Ash Wednesday kicks off 40 days of Lent

March 4, 2025

Ash Wednesday is March 5, kicking off the Lenten season. This is a significant day in the Catholic Church year beginning a period of 40 days of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Catholics traditionally are marked with the ashes of burnt palm branches as a sign of their recognition of their sinfulness and need for repentance in their lifelong journey of conversion.

With a blizzard being predicted for Ash Wednesday in Iowa, a few points might be good to note. Ash Wednesday is not a Holy Day of Obligation. There is no obligation to attend Mass, so there will be no “dispensation” because of the predicted winter weather. Also, ashes are not made available for takeaway to the general public. One cannot ask for extra ashes to take for those who are not able to get to church.

>Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fasting within the Church for those between the ages of 18 and 59. They may eat only one full meal and two other meals consisting of substantially less food. There should be no food taken between meals. Anyone whose health is threatened by fasting is exempted. Catholics age 14 and older also abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and all Fridays of Lent.

Distribution of ashes will be held in Catholic churches throughout the Diocese on Ash Wednesday. People can call their local church or visit their parish website for times. Bishop William Joensen will distribute ashes on Wednesday at the 12:10 p.m. Mass at St. Ambrose Cathedral in Des Moines.

Note: Anyone may be marked with ashes on Ash Wednesday, if they desire it. Membership in the Catholic Church is not a prerequisite.