Lent Begins: Celebrate Ash Wednesday in St. Charles

Patch has a look at where services will be held Wednesday.

The Lenten season begins for Christians tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb. 13. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of 40 days of prayer and reflection before the Easter holiday. Here is look at 2013 Ash Wednesday services in St. Charles, St. Peters, O'Fallon and Wentzville. St. Charles St. Cletus Catholic Church St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church Saint Peter Catholic Church of St. Charles St Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church St Charles Borromeo Catholic Parish St. Peters All Saints Roman Catholic Church Sts Joachim and Ann  O'Fallon Assumption Catholic Church Immaculate Conception Church of Dardenne Lake Saint Louis/Wentzville St. Patrick Church Saint Theodore Church

• Photos (1)

Use Our Map, Find a Fish Fry for Lent Around St. Louis

Groups from around the St. Louis area have submitted information about their fish frys. Use this map to find one near you. It's not too late to add another fish fry to the map.

Lent starts Wednesday and runs through March 30. Between now and then, we want to help you find your way to the nearest fish fry in the St. Louis area. Use the map above and click on any of the red markers. A window will pop up with details about that fish fry, supplied by the organizers of the event. Double-click on the map to zoom in, or use the slider on the left to zoom in or out. If you click on the map, you can drag it around to see specific parts of the region. An Associated Press article published in USA Today called fish frys "a timeworn Catholic tradition that provides a safe haven from divides that have long roiled the U.S. church, a place where traditionalist Catholics, progressive Catholics and everyone in between can sit …

•  17 Comments
• Photos (1)

Thomas E. Phelan

9:20 am on Friday, March 8, 2013

parking is good . fish is to dry . St John Bosco has the best fish   more ›

St. Louis Fish Fry: Is Your Church Hosting One This Lent?

If your Catholic church or other group is operating one this year, here's how you can let us know.

We're eager to get the word out to our readers about where they can find fish frys this Lenten season. If your Catholic church or other group is operating one this year, please fill out this form with the details. We'll compile the list of frys that we get and make sure that information is available to our readers throughout the season. An Associated Press article published in USA Today called fish frys "a timeworn Catholic tradition that provides a safe haven from divides that have long roiled the U.S. church, a place where traditionalist Catholics, progressive Catholics and everyone in between can sit peacefully at the same plastic tablecloth." If you're looking at this on a mobile device, please come back and visit when you're at a …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

What Are You Giving Up for Lent?

Chocolate? Facebook? What are you giving up for this religious time?

If you've logged on to Patch lately, you might have noticed our interactive map of fish frys. It's our way to help anyone giving up meat for Lent find a place for a tasty meal and to support communities. But it got us thinking: What besides meat are you giving up for Lent? And how is it going? It's tough going without something you are used to. If you are sacrificing a favorite food or activity for this period of religious observance, tell us about it. We'd love to know. Submit your responses in the comments below, or email your local Patch editor.

•  12 Comments
• Photos (1)

Kalen Ponche

11:54 am on Wednesday, March 7, 2012

I gave up French fries at the beginning of 2012. Still going strong!   more ›

Faith Matters

Christians in Many St. Charles Churches Mark the Beginning of Lent

Traditions associated with Ash Wednesday are relevant.

Religion has tradition. During Lent--these 40 days before Easter, not including Sundays in the count--I want tradition. Last Wednesday, March 9, was Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent. The word Lent comes from the Old English word for “lengthen” since in the springtime, the days get longer. Although the day is called Ash Wednesday, not every church offers the imposition of ashes, that placing of the sign of the cross on the forehead or back of the hand using ash. I went in search of ashes and tradition. I attended the noon Ash Wednesday service at Trinity Episcopal Church, 318 S. Duchesne Drive in St. Charles.  As I walked in the door, I saw the color purple--the traditional color of Lent. The altar cloth and other sanctuary …

• Photos (4)

Try Llywelyn's for a Classic Lenten Fish Fry

In honor of Lent, we sought out a fish fry for this week's review. Short of sneaking into a church on Friday night, where better to look than an Irish pub?

First, I tried stopping by Timothy’s Irish Pub. At noon, there were only two cars in the parking lot. One was occupied by a chain-smoker sitting alone in his car with the windows up. The other had a man with a lap full of paperwork who kept opening the door to yell at birds, and, when he noticed me going in, to throw a random shout my way as well. The only people inside were three angry looking men playing pool who glared me back out of the building. Well, so much for that. Since I was on a quest for a fish fry I decided to head down to Main Street and try the local branch of Llywelyn’s. The contrast was amazing. Instead of an empty parking lot, I had to park two blocks away. Inside the bustling restaurant, every table was full. I snagged …

• Photos (6)