Ash Wednesday at OLPH Brooklyn

By Father John McKenna, C.Ss.R. |

As in all parishes, Ash Wednesday was a very busy day. Our 6:45 a.m. Mass had our faithful elderly people who like to begin their day in prayer. Others came on their way to work. The Mass had about 75 people. Some people come with tissues or small envelopes, asking to bring ashes to loved ones who can’t get to Mass.

8:45 a.m. was a well-attended Mass. Most of our schoolchildren and their teachers were there. One priest went to the school after the Mass for the very, very young children—the nursery and pre-K children. They are so tiny that he sat on a chair to be closer to the little people.

The 12:10 p.m. Mass had 600 to 700 people in the lower church. Many were on their lunch break. The preacher spoke of a fireplace on a cold evening. The fire is blazing, warm, welcoming. But during the night the fire goes out, and all that’s left are ashes.

The ashes on our foreheads tell us and the world that we have grown cold in our love for God. Yet underneath the ashes are embers that still hold the glow. We are called during Lent to stir into flames the embers and add the logs of prayer, almsgiving, and fasting.

People also came into the rectory looking for ashes. The priest on duty made the cross on their foreheads.

We added a 6:15 English Mass in the evening. Again it was a very good crowd of 500-plus. The time was very convenient for people. Perhaps close to half were not English speakers, but the ashes are a powerful trans-cultural, universal, and meaningful sacramental for God’s people.

The Spanish Mass was held in the Upper Church at 7:30 p.m. There were certainly 2,000 people there, dozens and dozens of baby carriages, and families with small children.

The lower church had the Chinese community at 7:45 p.m.

It was a busy day, a good start to the penitential season of Lent.