FIRST ASH WEDNESDAY WITH OUR NEWLY RESTORED ALTAR RAILING; KNEELING IS SO PENITENTIAL!
Woody Marshall of the Macon Telegraph was present for our school Mass at 10 AM this Ash Wednesday. These are his photos!
Powerful preaching!
Awesome blessing!
Imposing Blessed Ashes:
Powerful preaching!
8 comments:
Thanks for sharing these wonderful photos, Father. I met an odd sight this morning on the streets of Chicago. Laywomen were handing out ashes. They are from a liberal parish. I just walked by shaking my head. Nothing says taking the Faith seriously, like having lay people handing out ashes on street corners.
"Laywomen were handing out ashes. They are from a liberal parish."
A Protestant parish, presumably?
Henry,
No, a Catholic parish. Remember "Archbishop" Cupich is in charge in Chicago!
TMJ,
You might find amusing Fr. Hunwicke's recent comments on "Cupich the super slipper's" recent appearance in England--and the fact that you beloved archbishop seems (to an erudite Brit) invincibly ignorant of everything of which he speaks, and disportionately full of himself:
http://liturgicalnotes.blogspot.com/2018/02/cupich-super-slippery-1.html
http://liturgicalnotes.blogspot.com/2018/02/cupich-2.html
http://liturgicalnotes.blogspot.com/2018/02/cupich-3.html
Henry,
Thanks for sharing. He's a typical liberal lightweight.
TJM -
Years ago on Ash Wednesday, I went to a church near where I worked at the time only to discover that I had missed mass by about 1/2 hour (they had changed their schedule and shame on me for not checking!). Anyhow, I was greeted by a parishioner and, after the discussion about the time of mass and my lateness, he invited me to go to the baptismal font area in the center aisle and "help myself" to some ashes. As I felt awkward about doing this and the thought of reminding myself that I am dust etc. seemed equally awkward so, after offering a prayer (no candles to light or, turn on - a modern church), I just left.
Bee here:
ByzRc, don't feel too bad about administering ashes on yourself. When I was kind of housebound with my elderly infirm mom and dad, it was not unknown for me to burn some of last year's palms in a little dish, and administer ashes to my parents and then myself. I did not take any kind of liberty blessing them or anything. I just would make the sign of the cross with them on my parents' and my own forhead, saying, "Remember, you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
I know, sort of heretical, but given the circumstances, I felt we were able to keep Ash Wednesday, even though we couldn't get to Mass and no priest or deacon would come. (God bless the parish deacon who always brought ashes with Holy Communion when he came to give my parents weekly Holy Communion in the first week of Lent.)
But I don't know how I would have felt going into a church and seeing a "Help Yourself" ashes table. I don't know what I would have done with that... :-)
God bless.
Bee
Bee -
Personally, I don't see anything wrong with your observing the day and maintaining your prayer life in the privacy of your home. People take holy water home for personal use. And, it's not like you were trying to replicate a sacrament. You did a nice thing for your parents.
Just my opinion.
With my situation, I guess the part that bothered me is that I was in a church and the 'help yourself' sign was out. Shame on me for being late but, I don't know, it seemed like a strange thing to do.....in church.
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