A Word from Your Pastor April 9 - Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord

Dear Parishioners:

Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord begins Holy Week.  The procession with palms  before Mass and the proclamation of the Passion of the Lord (this year from Matthew’s Gospel), we enter into our celebration of the great Love of God shown to us through Jesus.  We have journeyed through Lent and now we are plunged into the Paschal Mystery, the power of the Life, Suffering, Death and Resurrection of the Lord.  Participation in this week is such a gift. 

I pray that many of you will decide to live this week fully.  Don’t let it pass you by.

Plan to be with the whole Diocese of Columbus on Tuesday evening at the Chrism Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral.  The priests of the Diocese and the bishop renew our commitment to our responsibility as shepherds.  The bishop blesses the oils used for the Sacraments in the next year – the Oil of Catechumens, the Oil of the Sick and Sacred Chrism.

Holy Thursday reminds us of the Last Supper and includes the Washing of Feet and a Eucharistic Procession.  At St. Timothy, our First Communion class serves as an Honor Guard for the procession. Adoration follows until midnight.

Good Friday brings the Passion according to John, the Veneration of the Cross and Holy Communion with hosts consecrated at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper.  We also have Stations of the Cross and the Seven Last Words between Noon and 3 p.m., when the Lord breathed His last.

Holy Saturday will bring our Easter Egg Hunt in the morning and the Solemn Vigil of Easter in the evening, with celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation, Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist for new members of the Church.

Easter Sunday will be a day to welcome the many who rejoice with us that Jesus is Risen. 

With the events of the Easter Triduum – Holy Thursday through Easter Sunday – we begin the Easter Season, which will last 50 days until Pentecost.  The first week – the Octave of Easter – will culminate in the observance of Divine Mercy Sunday, a day of many graces for the Church and for the whole world.

As we enter into the wonderful liturgies of this week, may we open our hearts to the power of the Holy Spirit make us witnesses of the Gospel so that many may come to know Jesus through us.

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Take note of the schedule for Holy Week and make plans to be part of these “High Holy Days” of our Catholic Faith: Events of Holy Week and Easter 2017Tuesday, April 11, Chrism Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral at 6 p.m.

Holy Thursday, April 13, Mass of the Lord’s Supper, at 7:30 p.m.,
followed by procession and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament until Midnight

Good Friday, April 14 Stations and 7 Last Words at 12 p.m.
Good Friday Services at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Reading of the Passion, Veneration of the Cross and Holy Communion

Holy Saturday, April 15, Easter Vigil at 8:30 p.m.

Easter Sunday, April 16 Easter Masses 8 a.m., 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.

Divine Mercy Sunday: Anointing of the Sick at all Parish Masses,
Saturday 5 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m., 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.

Divine Mercy Devotion Sunday April 23 – 12-3 p.m.