Georgetown students mock Ash Wednesday by drawing butts on foreheads to celebrate ‘A** Wednesday’

By Samantha Kamman, Christian Post Reporter Wednesday, February 14, 2024Healy Hall, Georgetown University’s most prestigious building.in Washington, D.C., on June 4, 2019. | Getty Images

Students tabling at a Catholic university in Washington, D.C., drew butts on their foreheads and invited people to join them in celebrating “A** Wednesday,” an allusion to the first day of Lent, which is known as “Ash Wednesday.”

Georgetown University is considered one of the oldest Catholic and Jesuit schools in the nation. According to its webpage, the university provides “students with a world-class learning experience focused on educating the whole person through exposure to different faiths, cultures and beliefs.” 

On Wednesday, America First Policy Institute’s Chief Engagement Officer Ashley Hayek shared a photo on X of multiple Georgetown students standing around a table. Three of the students seen in the photo had black marks on their foreheads that resembled a derriere. 

The students appeared to be holding tiny cups as they stood beside a table with two signs taped to the front. One of the signs stated, “Heckler Valentines,” while the other instructed passersby to come “Celebrate A[**] Wednesday.” 

In her social media post, Hayek noted that Georgetown is a Catholic university, and she referred to the display as a “DISGRACE.” 

“It’s disturbing that these students would mock the sacred tradition of Ash Wednesday — a day of profound significance around the world,” Hayek continued. “Shame on them. And shame on Georgetown for allowing this!!” 

Georgetown University did not immediately respond to The Christian Post’s request for comment. 

A graduate of Georgetown University, Angela Morabito, replied to Hayek’s post, commenting, “The thing about free speech is it gets the morons to tell on themselves.” Morabito added, “Signed, A 2x Georgetown grad.” 

Morabito, a spokesperson for the Defense of Freedom Institute, also serves as a visiting fellow at the Independent Women’s Forum. The nonprofit organization has repeatedly fought against allowing men who identify as female to compete in women’s sports, and IWF “celebrates women’s accomplishments and fights to expand women’s options and opportunities.”

“Students at Georgetown — allegedly a Catholic school, and my alma mater — are mocking/sexualizing Ash Wednesday,” Morabito wrote in a Wednesday follow-up post on X, which included additional photos of the students allegedly behind the display. 

One of the photos Morabito shared showed a female student standing behind the table and the caption in the picture read: “come celebrate A[**] Wednesday in red square.” A separate photo in black and white showed four students posing in a picture with the caption, “CELEBRATE A[**] WEDNESDAY.” 

On its website, Georgetown University advertises Ash Wednesday services at the Dahlgren Chapel of The Sacred Heart. The university adds that ashes are dispensed at various locations on campus, and during Catholic Masses and Protestant ecumenical services. 

“As an aid to individual spiritual preparation for Easter, the Lent Daily Devotional offers brief reflections and prayers written by students, faculty, staff, and alumni drawn from the University’s Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox Christian communities,” the website states. “Each morning, an email is sent to subscribers containing the day’s reflection and prayer, and links to daily scripture readings. Thousands of members of the Georgetown community around the world participate in this digital retreat.” 

The university webpage promotes the time of year as a fellowship opportunity by inviting everyone to “participate in the Passion and Resurrection of Our Lord.” Regardless of one’s faith background, Georgetown University stresses that all are welcome to join in Lenten activities. 

CP previously covered a Students for Life of America tabling event at the university in April 2023. Kristan Hawkins, the president of the pro-life organization, visited the school as part of her “Lies Pro-Choicers Believe” speaking tour. 

While the pro-lifers managed to engage several students in productive dialogues about abortion, multiple students chalked pro-choice slogans in front of SFLA’s table to protest the event. Other students attempted to disrupt the event with loud noises to make it difficult to have conversations. Another group of students set up a table across from the pro-life table and stuck out their feet as a form of protest. 

Samantha Kamman is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: samantha.kamman@christianpost.com. Follow her on Twitter: @Samantha_Kamman

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