Ash Wednesday Reflection

Having recently returned from caring for my mother, I would like to spend some time reflecting. As Christians we impose a cross of ashes on our foreheads as a sign of repentance. For me, this symbol is a time for introspection, self-examination and spiritual renewal. Mum at 95 has dementia and she is confused all […]

https://www.sosj.org.au/ash-wednesday-reflection/

Celebrating Lent at Mount St Joseph’s College

In preparation for Ash Wednesday (22 February), the Mount St Joseph Girls’ College (MSJ) community in Victoria, hosted a ‘Burning of Palms Ceremony’ with Fr John Healy from Holy Trinity Parish. Fr John spoke about the meaning and rich symbolism of palm branches and their connection to Ash Wednesday. He explained that they remind us […]

https://www.sosj.org.au/celebrating-lent-at-mount-st-josephs-college/

Ash Wednesday: Gateway to Lent

Ash Wednesday, this year beginning on 22 February, is the gateway to the season of Lent. The anointing with ashes, which is the key element of this day’s ritual, is a reminder of our responsibility as individuals and as communities to keep alive the discipleship that our baptism committed us to. The ritual of baptism […]

https://www.sosj.org.au/ash-wednesday-gateway-to-lent/

Lent: A Path of Blessing

… time to allow a fresh new taste of God.A Lenten Poem by Ann Weems American poet, Ann Weems, invites us to view Lent as “time… to let the power of our faith story take hold of us”. Years of “immersing ourselves more consciously in the evolving mysteries of the universe”,[1] and absorbing scientific findings […]

https://www.sosj.org.au/lent-a-path-of-blessing/

Lent – A Time for Engaging with Difference to Make a Difference

Practise Deeper Listening to Bring About Change Ash Wednesday occurs on 17 February to begin the season of Lent in 2021. The ritual will be a little different this year. Due to the current global pandemic, the Vatican has advised there will be no marking of our foreheads with a cross of ashes. Instead, there […]

https://www.sosj.org.au/lent-21/