As Lenten season approaches, US Catholics straddle faith, advocacy, politics

On Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18, Southern California Catholics, and Christians of multitude denominations, will wait in line to get a smudge of ashes on their foreheads, and be reminded that they are sinners, yes, who can redeem themselves if they, as Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez said in a recent homily, become “people who heal, make peace, and bear witness to his love.”

But for the millions of faithful in the archdiocese and at parishes and houses of worship from Orange County to Riverside...