Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent—and a wonderful opportunity to make yourself 100% available to God!

On Ash Wednesday, you can get your forehead blessed with ashes at one of our Masses. These ashes are a reminder that we need to repent. Throughout history, ashes have been a powerful outward symbol of interior repentance and spiritual awareness.

Most Catholics have gone to adoration to visit our Eucharistic Lord in the tabernacle. For some of us this visit is a recurring pilgrimage, part of our weekly or even daily routine. Some of us may have gone once or twice but remain uncertain about the difference between common prayer and adoration. We might wonder about the purpose and meaning of frequent adoration, and whether we should do it more often.

What exactly is happening when we receive the Eucharist during Mass or pray in front of the Eucharist in the Blessed Sacrament? Is it worth our time? Is something real taking place?

When we look at the host held in the monstrance during adoration, we’re able to meditate on the reality that Christ made it possible to sacrifice Himself for us, but never leave us, just like He promised. When He takes the form of the host, He is there with us physically in the room.

The Catholic Mass and other Sacraments are the most important reasons we are here, as the model representative of Christ’s church in action, led in Omaha by the Archbishop. The Cathedral parish has been the anchor of the community, active in social justice concerns: serving those in need; maintaining the neighborhood during suburban exodus; providing a gathering place for city-wide prayer vigils; ecumenical sharing and neighborhood associations; these are all part of the work we do as Saint Cecilia Cathedral parish.

Our mission is to bring all to the beauty, truth, and joy of Christ. Worship of Jesus Christ in the Cathedral is offered through the celebration of the Eucharist which is the “source and summit” of our faith.