St. Timothy's and St. Rita Churches

The Mass Schedule for Ash Wednesday, February 17, 2021:

             8:00 a.m. at St. Timothy

             12 Noon at St. Timothy

             12 Noon at St. Rita

             7:00 p.m. at St. Rita

The custom here in the United States and in other countries to “rub” ashes on the forehead in the form a cross is not a universal practice, but has been suspended for this year in light of the pandemic.

Imposition of Ashes on Ash Wednesday: On January 12, 2021 the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments issued a “Note” with the following modifications for the imposition of ashes: 1) The Priest says the prayer for blessing the ashes. He sprinkles the ashes with holy water, without saying anything. Then he addresses all those present and only once says the formula as it appears in the Roman Missal, applying it to all in general: “Repent, and believe in the Gospel” or “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”; 2) the faithful may either process to the priest to receive the ashes or, "if appropriate", the priest may go to those who remain standing in their places; 3) the priest, wearing a face mask, distributes the ashes without saying anything; 4) the ashes are distributed by "sprinkling" them on each person’s head.

Abstinence from meat on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent (for those 14 and older) is required by Church law. Also, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fasting: those between the ages of 18 and 59 should eat less, meaning, take no solid food between meals and only one full meal that day. Serious health conditions excuse a person from these precepts. Pastors and parents are encouraged by the law of the Church to ensure that minors who are not bound by the law of fast and abstinence are educated nonetheless in an authentic sense of penance. Following the implementation of the revised Code of Canon Law on November 27, 1983