Ash Wednesday

Ashes not only symbolize humanity's frail mortality but are also a reminder of God's infinite love of people, whom he created from dust, Pope Francis said.

Lent is a time to remove all distractions and bitterness from one's life in order to better hear God and those who suffer silently and need help, Pope Francis said.

With the biggest two days of celebration and costume parades left, the famous pre-Lenten "Carnevale" of Venice was canceled as were Ash Wednesday services and even funeral Masses throughout the diocese.

Daily Lenten Reflections: From time to time, I travel from home to lead retreats and parish missions or to give presentations to church ministers. My preparations for such trips include a lot of advance planning — making travel arrangements, preparing the presentations, coordinating mission details with the host parish — and prayer. 

On Ash Wednesday, William McLeod, a fourth-grade student at Valley View Elementary School in Bountiful, was told by his teacher to remove the ash cross he had received at church that morning.

NCR Today: On Ash Wednesday, I drove the two and a half hours to Missouri's State Capitol in Jefferson City to advocate for some criminal justice legislation.

Global Sisters Report: The Lenten season is as much about repentance as it is about renewal. It is more about light than darkness, about lightening our load and reprioritizing our lives. Lent is about being real. And perhaps, that is exactly where we need to be.

On Ash Wednesday, Genesis Butler, who had challenged Francis to adopt a vegan lifestyle during Lent, shared a letter of thanks she received on behalf of the pope.