Mass attendance on Ash Wednesday

[Maureen_Fiore]

MarthaMartha:

Maybe central Connecticut is different. We had a handful of people at 8:30 Mass, and roughly the same number as normally go to Sunday masses at 7:00. Our music director also heads the music program in a small parish in another town, and he said there were FIVE people at 5:00 Mass in that town!

The 7:00 Mass was also attended by a music critic. I was cantoring, and every time I opened my mouth to sing, the critic, aged about 8 months, would go “WAAAAH!”

Don’t ya just hate that when someone thinks they can sing better than you. lol

 

[beckyann2597]

Maureen Fiore:

Don’t ya just hate that when someone thinks they can sing better than you. lol

That would be my kids! They cover my mouth at church. I too am a cantor, and I have sung proffesionally, but my kids are my biggest critics.–Rebecca

 

[ComradeAndrei]

I hope that some that came to Mass on Ash Wednesday really wanted to start life anew in Christ. We had Confession (as we normally do) before Mass and I got there early so I could go before Mass because usually lots of people show up 10-15min before. There was quite a line (which is good) and Father offered Confession after Mass.

Church was absolutely packed, some folks sat in the side aisles. What I think moves many people to go to Mass on Ash Wednesday is the motivation of being culturally Catholic, i.e. cradle Catholic. Ash Wednesday was always a big deal for us to go to Church to kick off Lent, not just Mass and the ashes but also because its status as one of two official fasting days. Thus, Ash Wednesday was an all-day-long thing for us growing up. I can see how such a tradition can get ingrained upon people, even if they drift away from the Faith.

Also, I think some protestants like to go for the ashes. That isn’t a bad thing and if one of them begins the journey home, Deo gratias! I’ve noticed that some protestants do an “Ash Wednesday service”, like some of the Episcopalians here in town. Anybody know who else does a similar service?

 

[Anna_Elizabeth]

Quick question that I hope I can ask here (maybe should be a poll, but I don’t know how to do those). Does your parish say the traditional, “Remember man that thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt return,” or the more PC one of something like, “Turn from sin and follow the Gospel?”

If the latter, do you find it as “chicken” as I do? As if the old saying is too tough for today’s weak-willed Catholics?



Anna

 

[beckyann2597]

Anna Elizabeth:

Quick question that I hope I can ask here (maybe should be a poll, but I don’t know how to do those). Does your parish say the traditional, “Remember man that thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt return,” or the more PC one of something like, “Turn from sin and follow the Gospel?”

If the latter, do you find it as “chicken” as I do? As if the old saying is too tough for today’s weak-willed Catholics?



Anna

“Remember man that thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt return,”

 

[Elzee]

Anna Elizabeth:

Quick question that I hope I can ask here (maybe should be a poll, but I don’t know how to do those). Does your parish say the traditional, “Remember man that thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt return,” or the more PC one of something like, “Turn from sin and follow the Gospel?”

If the latter, do you find it as “chicken” as I do? As if the old saying is too tough for today’s weak-willed Catholics?



Anna

I agree. We all need to be reminded *at least *once a year that without Jesus we are nothing, we are totally dependent upon him.

Our parish also uses a more ‘pc’ version of the Stations of the Cross which drives me nuts, plus they are not led (or attended) by our priest. We opt to go to a more traditional parish in town for Stations instead of our own parish. I still get goosebumps after all these years… ‘We adore you oh Christ and we praise you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world’. Beautiful.

 

[MarthaMartha]

Maureen Fiore:

Don’t ya just hate that when someone thinks they can sing better than you. lol

I couldn’t tell if it was a boy or girl. I was hoping it was a little boy. We desperately need tenors in our teeny choir. :yup:

 

[CarolAnnSFO]

RobNY:

I think it is simply because Ash Wednesday is far less obscure than the Feast of the Assumption, or some such thing like that. And also, something ‘extra’ doesn’t hurt either.

In my parish, you get, in addition to ashes, a Lenten devotional (the Magnificat one), a rice bowl, and a Lenten-themed pin. Of course, as someone already pointed out, Jesus is the best reason to go! (And we have no Ash Wednesday “services” in my church; they’re all Masses. )
Anna Elizabeth:

Quick question that I hope I can ask here (maybe should be a poll, but I don’t know how to do those). Does your parish say the traditional, “Remember man that thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt return,” or the more PC one of something like, “Turn from sin and follow the Gospel?”

My parish uses the traditional form.

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