Entering a Time of Sacrifice

Dozens of teens from Corona del Mar High School filtered through the doors in groups of three and four, joking and playful.

But once inside Our Queen of Angels Catholic Church, across the street from the campus, their thoughts turned to sacrifice. Along with hundreds of parishioners attending the lunchtime Mass at Our Queen of Angels and millions of others around the world, the teens marked Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent.

“I’m giving up candy because it represents how Jesus gave up food and water for 40 days,” said freshman Laura Claster.

Sacrifices are fine, but sophomore Kevin Witt thinks activism is better.

“Younger kids should give up stuff, like video games and candy,” said Witt. “Teenagers should help their church and community.”

Though their notions of sacrifice may differ from those offered by older parishioners, children and teens are perfectly able to understand the central concept of Lent, local priests say: the need for repentance, self-control and humility.

“It’s a message for youth and for octogenarians,” said Msgr. Lawrence Baird, communications director for the Diocese of Orange. “It’s as important for a youngster as it is for an older person to recognize that we come from dust and we’ll return to dust.”

With a symbolic, cross-shaped smudge of ashes on their foreheads, Catholics and members of other Christian denominations that celebrate Ash Wednesday entered a 40-day period leading up to Easter.

During that time, the faithful are expected to make sacrifices in commemoration of Christ’s 40-day fast in the wilderness. While Bishop Tod D. Brown set out expected sacrifices--abstaining from meat on Fridays and attending daily Mass, for example--in a letter to parishioners, sacrifices of spirit are acceptable.

Orange County churches celebrated the day with services ranging from an 8:30 a.m. Mass for children at San Juan Capistrano Mission Catholic Church to services in Spanish and Vietnamese.

Many offered multiple services. St. Bonaventure Catholic Church in Huntington Beach, for example, offered seven Masses from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. in three languages.

At the Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Fountain Valley, Tim Collison said his two young daughters probably won’t understand everything said in the Ash Wednesday service but will learn what the church wants to convey through his example.

“When children see adults pray, they too understand,” Collison said. “It gives them the exposure to church.”

Corona del Mar sophomore Hillary Ward will give up candy but also will donate the money she spends for candy to her church.

Giving up a bad habit for Lent is an ancient practice that dates back to the 4th century, according to biblical scholars. Many believers choose to adopt a virtue instead of giving up a vice.

“We teach the children to practice virtues, like tolerance, to be more friendly to people like classmates who may be different,” said Father Tuyen Nguyen of St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Tustin. “We tell them to open their hearts to others and accept the difference in others.”

Father Joe Kneer of Fountain Valley said not only should the children spend more time studying and helping family members, but they also should be praying.

“Do it because you want to be helpful to people,” he said. “May we do the Lord’s will.”

Baird said he’s going to give up drinking wine for Lent and spend more time in prayer.

“We’re all sinners and we all have to do penance in our lives,” he said.