Detroit Christians take part in Ash Wednesday, with Lent 'a time of reflection, possibility'

Metro Detroit Christians observe start of Lent with Ash Wednesday

On Wednesday in the Detroit Catholic Archdiocese, Archbishop Allen Vigneron said good bye as he prepares to retire.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Today is Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of Lent, and is a day of reflection for many Christians around the world.

In Metro Detroit, many Christians celebrated at St. Aloysius Parish where the retiring Archbishop Allen Vigneron gave his final Ash Wednesday mass.

"Ash Wednesday is something special to me so I can start all over," said Dee Dee Davis, parishioner at St. David’s Episcopal Church.

Parishioners took part in Ash Wednesday with getting drive-thru ashes at St. David's Episcopal Church.

"Lent as you know is our annual time of renewal, reflection and possibility - that we can start over and do better," said Rev. Chris Yaw of St. David's.

On Wednesday in the Detroit Catholic Archdiocese, Archbishop Allen Vigneron said goodbye as he prepares to retire. The archbishop delivered his final Ash Wednesday mass at St. Aloysius Parish in Detroit.

"It’s a great blessing. I thought about all the other Ash Wednesdays from the beginning of my time here," he said.

Vigneron has been archbishop for nearly two decades and at the age of 76, he has decided to serve the faithful in another capacity.

"I’m looking forward to the opportunity to study more and be more engaged in teaching the faith," Vigneron said.

And when it comes to faith, the archbishop wanted to share a message.

"We need to be on this journey of hope together," he said. "There seems to be a sense of hopelessness abroad. The Pope has picked up on that, and he invites all of us to be apostles of hope."

As Pope Francis remains hospitalized dealing with health complications the archbishop remains hopeful.

"We have to sustain him with our prayers," he said. "People of good will are very much praying for him."

Archbishop Vigneron’s final mass on March 9th will bring out the faithful as he prays for his successor Bishop Edward Weisenburger to lead Catholics forward in faith.

"I think he’s going to find the people of God that are alive with the faith and ready to follow his lead in this new chapter in our life," Vigneron said.

The Source: Information for this story came from interviews with Rev. Chris Yaw, St. David's Episcopal Church, a parishioner at St. David's and Archbishop Allen Vigneron of the Archdiocese of Detroit.