Celebrating Ash Wednesday In This Time of the Pandemic

The Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D., Archbishop of Davao and CBCP President, released the Updated Pastoral Advisory On Ash Wednesday Celebration With Items From The Recently Released CBCP Guidelines. This advisory is for the Archdiocese of Davao.

What is new is that this year, the imposition of ashes may be done at home and that the CBCP suggested a Family Celebration of the Burning of Palms/Leaves to Ashes and Celebration of Ash Wednesday. This manifests to us the Church’s mission to go to the peripheries and even celebrate this important annual liturgical celebration in the so called domestic Church. The Church feels with the longing and hunger of the faithful to really observe this tradition to help us deepen our journey in this season of Lent to bring us genuine renewal of mind and heart.

Like Jesus who fasted and was tempted in the desert, may this pandemic grant us the grace to suffer pain and experience the coming of unending joy of Easter.