They're off

What a day! It all began in the pre-dawn hours as I rolled out of bed. Bleary eyed, I grabbed for my breviary and had a chat with God. The psalms rolled off my tongue (or through my mind, as I didn't want to wake anyone else in the house), and the readings for the day included a meditation taken from a letter to the Corinthians (yep, the same ones Paul wrote to) written by Saint Clement, the fourth Pope. I always love the Office of Readings. It helps me to keep in touch with the saints who have gone before us, and to remember the great treasure that our faith is.

The sun was just rising when I made my way down the stairs and prepared for the first of two Masses that were celebrated today. There's something about this day that makes people come out in droves. The tracing with ashes on the foreheads of the faithful is still a very powerful symbol, and people thirst for meaningful symbols in today's world.

The first Mass began at 8:00 am and there were about 70 people present. The rythm of the liturgy continued, it's solemnity speaking majestically against the relative quiet of the early morning hours. Thirty minutes later, sinners who had come to this font of grace were back on their way out into the world, having met the Lord, having received the bread of eternal life, and having been refuelled for the journey - oh and yes with the dust of last year's palms traced on their foreheads.

The noon Mass is always more popular in a downtown parish, and this was no exception. I don't think there was an empty seat in the house, but scattered amidst the adults, I also noticed all 120 students from the nearby elementary school. This is their annual pilgrimage to the church - all of them, and it adds a certain something to see them too approach as we place ashes on their heads. After this second tide of humanity had also been fed, it was on to the next invitation to grace, which came in the form of preparing for the evening meeting.

Thanks to ingeneous planning, the evening of Ash Wednesday was spent with candidates who are preparing for Confirmation. They and their families came for this first meeting which was held at the beginning of Lent, and therefore reminiscent of the adults who for centuries have spent this holy season preparing for baptism or to be reconciled with themselves and with God. This brief gathering, which lasted about an hour or so gave me an opportunity to meet the candidates, and to explain a bit about the preparation program for Confirmation. In this parish, the program includes an on-line portion, which is very appealing to parents and candidates alike.

Having outlined the process, and walked through all the requirements, we sent them on their way ... I couldn't help thinking that we are all like these young people. We come to the Lord, recognizing our weaknesses, we ask for forgiveness, we listen to His instruction, we receive his gift of divine food and then we go on our way. Along the way, each of us shares with friends, acquaintances and strangers, the joys and struggles of deepening our faith.

What will Lent bring? How will we react to God's offer of divine gifts during this time of grace?

Happy Lent!

Still alive

For the past number of months, following the annual Autumn gathering of the NFPC in Victoria, I've been MIA from these pages. Some may think that I've been sleeping, but the truth is anything but.

There's lots that I could write about, but let's start with today - or yesterday as it turns out. The Holy Father received one of my good friends in audience yesterday, and I'm glad to see this. Some may know that I first met Andrés Carrascosa while living in Ottawa. We became good friends while I was there, and have managed to keep in touch - albeit somewhat sporatically - over the past number of years.

I had already completed my stint in Ottawa when I received the joyful news that my friend had been appointed Titular Archbishop of Elo and Apostolic Nuncio to the Republic of Congo and to Gabon. In fact, I had the great privilege of attending his Episcopal Ordination which took place in Rome on the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary 2004.

• Cardinal Sodano's homily was preached in French and in Spanish

Since that time, he has been hard at work. With his infectious joy for life and his customary love for God's people, he has managed to do much good in those two African nations, but life has not always been easy there either. There has been civil war brewing just across the border in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and no doubt he's been part of that drama too.

In mid-January of this year, the Holy Father appointed him as Apostolic Nuncio to Panama. This means that for the past six weeks or so, he's been hard at work tying up loose ends, and packing his belongings. By now, they are probably well on their way and he is passing through Rome on his way to Central America. By custom, a newly-appointed Nuncio has three months from the date of his appointment to arrive in the place where he has been asked to serve, so I would expect that he will be in Panama sometime around Easter.