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Esther
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Kansas City, Kansas USA |
| Posts: | 144 |
| First Name: | Esther | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Southern Baptist to Roman Catholic 11/26/06 |
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Posted: Thu Feb 1st, 2007 10:51 pm |
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| Is Ash Wednesday a day of Holy Obligation?
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CajunRick
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5080 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Thu Feb 1st, 2007 11:07 pm |
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| No. But the church will be much fuller for Ash Wednesday than for most holydays.
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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mg57
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| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Tolland County, Connecticut USA |
| Posts: | 169 |
| First Name: | mg57 | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Infant Baptised Catholic |
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Posted: Sun Feb 4th, 2007 11:07 pm |
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Esther -
An intersting aside on this, - Fr. Benedict Groeschel has said that in NY city along with the Catholics, he's seen a variety of Protestants, Jews and various others of no affiliation coming for ashes over the years, but especially after 911.
A Protestant client of mine told me she went to Ash Wednesday services at my church one year when invited by a Catholic neighbor, and related how meaningful of an experience it was for her. That in turn gave me courage to say "come and see" to anyone asking about it.
God bless.
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mrsbmoo
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Virginia USA |
| Posts: | 273 |
| First Name: | Becky | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | former Methodist. RCA, Presbyterian, Holiness, Wesleyan... Catholic as of June ... |
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Posted: Sun Feb 4th, 2007 11:42 pm |
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| Even if it isn't a day of Obligation, I think it is worth going to. It is a really meaningfull service. Even before I was able to be received into the Church, I could get ashes.
____________________
Becky
Wife of Michael(called Moo) and stay at home mom to 5 daughters between 10 months and 17
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CajunRick
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5080 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Sun Feb 4th, 2007 11:58 pm |
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mg57 wrote: An intersting aside on this, - Fr. Benedict Groeschel has said that in NY city along with the Catholics, he's seen a variety of Protestants, Jews and various others of no affiliation coming for ashes over the years, but especially after 911.
That is important to remember. Anyone can receive ashes on Ash Wednesday, regardless of their church affiliation or status with the Church. So divorced and remarried Catholics, non-Catholics, and even non-Christians may go forward to be blessed with ashes.
Proper "etiquette" requires that you do not go out of your way to remove the ashes, but you should not hesitate to wash your face or bathe normally. In other words, once you are blessed with the ashes you should not try to hide them but wear them as a badge of honor and a reminder to yourself and others that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return. Excess ashes can be brushed away, of course, or they'll keep falling into your eyes.
There is no sin directly associated with removing the ashes other than perhaps the sin of pride, but if I was in a situation where displaying the ashes could cause problems (like if my spouse was not aware of my interest in the Church), I wouldn't hesitate to wash them off when necessary.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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Darlene
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| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania USA |
| Posts: | 868 |
| First Name: | Darlene | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Christian, trusting His love and forgiveness |
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Posted: Mon Feb 5th, 2007 05:11 pm |
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Rick,
That is wonderful to know. I will go to Mass on Ash Wednesday. Is the Mass on Ash Wed. different from other days of observance and if so, how?
On this past Friday, I attended Mass and Father spoke about that day being 40 days after Christmas and celebrated as the day Jesus was presented in the temple to Simeon. This is one thing I love about the Catholic Church. There are so many days devoted to events in scripture and in the lives of the Saints.
After the Mass, I went up to be blessed by Father, as did many others. He asked if anyone wanted their throat to be blessed because so many get sick this time of year. He did not use holy water but he did have two candles that were crossed and layed hands on me. Is this still considered the Sacrament of Healing?
God Bless You
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The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. II Corinthians 13:14
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CajunRick
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
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| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Mon Feb 5th, 2007 06:31 pm |
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Darlene wrote: That is wonderful to know. I will go to Mass on Ash Wednesday. Is the Mass on Ash Wed. different from other days of observance and if so, how?
The only difference is the blessing with ashes which takes place after the homily. All who wish to be blessed go forward just like at communion time. The minister blesses on the forehead in the form of a cross. Then the person returns to the pew.
On this past Friday, I attended Mass and Father spoke about that day being 40 days after Christmas and celebrated as the day Jesus was presented in the temple to Simeon. This is one thing I love about the Catholic Church. There are so many days devoted to events in scripture and in the lives of the Saints.
That's Feb. 2, the Feast of the Presentation. Traditionally candles are blessed on this day to represent the Light of Christ.
After the Mass, I went up to be blessed by Father, as did many others. He asked if anyone wanted their throat to be blessed because so many get sick this time of year. He did not use holy water but he did have two candles that were crossed and layed hands on me.
February 3rd is the Feast of St. Blaise, patron of illnesses of the throat. Read about him here and here. Since Feb. 3rd was a Saturday this year, your priest apparently decided to provide the blessing on Friday, which is acceptable. Friday was also the first Friday of the month.
Is this still considered the Sacrament of Healing?
The blessing of the throat is not a sacrament but a sacramental, like the ashes on Ash Wednesday. The Anointing of the Sick requires the use of Holy Oil. So no, it is not a sacrament.
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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mg57
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| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Tolland County, Connecticut USA |
| Posts: | 169 |
| First Name: | mg57 | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Infant Baptised Catholic |
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Posted: Mon Feb 5th, 2007 09:15 pm |
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Hi Darlene -
For a little additional backround -
CCC # 1113 The whole liturgical life of the Church revolves around the Eucharistic sacrifice and the sacraments. There are seven sacraments in the Church: Baptism, Confirmation or Chrismation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. This article will discuss what is common to the Church's seven sacraments from a doctrinal point of view. What is common to them in terms of their celebration will be presented in the second chapter, and what is distinctive about each will be the topic of the Section Two.
http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p2s1c1a2.htm#1113
God bless 
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BodRod
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| Joined: | Mon Oct 2nd, 2006 |
| Location: | Apple Valley, California USA |
| Posts: | 772 |
| First Name: | Cliff | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Raised an SDA, then Generic Christian, finally at home with ... |
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Posted: Mon Feb 5th, 2007 10:14 pm |
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Rick,
What do the say in your parish, preferably the English translation thereof, when they apply the ashes to the forehead?
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Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro.
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CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5080 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Mon Feb 5th, 2007 10:40 pm |
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BodRod wrote: What do the say in your parish, preferably the English translation thereof, when they apply the ashes to the forehead?
If I remember correctly, it's "Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return." That is from memory, so it's most likely not exactly right.
There is another option. According to Catholic Culture, it's "Turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel."
Catholic Culture also lists the first option as, "Remember, man, that you are dust and to dust you shall return."
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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BodRod
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| Joined: | Mon Oct 2nd, 2006 |
| Location: | Apple Valley, California USA |
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| First Name: | Cliff | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Raised an SDA, then Generic Christian, finally at home with ... |
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Posted: Mon Feb 5th, 2007 10:57 pm |
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Thanks, Rick. We use #2 in your list.
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Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro.
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