Ashes on Forehead

[CJsmommy]

This will be my first Ash Wednesday as a “full” Catholic. How does going to get ashes on the forehead work? Is it during Mass that day or is it an all day thing that people line up for? My parish’s website doesn’t have anything on the schedule about it yet

 

[liturgy96]

Usually it’s during Mass on that day, which by the way is not required as it is not a holy day of obligation. Many people still end up going though because of the ashes; for some reason they don’t mind showing such to others

It would still be good to check with the parish. I remember that when I was in high school, distribution of ashes was per class/office. A nun would go to our classroom and place the ashes on our foreheads Just not sure how such would work in a parish setting…

 

[Gorgias]

This will be my first Ash Wednesday as a “full” Catholic. How does going to get ashes on the forehead work? Is it during Mass that day or is it an all day thing that people line up for? My parish’s website doesn’t have anything on the schedule about it yet

Parishes will typically offer a greater number of Masses (and Liturgies of the Word). During the course of these, there will be the opportunity to come forward for ashes. It’s not really a “we’re open all day, just pop in and get ashes” kind of thing. (Other denominations offer that, but (one hopes that) in the Catholic tradition, distribution of ashes is simply part of the observance of the beginning of Lent, one that includes attendance at a liturgy of some sort.)

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

Around here, there will be Masses or Liturgy of the Word services with ashes, or the churches are open for drop-by and get your ashes. This last option is typically popular with the Latino community in the area. It is a nice thing to do, but as others have said, no obligation.

 

[Gertabelle]

Ashes can be distributed outside of mass, yes, but at the parishes I’ve attended, they’ve been distributed almost exclusively during a mass. Either way, the priest will usually inform people of the procedure for receiving the ashes.

In my parish people will process to the front the same as they do for communion. The person putting the ashes on your forehead will say something like “Repent and believe in the gospel,” or “Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

When I worked in my parish office during college, the phones would ring non-stop with people asking when the masses were on Ash Wednesday.

I would be willing to bet that more people attend mass on Ash Wednesday than any other day of the year. I’ve heard of some people who aren’t even Catholic who come to mass that one day, to repent and receive their ashes. Many people will leave as soon as they’ve received their ashes.

There seems to be a deep desire to repent, even if it’s just once a year. Hopefully, some of these once-a-year souls will make their way to confession and reconciliation with the Church.

But for now, we are still in the Christmas season!

 

[Stephen_says]

This reminds me of an article I read last year about Episcopalian churches having “Drive Through Ashes”!

articles.philly.com/2015-02-20/news/59309414_1_ash-wednesday-receiving-ashes-manzo

 

[pianistclare]

Agree.
My priest likes to say that many people (even non-Catholics_ come to a Catholic church to get ashes because it’s the one day we give away something fro free…with the exception of Christmas when we give away the calendars.

People love ashes. Many other denominations do ashes as well, and still, when you go tot he grocery store, someone at the checkout will caution you that there’s some dirt on your face.

 

[Lily_Bernans]

This will be my first Ash Wednesday as a “full” Catholic. How does going to get ashes on the forehead work? Is it during Mass that day or is it an all day thing that people line up for? My parish’s website doesn’t have anything on the schedule about it yet

You know you don’t wash or wipe them off, right? Mine are usually gone by evening. Depends on how windy it is that day.

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

You know you don’t wash or wipe them off, right? Mine are usually gone by evening. Depends on how windy it is that day.

But it is acceptable to wash before going to bed. You needn’t walk around for days with a smudge just because of an over-zealous ash imposition.

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

Agree.
My priest likes to say that many people (even non-Catholics_ come to a Catholic church to get ashes because it’s the one day we give away something fro free…with the exception of Christmas when we give away the calendars.

And Palm Sunday, to a lesser degree, around here.

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

When I worked in my parish office during college, the phones would ring non-stop with people asking when the masses were on Ash Wednesday.

It’s amusing, too, how many insist it’s a Holy Day of Obligation (but probably don’t concern themselves too much with actual Holy Days).

I would be willing to bet that more people attend mass on Ash Wednesday than any other day of the year.

Standing room only around here. Arrive early just to have a parking space and seat. Easter and the Christmas pageant may be the only things to beat it.

 

[paperwight66]

You know you don’t wash or wipe them off, right? Mine are usually gone by evening. Depends on how windy it is that day.

It’s not laid down that they can’t be washed off. It’s a personal decision. In fact, in my opinion, leaving them on goes completely against what is read in the Gospel (‘When you fast, do not be like the hypocrites … but wash your face so no-one knows you are fasting, only your Father in heaven’)

 

[Gorgias]

in my opinion, leaving them on goes completely against what is read in the Gospel (‘When you fast, do not be like the hypocrites … but wash your face so no-one knows you are fasting, only your Father in heaven’)

Nope. :nope:

Ashes aren’t about fasting, they’re about repentance. (After all, if they were about fasting, then we’d go for ashes again on Good Friday, right?)

So, the passage you quoted doesn’t apply here. (In fact, non-Catholic Christians sometimes attempt to use this exact passage to tell Catholics that we’re acting against Christ’s wishes. It’s a misunderstanding of the passage.)

Rather, the appropriate passage to quote comes from Matthew 11:

Then Jesus began to reproach the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented.

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes.

Here, Jesus speaks approvingly of repenting “in sackcloth and ashes.”

So, far from being an example of Catholics doing something that Jesus forbade, it’s an example of doing things precisely the way Jesus recommends…

 

[tawny]

In my Parish Ashes will be distributed at every Mass & at a Liturgy of the Word Service.

 

[peter26]

Here, Jesus speaks approvingly of repenting “in sackcloth and ashes.”

So, far from being an example of Catholics doing something that Jesus forbade, it’s an example of doing things precisely the way Jesus recommends…

And “Repenting in sackcloth and ashes” also has a long tradition going back into the Old Testament.

For instance "And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: " Daniel 9:3

"And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly. " 1 Kings 21:27

The origin goes all the way back to The Fall

"And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken:** for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.**" Genesis 3:17-19.

 

[CJsmommy]

I just needed to wait for this afternoon. The extra Masses are in the calendar now.
I know it’s not obligatory, and maybe it’s just because it’s my first year, but I’m actually looking forward to the ashes and even the fast. Now that I’m finally Catholic I want to experience every part of being Catholic.

 

[Lily_Bernans]

Nope. :nope:

Ashes aren’t about fasting, they’re about repentance. (After all, if they were about fasting, then we’d go for ashes again on Good Friday, right?)

So, the passage you quoted doesn’t apply here. (In fact, non-Catholic Christians sometimes attempt to use this exact passage to tell Catholics that we’re acting against Christ’s wishes. It’s a misunderstanding of the passage.)

Rather, the appropriate passage to quote comes from Matthew 11:

Here, Jesus speaks approvingly of repenting “in sackcloth and ashes.”

So, far from being an example of Catholics doing something that Jesus forbade, it’s an example of doing things precisely the way Jesus recommends…

Thank you for that. As a theology professor, I should have thought of that, but I’ll admit, I dd not. And I’m happy to have the reference.

 

[Gertabelle]

When I was in the monastery, the prioress told us we had to wash the ashes off our forehead right after mass. It was the expectation, and of course, we did what we were told.

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

I just needed to wait for this afternoon. The extra Masses are in the calendar now.
I know it’s not obligatory, and maybe it’s just because it’s my first year, but I’m actually looking forward to the ashes and even the fast. Now that I’m finally Catholic I want to experience every part of being Catholic.

Good for you. I pray you never lose that enthusiasm for your new faith!

 

[AnchoredInHope]

Ash Wednesday is not something that has been brought up yet in my RCIA classes.

Is this something that as a candidate I can participate in this year? apologies if this is a silly question or has been answered elsewhere noob