Priest and distribution of ashes

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Aelred_Minor

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Something struck me as odd at the distribution of ashes today. The priest put ashes on the foreheads of the alter boy and four women, then sat down as the four women distributed ashes to the rest of the people. I know that if this were the distribution of communion it would be highly inappropriate for the priest to sit it out and let extraordinary ministers distribute to all the rest of the people, except of course if he was too weak to stand or something, which is not the case here.

I don’t know about ashes though, which are obviously much less important than the Eucharist. Has anyone else seen this practice? What are your thoughts?
 
I’ve never seen this practice before, but my guess would be that since it’s ashes, not the Eucharist, the priest can delegate the responsibility to someone else.
 
Aelred_Minor said:
Something struck me as odd at the distribution of ashes today. The priest put ashes on the foreheads of the alter boy and four women, then sat down as the four women distributed ashes to the rest of the people. I know that if this were the distribution of communion it would be highly inappropriate for the priest to sit it out and let extraordinary ministers distribute to all the rest of the people, except of course if he was too weak to stand or something, which is not the case here.

I don’t know about ashes though, which are obviously much less important than the Eucharist. Has anyone else seen this practice? What are your thoughts?
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Ashes are a sacramental, like holy water, not a Sacrament.

While it’s weird that that the priest would sit, we don’t know the reason, which may be well within his rights to do so. Grant that he *must *be the ordinary minister for the Liturgy of the Eucharist and cannot defer this or not give communion unless due to health (typically) and then only to another ordinary minister, not an EMHC.

Weird, but not illicit. Custom would be better suited to the priest administering ashes just to avoid the feelings you had.
 
Aelred_Minor said:
Something struck me as odd at the distribution of ashes today. The priest put ashes on the foreheads of the alter boy and four women, then sat down as the four women distributed ashes to the rest of the people. I know that if this were the distribution of communion it would be highly inappropriate for the priest to sit it out and let extraordinary ministers distribute to all the rest of the people, except of course if he was too weak to stand or something, which is not the case here.

I don’t know about ashes though, which are obviously much less important than the Eucharist. Has anyone else seen this practice? What are your thoughts?
Click to expand...
On that note, if I went to Church on ash Wednesday would I have received ashes too? Not being confirmed and all?
 
Zundrah said:
On that note, if I went to Church on ash Wednesday would I have received ashes too? Not being confirmed and all?
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From what I understand, you do not even have to be Catholic to receive ashes…🙂
 
Aelred_Minor said:
Something struck me as odd at the distribution of ashes today. The priest put ashes on the foreheads of the alter boy and four women, then sat down as the four women distributed ashes to the rest of the people. I know that if this were the distribution of communion it would be highly inappropriate for the priest to sit it out and let extraordinary ministers distribute to all the rest of the people, except of course if he was too weak to stand or something, which is not the case here.

I don’t know about ashes though, which are obviously much less important than the Eucharist. Has anyone else seen this practice? What are your thoughts?
Click to expand...
Have you thought that the priest was ill or tired? Maybe he had the flu and was preserving his strength for the Liturgy of the Eucharist and for distributing Holy Communion. Maybe he was called to give viaticum and Anointing of the Sick to a dying person or was up all night consoling someone.

Perhaps he wanted to give ashes to one parishioner as a symbolic gesture and then let the laypeople distribute to the rest.

Our priests are overworked. A lot is expected of them and there is fewer and fewer of them to share the load.

Unless it is something that is an obvious abuse, I generally presume that the priest is preserving his energies or is tired or sick.
 
The only requirement is that a priest bless the ashes. The imposition of ashes may be done by lay people. This is not a sacrament.
 
Aelred_Minor said:
Something struck me as odd at the distribution of ashes today. The priest put ashes on the foreheads of the alter boy and four women, then sat down as the four women distributed ashes to the rest of the people. I know that if this were the distribution of communion it would be highly inappropriate for the priest to sit it out and let extraordinary ministers distribute to all the rest of the people, except of course if he was too weak to stand or something, which is not the case here.

I don’t know about ashes though, which are obviously much less important than the Eucharist. Has anyone else seen this practice? What are your thoughts?
Click to expand...
It is the responsibility of the priest to perform his ministry at the Mass and any other service (if this was done outside of Mass). There’s just no excuse and no reason for this kind of silliness.
 
Aelred_Minor said:
Something struck me as odd at the distribution of ashes today. The priest put ashes on the foreheads of the alter boy and four women, then sat down as the four women distributed ashes to the rest of the people. I know that if this were the distribution of communion it would be highly inappropriate for the priest to sit it out and let extraordinary ministers distribute to all the rest of the people, except of course if he was too weak to stand or something, which is not the case here.

I don’t know about ashes though, which are obviously much less important than the Eucharist. Has anyone else seen this practice? What are your thoughts?
Click to expand...
Perhaps your priest wasn’t feeling well? Was this done at an acutal Mass? It does seem sort of strange.
 
Ours had another person assist him so it would ‘be streamlined’ - silly since there were less than 100 people in church. He also spoke the words “Repent and believe in the Gospel” only once, at the altar, and the ashes were imposed with no other words spoken.
 
I went to a noon Mass for Ash Wednesday. There were about 200 people at that Mass which was surprising for that time of day as so many people are either on a lunch hour or at work (as I usually am, but got time off work to attend Mass). At the Mass, we had about 4 or 5 lay people and a sister assist the priest in giving out of ashes after a brief homily. It took about 10 minutes for all those who went up to get ashes then Mass went from there normally. I had no issue with that system as in the past I’ve noticed a few lay people assisting the priest with ash distribution.
 
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