Ash Wednesday Archives - Page 2 of 7

Despite uncertainties, Lent is a time for hope, Francis says

Feb 12, 2021

In his Lenten 2021 message, Pope Francis called on Christians to remain hopeful despite the uncertainties, turning back to God who patiently continues to care for his creation.

By Inés San Martín

Pope to celebrate Ash Wednesday at Vatican, skipping ‘station churches’

Feb 8, 2021

Pope Francis will celebrate Ash Wednesday Mass Feb. 17 in St. Peter’s Basilica rather than making the traditional walk from the Church of St. Anselm to the Basilica of Santa Sabina on Rome’s Aventine Hill, the Vatican said.

By Cindy Wooden

For Ash Wednesday, Vatican asks priests to ‘sprinkle’ ashes on heads

Jan 12, 2021

The Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments asked priests to take special anti-COVID-19 precautions this year when distributing ashes on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17, including sprinkling ashes on the top of people’s heads rather than using them to make a cross on people’s foreheads.

By Catholic News Service

Pope: Remember those ‘reduced to ashes’ by war and indifference

Feb 26, 2020

ROME—Beginning the 40-day season of Lent, Pope Francis on Wednesday said this is a time to remember the lives “reduced to ashes” through war and indifference. He also said that this is not a time for “useless sermons” but to recognize that, although nothing but dust, we are “loved by

By Inés San Martín

Shut off cellphone, open Bible for Lent, pope tells faithful

Feb 26, 2020

Lent is a time to remove all distractions and bitterness from one’s life in order to better hear God and those who suffer silently and need help, Pope Francis said.

By Carol Glatz

Italy sees several Ash Wednesday cancellations amid coronavirus fears

Feb 25, 2020

This week several major Italian dioceses have canceled Ash Wednesday services and suspended public Masses amid growing alarm over the spread of the novel coronavirus in Italy, which at the heart of the worst outbreak in Europe.

By Elise Ann Allen

Lent is a time of self-honesty, conversion, and re-creation

Feb 23, 2020

Lent is the season of self-honesty. It’s a time when we can put away the masks and bring down the facades. Lent opens a forum where we can admit to ourselves, and to those around us, that we are sinners and in need of divine help.

By Father Jeffrey F. Kirby

Utah teacher apologizes for Ash Wednesday incident

Mar 12, 2019

A Utah teacher on administrative leave apologized Monday for making 9-year-old Catholic student William McLeod wash off the Ash Wednesday cross from his forehead, saying it was a misunderstanding.

By Joseph Gedeon and Lindsay Whitehurst