Minnesota’s snowstorm of the century is impacting a lot of activities throughout the state, including the state legislature, schools, and even the Catholic Church.
Ash Wednesday will be a little different this year, as the expected storm has thrown a wrench into the church’s plans, and Archbishop Bernard Hebda shared that the church is calling an audible.
“It is a strange situation for us. Ash Wednesday is always one of the days when we get so many Catholics who come to church to begin the season of lent and to receive ashes,” Hebda said.
Hebda joined News Talk 830 WCCO’s Vineeta Sawkar to discuss Ash Wednesday, saying the church will be giving out ashes every day until Sunday to make up for those who can’t travel today.
Still, as the storm has yet to hit, some have made sure to get to church a little early to receive their ashes. Among those was Bradley Baron, who said that the service has always been a favorite of his family. As for the storm, Baron shared they love the winter “to some degree.”
As for the meaning of the day itself, Hebda shared that Ash Wednesday kicks off an important time in the Catholic religion, as it starts the season of lent and leads up to Easter. While receiving ashes may be a little different this year, everything else should be the same.
“[Ash Wednesday is] a day of fasting and abstinence for us, meaning no meat,” Hebda said. “It’s a day in which we begin this really intense period of prayer that leads up to our celebration of Easter 40 days from now. But it will be a little bit different with the snow, that’s for sure.”
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