Lenten message delivered across Lower Valley, with or without ashes

Christians who were unable to get ashes swabbed across their forehead to celebrate the start of Lent shouldn’t despair.

Ash Wednesday, with or without the black ashes, kicks off a season inner reflection and repentance, according to the Rev. Jim Gretz, the pastor of St. Matthew Parish.

“I have always tried to remind people that ashes aren’t a badge of honor,” said Gretz, whose parish serves Etna, Millvale, Glenshaw and Reserve.

“They are to be the outward sign of one’s interior desire to repent and change one’s life. There’s nothing magical about the ashes — even if you don’t receive them, it’s still Lent.”

As with most things in this pandemic year, the distribution of ashes across the region looked a bit different.

Covid-19 precautions have prompted area Catholic parishes to modify procedures for Ash Wednesday, including eliminating direct contact with parishioners during the services.

Celebrants will sprinkle ashes on the heads of parishioners instead of placing ashes in the sign of a cross on their forehead.

Common in other countries, the sprinkling of ashes is tradition “even with the Holy See/Vatican itself,” Gretz said.

St. Matthew Parish offered five Masses/ash services Wednesday, including an early morning livestreamed Mass at All Saints Church in Etna.

Gretz opted not to have seats-by-appointment because of a large elderly population, he said, and instead hosted open seating. He didn’t see a problem with that since covid has slashed participation to about one-third of the 2,100 people who used to attend weekly Mass.

There are still two opportunities to receive ashes today – a 4 p.m. service at St. Bonaventure and a 7 p.m. Mass at St. Aloysius.

#JoyfulLent Thus Lent 2021 begins. Yes, many think it’s still Lent 2020. It is not. The themes of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are given to us. Let’s use them to walk with Jesus to His passion, death, and resurrection (the Paschal Mystery) to be changed (reborn) on Easter.

— James R. Gretz (@JRGretz) February 17, 2021

At Faith United Methodist Church in Fox Chapel, the Rev. Scott Shaffer has decided to forego ashes altogether and will instead host an online service to share a Lenten message.

His branch site in Sharpsburg, Roots of Faith, has become a popular spot for passersby on Ash Wednesday with its Ashes to Go alternative.

Shaffer and associate pastors plant themselves on Main Street — no matter the weather — for the better part of the day and dole out ashes to people walking by, driving in their cars and even mail carriers and bus drivers.

“Our goal is to get beyond the walls of the church to offer God’s grace in the beginning of the Lenten season to everyone in the community,” Shaffer said.

“This year, like so many other things in our lives, Ashes to Go had to be adapted due to safety restrictions. The last thing we would want to do is accidentally spread this deadly disease while seeking to share God’s love.”

In the spirit of reaching out to the wider community, Shaffer is offering an online worship service at 6:30 p.m. on Facebook. The service will include musicians from both Faith United and Roots, and will follow the Ashes to Go tradition by inviting neighbors online to begin the Lenten season by dedicating themselves to worship and prayer, Shaffer said.