What is Lent?
Lent is a 40-day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday. It's a period of preparation to celebrate the Lord's Resurrection at Easter.
During Lent, we seek the Lord in prayer by reading Scripture; we serve by giving alms; and we practice self-control through fasting. We are called not only to abstain from luxuries during Lent, but to a true inner conversion of heart as we seek to follow Christ's will more faithfully. We begin the season of Lent with Shrove Tuesday followed by Ash Wednesday.
Lent is a 40-day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday. It's a period of preparation to celebrate the Lord's Resurrection at Easter.
During Lent, we seek the Lord in prayer by reading Scripture; we serve by giving alms; and we practice self-control through fasting. We are called not only to abstain from luxuries during Lent, but to a true inner conversion of heart as we seek to follow Christ's will more faithfully. We begin the season of Lent with Shrove Tuesday followed by Ash Wednesday.
What is Ash Wednesday?
The first day of Lent is Ash Wednesday. On this special day of reflection, Catholics wear a marking of the cross in ash on their foreheads. The ashes symbolize our mortality – “Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” But you might be wondering, where do the ashes for Ash Wednesday come from?
Usually, the Ash Wednesday ashes are created by burning palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday celebration. Palm Sunday is the last Sunday of Lent and leads into Holy Week. It is on this day that people laid palms to cover Jesus's path as he arrived in Jerusalem, just days before he was crucified.
The first day of Lent is Ash Wednesday. On this special day of reflection, Catholics wear a marking of the cross in ash on their foreheads. The ashes symbolize our mortality – “Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” But you might be wondering, where do the ashes for Ash Wednesday come from?
Usually, the Ash Wednesday ashes are created by burning palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday celebration. Palm Sunday is the last Sunday of Lent and leads into Holy Week. It is on this day that people laid palms to cover Jesus's path as he arrived in Jerusalem, just days before he was crucified.
Can anyone receive ashes?
Receiving ashes are open to all non-Catholic Christians (Anglicans, Lutherans etc.). Receiving ashes is not a sacrament. It is open to all Christian’s who wish to participate in receiving ashes. Many other religious sects would not likely participate because it is a commitment to prepare for the Paschal Mystery (Christ’s crucifixion, death, and resurrection) and this is not part of their article of faith.
Receiving ashes are open to all non-Catholic Christians (Anglicans, Lutherans etc.). Receiving ashes is not a sacrament. It is open to all Christian’s who wish to participate in receiving ashes. Many other religious sects would not likely participate because it is a commitment to prepare for the Paschal Mystery (Christ’s crucifixion, death, and resurrection) and this is not part of their article of faith.
Lent
Catholic Social Teachings
What will be the focus of the Lenten campaign at Saint André Bessette?
The Lenten campaign will focus on supporting the organization of Chalice. Chalice is a Catholic international aid charity focused on child, family, and community development.
The Lenten campaign will focus on supporting the organization of Chalice. Chalice is a Catholic international aid charity focused on child, family, and community development.
The Saint André Bessette school community will raise money that will go towards helping Chalice support its missionary work. We will work specifically to help support the Starehe Girls Centre like we did last year. Our school will help purchase computers and technology for the school.
- You can access the link provided for further information about the Starehe Girls Centre:
- You can access the link provided for further information about the Starehe Girls Centre: