Bishop Richard J. Malone will distribute ashes at the 12:05 p.m. Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral, 50 Franklin St., Buffalo, on Wednesday, March 1, Ash Wednesday. 

Church guidelines for Lent include, for all Catholics who have reached their 14^th birthday, abstaining totally from meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays of Lent including Good Friday.  Catholics who are between their 18^th and 59^th birthdays are also bound to observe the Law of Fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.  This practice involves limiting oneself to a single full meal and avoiding food between meals.  Light sustenance may be taken on two other occasions in the course of the day.

Also, all Catholics who have made their First Communion are bound by the obligation of receiving Communion at least once a year.  This must be done during the Easter season, between March 5 (first Sunday of Lent) and June 11 (Trinity Sunday), unless, for a good reason, it is fulfilled at another time.