Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Welcome to Holy Week and the focal point of our liturgical year! This is a moment when our hearts and minds join together to commemorate the events that brought Jesus to his “hour,” as the Gospel of John reminds us. His “hour” was the culmination of his public ministry of teaching and healing that reached its zenith at Calvary when he gave his all – his very life – to redeem us.
We begin with today’s celebration of Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion. This is a relatively recent title that reflects the two rather distinct aspects of the day’s liturgy: his triumphant entrance into Jerusalem astride a colt (or donkey) while the crowds cheered him with shouts of Hosanna!, followed by the reading of the Passion from the Gospel of Luke.
On Tuesday I will participate in the Chrism Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral when Archbishop Blair will bless the new Oil of the Sick and Oil of Catechumens, and consecrate the Sacred Chrism which is used in Baptism, Confirmation and Ordination. These oils will be presented to the parish at the beginning of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday which begins the Sacred Triduum.
The Liturgy of Holy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper in which Jesus gave his disciples a lasting memorial of his sacrifice on the cross by taking ordinary bread and wine and making them his Body and Blood to be shared among his followers. As Catholics we believe that the bread and wine truly become his Body and Blood, thus giving us a share in his divine life on earth as we await the final feast in the kingdom of heaven.
I think the pandemic has generated the notion that the Mass can simply be watched on television or live-stream. But as a sacramental community, our physical presence at Mass must never be taken for granted, and our partaking of the Body of Christ should always be our primary aim. So I encourage you, if you haven’t yet returned to the practice of coming to Mass in person, to please consider coming back on a regular basis. We miss you and we want you to be part of our liturgical life!
This year we will also reinstate the practice of inviting anyone who wishes, to have their feet washed. There will be four stations available for the foot washing ritual.
On Good Friday we will commemorate the Lord’s Passion and Death. This solemn and stark liturgy is beautifully enhanced by the chanting of the Passion according to John by our choir. In the evening at 7:00 PM, we will have a special service of prayer and music called “A Mother’s Sorrow” centered around the singing of the Stabat Mater by Pergolesi. The service is dedicated to mothers who have lost children, especially those who have died in the Ukraine conflict. I hope you will join us for this beautiful remembrance of Mary’s sorrows and the sorrows of all mothers who mourn the deaths of their children.
On Holy Saturday at the Great Vigil of Easter, we bless and light the Paschal Candle, listen to Scripture readings that recall the history of salvation, and celebrate the final initiation rites of one of our members with Baptism, Confirmation and first Eucharist. All of this will be accompanied with glorious music by our choirs, organs and other instruments.
Easter Sunday is always a special day, and this year will be no exception. One of our parishioners, Joan Martin, has authored the libretto of a new piece called “An Easter Prologue” with music composed by Matthew Bridgeman which will be performed as the prelude to the 8:00 AM Mass. Our children’s choir, the “new” Church Street Singers, will join us at the 10:00 Mass.
May your Holy Week be a time of deep intimacy with the Lord who showed us the ultimate meaning of service and self-emptying love for all people. May you know, too, the joy of new life as we celebrate his resurrected presence among us!
Fr. Tim Shreenan, O.F.M.Pastor