Ash Wednesday: Repentance as response to redemption

The reporter persisted, “Then just one quick question. I’m Catholic, too, and I thought we couldn’t have funeral Masses for convicted killers.” I looked at her and told her that her information was wrong. Then I added, “Redemption — we either believe in it or we don’t. I do believe in it.”

Ash Wednesday: A point of re-entry?

Unlike Christmas, Easter and every Sunday of the year, Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation. Maybe that’s part of the draw for some people, who fill their parish churches for Ash Wednesday liturgies as they rarely do at any other time.