As the city of Selma and congregations of Our Lady of Peace and Immaculate Conception grieve the loss of Father Carroll Plourde, Ash Wednesday and Lenten services will proceed as planned.

Father Richard Myhalyk said Tuesday he and Father Steve Hornat would step in to keep the services moving forward.

“He [Steve] will take over for the Queen of Peace services and I will handle the services in Orrville,” he said. “Right now, the services will proceed as planned.”

Three masses with ashes will take place at Queen of Peace. The first will be held at 8:30 a.m. followed by additional services at noon and 7 p.m.

At Immaculate Conception, services will take place at 6 p.m. A service for Marion Military Institute will be held in the chapel on campus at 4 p.m.

Cathedral Academy headmaster the Rev. Brent Keith said services would also be held for students. To prepare, Keith said the school hosted a pancake dinner Tuesday to get the large meal out of the way before Lent begins

Wednesday morning Keith said there will be traditional service. The students, he said, always show a lot of enthusiasm for the Lenten season.

“They are working on decorations and some have already talked about what they plan to give up like sweets and some have been as bold as to say the internet,” he said. “The little ones especially get excited and really like to participate.”

One of the things he stresses to the students, Keith said, is to take time to evaluate their lives.

“We live in a world where people want immediate results,” he said. “We try to stress to them they need to slow down and focus on other things in life.”

The season, he said, is also an opportunity for reflection.

“This is really time to get back to the basics and really examine your place in the world,” he said. “We can look back and say what’s wrong here. We can also be aware of our own mortality. Life is very short and it helps us value life to look at it from that respect.”