Scottish Catholic Observer

The Church in Sunderland is offering a new, creative and ecumenical approach to a centuries-old Christian tradition this Ash Wednesday—Ashes to Go.

Bishop Séamus Cunningham of Hexham and Newcastle and Bishop Paul Butler, the Anglican bishop of Durham, will take to the streets of Sunderland to distribute ashes on February 10. Their mission will be to visit Sunderland City Centre and Bridges Shopping Centre to mark the foreheads of interested passers-by with ashes and invite them to accept God’s forgiveness and renewal.

The event will begin with a 10am service in the Minister and, after the public distribution of ashes, will end with a 12.05pm Mass at St Mary’s Church.

Ashes to Go is part of an international movement that has clergy and the lay community visiting local areas of the public and offering them the chance to receive ashes. In 2010, three Chicago-area Episcopal congregations in the US independently delivered ashes and prayer to suburban train stations, and discovered commuters hungry for a moment of prayer, renewal and grace. From there it has went from strength to strength and is now developed into a movement that takes the faith to the streets.

Ash is the ancient sign of penitence. It is with this mark that Catholics begin the 40 days of Lent, a time for the Faithful to enter into a deeper understanding of Faith and their relationship with God to prepare for the Easter Triduum. It is a pivotal period in the Church’s calendar and time for individuals to find or rediscover their Faith ahead of the joy of Jesus’ Resurrection at Easter.

In Sunderland that joy is being taken to the streets for Christians.