St. Julie’s marked the first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday, with 4 voluntary services throughout the day.  Close to 200 staff and students attended these services giving up time before school, at break and at lunch to do so.

We reflected on the opportunities of Lent and asked for forgiveness for the times we have fallen short of being the best we can be.

Ashes were then distributed by student and staff ministers and recipients responded to the prayer to "Turn away from sin and believe that God loves you" with an "AMEN".

One of the most powerful and moving parts of the service was the observation that receiving ashes on this day is something that St. Julie herself would have done at the age of each of the participants.  It brought her close to us, knowing that in this small way, we are walking in her saintly footsteps.  We even anointed her statue as a reminder of this!

Ash Wednesday also marked the start of our Lenten Swirl project – a daily 30 second video challenge which you can find at our Prayer Wall!