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DignityUSA Executive Director Marianne Duddy-Burke speaks out in Gay City News on the controversy surrounding the funeral of Cecilia Gentili at St. Patrick's Cathedral:
Marianne Duddy-Burke, the executive director of DignityUSA, which represents LGBTQ Catholics, disagreed with the church’s response and voiced skepticism about the archdiocese’s claims.

In order to prepare for Lent, we will have ashes for people to use for the Ash Wednesday service if you cannot participate in-person.  We will have ashes at the Center for those in-person.  

We can mail ashes with the Little Black Book for Lent (or without the book) or you can pick up ashes and the LIttle Black Book for Lent at the church starting on Sunday, January 28, 2024.  There will not be any mailings for ashes after February 6, 2024. Please email liturgy@dignityny.org with your mailing address.

While a day like Christmas is fixed in our minds and on the calendars on December 25th, many of the important feasts of the Church year move, based upon the date that Easter is set. Easter changes each year moving to the Sunday after the "Paschal Full Moon," and can fall between March 22 and April 25.

In ancient times before calendars were common, most people did not know the dates for the upcoming Liturgical year. On Epiphany Sunday, the upcoming dates were "proclaimed" after the gospel or after communion in this way:

PRAYER FOR BLESSING CHALK

Jesus, through your Incarnation and birth in true human form, you have made all the earthy holy. We now ask your blessing upon this simple gift of your creation – chalk. We use it as a tool to teach our children, and they use it as a tool in their play and games. Now, with your blessing, may it become a tool for us to mark the doors of our home with the symbols of your wise servants who, so long ago, came to worship and adore you in your first home.

EPIPHANY HOME BLESSING