This year’s Lunar New Year celebration falls on Ash Wednesday Feb 18. Because this is a traditional day of celebration for many members of our Archdiocese, Archbishop Miller has issued a dispensation from fast and abstinence for those who celebrate this festival.
However, as Lent is a penitential time of preparation for the Passion, Death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Archbishop is obliging all who make use of this dispensation to observe a day of fast and abstinence on either Wednesday Feb 25 or Friday Feb 27.
Mass and distribution of ashes will take place as usual on Feb 18. Please note this relaxation of the rule for such a significant day of the liturgical calendar is a one-time dispensation and is not valid for the future.