Bishop Robert Brennan to Mark First Ash Wednesday as Leader of the Diocese of Brooklyn

This is Bishop Brennan’s first Ash Wednesday as the Bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn:

• 9:00 a.m. - Bishop Brennan will lead a Mass and distribute ashes at Cristo Rey High School, located at 710 East 37th Street in the East Flatbush section of Brooklyn.
• 12:00 p.m. - Bishop Brennan will celebrate Mass at St. James Cathedral Basilica, 250 Cathedral Place, in Downtown Brooklyn. *This Mass will be broadcast live on the Brooklyn Diocesan Cable Channel, NET-TV, available on Channel 97 (Spectrum), Channel 30 (Optimum), and Channel 548 (Fios).

Bishop Brennan will distribute the ashes on the foreheads of congregants during both Masses. As is customary, the ashes used on Ash Wednesday are made by burning the blessed palms distributed the prior year on Palm Sunday.

Lent, the Christian observance of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Holy Thursday is a 40-day period of penitence and preparation for the commemoration of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus. It ends with the celebration of the Sacred Triduum, the three holiest days of the year: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil.

Easter Sunday will be celebrated this year on April 17th.