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Bishop Robert J. McClory places ashes on the front of a St. Mary’s Parish Church in Crown Point on Ash Wednesday last year before the pandemic.
Provided by the Diocese of Gary
Every Ash Wednesday at the start of Lent, it is common to see Catholics walking around with an ash cross smeared on their foreheads.
This year, the Vatican is asking priests in the Diocese of Gary and around the world to sprinkle ashes on the heads of parishioners instead of drawing crosses on their foreheads as a precaution against coronaviruses. The ancient practice of sprinkling ashes dates back to the Old Testament and is still followed by Catholics in some countries.
Bishop Robert J. McClory will distribute the ashes Wednesday at 4 p.m. February 17 at St. Margaret Mary at 1445 Hoffman St. in Hammond. People can worship in person or via a livestream.
McClory will host a series of Holy Lent hour retreats titled “Encounter. To grow. Witness “at 7 p.m. for five Thursdays: February 25 at St. John the Evangelist in St. John, March 4 at Queen of All Saints in Michigan City, March 11 at St. Michael in Schererville, March 18 in St Patrick in Chesterton, and March 25 in St. Paul in Valparaiso.
Ash Wednesday, which is February 17 of this year, kicks off the penitential season of Lent in which the more than 164,000 Catholics in Lake, Porter, LaPorte and Starke counties forgo luxury and avoid eating meat. Friday. The Lent season of penance, repentance and self-denial spans 40 days until Catholics celebrate the feast of Easter marking the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
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