Catholic worldwide celebrated Ash Wednesday, which signifies the commencement of Lenten season in the Church’s Liturgical Year on Wednesday 5th March, 2025. At St. Anne Catholic Church, Ogbere, Ibadan, the parish priest, Rev. Fr. Stephen Balogun said though the faithful were grateful to God for counting them worthy to celebrate another Ash Wednesday, they should also look into their lives, recall how many Ash Wednesdays or Lenten Seasons they have experienced and whether it has brought any difference into their lives.

“As Catholic, you are expected to attend Mass today and receive Ash. It is not the symbol on your head but does it make meaning in your lives? Is the message in your hearts? Are you proud to show your pictures, carrying ash on your heads? The priest asked.

The priest further explained that God so made it that both Muslims and Christians are going into fasting almost at the same time. It is therefore not about tribe or faith. If you’re a generous person, do it always, not only at lent. Humble yourself. There should be no distinction regarding tribe or Church.

Fr. Balogun also reminded the parishioners that fasting is not just about food but that the faithful can as well fast from gossip, envy, jealousy, anger and by being moderate in whatever they do.

Also, those that are old, pregnant or on medication and the children are exempted from fasting by the Church. “Religion is not war; life is also not a war. Be moderate in whatever you do. If you kill yourself because you want to fast when you’re not supposed to do so, no one will put a stop to fasting.” The priest advised.

The priest however, enjoined all to put ash on their heads and be proud of it. Try to be compassionate and merciful, make efforts never to miss Stations of the Cross this season and other devotions and never to discourage others from observing this season the way they have chosen to observe it. The priest later blessed the ash and all present were marked with it.

Meanwhile, Rev. Fr. Vitalis Ikechukwu, CSJ during the Mass for the First Sunday of Lent which was celebrated by him in the parish added in his homily that Lenten season is a time for preparation to meet Christ in the banquet, a time for Christians to purify themselves from the things of the world that surrounded them, a time for proclamation and participation through suffering, prayer and almsgiving.

On how Christians should prepare, the priest stated that like the Israelites prepared through a journey in the wilderness for forty years and Christ too, for forty days and nights, Christians must prepare in three ways, thus: Through prayer, through attending the celebration of the Eucharist and through the sacrament of reconciliation.

Fr. Ikechukwu noted further that prayer must not be for motivation, that there is no more spiritual formation in our families, hence, parents have lost control over their children and that some of the sicknesses in our midst today are accumulation of anger. Hence, he enjoined the parishioners to do away with gossiping, listening to gossips and criticizing but make themselves available for the presence of God by making their friendship to be both vertical and horizontal. By doing that, they would have made the scripture to be alive in them like Christ, who was able to defeat Satan when He was being tempted.

The parish also commended her representatives at the just concluded Maiden edition of 2025 V. Rev. Fr. John O’Hea’s Pass on the faith parish quiz competition; for coming fourth in the final of the competition that was held at St. Patrick catholic Church, Basorun, Ibadan, on Saturday, 8th March, 2025.