‘Ashes to Go’ for Those on the Fly

Speaking of Ash Wednesday coming up soon, have you ever heard of such nonsense?

For those too busy to go to church on Ash Wednesday, The Rev. Sandra Cosman of St. John’s Episcopal Church will be out standing on Main Street Wednesday, February 22 offering ‘Ashes to Go.’

For two hours, 1 to 3 p.m., Rev. Cosman will stand in her vestments holding a bowl of ashes from the burning of last year’s Palm Sunday palm fronds, offering all faiths a thumbprint of the ash on their forehead. Adminstered to the same spot on the forehead where Christians are baptized, they mark the beginning of the Lenten season…

But this is the first year for “Ashes to Go” in East Hartford. The idea was spawned in Chicago two years ago with ashes offered to commuters as they waited on Metra train platforms…

Rev. Cosman is willing to administer ashes to all passers-by on Main Street Wednesday, including people on bicycles, on foot, and those waiting for the bus. She will be standing in her white vestments next to the sidewalk at the busy intersection of Main Street and Burnside Avenue.

A meaningless exercise helping those who are perishing not one little bit. People should make time to worship God in community. Ash Wednesday is a solemn occasion. Reverent. Not to be reduced to yet another modern innovation Church Episcopal commercial venture.

HT

 

Priest Uses Water Gun to Spray Congregation with Holy Water

Whatever happened to using an aspergillum?

The Deacon’s Bench:

Really?  Seems so. Details:

A Catholic priest from a small Mexican town has turned on his own congregation armed with a watergun which was loaded with holy water.

Father Juan Ramon Hernandez gives mass at a church in Acatlan. He became so saddened by the seemingly daily drug-related killings and violence he decided to take a stand… with a water gun.

“Let’s pray to change the heart of the people who use violence and kill other people,” he said. “Let’s throw all the guns far away.”

Some children, who were making their first communion, giggled as the priest sprayed churchgoers with holy water.

Read more.

Innovative stupidity.

 

Very Bad Vestment

What is this?

(1) Something purchased at a tacky Italian tourist shop that specializes in relieving Americans of excess money.

(2) The new uniforms of the Turin Cathedral Tigers slow-pitch softball team.

(3) An actual chasuble that you can buy if you want to.

(4) A really bad idea.

Yes, a really, really bad idea indeed!