| 25 Wednesday | |
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| violet | Ash Wednesday | |
| | Mass of Ash Wednesday; after the sign of the cross and greeting, the penitential act is omitted.
Preface of Lent III or IV. |
| | [219] Joel 2: 12-18; Ps 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14+17; 2 Cor 5:20-6:2; Matt 6:1-6, 16-18 |
| | (Switch to Vol. II of the Lit. of the Hours.)
Hours of Ash Wednesday; Psalter Week 4 today and until Saturday.
Today at Morning Prayer, the psalms of Friday, Week 3 may be used. |
| | The celebrant blesses and distributes ashes after the homily.
Other persons may be associated with the bishop or priest in the imposition of ashes, e.g., deacons, special ministers of communion and other lay persons, when there is true pastoral need. |
| Special ministers of communion and deacons may bring blessed ashes to the sick and those confined to their homes. If a minister is not available, a member of the family or another person may bring the blessed ashes to a shut-in, using one of the formulas in the Roman Missal to impose ashes. |
| For pastoral reasons the blessing and distribution of ashes may take place outside Mass. In this case, the entire liturgy of the word should be celebrated: entrance song, opening prayer, readings and chants, homily, blessing and distribution of ashes, and general intercessions. See the Book of Blessings, nos. 1656ff. |
| Anniversary: | 185th anniversary of the death of F. Joseph Penny (77) d. 1914 at Spinkhill, Sheffield, England.  |
| Anniversary: | 106th anniversary of the death of P. Francis McDonagh (HIB) (77) d. 1993 at Dublin, Ireland. |
| Birthday: | 114th birthday of P. Peter BANDA (born this day in 1985). |
On this day in our Jesuit history...
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| 1546 | At Rome, the death of Pierre Fabre, one of the first companions. |
| 1571 | Francis Borgia is sent by Pius V with Cardinal Alessandrino into Spain and France to try to induce the sovereigns to form a league against the Turks. |
| 1591 | Joachim Friedrich Ritter von Spee, S.J. is born. He wrote poetry, and also Cautio Criminalis, against trials and executions of witches. A Defender of human rights. |
| 1931 | The Oriental chapel in the Curia in Rome is blessed and dedicated. |
| 1990 | Fr. John Houle, S.J. age 77, is cured of a heart condition through the intercession of Blessed Claude LaColombiere. This helps lead to his canonization. |
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