Dear Members and Friends of St. Mary’s/St. Patrick’s and the Cathedral of St. Peter:
We are quickly approaching the week called “holy,” when we immerse ourselves anew in the mystery of the death and resurrection of our Lord and in our own baptismal calling to follow him.
I write to remind you of the schedule and to urge you to invest yourself fully in the liturgy of the Church through these days.
On Palm Sunday and the first three weekdays of Holy Week we follow our regular schedule at all three churches. The bishop will be the celebrant at the 11:00 a.m. Mass at the Cathedral.
Once again this year we will gather at the Cathedral of St. Peter for the great liturgies of Holy Thursday [7:00 p.m.] and Good Friday [3:00 p.m.] Attendances from all three churches were good last year; let’s make them better this year. The bishop is the principal celebrant for these liturgies
The Cathedral will remain open until 9:00 p.m. for adoration following the Holy Thursday Mass. And remember the wonderful tradition of visiting the altars of repose at our sister churches throughout that evening.
On Good Friday Stations of the Cross will be prayed at St. Patrick’s at 7:00 p.m. – for all, especially for those who cannot make the afternoon liturgy at the Cathedral.
The Easter Vigil will be celebrated with five parishes at St. Elizabeth’s at 8:00 p.m. on Holy Saturday. This Mass, the high point of the Church’s year, includes baptisms and confirmations and was attended by several hundred people last year. If you have never been to the Easter Vigil, consider doing so this year.
On Easter morning the usual schedule is followed at all three churches. The bishop will celebrate the 11:00 a.m. Mass at the Cathedral.
[There is no 5:00 p.m. Mass at St. Patrick’s on Easter Day.]
And one another thing – our Baptism into the death and resurrection of Christ entails our stewardship of money. If you have not yet made your commitment to the Annual Catholic Appeal, envelopes will be at the ends of the pews on Palm Sunday and in the back of the churches on Easter. They may be placed in the offering or handed to an usher.
“He was handed over for our transgressions and raised for our justification.” (Romans 4:25)
Come, let us worship him.
Fr. Klein