BY ALANIS GUINADA
QUEENS— Numerous Catholics from Jamaica, Queens and the surrounding communities gathered at St. Pius the V Church to mark the Ash Wednesday holiday on Feb. 22.
Ash Wednesday is the celebration that begins the season of Lent in which over the course of forty days and forty nights, those who celebrate, repent from their sins and give up something in honor of Jesus.
As the patrons of St. Pius the V filtered into the 7:30 p.m. mass, a low murmur of voices could be heard chatting about their upcoming plans for the seasons and catching up on life since Sunday mass. Once the choir began to sing in Father Felix Sanchez, the chatter dropped and all faced the front of the church.
“I love that St. Pius is always offering celebrations for the holidays and giving a place for members of the community like me to have a safe space to worship. It’s not everyday you see such an open church environment,” said congregant Gloria Valdez.
The community around the church is heavily involved in its successes as many locals partake in the staff such as running the front office that takes phone calls from members and sets children up in Sunday School.
Throughout the Lent season, every Friday, St. Pius the V contemplates the Stations of the Cross at 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. mass as a reminder of their faith and what the season is about.
Aside from celebrating Lent, the parish is hosting other events to honor and celebrate the community. A mass dedicated to Black History Month will be held on Feb. 26, with food and celebration after the service.
This church has been in the community for about 110 years and has opened its doors to anyone willing to walk through them.
Due to the diverse area that the church is in, the church offers mass services inEnglish, Portuguese and Spanish
On their website, they include links and descriptions to all the services they offer and how to gain access to them. There is also a resource link out to videos and articles on explanations of different parts of the belief that help understand their mission.
“I’ve been working here for a while and it’s always nice to see new faces and old members come out to these celebrations, it builds community,” said Lee Alves, one of the Directors of Religious Education at the church, who spoke on the importance of the Church for the community.
They also provide a food pantry on every first Wednesday of the month at noon that opens its doors to locals and anyone who is in need to receive what they need. The members of the church can donate food at any time, most often received on Sunday masses.
As the celebrations begin in preparation for Easter, many of the members of St. Pius the V are getting involved in the church to ensure a profound and meaningful season to all congregants.