he was coming to die for their sins. Using the palms from Palm Sunday reminds us that while we rejoice in and anticipate his coming, we also need to repent for the sins for which he died to save us.

Why do I have to give something up for Lent?
Giving something up for Lent is simply one way to rekindle our souls and reconnect with God. By making a Lenten sacrifice, we are connecting ourselves to the sacrifice that Christ made for us. Aside from giving something up, other practices can be done to bring us closer to Christ and rejuvenate our spirit:
• praying the Stations of the Cross
• praying the Rosary
• making a good confession
• offer forgiveness and prayer
• disconnecting from social media or television
• reading the Bible
• performing the Works of Mercy

The call to Lenten penance is a call to conversion—to a change of heart. It is that change of heart which best prepares us to celebrate the Easter mysteries. This shared season of repentance also points out that we are not alone. We are part of a family of faith and have many companions on our journey to Easter. As we embark on this journey together toward Christ’s resurrection, may we look into our hearts and humbly repent and return to God’s love.

Source Catholic posts

Watch these videos for more information about Ash Wednesday & Lent

Ash Wednesday is one of the most popular and important holy days in the liturgical calendar. Ash Wednesday opens Lent, a season of fasting and prayer.

They may just be ashes, but Fr. Mike points out that what they represent goes far beyond the mere dust of the earth. With a simple cross on the forehead, we are recognizing that we are far from perfect, but that God loves and redeems us—not despite our brokenness, but in the midst of it. If you want to start off your Lent with a reminder of Ash Wednesday’s deeper meaning, listen to Fr. Mike’s heartfelt words in this video.

 

A brief kinetic-type video explaining the what and why of Ash Wednesday and Lent, from the history of wearing ashes dating back to the Old Testament, to the practices of Catholics and Christians during Lent.

Stations of the Cross will take place every Friday evening during Lent, beginning on Friday, February 20th

6:30 PM ENGLISH  –  7:15 PM SPANISH

  • February 20 –Outdoor Stations

  • February 27 – Live Stations of the Cross presented by our Youth Ministry in the PLC. No Separate organized stations.

  • March 6 – Outdoor Stations – (Lenten Fish Fry)

  • March 13 – Outdoor Stations

  • March 20 – Outdoor Stations

  • March 27 – Outdoor Stations- Mary’s Way of the Cross (Lenten Fish Fry)

  • April 3 (Good Friday) – 6:30 pmSpanish Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) – Hispanic Ministry. No English stations on this day

 

Youth Ministry Living Stations of the Cross

On Friday, February 27th at 7 PM, you are invited to Living Stations of the Cross. This prayerful reflection is proudly produced and directed by teens in our high school youth ministry program. Please come join us!

The Stations of the Cross are a 14-step Catholic devotion that commemorates Jesus Christ’s last day on Earth as a man. The 14 devotions, or stations, focus on specific events of His last day, beginning with His condemnation. The stations are commonly used as a mini pilgrimage as the individual moves from station to station. At each station, the individual recalls and meditates on a specific event from Christ’s last day. Specific prayers are recited, then the individual moves to the next station until all 14 are complete.

The Stations of the Cross are commonly found in churches as a series of 14 small icons or images. They can also appear in church yards arranged along paths. The stations are most commonly prayed during Lent on Wednesdays and Fridays, and especially on Good Friday, the day of the year upon which the events actually occurred.