As we enter Holy Week with the celebration of Palm Sunday, let us strive to keep this week holy and the center of our attention and lives. This will be a busy week around the parish! If you are interested in assisting, please contact the parish office, Fr. John or Deacon Stephen.
This weekend’s Mass schedule is the same, but the rest of the week will be significantly different than other weeks of the year. Please note:
Holy Monday
MASS @ 12:00PM
Holy Tuesday
NO MASS; all priests will be in Charleston for the Chrism MASS
Holy Wednesday
MASS @ 8:00am
*** NO CONFESSIONS AFTER THIS DAY except to those who are dying. ***
Holy Thursday
| Mass of the Lord’s Supper | 7:00pm |
| Eucharistic Adoration in St. Mary’s Hall | 8:00pm – 12:00am |
All are strongly encouraged to participate in Eucharistic Adoration. Just as Jesus asked His apostles to sit with Him while He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, and upon finding them sleeping said “So you could not keep watch with me for one hour?” (Matthew 26:40), we take the time for (at least) one hour to be with Our Lord before He enters into His passion by sitting with the Blessed Sacrament in Eucharistic Adoration.
GOOD FRIDAY
| Stations of the Cross | 12:00pm |
| Veneration of the Cross Liturgy | 7:00pm |
During the time of Jesus’ Passion between the hours of 12:00pm and 3:00pm, we pray the Stations of the Cross to walk through all the steps of His passion on Good Friday. This helps us enter into His passion with Our Lord.
Veneration of the Cross began in the 4th century to honor the object that Our Lord used to open heaven to all of His children. The below link gives a great breakdown on this tradition with our faith.
Behold the Wood of the Cross – Let us Adore this Sign of our Salvation
HOLY SATURDAY
| Easter Basket Blessing | 8:45am |
| Cleaning/Decorating the Church | 9:30am |
| Easter Vigil (in courtyard) | 8:30pm |
NO CONFESSIONS and NO MASS @ 5:00PM
The Blessing of the Easter baskets is a wonderful Polish tradition that allows the faithful to bring the food they plan to eat for the Easter celebration to be blessed by the priest on Holy Saturday morning. See the following link with a great overview on the contents typically found in the baskets.
Blessing of Easter baskets tradition
Easter Vigil is the traditional Mass that shares the glorious story of salvation, starting with God creating Heaven and Earth, all the way to Jesus Christ. It is our story. The story of God pursuing us and finally fulfilling His promise in Jesus Christ, our Passover Lamb of God. Immerse yourself in reason why we celebrate Easter with this amazing retelling of our story and opportunity to see our newly Catholic friends join our faith from OCIA. This Mass is a MUCH longer Mass than usual.
EASTER SUNDAY
| Mass (English) | 9:30am |
| Easter Egg Hunt for all children | 10:45am |
| Mass (Spanish) | 12:00pm |
As Saint Pope John Paul II once stated, “We are an Easter people and Alleluia is our song!” He is Risen! Go forth and proclaim the good news!
