HOLY WEEK is almost upon us already. There will still be some adaptations necessary, partly through Covid and partly through priestly availability!
Palm Sunday Masses as usual. Mass at Christ the King 9.00am & St Brigid’s 10.30am please gather in the Halls.
Tuesday Chrism Mass at the Cathedral 11.30am
Maundy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper at Christ the King 7.30pm followed by Watching in the Parish Centre. The beginning of the Sacred Triduum or Holy Three Days.
Good Friday Liturgy of the Passion at St Paul’s and Christ the King 3.00pm
Holy Saturday Easter Vigil and First Mass at St Brigid’s 8.30pm, including Reception into the Church of Ioan Davies, son of Fr Peter.
Easter Sunday Mass at St Paul’s 9.00am, at Christ the King 9 and 10.30am, at St Brigid’s 10.30am, to include Baptisms of mother and daughter Cathy and Jessica Moore, and 6.00pm
Tag Archives: holy week
Holy Week Liturgy
Next week, Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, the centre of the Church’s year. We are grateful to Fr Ray O’Shea for his continued help, enabling us to sustain our usual liturgy. Here are the times of services. Please note the change of day of the Chrism Mass to Wednesday. This is to facilitate those who travel distances such as from Herefordshire.
All evening liturgies will be at 8.00pm on the Thursday and Saturday. :
Palm Sunday Mass times as usual
Monday/Tuesday As normal
Wednesday 11.30am Chrism Mass at the Cathedral
Maundy Thursday 8.00pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper and Watching at Christ the King and St Brigid’s
Good Friday 3.00pm Commemoration of the Passion at St Paul’s and Christ the King
Easter Vigil 8.00pm First Mass of Easter at Christ the King and St Brigid’s (no evening Mass at St Paul’s)
Easter Sunday Mass times as usual
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We use this prayer at Mass this Sunday. You could use it during the week too…
Lord Jesus Christ, your birth, life and death remind me that to all things there is a season. Your death became the seed that brought forth a new and abundant life for all humanity. Show me the seeds that you wish me to sow and the things that I need to let go of. Inspire me to put aside my own selfish ambitions, dreams and goals and help me to see Your vision - a vision of a new view of life – a life of meaning and glory, of dying to self, and living for You in love and service of others. Amen
Most Holy of weeks
In a month’s time, God willing, I, with the rest of the “September” Pilgrims, will be able to stand in the traditional Room of the Last Supper, wander around the Garden of Gethsemane, climb up onto the Hill of Calvary and visit the Tomb. No matter that some of these may not be precisely in the exact location of the events of Holy Week. The important thing is that these holy places remind us that these events really did happen. Real bread and wine became the real Body and Blood, real water on Peter’s feet, thorns on head, nails in wrists and ankles, blood on wood… yes, it all happened.
This week, this Week of Weeks, takes us to the heart and source of our faith where we find life and death, love and hate, faithfulness and betrayal, sin and perfection, fear and triumph. In a word, it is in Holy Week and Easter that we find the truth of our faith, where God bends down, immerses himself in our humanity in all its grittiness and offers to raise us to glory. If we have come this far in Lent, one last effort, one last decision to stay with Him – as He decided at Gethsemane to do all this for us – and we will be there. A final determination to follow him now, and we too can be raised up with Him.
Finally, our prayer for use at Mass or at home for Palm Sunday:
Lord Jesus,
You have accompanied us on our journey through Lent,
be with us now as we enter this most holy of weeks.
Help us to embrace the glory and the joy of the cross
through which you redeemed each one of us.
And instill in us a desire to share your infinite love and mercy for us
with those who do not know you.
Amen.
Holy Week services
I can’t believe that we are almost at Holy Week, but, yes, next Sunday is Palm Sunday. Here are the times of Holy week services in our 3 Churches.
Palm Sunday (13 April 2014)
All Masses at normal times, to include the Blessing of Palms.
Family Stations of the Cross at Christ the King 3.30pm
Film for Holy Week “The Passion of the Christ” St Brigid’s Hall 7.30pm.
Monday-Tuesday (14,15 April)
Masses at normal times.
Wednesday (16 April)
Chrism Mass at the Cathedral 11.30am. (note change of day)
Parish Masses and “The Light Is On” at usual times.
Thursday (17 April)
Mass of the Lord’s Supper 8.00pm at St Paul’s and at Christ the King at both churches.
Good Friday (18 April)
Morning Prayer 10.00am at Christ the King.
Commemoration of the Passion 3.00pm at Christ the King and at St Brigid’s
Holy Saturday (19 April)
Morning Prayer 10.00am at Christ the King
Watching until Midnight
Easter Vigil and First Mass of Easter 8.30pm at St Brigid’s, and 9.00pm at Christ the King.
Easter Sunday (20 April)
All Masses at normal times.
Here is a prayer for use at Mass and elsewhere on this the Fifth Sunday of Lent
Lord Jesus,
you love us, you gave your life to save us,
and now you are living at our side
to enlighten us, strengthen us and free us.
When our lives seem dark –
ease our hearts
and place in them that firm and quiet trust
that roots them deeply in your own life, death and resurrection. Let the joy of the Gospel raise us up
and, certain of your infinite love for us,
may your Holy Spirit help us to bring the power of that message into the lives of others.
Amen