{"id":183588,"date":"2026-02-18T23:01:13","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T23:01:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/183588\/"},"modified":"2026-02-18T23:01:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T23:01:13","slug":"los-angeles-county-christians-usher-in-lent-with-calls-to-make-the-most-of-the-gift-of-life-daily-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/183588\/","title":{"rendered":"Los Angeles County Christians usher in Lent, with calls to \u2018make the most of the gift of life\u2019 \u2013 Daily News"},"content":{"rendered":"

Los Angeles County Christians ushered in the Lenten season on Wednesday, Feb. 18, beginning a 40-day journey of preparation for Easter anchored in penance for sins and the search for spiritual renewal through prayer, abstinence and service to others.<\/p>\n

Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez presided over an early-morning Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels in Downtown Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

Nearly 500 Angelenos at the Mass received the smudge of a cross on their foreheads, made from the ashes of the palms burned on Palm Sunday, a symbol of repentance for one\u2019s sins.<\/p>\n

\u201cLent tells us that even now, we can become ourselves again,\u201d Gomez said in his early-morning homily. \u201cThe ashes that we receive today are a sign of our mortality, a sign that we are all but dust. We are put here on this earth for only a little while. We need to redeem the time, make the most of this gift of life.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was the first of a 40-day period of sacrifice, almsgiving, and renewal leading to the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter. During this season, Catholics participate in a Lenten sacrifice by giving up certain pleasures and abstaining from eating meat on Fridays, rooted in devotion to Jesus Christ\u2019s sacrifice for the sins of man.<\/p>\n

The archbishop, who serves the country\u2019s largest Catholic community, also encouraged attendees to remember the three pillars of the Lenten season\u2014prayer, fasting, and almsgiving\u2014by prayer, living with less and giving more, and attending to the needs of others.<\/p>\n

The beginning of the Lenten season this year comes at a precarious time for Catholics nationwide, as federal immigration raids continue to tear through American cities and stoke a sense of fear in many immigrant communities.<\/p>\n

\"ArchbishopArchbishop Jos\u00e9 Gomez celebrates Mass on Ash Wednesday at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angeles in Los Angeles, CA on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting and marks the first day of Lent: the seven weeks of prayer, fasting and compassion before the arrival of Easter. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News\/SCNG)<\/p>\n

As the Lenten season approached, faith communities across the region, not just Catholics, have straddled their faith, advocacy and the politics of a nation in the midst of the Trump administration\u2019s massive deportation campaign.<\/p>\n

As a result, churches across L.A. County, since the beginning of sweeping federal immigration enforcements in June of last year, have taken more precautionary measures to protect and support undocumented congregants.<\/p>\n

Last July, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles launched a Family Assistance Program to deliver groceries, meals, and prescription medicine to vulnerable Catholics in Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties, building off an existing program that functioned during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n

In the same month, Bishop Albert Rojas of the Diocese of San Bernardino lifted the obligation to attend mass for Catholics who fear \u201cpotential federal immigration actions by civil authorities.\u201d<\/p>\n

That fear continues to put a strain on Catholics and their obligation to Christ, especially in such holy seasons like Lent. They\u2019re forced to grapple with maintaining their faith while also protecting their safety.<\/p>\n

Parishioners, on the other hand, are trying to find ways to reach the faithful living in fear.<\/p>\n

In at least one case, a Riverside County church is distributing special Lent packets, complete with small baggies of Lenten ash, to be delivered to those too fearful of coming in person to a church.<\/p>\n

\"Parishioners<\/p>\n

Parishioners celebrate Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angeles in Los Angeles, CA on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting and marks the first day of Lent: the seven weeks of prayer, fasting and compassion before the arrival of Easter. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Parishioners<\/p>\n

Parishioners celebrate Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angeles in Los Angeles, CA on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting and marks the first day of Lent: the seven weeks of prayer, fasting and compassion before the arrival of Easter. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Parishioners<\/p>\n

Parishioners leave Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angeles in Los Angeles, CA on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting and marks the first day of Lent: the seven weeks of prayer, fasting and compassion before the arrival of Easter. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Parishioners<\/p>\n

Parishioners celebrate Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angeles in Los Angeles, CA on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting and marks the first day of Lent: the seven weeks of prayer, fasting and compassion before the arrival of Easter. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Archbishop<\/p>\n

Archbishop Jos\u00e9 Gomez marks the sign of the cross on parishioners during Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angeles in Los Angeles, CA on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting and marks the first day of Lent: the seven weeks of prayer, fasting and compassion before the arrival of Easter. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Archbishop<\/p>\n

Archbishop Jos\u00e9 Gomez celebrates Mass on Ash Wednesday at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angeles in Los Angeles, CA on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting and marks the first day of Lent: the seven weeks of prayer, fasting and compassion before the arrival of Easter. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

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Parishioners celebrate Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angeles in Los Angeles, CA on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting and marks the first day of Lent: the seven weeks of prayer, fasting and compassion before the arrival of Easter. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a><\/p>\n

At the beginning of the month, Archbishop Gomez led a special mass for immigrants and their families, calling for peace amidst aggressive immigration enforcement.<\/p>\n

And on Wednesday, a handful of Catholic priests from the Diocese of Los Angeles went to the federal immigration center in Downtown Los Angeles to attempt to distribute ashes and other services to detained immigrants and employees inside the building for Ash Wednesday.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat better way to respond to the situation than by bringing the services to them?\u201d asked Father Brendan Busse, SJ, of Dolores Mission Church, for families with loved ones in detention or who cannot attend mass out of fear.<\/p>\n

On Wednesday morning, those priests were denied entry into the center, despite sending a letter ahead of time notifying the center of their arrival.<\/p>\n

Busse said he was \u201cvery disappointed\u201d to be denied entry into the detention center to offer what he stated Catholics have the right to receive, especially during such an important time for the faithful.<\/p>\n

The priests were able to, however, distribute some ashes to families waiting in line for court appointments on the south side of the federal immigration building.<\/p>\n

Then, security told them they couldn\u2019t offer those services there.<\/p>\n

Last summer, Busse said he saw a drop in his parish\u2019s attendance amidst the height of federal immigration raids in the city.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll members of our parish have been affected,\u201d said Busse. \u201cAll are fearing the fear and anxiety of this moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

But that decline has been largely temporary, since his parish has acted \u201cin solidarity\u201d with one another. He said that rapid-response networks have created a sense of safety in the mission, and the availability of at-home services and financial support from the diocese has supported Catholics who\u2019ve stayed home during this intense period.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Our mission] has a long tradition of not only opening our doors and welcoming people looking for pastoral care and services, but meeting them where they are,\u2019 Busse said.<\/p>\n

Julianna Lozada is a correspondent with the Southern California News Group.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Los Angeles County Christians ushered in the Lenten season on Wednesday, Feb. 18, beginning a 40-day journey of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":183589,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[7,85617,48,52,51,47,137,50,49,100,6163,5760,136],"class_list":{"0":"post-183588","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-los-angeles","8":"tag-california","9":"tag-easter","10":"tag-la","11":"tag-la-headlines","12":"tag-la-news","13":"tag-los-angeles","14":"tag-los-angeles-county","15":"tag-los-angeles-headlines","16":"tag-los-angeles-news","17":"tag-news","18":"tag-religion","19":"tag-san-gabriel-valley","20":"tag-top-stories"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183588","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=183588"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183588\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/183589"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=183588"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=183588"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=183588"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}