“It’s a time for us to remember what’s important in our life,” Convery said. “You do things that remind you to be a better person.”

The Rev. Joe Krupp, a priest at St. John Catholic Student Center and the director of campus ministry for the parish, said the number of students who attended the church on Ash Wednesday almost doubled church attendance on a typical weekend, which is about 3,600.

“After Lent, attendance soars and then drops off as the season progresses,” Krupp said. “(Lent) is kind of a spiritual boot camp. … We up our fast to discipline our bodies, we up our charitable works to discipline our hearts.”

Those who observe Lent often make a commitment to do something during the season to bring them closer to God. Krupp said he will give up meat and fast food for the duration of the 40-day period.

This year also is the first Lent after St. John Catholic Student Center merged with St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, 955 Alton St.

St. Thomas Aquinas Parish existed prior to St. John Catholic Student Center, but moved farther away from MSU’s campus to property large enough for building a school, said the Rev. Mark Inglot, the pastor at Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish and St. John Catholic Student Center.

St. John Catholic Student Center was built so students could get to church even if they didn’t own a car.

Now more students live off campus and own cars, so they attend both parishes, Inglot said.

“This was so we can share clergy and staff people and not duplicate programs,” Inglot said.
Krupp said the merger was more convenient for parishoners this year on Ash Wednesday because of the parish’s two Mass locations.

“Last year at this time for Mass you had two priests covering two places one mile apart,” Krupp said. “There were 13 Masses between the two and what we’ve done is combine them, so you have one parish with two sites and you have three priests covering eight Masses.”

Krupp said the merger was important to unify the Catholic community in East Lansing.

“Hopefully … this new entity preparing Catholic leaders from cradle to grave by bringing these together and making an East Lansing Catholic community,” he said.

Inglot said he saw many students at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish and St. Thomas Aquinas Parish parishioners at St. John Catholic Student Center — something he had not seen in past years.

Another addition to the Lenten season this year is a day of reflection for women of St. John Catholic Student Center on Feb. 27. The day is part of a national event, with talks and discussions reflecting on the Lenten season.

Krupp said the parish also is using the season to draw attention to other church events such as Stations of the Cross on Fridays and exposition of the Eucharist on Tuesdays along with reconciliation.