Ashes to Go!

We held our first Ashes to Go this year at St. Mary of Grace Parish, our community in Delaware County, near Philadelphia/Northern Delaware! Preparations began the Sunday beforehand with the burning and blessing of the palms. Parishioners brought their dried palms from previous Palm Sundays and we made the ashes just before Mass. Then on Ash Wednesday, Bp. Tim and Mtr. Lyngine spent the morning at 13th and Locust in Philadelphia and the late afternoon at the Media train station offering ashes. To the nearby construction workers and waitstaff who popped over quickly during their brief breaks, the commuters who stopped quickly on their way to and from work, the parents with toddlers who came by, the folks who pulled over to park in loading zone to stop and receive ashes, the lovely train engineer who came by after parking the train at the end of his shift, and to all who came to experience the beginning of Lent with a reminder of God's invitation and promise of mercy and love, you will all remain in our prayers this season.