Father Bill Elser, Pastor of Sacred Heart Church, welcomed parishioners and quests to the first Wednesday evening program and shared some stories about his recent trip to Japan.

Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church celebrated Ash Wednesday with two masses during which ashes were placed on the foreheads of parishioners.  The “Day of Ashes”, as it is officially known, always falls on a Wednesday 40 days before Easter, not counting Sundays.  The ashes come from the burning of the palms that were used in the prior year’s Palm Sunday celebration.  Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a period of fasting, abstinence and penance in preparation for the celebration of Easter.  The ashes also symbolize death and remind us of our mortality, calling us to repentance before this life is over.  When public penance was common back in the 5^th and 6^th centuries people would cover themselves in ashes and wear sackcloth as penance.  Beginning in the 8^th or 9^th century the custom of placing ashes on foreheads became common and continues today as a tradition in many Christian churches including the Roman Catholic Church.

In addition to the masses on Ash Wednesday, Sacred Heart kicked off a Lenten Wednesday evening program.  Each Wednesday during Lent a light supper will be served in the church’s Lower Hall.  The Parish Life Council, chaired by Mickey Townsend and Bill Hurley, coordinate the supper arrangements.  Following supper there will be a special educational program that initially will be video presentations by Michael Cumbie of the Micah Project.  These dynamic and often humorous lectures will be discussing areas of sacramental theology and liturgical worship.  A Mass will follow the lectures each Wednesday evening.  On Ash Wednesday Father Bill Elser, Pastor of Sacred Heart Church, was very pleased as he welcomed more than 300 parishioners participating in the first supper/video/mass program.