Ash Wednesday is one of the important dates in Catholic Christian Calendars which begins the six weeks of abstinence from food especially meat. This practice commemorates Jesus Christ who had 40 days and nights of fasting in Judaean Desert.

   "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return." (Genesis 3:19) The cross is marked on the forehead of Catholic Christians as a sign of repentance through the use of ash which came from burned palms from the previous Easter Sunday last year.

    As mentioned by Fr. Encelan in his homily at 12NN mass in ST Chapel, abstinence is not only by means of not eating, it includes someone's daily habits such as using phone in a long period of time and judging people in a wrongful manner.

   “To savor the moment with full of humility na sana makita nila sa sarili nila ‘yung mga pagkukulang nila, to be conscious of their tendencies and of course to be aware of their own sinfulness and of course, to have courage to change their ways to really repent then eventually try to amend their ways as they fulfill the values of the Gospel (To savor the moment with full humility and hopefully see for themselves their deficiencies),” Fr. Encelan said in an interview when asked about his message to Adamsonians now that it is Lent season.

   The CMO Director also said that he hopes for the Adamsonians to really follow the teachings of the Catholic Church and take time to reflect among themselves during Lent season.

    In his Ash Wednesday mass in Vatican, Pope Francis explained the marked received by Catholic Christians, "It is a reminder that of the many things occupying our thoughts, which we chase after and worry about every day, nothing will remain. No matter how hard we work, we will take no wealth with us from this life."