Weekly Bulletin 10th April 2022 (Palm Sunday)

Today is Palm Sunday: The Passion According to Saint Luke (22:14-23:56) is the Gospel reading for Sunday, the final Sunday of Lent, and the beginning of Holy Week. This week we are invited to reflect and pray about the painful death that Our Lord accepted on our behalf. We call the event from Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday the “Sacred Triduum”. These are three days of prayerful liturgy that make up the one feast which is the central core of our faith – the Death and Resurrection of Christ. The purpose of the liturgy is to make present those same events that occurred historically once but are recalled, remembered, and lived in actuality by us who are living today. It is important to remember that our liturgy is not a pageant, it is not a stage show, but it is a participating by all of us in the life and death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Liturgy is something done, not something you look at, think about or even meditate upon. In Holy Week we are celebrating the Great Event when human kind was released from sin and re-united with God.  Pope Pius X1 on the Feast of Christ the King (1925) in his encyclical declared – “people are brought to appreciate the inner joys far more effectually by the annual celebration of our sacred mysteries than by any pronouncement, however weighty of the teaching of the Church!” The same basic Passion story is told in all four Gospels. But each Gospel writer have their own particular slant on the story for their readers. Luke was writing for a Gentile community, many living in Rome. In Luke’s Gospel women were important and in his Passion story he shows a representative group of women suffering with Jesus. He strongly underlines the innocence of Jesus. Jesus dies as a prophet-martyr. The gospel shows Jesus giving gifts while going to death himself. Note the reconciliation between Pilate and Herod, the consolation to the women, forgiveness to his killers, paradise to the good thief, praise to the centurion and repentance to the crowd. 

Thank you for the collection last weekend. It came to £1780.  Thanks also to the April Church cleaning group, who cleaned the Church last Wednesday in preparation for Holy Week. Thanks to our Ushers, Readers and Ministers of the Eucharist who help in the smooth running of our religious services. You are a gift to all of us! 

Renovated Confessionals: We have renovated our confessionals situated in the main body of the church. Both confessionals are now two small rooms where only one penitent will be able to enter at a time. The penitent has a choice to go in and sit down “face to face” with the priest or kneel and speak with the confessor through the curtain in a hidden manner.

Confessions will be celebrated each day of Holy Week from Monday to Thursday 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm.      

Good Friday:  (Extra Confessional times) 11am – 12.30pm.   2pm – 2.45pm & 4.15pm – 5pm. 

Holy Saturday:  (Extra Confessional times) 11am – 12.30pm.  2pm – 5pm. Please note on Holy Saturday the church will close at 5:00 pm to help us personally prepare for the Vigil.

Holy Week Timetable: Monday to Wednesday Mass will be celebrated at 7pm each evening.

Monday to Wednesday – Stations of the Cross will be prayed before Mass beginning at 6:30 by Brendan.

Holy Thursday: Mass @ 5pm – Charles.      Mass of the Lord’s Supper – Celebrant: Brian at 7.30pm.  Holy Hour on the theme “Watch with me” between 9-10 pm.  Charles. 

Good Friday – Celebration of the Lord’s Passion at 3pm. Anthony. 

Good Friday – Witnesses at The Passion at 7.30pm – Charles & Readers.

Holy Saturday – The Easter Vigil at 8pm – Celebrant:  Charles & Community.

Easter Sunday – Masses at 10:30 am – Anthony. 12noon – Brian  & 4pm – Charles.

The Shop: Open Mon to Sat:9.30am – 7pm. Sun 9.30 – 4.30pm.

Guild Mass Cards: Easter, Deceased, Mass Bouquets, Get Well, Wedding. Cost £2 / €2.50. We have confirmation and Holy Communion items etc.