By Roy Hoffman February 18, 2010, 5:58AM (Press-Register/Bill Starling)The sign of the cross is seen in ashes on Patricia Wells’ forehead during an Ash Wednesday service at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church. MOBILE, Ala. — at churches throughout south Alabama on Ash Wednesday, the raucousness of Mardi Gras was put away for the solemnity of Lent.

The faithful gathered to join in hymns and prayers as the 40-day Lenten season began, culminating in Easter Sunday, April 4.

“Ash Wednesday is a time to sacrifice and prepare for the Lord’s coming,” said Carole Rathle Grant, attending Mass at little Flower Catholic Church in midtown Mobile.

“It’s a time to simplify our lives,” said Grant, “and to reflect on who Christ is to us.”

Grant, who serves as youth minister at Corpus Christ Catholic Church in west Mobile, was attending little Flower out of family tradition with her mother, Carol Rathle, and daughters, Gabrielle and Stella.

“When I receive the ashes,” said Carol Rathle, who’s been attending little Flower for 50 years, “it shows I’m starting out afresh.”

The Rev. John Lynes, pastor of little Flower, read from the Gospel of St. Matthew – “When you pray, don’t be like a hypocrite” – then spoke of the meaning of self-denial, prayer, and charity.

“It’s between you and God,” he said of Lenten virtues.

For the many students in attendance from K-8 little Flower School, he added that sacrifice could be “to deny” getting bad grades, being a bully, or gossiping.

“The ashes are a sign,” said Lynes, who explained that the distribution of the ashes was accompanied by one of two statements: “Remember you are dust and to dust you will return,” or “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.”

Sometimes, he noted, a parishioner asks, “Why me?” when receiving one blessing or the other.

“Because I know,” Lynes said, eliciting a chuckle from the parishioners.

After Lynes blessed the ashes and “those who receive these ashes,” the parishioners lined up to receive them.

The noonday light struck the stained-glass windows depicting the saints,
with a large statue of St. Teresa of little Flower looking on from near the entrance of the church.

There were beautiful paintings of Mary and the baby Jesus, and St. Joseph and Jesus as a child, on the walls near the altar.

Hymns were sung throughout the Mass, led by the church’s music director Dave Masline, who also played piano.

At the heart of the ceremony Masline led a song, text and music by Tom Conry, called “Ashes”:

“We rise again from ashes, from the good we’ve failed to do. We rise again from ashes, to create ourselves anew. if all our world is ashes, then must our lives be true, another offering of ashes, an offering to you.”

With Mardi Gras over, Lent begins