Catholic and Church of England clergy joined forces to celebrate the start of Lent by offering ashes to passers-by on the streets of Sunderland. “Yes, she will give up candies for Lent, but Nance, with her husband, Matt Acker, in hand, plans to prioritize praying more to achieve a sense of renewal”.
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Bishop Butler said Ashes To Go was an opportunity for people who have lost their connection with the church to participate in the tradition.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent.
Students of all disciplines give up things during this season.
Lent is the 40-day period – excluding Sundays – leading up to Easter Sunday, which this year falls on March 27. By doing so, we seek to live and love as more faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. Gloria and Michael Polyak of Reading intend to put their focus on swapping out the bad for good.
Melody Forsythe of San Pedro prays during Ash Wednesday mass at Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church in San Pedro. “Just being spiritual and how we can make ourselves better people”. McGregor sophomore Sarah O’Connor said she plans to give up sweets, because she eats candy nearly every night and it will be hard for her to abstain. On Wednesday, she and Hooper donned fingerless gloves and bundled up against the bitter weather and stood for about a half hour in front of Music City Center. She is also going to read her devotional, “Jesus Calling”, daily and she wants to run 80 miles throughout the Lenten season.
Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church and Holy Trinity Catholic Church, both in San Pedro, offered back-to-back Ash Wednesday Masses throughout the day and into the evening. That’s meaningful to me.
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During traditional Ash Wednesday services, ashes from palm branches are placed on the forehead of congregants in the sign of the cross. “It makes you feel like you’re a team”, he said.
