With March 5th’s morning winds reaching dangerous speeds, a student-centered mass service that would have taken place at St. Mary on the Hill Catholic Church instead was held in the gym of their school, St. Mary on the Hill Catholic School, for the observance of Ash Wednesday.
Significance of Ash Wednesday
Principal Todd Shafer explained that Ash Wednesday begins the 40 day Lent period, calling it “a season of sacrifice and repentance, and also a preparation as we await Easter.”
“Anytime we come together as a school and go to mass, whether it’s in a church or we gather in our gym, I mean, it’s a wonderful feeling to, you know, hear hymns, we all pray together,” he said. “It’s just a wonderful sense of community that we have.”
Students participated by leading readings and response readings, and a student choir sang hymns. Parents of students and members of the community filled the gym’s bleachers as well and everyone received a smudge of ash on the forehead — an outward symbol of repentance.
Student “fasting”
Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting in the Catholic Church, a tradition observed by church members within the age range of 18-59.
Fasting, which means abstaining from food or drink for a set period of time, is done on Ash Wednesday as a form of penance.
Since the students of St. Mary’s are too young to participate in fasting, Father Andrew Emenike, who led the mass service, shared with them some substitute ways to “fast,” including being extra attentive to their teachers and asking for their parents’ help to give to those in need.
