Ash Wednesday was instituted long ago in the Church and marks the beginning of Lent, a time of penance and more intense prayer. For the ancient Jews, sitting on ashes already signified repentance for sins and a return to God. The blessed ashes placed on our heads remind us that we will die, that we are dust and to dust we shall return (Genesis 3:19), so that our bodies may be remade by God in a glorious way, never to perish again. The intention of this sacramental is to lead us to repentance for our sins, to remind us that we cannot cling to this life, thinking that full happiness can be built here. It is a dangerous illusion. Our final dwelling place is heaven.

At the Sanctuary of Health and Peace, this year's celebrations, on Ash Wednesday, will be held at 7 am, 12 pm, 3 pm and 7 pm.

During Lent, the Sanctuary will also have a special schedule: Every Wednesday, except Ash Wednesday, there will be the Stations of the Cross of the Fraternity Campaign at 6 PM, followed by Holy Mass at 7 PM. On Fridays, there will be a Penitential Mass at 6 AM. The 7 AM Mass continues as usual. Also on Fridays, at 6:15 PM, we will meditate on the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady and then celebrate Holy Mass as usual.

The Lenten Retreat will also be part of the Sanctuary's program (date to be confirmed). Those who wish to participate individually can purchase the CNBB (National Conference of Brazilian Bishops) resource at the Padre Eustáquio Store for only R$$ 4. The Popular Lenten Retreat aims to be a return to Christian sources to transform this rich period into a great retreat, in which the individual, community, and society come together in a process of conversion, seeking a full life. The proposal for this Retreat is to have a weekly time of community prayer, two short daily times (about 10 minutes) of personal prayer, and a calendar of activities and exercises for sanctification for every day of Lent. In addition, it is recommended that these activities be combined with other initiatives such as the personal and community Stations of the Cross, participation in the Bible Circles of the CF-2020 (Fraternity Campaign 2020), the celebration of Reconciliation and the Eucharist, etc.

Source: SSCC Parish – BH, CNBB and Canção Nova Portal