Please join us on Good Friday for a 3 pm Celebration of the Lord’s Passion. There will be no Holy Mass but there will be distribution and reception of Holy Communion per tradition. Come also at that time to venerate the Holy Cross and partake in the reading of the Lord’s Passion. At 7 pm we will also have the Stations of the Cross so we can further prayerfully unite ourselves to our suffering Lord.
On Holy Thursday, 29 March, our parish will celebrate our Catholic liturgy in the morning at 9 am by praying the Divine Office. At 7 pm we will celebrate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper after which the Blessed Sacrament will be reposed in our Eucharistic Chapel for Adoration until 11 pm. At 8 pm parishioners are invited to jump on a bus leaving from our parking lot to participate in the Visitation of the Seven Churches, a tradition that began in the 16th century in Rome by St. Phillip Neri. We will visit seven deanery churches and should return to our parish church by 10:30 pm.
On the Wednesday of Holy Week, 28 March, we will hold our annual Tenebrae Service which begins at 7 pm in the parish church. This is a very solemn service which meditates on Sacred Scripture, especially the Lamentations of Jeremiah, in preparation of the Holy Triduum which begins the next day on Holy Thursday. Don’t miss out on this very beautiful tradition.
We will begin a Sacred Scripture study program on Monday evening, 12 February at 7 pm to continue at the same time every Monday evening during Lent through to Holy Week (26th of March). The 12th of February is the Monday just prior to Ash Wednesday. Our pastoral services director, Steven Guillotte, will reflect on the Sunday readings in Lent as presented at Holy Mass. Steve will identify and speak on the major theme/s of the Sunday readings which knit together the first and second readings, the responsorial psalm, and the Gospel of the day. This will be a relaxed presentation allowing for some group discussion and deepening consideration of the Word. Further, Steve hopes to weave into the program Lectio Divina or prayerful meditation on the Word. The “spiritual sense” of Scripture will be the main focus over the literal or historical sense. The purpose will be to assist parishioners and others (since others are welcome) to glean the spiritual meaning of the Lenten readings in our Catholic liturgy and enable those who attend this study to practice and learn how to meditate on the Mass readings prior to attending Holy Mass. You are also encouraged to attend Evening Prayer (Vespers) and Benediction at 6:30 pm prior to the Bible Study so as to enhance the Lenten experience. Attendees may bring their Daily Missals to the study; otherwise Bibles are not needed as copies of the readings will be made available to all who attend. Please see or call Steve at the parish office with any questions.
Beginning on Tuesday, January 30th (to run through Tuesday, March 6th) our parish Women of Grace apostolate presents the second half of DIVINE MERCY in the Second Greatest Story Ever Told video series by Fr. Michael Gaitley. All women are welcome to join us for these sessions which will be held on Tuesdays from Noon to 1:30 pm with a repeat session Tuesday evening from 6:30 (begins with Evening Prayer in the church) to 8:30 pm, for those unable to attend during the day. (Note: If the Tuesday falls on our monthly WOG adoration hour then we will start with the video and end with Adoration).
The traditional blessing of throats for St. Blaise’s Day will be offered at the 9 a.m. Mass on Saturday, 3 Feb. If you know of someone with a throat malady, please invite them to this traditional blessing of being prayed over for health and protection.