Putting own ashes on head?

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CrunchyCathMom

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I was talking to my sister she said she was taking the kids to a Catholic church for ashes (it’s Ash Wed). I thought it was odd that they would have a service in the middle of the afternoon (this church has a service in the am, noon and in the evening). She said that she wasn’t going to a service or Mass. The ashes were in the Chapel and anyone can go in and put them on their own head when they said a prayer (prayer card provided).

Is this ok? I just wondered because I have never heard of this being done before (probably because I have always just gone to Mass on Ash Wednesday).

Thanks!
 
I’ve never heard of that before, however, on the news, they’ve shown priests and lay people standing out on the median in the middle of the street and placing ashes on motorists who stick their heads out the window. I don’t know if they are Catholic or something else, but I thought that was weird. I know a Mass isn’t required to recieve ashes, but they should at least get out of the car and go into the church! Besides, I could easily see this causing an accident.
 
Last year, one of our deacons came to my office and distributed ashes.
 
In my parish, ashes have been distributed all day, in the hours between masses (running in 15-minute intervals) for those who want to get ashes but cannot attend the length of a full mass. As far as I know, this is acceptable, and mass is not required.

I’ve never heard of anyone being allowed to put ashes on their own forehead (themselves), though!:confused:
 
Never heard of this! Or distributing in traffic!

I’m going to ask our parish priest about it.
 
Hmmm. Now we have a new convenience. Drive through Ash Placement?
 
I talked to my parish priest. He said that isn’t in the “rubrics” on distribution of ashes. Thanks everyone!
 
Since the ashes are a sacramental, I guess it is like holy water, one doesn’t necessarily need to go to Mass to receive them? I’ve personally never seen them used outside of Mass.
 
I spoke to the Bishop’s office this morning. According to the secretary, that’s ok.
 
CrunchyCathMom said:
I was talking to my sister she said she was taking the kids to a Catholic church for ashes (it’s Ash Wed). I thought it was odd that they would have a service in the middle of the afternoon (this church has a service in the am, noon and in the evening). She said that she wasn’t going to a service or Mass. The ashes were in the Chapel and anyone can go in and put them on their own head when they said a prayer (prayer card provided).

Is this ok? I just wondered because I have never heard of this being done before (probably because I have always just gone to Mass on Ash Wednesday).

Thanks!
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This is the case with the church I work at. This church proudly proclaims that they are “progressive” Catholics and they toss tradition to the wind. Needless to say, I went to a traditional Catholic church and got my ashes during Latin Mass. :rolleyes:
 
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