Ash Wednesday, 17 February 2021, begins the Lenten season. Lent is the period of 40 days which comes before Easter in the Christian calendar. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, Lent is a season of reflection and preparation. “By observing the 40 days of Lent, Christians replicate Jesus Christ's sacrifice and withdrawal into the desert for 40 days.” (attribution: About Catholics) Lent is a season of prayer, almsgiving and preparation for our spiritual journey into the Great Easter Resurrection and understanding the gift from Christ of everlasting life.

“The Catholic Church, in an attempt to help Catholics do at least a minimum during Lent, asks all Catholics to fast and abstain from meat on certain days. Fasting means to limit food to one full meal a day with the possibility of two smaller meals (not adding up to a full meal) as needed. Abstinence means not eating meat, although fish is allowed. Catholics are required to observe all days of fasting and abstinence which is one of the precepts of the Church.

The Lenten Regulations are:
Those 14 years of age or older are to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and all the Fridays of Lent. Catholics between the ages of 16 and 59 are also to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. They may eat one full meal on these days, and two small meals to maintain strength. The two small meals together must not equal the size of one full meal. If one’s work or health make it inadvisable to fast or abstain from meat, they are not obligated to do so. This includes mental health: Fasting may be harmful for someone who struggles with an eating disorder. Such a person might do an alternate penance on the days of fasting. Pregnant and nursing women are exempt from the fast. At one time, people gave up all animal products during the whole Lenten season. The Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches still follow this rule. Since chickens continue to produce eggs and cow’s milk, the custom developed to make the milk into cheese and color the eggs so that when Easter arrived, no food would be wasted.” IBID.

Will I be able to receive ashes? Yes. Here at St. Catherine of Siena, we will:

• Distribute ashes at 5 opportunities during Ash Wednesday, at Masses and Liturgies of the Word (LOW), beginning with a 7 a.m. Liturgy of the Word, at daily Mass at 8:30 am, at a Noontime and 3:00 p.m. Liturgy of the Word, and at a 6 p.m. Mass.
• Ashes will be distributed to individual parishioners similar to the manner in which we distribute Holy Communion, a single line, socially distanced, and with parishioners wearing their masks.
• The priest or Eucharistic Minister will place the ashes on the person’s forehead using a cotton swab (Q-Tip) and will discard the used cotton swab before taking a new one for the next individual in line; they too will be masked and will sanitize hands before and after the distribution.

As we look to the upcoming Lenten season, we understand that as we unite ourselves to Christ and His Church in the spiritual practices of prayer, almsgiving and penance, we seek ways of drawing closer to Christ, to unite our daily activities of life to the Suffering Servant model which Christ illustrated: How do we actually share in Christ’s life? Certainly, the tradition of giving things up (chocolate and sweets, breads, beer and alcohol, and other items) are a fine way to understand in some way the suffering of Christ and others in need, but we are also called to be united with the Son of God in daily prayer—to contemplate Him and imitate Him; and to extend ourselves more into the bond of brotherly and sisterly love that is meant to unite us. The latter is accomplished when we see a need—whether it be a hungry homeless person or a child in need, or a person without medical care or a person who is ignorant in the faith, and we feed them, heal them, teach them. Our parishes provide an abundance of opportunities to be like Christ. Here at St. Catherine of Siena the opportunities are everywhere which allows us—you and me— to act: “not that we must do everything but to see that we are all called to do something.”

Perhaps this Lent, if you never have before, you might want to investigate our many ministries such as Pantry Partners, St. Elizabeth House, Feed the Hungry, and Street Sandwich Ministries, or our youth ministry or in-and-through our Faith Formation program. Other opportunities come by way of the Men’s and Women’s Clubs, our Prayer Ministry, the Music Ministry and our Prayer Shawl Ministry…just to name a few. Lent is a great time to make a new beginning. Thank you, and may God Bless you for all that you do and may do in His Holy Name.