Ash Wednesday 2026

This coming Wednesday, February 18, the Universal Church will celebrate Ash Wednesday, and the beginning of the liturgical season of Lent. Ashes are used as a reminder that we are just dust in comparison with the existence of God. Hence, one of the formulas that you could hear this Ash Wednesday is “Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” This phrase recalls the book of Genesis at the moment of the creation of a human being, “The Lord God formed the man out of the dust of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7). God made us in His image (Cf. Gen. 1:26-27). However, we cannot forget that we depend totally on God. We need His presence and love in our lives to live. We need His breath of life, that is the Holy Spirit, to walk in this world and work for the Kingdom of God and gain salvation and eternal life.

To attain salvation, it is necessary to turn our faces and repent from our sins. This is the second formula that we might hear this Ash Wednesday, “Repent and believe in the Gospel.” This is what Jesus proclaimed when He started His public life (cf. Mk. 1:14-15). The Lord Jesus is constantly inviting us to ask God for forgiveness. He is teaching us that God is the merciful Father who is waiting for us with open arms to bring us His love, mercy, and forgiveness (Cf. Lk. 15:11-32). For that reason, the Roman Catholic Church is always highlighting and promoting prayer, fasting, and almsgiving as Lenten observances which help us to ask God for forgiveness. Besides, the Sacrament of Penance (known as well as Confession or Reconciliation) plays an important role in this wonderful season. Let us go to this sacrament of forgiveness and practice the Lenten observances with love, believing that through them, we can obtain the mercy of God, salvation and eternal life.

Next, here are the different activities for Ash Wednesday at Holy Trinity Church.

Morning Prayer and distribution of Ashes	6:30 am
Mass and distribution of Ashes	8:30 am
Mass and distribution of Ashes at Maplewood	11:00 am
Prayer service and distribution of Ashes	12:15 pm
Mass and distribution of Ashes	5:30 pm

If you have a person at home who is sick, cannot come to church, and wants to receive Ashes, please contact the parish office.

There will be more activities for Lent at Holy Trinity Church. Please check the Lenten program. If you have questions or concerns, please let me know.

Remember, The parish that we dream is the parish that I help to build!
Holy Trinity Church… 165 years evangelizing.

God bless you and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always!

Fr. Jorge Ramírez