GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The annual season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18, and the Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids will be holding Masses in all of its churches that day.
And several will have Fish Fridays and soup suppers leading up to Easter on April 5.
Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. In many churches, people get their foreheads blessed with ashes in the form of a cross.
"We have a list of Ash Wednesday Mass times on the diocesan website, GRDiocese.org," said Annalise Laumeyer, director of Communications for the Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids. "And there are a number of options at Catholic churches throughout West Michigan. There are options for Mass before work, options for Mass at lunch (time) and, of course, options after the workday is over."
The Cathedral of Saint Andrew, 215 Sheldon Blvd. SE in Grand Rapids, will hold Masses on Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 7 a.m., 12:05 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Lent is a time when Christians are invited by churches to reflect on Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross, their own mortality and the need for repentance from sin. It is also a call to humility, and reliance on Christ's redemption.
The Fish Fridays and soup suppers are helpful for those who abstain from eating meat on Fridays during Lent. The soup suppers are "a little bit simpler but, still, a great opportunity for community, prayer and reflection."
The fish and soup supper guide is also posted on the diocese website.
"This is a perfect opportunity to join our parish communities on Fridays during Lent for some food and fellowship," Laumeyer said. "There are plenty of options across the 11 counties of West Michigan."
Most Roman Catholics are supposed to fast and abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays during Lent, which officially concludes on the evening of Holy Thursday, April 2. The abstention from meat requirement also includes Good Friday, April 3.
More specifically, on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, Catholics who are ages 18 to 59 are required to fast, meaning they eat only one full meal and two smaller, meatless meals that do not equal a full meal. The practice is seen as a way to honor Christ's sacrifice on the cross.
The Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids provided more details in a news release:
The ashes, a symbol of penance, are made from palm leaves used in last year’s Palm Sunday liturgy. When the ashes are placed on an individual’s forehead in the form of a cross, it is a reminder of several things:
Additional Resources: Lenten Resources | A guide to local fish fries and soup suppers