What is Lent?

Lent is a favourable time for personal and community renewal, as it leads us to the paschal mystery of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For our Lenten journey in 2022, we will do well to reflect on Saint Paul’s exhortation to the Galatians: “Let us not grow tired of doing good, for in due time we shall reap our harvest, if we do not give up. So then, while we have the opportunity (kairós), let us do good to all” (Gal 6:9-10).

When is Ash Wednesday in 2022?

Lent is a 40-day period of reflection and prayer leading up to Easter Sunday. It includes a 40-day fast with Sundays excluded (because they’re already considered feast days). Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent and this year, Ash Wednesday fall on March 2, 2022.

Regulations of the Church
Concerning the Penance to be observed during the season of Lent.

So that our Catholic people will live their lives rightly according to the spirit of the Lenten season, we ask that all observe the following according to the spirit of the Church:

• According to the law of the Church all Catholics are to do penance for their sins by their personal actions and by the practice of penance in common. Hence we are designating days of penance on which Catholics are to pray and practice works of mercy and show special love by their self-sacrifice and fidelity to duties. (Canon 1249)
• Every Friday throughout the year and every day during Lent are days of penance everywhere (Canon 1250)
• Every Friday throughout the year, except Fridays that are special feast days, are days of abstinence from meat or from some other food, according to what the Bishops’ Conference has already prescribed; Ash Wednesday and good Friday are days of abstinence and fasting. (Canon 1251)
• All Catholics 14 years old and over are to abstain. All Catholics from the age of 18 until they have completed their 59^th year are bound to fast.
• It is the duty of pastors and parents to train the young who are not yet bound to fast and abstain to learn a spirit of penance. (Canon 1252)
• For the Church in Thailand, on the authority of Canon 1253 of the Canon Law of the Church, the Bishops’ Conference has determined these ways of fasting and abstaining:

Abstinence
Those who practice one or the other of these regulations are to be counted as truly abstaining:

a) Abstaining from meat,
b) Observe some pious practice apart from the usual Stations of the Cross, Visiting the Blessed Sacrament, saying the Rosary.
c) Performing some work of mercy, such as giving alms to the poor, visiting the sick.
d) Giving up some food or thing we like to do, such as, not drinking whisky and beer, not smoking.
e) Learning how to refrain from things or doing without luxuries.

FASTING : Means eating only one full meal.

 MESSAGE OF THE HOLY FATHER for Lent 2022

Ash Wednesday Mass at AU

On Wednesday, 2 March 2022, The “Ash Wednesday Mass“ comprising the religious activities was performed at St. Louis Marie de Montfort Chapel, Suvarnabhumi Campus. The event was presided over by Rev. Bro. Dr. Amnuay Yoonprayong.

On Ash Wednesday, Christians, especially Catholics, receive ashes in the shape of a cross on their forehead as a reminder of their mortality.

Sources:

Archdiocese of Toronto. (2022). The season of #Lent begins on #AshWednesday (March 2 in 2022). Here are 10 ideas for a more meaningful Lenten season. https://mobile.twitter.com/archtoronto/status/1497690692428214278

Kelly, P. (2020). Faith Hope And Love Ep 208 Ash Wednesday 2020. https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-ep-208-ash-wednesday-2020

Sansone, A. E. (2022). When Is Ash Wednesday In 2022? Here's When Lent Begins. https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/holidays-celebrations/a39179467/when-is-ash-wednesday/ 

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