Faith News

On Tuesday the Senior Syndicate took part in our annual Burning of the Palms ceremony where we burnt last year’s Palm Sunday palms in preparation for Ash Wednesday. We then celebrated Ash Wednesday Mass with the parish the following day. 

On Saturday 21 March we are having a school and parish mass at 5:30 pm in the church. We would love to see as many families as possible attend this mass and your children will be given roles closer to the time. Please mark this date in your diaries. 

Ash Wednesday Reflection

Ash Wednesday is popular with children because ashes are such a tangible symbol. People of all ages love when the spiritual is made physical, when they can touch and feel something real. The Church gives us sacramentals such as blessed ashes, palms, rosaries, and candles to help us open up to God’s grace. 

Palms are a living plant, and a symbol of victory and triumph, but they are burned to dust and become a symbol of sorrow and repentance. The Church gives us Lent as a time to change, to become a better version of ourselves, and to become more like Jesus. The ashes we receive on Ash Wednesday remind us of our call to repent and believe in the Gospel. The disciplines of Lent—prayer, fasting, and almsgiving—help us prepare for Christ’s victory on Easter.