Weekly Bulletin Easter Sunday 4th April 2021

Today is Easter Sunday: All last week the Suez Canal was blocked by a large cargo ship that ran aground. In 1875 a ship ran aground near the mouth of the River Thames. It was called the Deutschland and because there was a severe storm its distress signals were not seen and the ship was stuck and badly destroyed by the waves, until the next day – by which time a quarter of the passengers had drowned. These included five Franciscan nuns. The five Franciscan sisters were travelling to Missouri to take up new teaching missions.  The young nuns sacrificed their own lives so that others might be rescued.  According to one account, the sisters remained below deck as the ship sank.  As the water rose around them, they clasped hands and were heard praying, “O Christ, O Christ, come quickly!” Gerard Manley Hopkins, a Jesuit priest, who had not written much poetry for seven years was asked by his superiors to write an elegy for the nuns. He wrote “The Wreck of the Deutschland” in 1876. He saw in the nun’s deaths a parallel to the suffering of Christ.  Hopkins concludes the poem with this line: Let him easter in us, be a dayspring to the dimness of us . . .As used here, the word “easter” is a nautical term.  It means steering a craft toward the east, into the light.“Let him easter in us.” Easter as a verb — not just the name of this great festival we begin today, not just the mystery of God’s unfathomable redemptive love that the Gospel can barely articulate, but Easter as something we think, something we feel, something we do. “Let him easter in us” that we may live our lives in the light of his compassion and peace, his justice and forgiveness. “Let him easter in us” that we may be a humble servant like him, a healer like him, a teacher like him, a foot – washer like him. “Let him easter in us” that we may bear our crosses for one another as he bore his cross for us. “Let him easter in us” that we may, at the end of our voyage, “easter” in him.  Throughout the forty days of Lent we have been steering our lives toward the light, trying to shake the darkness, the doubts, the burdens of living, the heaviness of hearts caused by this pandemic.  May Easter become a verb in our lives — a way of living, a way of loving, a way of seeing and hearing and understanding.  Let us not just celebrate this Easter day, but let us “do” Easter every day!  Let us not just mark this milestone of the life of the Gospel Jesus, but let this day mark our lives with the compassion, humility and joy of the Risen One.  Let us “easter” every moment of our lives in the light of Christ.  Have a very happy Easter!

***

Covid 19 pandemic has not gone away! Please wear a mask in our Church, keep a safe distance from one another, and use our sanitisers that are in the church porches. It is so important to follow the directions of our ushers so that we can all try to stay safe. Please take bulletins and missalettes home with you.

***

Thanks to our ushers who are giving of their time and energy to help us celebrate the sacred liturgy in a fitting manner. We appreciate your presence and help during these critical times. Thanks also to our Ministers of the Eucharist who so willingly help to distribute Holy Communion to you in a safe manner. Thanks also to the wonderful group of people who cheerfully cleaned our Church on Wednesday night in preparation for the great feast of Easter. You all are a treasure!

***

A special word of thanks to you all for your very generous contributions towards the Graan on your return to our church last weekend. A word of thanks also to all who have used the “DONATE” button on our web-site. You generosity to us during this financially stringent times has been remarkable. Be assured of the prayers of this community.

***

Easter Week Programme: Easter Monday (5^th April), Tuesday (6^th April) & Wednesday (7^th April) Mass will be celebrated at 11am only. There will be no evening Mass. The church will remain open for quiet prayer until 4pm each day. Normal services will resume on Thursday 8th April. Mass will be celebrated at 7:00 pm.  On Friday there will be Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament from 10:00 -2:00 pm. Confessions will be celebrated from 2:00 -5:00 pm and Mass celebrated at 7:00 pm.  Saturday 10th April  – Confessions 5 to 6pm & Vigil at 6.30pm.

Sunday 11th April – Masses at 10.30am, 12noon and 4pm.

***

Our Shop: If you wish to contact us as regards purchasing cards please ring us during office hours on Tuesday 6^th April (9:30 am – 4:00 pm) and we will try our best to facilitate you. 

Note Monday 5th April is a Bank Holiday.