By: Ellayna Morasch (12) 

Ash Wednesday marks the start of Lent for Christians all around the world. It is a forty day period of prayer, fasting, and repentance before Easter. 

The students at Helias Catholic attended an all school mass on Wednesday, February 18th and received ashes on their forehead. They are put as a shape of a cross as a reminder that we are dust and to dust we shall return. 

Lent is a penitential season within the church and many people speak of “giving something up” or “adding something extra” to their routine. 

Coach Rockers said, “The ashes remind me that I am a sinner, and that I have a savior.” 

In the Campus Ministry class, the peer ministers wrote and reflected on three ways of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving for their Lenten goals. They will do periodic checkups throughout the season to see how it’s going and to help each other persevere through this time. 

These things can really help make you closer to God through our suffering,” said Grace Bailes (12).

Joseph Jones (12) said, “Lent for me means a period of readjustment and it helps to realign my faith.”

The Peer Ministry program has lots in store for this time of year and has been planning multiple things including writing the living stations of the cross, planning social media challenges on Wednesdays, and writing prayers and reflections for the student body. 

Clara Underwood (12) said, “As a Peer Minister I’m excited to enter into this time to really focus on my faith and lead others closer to it as well.”

Coach Rockers stated, “I hope this will be something that helps me become more of the person that God created me to be rather than a checklist of things and I want this for our students to experience too.”