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Hopefully that’s all he received at mass.
I can’t see the picture???
Which brings me to the question: is the forehead the proper place for imposing the ashes, or is it the top of the head.
At today’s Mass, there were two priests imposing ashes.
I noticed that one priest, the main celebrant, imposed the ashes in the forehead of each recipient, by dipping his thumb in the ashes and then impressing the thumb in the recipient’s forehead, saying the formula.
The concelebrant (who imposed the ashes upon me), picked a small quantity of ash with his fingers, and then sprinkled it on the top of the head of each recipient in the form of a cross, reciting the formula. Of course, when you move out of the queue, the a portion of the ashes falls from your hair to your shoulders, the front of your shirt, etc.
What is the correct mode of imposing ashes, then? On top of the head, or on the forehead?
I can’t see the picture either…
I couldn’t either, but then, I right-clicked the mouse, selected the option to open the picture in a new window, and, voilà, it was visible in the new window as well as on the blog itself.
My understanding is that in the old rite the ashes were sprinkled on the top of the head rather than pressed onto the forehead in the shape of a cross.
I believe that St. John Bosco, in some of his dreams and visions, was given by God the discernment to see the secret sins of others, manifested (in some cases) by an “oily mist” in front of their foreheads.
Not saying anything here. Just talking. Good day.
Ashes are imposed traditionally on the forehead of the laity.
Clerics receive ashes on their tonsure (crown of the head).
I know that in the older form, this method was strictly followed in the Latin Church and was dictated by the rubrics.
I am unaware if there is an option or change in the newer form, though I seriously doubt it.
It would be nice, for his sake, if he listened to and understood the words spoken during the distribution of ashes and then let those words effect his positions on certain moral issues.
I can’t see the picture either. Followed Prof. Basto’s instructions; right-clicked the mouse, but there
was no option to open the picture in a new window.
I’m using Google Chrome, and I right-clicked when the cursor was standing on the place where the picture should be.
A pictorial sad commentary.
For those of you who can’t see the picture, it is a picture of VP Joe Biden with ashes on his forehead.
I know that this is OT, but the blog title does say “Not Quite Articulate”
VP Biden today on the CBS “Early Show” said he didn’t know a website’s “number”.
http://tinyurl.com/ado5v9 (Fox News)
IP addresses are numbers, but I don’t think VP Biden remembers 76.198.127.46
In a way, this is exactly what’s wrong with the Catholic Democrats in Congress. They bear a bit of a smudge on them, vaguely recognizable as something Catholic to other Catholics, but completely unidentifiable as anything of real meaning to other folks.
And who are we to say that the VP is not wearing ashes precisely because of his recognition of how grievously he has offended God by his support of abortion? Were that the case, then his display of ashes would be completely appropriate,no?
Now home and still can’t see it.
So he has ashes. Where’s the sackcloth?
(sorry)
It’s a cultural difference. In Italy and many parts of Europe, ashes are sprinkled on the crown of the head. In the UK and USA, they are imposed on the forehead in the shape of a cross.
Yes, he is wrong on the issue of abortion, but instead of making snide comments, pray for him.
He IS still your brother in Christ you know…
Repentance is always a good step. We should be happy and hopeful at such a sign.
I agree with John W. As we enter Lent, surely we are all considering our own sins, as none of us are innocent. Let’s not be distracted from our own sinfulness by the sins of others. The continuing public snide comments are not going to convert anyone’s views on abortion. Prayer is the only weapon at our disposal that can do that.
Easily visible in Google Chrome, unreachable in IE. Don’t understand that.
Father, could you have a word with Rocco? [I don’t believe Rocco is the sort who would take much note of my observations.] The head on his photo of ashes being imposed reads, “Quia pulvis es”. Yecch.
John (et al),
but instead of making snide comments, pray for him.
He IS still your brother in Christ you know…
It\’s not an either-or. It\’s a both. (I pray for his boss, too).
And, btw, abortion is not the only issue where he publicly stands against Church teaching (just the most important). If the ashes he displays on his forehead are a sign of authentic repentance, fantastic. In the meantime, I cannot help but to look at him as anything but another CINO politician who uses Catholicism to gain votes while materially contributing to evil (abortion, but not only abortion) in a very public fashion. See this transcript from Zenit on the Catholic political vocation.
Snarking may be a little hard, but allowing oneself to be deceived is harder (ref Matt 10:16). Frankly, I see as much irony in that picture as I see in the pic of the Chief Theologian of the House kissing the Holy Father’s ring (from his visit last April).
In the 1962 Missal “….having first received the ashes on his own head from the highest in dignity of the clergy, he (the priest) proceeds to place them in the form of a cross on the heads or foreheads of the clergy and people…” The people at St. Stephen’s, Sacramento, received the ashes on the forehead. The priests received theirs on their tonsures (top of the head).
Mark, with all due respect the internet has more than enough Catholics going after him, and I suspect not enough praying for him.
I agree that he needs prayers, and some serious prayers that his guardian angel get some much needed help in keeping bad spiritual influences away from him. The poor man is seriously misguided and obviously obtuse about comprehending the corrections from the Bishops.
His behavior is a scandal, but if enough of us were prayer whose to say a miracle would not occur?
And who are we to say that the VP is not wearing ashes precisely because of his recognition of how grievously he has offended God by his support of abortion? Were that the case, then his display of ashes would be completely appropriate,no?
Comment by sarsfield
It would only be appropriate if it were accomplished by him not taking Communion.
This is a mess created by the hierarchy.
Sadly, this reminds me of the Bill Clinton days with Bill running around with his Bible clutched to his side. One commentator referred to the Bible as Bill’s “prop.” Tom
Ashes on Ash Wednesday are a sign to the person receiving them, a reminder of our own need to turn to God. Another example–signing ourself with holy water. As such, they are for us as members of the Body of Christ. The rest of us watching should not get so caught up in the watching! In the mean time, we would all do better praying for each other and praying for ourselves to have the awareness of our own weaknesses.
Maybe his face is really black from all the death and lies that he has been selling and that is where the white wash has worn off.
Jim Dorchak
Ashes on Ash Wednesday are a sign to the person receiving them, a reminder of our own need to turn to God. Another example—signing ourself with holy water. As such, they are for us as members of the Body of Christ. The rest of us watching should not get so caught up in the watching! In the mean time, we would all do better praying for each other and praying for ourselves to have the awareness of our own weaknesses.
Comment by elizabeth
First, you tell us we should mind our own business. Then you proceed to give advice, which means you are not minding yours.
Biden is the VP. The VP and President are everyone’s business.
http://www.boston.com/news/world/gallery/0225_ashwednesday/
Nice caption. I wonder what purpose vilifying the V.P. serve. On Ash Wednesday no less when we’re called to remind ourselves of our own sins; that we’re no better than anyone else as my pastor said in his homily. Sure he’s made a lot of bad decisions, but every Catholic, even the bad ones have a right to ashes.
I can see the picture using IE, but not Firefox.
Anyone have a commentary from Dom Gueranger on sackcloth and ash?
I think it is an important spiritual theme for Lent and be nice to hear some words of the Liturgical Master.
John,
Mark, with all due respect the internet has more than enough Catholics going after him, and I suspect not enough praying for him.
LOL. You are right on that aspect.
BTW, speaking of that, have you seen the site, http://www.convertobama.com ?
Lent does have the tendency to bring out the self-righteous.
The man is one of many Catholics publicly responsible for killing over 4,000 babies a day!!!
Get that??
4,000 babies a day!!!!
I don’t care if there’s a ton of ash on the man’s head, it’s a public scandal. The only form of penance we should expect from this guy is a public apology and a vow to fight against abortion from here on out. Bodily mortification means squat without a change of heart.
Because they are so ardent, I would have thought that Biden and Nancy Pelosi would have asked that whole crucifixion scenes be ashed onto their foreheads yesterday.
“Yes I Cain”
I always find it ironic that the Gospel for Ash Wednesday chides the Pharisees for making public displays of their penance, and then we go up and get a big mark on our foreheads that announces to the world that we are making penance…
As with most other aspects of JB’s public persona, the ashes only show that he went to church…we’ll have to look at his policies from this point forward to see if there has been any change of heart. I’m not holding my breath…
The Veep and POTUS. What a pair;
GG:
Do you believe in sin?
OBAMA:
Yes.
GG:
What is sin?
OBAMA:
Being out of alignment with my values.
http://falsani.blogspot.com/2008/04/barack-obama-2004-god-factor-interview.html
I think this is the Fr. Z version of the Rorschach test. There is no picture.
Indeed, back in Poland, the ashes are sprinkled over the crown of the head.
wht abt this black mark on his forehead??
There is a picture and my question is why did Biden have his picture taken with ashes on his forehead anyway? Publicity stunt?