After Fat Tuesday celebrations Holy Cross Church plans to bring Ash Wednesday to the streets

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.-Rev. Egren Gomez will spend part of Ash Wednesday offering ashes to people who walk or drive into the Holy Cross Catholic Church car port between 3-4 in the afternoon.

"One of the awesome things that we are going this year with Ash Wednesday is [Pope]Frances has been telling us to take the church to the streets because that is what Jesus did," said Fr. Gomez.

He is reaching out before Lent.

"We are going to have curbside ashes and so with folks that are out there here on the Mesa if they want to get their ashes curbside, if they want to get a hug or if they want to create, whatever it is that they are feeling they want to do we will be available for them."

He also plans to dedicate the day to his late friend and neighbor Bishop David O'Connell who was killed in his Hacienda Heights home over the weekend.

"He walked the walk he really did and he just didn't talk it, he was out there with the community."

His faith helps with the shock.

"He will be greatly missed. It is sad and difficult," said Gomez, ' But our faith says our death is not the end."

Ash Wednesday is an annual high holiday of the church.

"It is really a beautiful day, what we do it we literally put ashes on their forehead, everyone who is walking around who is Catholic is walking around with a mark symbol and it causes a lot of curiosity," said Fr. Gomez, "Bottom line is it a moment a pause to begin the journey a 40 day journey of transformation."

He said his theme at the church is transformation or metamorphosis.

He said it is a time to settle, to be quite, pray and and listen.

On the eve before Ash Wednesday people enjoyed a night of music, dancing, wining and dining at places such as the Palace Grill in Santa Barbara.

"We just did our sing-a-long here, we do Louis Armstrong 'What a Wonderful World' it's been a tradition of ours for a long time. It really brings everybody together," said Palace General Manager Mondo Salazar.

Customer Karen Williams called it a tradition.

"We brought the whole family tonight, we have been going for years, " said Williams.

Workers called it a good night for tips.

"The environment is just amazing you see all the jazz the music it is cool to be here," said Brandon Beltran.

Participants don't have to be Catholic to enjoy both Fat Tuesday or Ash Wednesday.

For more information about Ash Wednesday services at Holy Cross visit http://holycrosssantabarbara.org