March 30th Pastor's Message

Read this week's message from Father Don

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Dear Friends,

In two weeks time we will celebrate Palm Sunday (aka Passion Sunday), the beginning of Holy Week which culminates in the Easter Triduum (“three days”) of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Holy Saturday Easter Vigil. 

While Easter Sunday has been celebrated from the earliest days of the Church, Holy Week developed gradually and came to be celebrated in a variety of different forms. Originally, the Easter Triduum began on Good Friday not Holy Thursday. On the Sunday before Easter, the Catholics in Rome celebrated Passion Sunday, while the Catholics in Jerusalem celebrated Palm Sunday. 

However it has been celebrated, the liturgies of Holy Week and Easter have always been focused on the great mystery of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The different celebrations highlight different aspects of the mystery but their common focus is Jesus crucified and risen and how this mystery impacts our lives. The palms, the washing of feet, the kissing of the cross, the altar of repose and the Easter fire are colourful secondary elements that point toward the essential heart of the week-long celebration: Jesus, the incarnate Son of God, surrendered himself unto death and rose again in triumph for our salvation.

Here are the Holy Week details:

Palm Sunday, April 13:  come to mass 10 minutes early so you can join in the procession.

Holy Thursday, April 17: The mass of the Last Supper will begin at 7 p.m. followed by eucharistic adoration in the parish hall. Bring food donations for the poor.

Good Friday, April 18: There will be Children’s Stations of the Cross at 10 am and the Seven Last Words at 2:30 p.m. before the Liturgy of the Passion. Confessions will be available at 5 pm.

Holy Saturday, April 19: The Easter Vigil will begin at 9:30 p.m. with the blessing of the Easter fire.

Easter Sunday, April 20: After the morning masses there will be brunch in the hall, as well as games and an Easter Egg Hunt for the kids.  Mass will also be celebrated at 7 pm

I look forward to seeing you at our Holy Week liturgies.

Love

Fr Don

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