At-home Ash Wednesday services include inter-church provisions Ash Wednesday rituals were quite different this year because of the pandemic. At the Chartwell Westmount long-term care residence in Kitchener, Ont., recreation aide Stephanie Zettel, a Catholic, helped residents observe Ash Wednesday. Equipped with blessed ashes from Fr. Larry Parent of Blessed Sacrament Parish, here she anoints resident Patricia Allerton after sharing prayers and readings. Photo courtesy Chartwell Retirement Residences February 27, 2021
This year Lent began with ashes in Northern Ontario, just as it does every year and everywhere. But this year’s ashes up north are a little different because they’re likely the most ecumenical ashes in Canada.