Participating in mass and ash Wednesday

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BMorel

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Being active duty military, and working in a hospital, I am not able to get to mass at my regular church tomorrow. That said, there is a multidenominational chappel in the hospital and some of the chaplains will be providing an ecumenical service for those that wish to observe the start of Lent. As a Catholic, is it ok for me to participate in that knowing that there may in all likelyhood not be a Catholic Priest there? I am weighing it against not going at all, but I really don’t know how to proceed.
 
Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation, so you are not required to attend Mass.

If you attend an ecumenical service, refrain from communion if they have it. Also any ashes you receive would not be a Catholic sacramental, as they are not blessed.
 
1ke said:
Also any ashes you receive would not be a Catholic sacramental, as they are not blessed.
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So if I want to receive ashes tomorrow, and not have their legitimacy questioned, I need to find a way to get them from a Catholic priest in a Catholic church. Thanks.
 
BMorel said:
So if I want to receive ashes tomorrow, and not have their legitimacy questioned, I need to find a way to get them from a Catholic priest in a Catholic church. Thanks.
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I don’t know that there is any issue of “legitimacy” when it comes to ashes.
 
BMorel said:
Being active duty military, and working in a hospital, I am not able to get to mass at my regular church tomorrow. That said, there is a multidenominational chappel in the hospital and some of the chaplains will be providing an ecumenical service for those that wish to observe the start of Lent. As a Catholic, is it ok for me to participate in that knowing that there may in all likelyhood not be a Catholic Priest there? I am weighing it against not going at all, but I really don’t know how to proceed.
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Ashes are intended to be an external sign representing an inner spirituality of contrition for ones sins, as well as a reminder of our mortality. Naturally, any kind of ashes can serve as such an expression. It is nice if the ashes are also blessed by a Catholic priest or deacon, but given the circumstances you described I don’t see any problem with you attending the ecumenical service and receiving ashes there. As has already been pointed out in this thread, Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation. If the service includes Protestant-oriented communion then Catholics should refrain from partaking specifically in that (as per Church teaching).
 
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