Wearing Ashes to Class

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I once heard that if you feel you want to wear them you shouldn’t and if you don’t feel you want to, you should. Both being acts of humility ie contrary to our nature. A good penance to begin to get into the spirit of Lent.
I don’t know if that helps you or not.
 
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At least two ways to see this:
  1. If for, some reason, they lead to sin, by all means wipe them off.
  2. Yes, humility! We were dust and the Lord has created love from dust. But, with the salvation of our souls and the resurrection of glorified bodies, we need not look forward only to dust.
 
I look at it this way: they’re meant to serve as a reminder, and they’re a good one, so it is OK to leave them on. Most of the fasting you do during Lent won’t be marked with ashes on your forehead.
On the other hand, the readings for Ash Wednesday include this passage: “When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”
I take that to mean that if you are concerned you could seem to be showing off that you’re observing Ash Wednesday, it is also OK to wash the ashes off. Many of us don’t even get them until the evening Mass, after which we go home, wash our faces, and go to bed. You can go either way; either way is OK.
 
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My workplace says we aren’t allowed to wear anything with objectionable text, objectionable graphics, or which convey a personal, political, or religious belief.
This is a unit of local government in the USA.
Do I dare wear ashes? I have worn them before, but I always had bangs so they were hard to see.
I personally feel like their dress code is against our civil rights, but I don’t dare to say anything.
 
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Jen95 said:
My workplace says we aren’t allowed to wear anything with objectionable text, objectionable graphics, or which convey a personal, political, or religious belief.
This is a unit of local government in the USA.
Do I dare wear ashes? I have worn them before, but I always had bangs so they were hard to see.
I personally feel like their dress code is against our civil rights, but I don’t dare to say anything.
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This is the direction it could go, if you do:


In other words, if your supervisor does tell you that you don’t have the choice to wear them, the Catholic League might be sending a letter to your organization in your defense, if you let the Catholic League know about it.

It is not required by the Church that we leave ashes on our faces instead of washing them off. I’m not even sure that it is recommended, in light of the Gospel reading chosen for the day. In your place, I’d either ask my supervisor if it will be a problem in advance or else just plan on washing them off. Having said that, I have no quarrel with Catholics who want to wear them all day and feel it is a civil rights violation to require them to wash them off. I think it probably is. The Catholic League certainly seems to see the requirement as anti-Catholicism.
 
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Yea, you could definitely challenge that. Are Sikhs forbidden to wear their sword necklaces? Muslim women barred from hijabs?

Our faith doesn’t require that the ashes be on public display, so you could wipe them off without any spiritual repercussions. But your employer is acting illegally.
 
They might spark some good discussion about religious freedom
 
A governmental office is going to have dress codes which follow the law.

As ashes are not a required part of practicing Catholicism, heck, Ash Wednesday is not even a day of obligation, there is no recourse to religious discrimination.

As our op said, no religious things are allowed.
 
Do you guys know if some organization would be interested? Like the ACLU, or the ACLJ?
Could I ask for their help anonymously?
I’m afraid I would be targeted forever if I called the Catholic league.
This dress code info is part of the training for new staff, and I feel like it’s just wrong!
 
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TheLittleLady said:
A governmental office is going to have dress codes which follow the law.
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Supervisors set conduct and dress codes for their offices, and not every government office has competent supervisors. The smaller the government office, the more likely a DIY-approach could arise.
 
I’m long out of college but I will be getting ashes next Wednesday at the 8 am Mass. I’m looking forward to wearing them all day! I’ll be at work and will have plenty of people seeing them on me.
 
Catholic2018 said:
Hi all. I’m a law student debating wearing ashes to class next Wednesday. I always went to Mass first thing in the morning when I was in college and wore them all day. However, it was a Catholic college and I was never the only one in the class wearing them. Anyone have any experience with this or advice? Thanks!
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We had a saying in the military: “No guts, no glory.”

It is an appropriate way to evangelize.
 
I wear my ashes all day every year. I’ve only had real problem dealing with someone once with them. He was a very militant atheist at my workplace and every time he saw me that Wednesday, whether at my desk or across the room, he’d yell out that I had dirt on my face and that I should think about bathing.

Some of the time is people mentioning I have something on my forehead because they’re just trying to be helpful. I just thank them for being considerate and letting me know, but it’s Ash Wednesday and I’m Catholic. Normally they seem embarrassed, but sometimes I get to explain Ash Wednesday and Lent to people.

The rest of the time I’ve been standing for my drink at Starbucks, walking to the bathroom, standing in the elevator, etc. and people give some form of “Oh, it’s Ash Wednesday. I grew up Catholic but haven’t been in a while. I should really get back to that.” To which I get to reply, “Well, if you’re nervous I’ll join you and I know when some of the mass times in this area are today if you don’t know where to go. I’m at desk location come find me if you want to go.” No one’s ever come to me, but one lady still says hi to me and asks how I’m doing in the hallway now and we had never met before that day.
 
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I have a professional job that involves meeting clients, who are often vulnerable people, so I remove my ashes if I am going to be seeing clients or otherwise meeting members of the public. When I was a student I used to leave them on. If I were for some reason not working on Ash Wednesday I’d still leave them on. It’s just a matter of what’s appropriate.
 
I had a lawyer relative explain this to me. It’s a little more complicated than that. Apparently there’s judicial precedent upholding religious freedom on a collective level, i.e. tenets of organized religion, as well as an individual level. But a religion doesn’t have to be state-approved before religious freedom applies.
Jen95 said:
Do you guys know if some organization would be interested? Like the ACLU, or the ACLJ?
Could I ask for their help anonymously?
I’m afraid I would be targeted forever if I called the Catholic league.
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ACLJ isn’t much more favored, and it’s more evangelical Protestant. I don’t think it would get back to anyone if you called from home. They won’t be able to help you if you’re anonymous, but Catholic League or ACLJ may at least be able to provide some advice on what your rights are and how to protect yourself.
 
Willing_Spirit said:
they make me proud.
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We should distinguish between sinful pride (superbia) and a holy pride. St Paul said

“Gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities , that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” (2 Cor 12:9).”
 
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The ashes are from burned blessed palms for Palm Sunday of the previous year.

And I don’t get ashes because I’m Ukrainian Greek Catholic. 😁
 
Willing_Spirit said:
I’ve always wiped my ashes off right after Mass because they make me proud. We are supposed to be humbled.
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I respect your point, just don’t forget that Ash Wednsday is an open communal fast… a time to share the invitation and announcement to fast. The rest of lent is intended for the private “secret” fasting.
 
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