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A CHURCH IN Galway will take a novel approach to Ash Wednesday next week, with a drive-thru service set to be in place at Glenamady church, near the border with Roscommon.
The Irish Catholic reports that Father Paddy Mooney had met with the pastoral council, who together decided on an approach that would cater for people on-the-go to get ashes on their forehead when Lent starts next Wednesday 1 March.
The design of the church grounds will allow people to drive in one gate, stop and receive their ashes from their car, and then carry on to drive out a second gate.
The service will be available between 8am and 9.30am that morning.
The church has also installed a Lenten Petition box in the grounds where people will be able to pull in to submit prayer requests right up until Easter.
Father Mooney said: “We looked at the situation on the ground. People and families are on the move all the time.
We’re just putting [this] in front of people to help think of Lent, as a reminder of it.
On Ash Wednesday, the ashes of the palms from the last year’s Palm Sunday are placed on the heads of members of the congregation.
The day is seen as a way for Christians to remind themselves that they need to repent their sins.
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Ash n’ Dash
I’ve seen it all. I ain’t religious. However, if you claim you are, at least spend the 30-40 minutes of reflection at a mass to get the ashes on the forehead!
The CC must be desperate to keep the people. Maybe start by allowing priests to marry and normalising their place in society. The first Pope Peter, for example, had a wife and kids!
Can you pick up a big mac and fries at the same time?
@Reg: No, just communion and wine
@Reg: Imagine turning up to this and finding there was no McDonald’s, you’d be ashen!
@Reg: Brilliant, Adverts put on your forehead to sell products using ashes, A M on your forehead for McDonalds using the ashes and a transfer?
I’m off ashes for lent.
I am off superstition for lent!
@Peter Casey: What about Tiths then lol.
Was this copied and pasted from Waterford Wihspers News?
Wait a sec… A man rubs ashes on people’s heads as a tradition? Ashes? I had to look this up, as it sounds unusual for a pagan tradition and for once, this one is all biblical! It shortly comes from when a character called Tamar was raped by her brother, and *she* had to beg for forgiveness by rubbing ashes on her head and wearing a sack (see 2 Samuel 13:19, I’m not kidding). So before we celebrate the pagan Easter festival (the clue is in the word), and after the pagan Fat Tuesday/Carnival, remember that you have to absolve yourself for bad things other people have done to you. Right.
Wikipedia says: Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of blessing ashes made from palm branches blessed on the previous year’s Palm Sunday, and placing them on the heads of participants to the accompaniment of the words “Repent, and believe in the Gospel” or “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return
Equally as mental.
Wasn’t this what the Pope was talking about in the article above? ! Laughable, and sad.
“Excuse me sir, sir, I’m sorry to do this but you seem to have some sh!t on your forehead”
@Les Behan: It is the Cardinals ashes lol.
It’s funny to see the modern world and superstitious nonsense coming together.
@Carl Nolan: It is funny how those who think they know everything have closed minds and a lack of respect for others beliefs?
@Alois Irlmaier:
I don’t think you understand what the term “open mind” means. Do you believe in tarot cards? Horiscopes? The Roman gods? Why not? Must be because you’re closed minded.
And no, I don’t have much respect for superstition because I think believing in something on faith alone leads society into dark places.
@Carl Nolan: Many criminals have open minds, so how far is to far when it comes to beliefs?
Faith helps a lot of people as it provides help to them in dark times and in horrible situations? How can that be a bad thing?
I never gave in to that ashes crack at all. No need to go around all day Wednesday with a shadow on your forehead, just act Christian, don’t be a hypocrite .
@Euegene Comaskey: which is it?
13.5 hours? No chance!
What a time to be alive!!
That is not how Catholicism works or is suppose to…
Jesus could do the same for them when he judges them with a drive thru to Hell
If they can’t be bothered to sit through the ceremony and they’re just going around with a big black mark in the middle of their heads just to be seen as “good catholics”…they’re not very good catholics. As the mac daddy of the catholics said today just going to mass isn’t enough.
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