Announcement from the CRBC Commission for Sacred Liturgy
.  
January 29, 2015
     
1.
   February 18th is Ash Wednesday.  It coincides with the Lunar New Year’s Eve, a
    day for family reunion.   Each parish can arrange a Mass in the morning and have the Rite of Blessing and Distribution of Ashes during the celebration of Mass. 

For pastoral reasons, aside from celebrating the Rite for Ash Wednesday on “Ash Wednesday” itself, it can also be done on the first Sunday of Lent for those who have not yet received the ashes on Ash Wednesday.  This rite can be done after the Mass using the ashes blessed on Ash Wednesday.

Celebrating the Rite for Ash Wednesday on a Lunar New Year during Lent when it is the time for repentance and renewal, is consistent with the spirit of the New Year: “All things begin again and all things are new.”Thus, it is suggested that during the imposition of ashes, the celebrant uses the second formula: “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.”

   
 
 
2.
   The Catholic Church gives special permission to the Church in Taiwan to be
   

exempted from observing fast and abstinence from the Lunar New Year’s Eve until the 15th day (February 18 to March 5).  However, the faithful are encouraged to do spiritual and corporal works of mercy.
 
 
3.
   During the Lunar New Year, the prayers for families or communities such as “New
   

Year’s Eve Thanksgiving Prayer”, “Veneration for Ancestors’ Prayer” and “Chinese New Year’s Prayer” can be found in the CRBC Commission for Sacred Liturgy webpage: www.catholic.org.tw/SLiturgy/ (only in Chinese)
 
 
4.
   The Lantern Festival is on March 5th (15th day of the Lunar Calendar).  For the local
   

Church it is a “Day of Blessing” (one of the four Rogation and Ember Days).   Thus, a Mass for the “Day of Blessing” can be celebrated on this day.  The prayers proper for this Mass can be found in the “Day of Blessing” 「祈福日」 booklet (in Chinese only) published by the CRBC Commission for Sacred Liturgy.