For the 11th straight year, St. Matthew Catholic Church in Norwalk ensures people can receive ashes on Ash Wednesday even if they can't attend Mass.

The bus makes stops at Norwalk City Hall and local businesses throughout Norwalk, Southport and Stamford.

Church officials say the idea for the bus was inspired by Pope Francis' call to "meet people where they are."

“There are a lot of people who cannot go to church for different reasons,” says Fr. Miguel Betancur Lenis of St. Matthew Catholic Church. “Some of them are homebound, some of them are sick, some of them work — the business of the day doesn't allow us to go to church.”

Over the past decade, church officials say thousands of people have received ashes from the ashes-to-go bus.