Bishop Robert J. Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn, today marked the start of Lent with the celebration of Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. James located in Downtown Brooklyn.
In his homily, Bishop Brennan spoke to the faithful about God’s love and mercy as the Lenten season begins, reminding those gathered that God never gives up on them. Bishop Brennan also offered prayers for Pope Francis as he remains hospitalized.
“We enter the season of Lent together, using the words of the Holy Father, as “Pilgrims of Hope.” We know we’re always in need of God’s help and mercy; we know that God is rich in that mercy, and we know we need to give more attention to our spiritual lives,” said Bishop Robert Brennan.
At the conclusion of his homily, Bishop Brennan blessed and distributed ashes. As is customary, the ashes used on Ash Wednesday are made by burning the blessed palms distributed the prior year on Palm Sunday.
Ash Wednesday also marks the start of the 2025 Diocesan Lenten Pilgrimage in Brooklyn and Queens, inviting the faithful to visit different churches over the next 40 days. Five churches have been designated as shrine churches in the Diocese of Brooklyn for this 2025 Jubilee Year. Individual parishes will offer opportunities for Mass, prayer, and reflection during these visits. The complete schedule can be found online at https://lent.
Lent ends with the celebration of the Sacred Triduum, the three holiest days on the Christian calendar: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil. This year, Easter Sunday will be celebrated on April 20.
VIDEO: https://vimeo.com/1062960184
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