St. Mary's Catholic Church Welcomes Community for Ash Wednesday Services

ALTON - As parishioners filed into St. Mary’s Catholic Church for their Ash Wednesday Mass, Father Nathan Marzonie, OMV, reflected on what the church means to the community.

On Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, community members gathered at St. Mary’s at several times during the day to worship and receive ashes ahead of the Lenten season. Fr. Marzonie noted that Lent is also known as “the season of grace,” and he encourages people to reflect on their faith.

“I really hope that people experience it as an opportunity to receive God’s grace,” he said. “Your part is simply to make sure that you do what you can to be available to God’s grace, trusting that He does give us grace, to repent, to be reunited to Him, to even grow in overcoming sins and faults in our Christian life.”

As part of the Ash Wednesday services, Fr. Marzonie read from St. Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. He hopes people resonate with the passage, “This is the time of grace. Now is the day of salvation. Do not receive the grace of God in vain.”

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A new pastor at St. Mary’s, Fr. Marzonie is marking his first Ash Wednesday and Lenten season with the church. He has enjoyed the chance to meet people from the community.

St. Mary’s is known across the Riverbend region for its history. Fr. Marzonie is happy to be a part of such a beloved community in Alton, and he hopes St. Mary’s continues to be a place of peace and worship for those in need.

“St. Mary’s has been here for over 160 years as a parish, so it really is a pillar of the community. I could sense that immediately in coming in here,” he said. “People really trust that they can rely on St. Mary’s, that St. Mary’s is here for them at every point in their life…That really does mean a lot to me to be part of that.”

As Lent begins, Fr. Marzonie and St. Mary’s parishioners encourage the community to engage. He noted that the church is there for everyone, and they hope to welcome more people to their services, whether that’s on Ash Wednesday, during Lent, or anytime throughout the year.

“What I want people to know above all and to experience when they come to St. Mary’s, whether they’ve never been before or been away for a long time or have had any kind of need, is that St. Mary’s is here for them,” he added. “We understand it as a part of our mission not only to serve people who are Catholics and people who are actively practicing their faith, but to reach out to the entire community, even well beyond the Catholic population of Alton, to serve everyone. I want people to know that they can come to St. Mary’s and they can count on us to provide what we can for their needs, spiritual or otherwise.”

For more information about St. Mary’s Catholic Church, including Mass times, visit their official website at StMarysAlton.com.

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