Newsletter for Week starting on the 14th April 2019 : Palm Sunday

Published by AFAN in News · 13 April 2019

Fr Antony Megalan

Parish Priest

[email protected]

Parish email : [email protected]

Website: www.holycross-catford.org.uk

Parish mobile: 07367 426492

HOLYCROSS CATHOLIC CHURCH

208 Sangley road

Catford,

London, SE6 2JS

Tel : 0208 698 3672

13/14 April 2019 [Palm Sunday]

Holy Week in our Parish

Passion [Palm] Sunday: Holy Week, in Irish, “The Great Week” begins today. At one end Passion Sunday and at the other end the Easter Triduum of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter vigil. The first Holy Week, by the plan of God, was the most important week in the life of Jesus Christ.

This Holy Week, likewise, should be the most important week in the entire year for each of us. It should be a week of prayer and meditation, in understanding the events of the Passion of our Lord. On this day, Palm or Passion Sunday, the Church celebrates Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem to accomplish his Paschal Mystery.

All Masses will begin with the blessing of palms. At 10am Mass, we shall have an ecumenical service of the blessing of the palms beginning at 9.45am.

Holy Monday [Mass at 9.15am] As Jesus dines with his beloved friends, Mary does something which only love can do. She took the most precious thing she had and spent it all on Jesus. Mary's action was motivated by one thing, and one thing only, namely her love for Jesus and her gratitude for God’s mercy. Give us, Lord, a lively faith, a firm hope, a fervent charity, a love of you. Take from us all lukewarmness in meditation, dullness in prayer.

Reconciliation Service

[Tue 7.30pm]: This is an opportunity to receive the Lord’s healing and forgiveness in the Sacrament. Many priests will be available to hear confessions in different languages.

Holy Tuesday [Mass at 9.15am] Jesus' disciples were put to the test. What was different between Peter and Judas? Judas deliberately betrayed his Master while Peter, in a moment of weakness, denied him with an oath and a curse. Judas's act was cold and calculated. Peter acted impulsively, out of weakness and cowardice. We also must examine ourselves in the light of God's truth and grace and ask him to strengthen us in faith, hope, and love that we may not fail him or forsake him when we are tempted.

Holy Wednesday [Mass at 7.30pm] Why did Judas betray his Master? Was his treachery motivated by greed, bitter disappointment with Jesus, or hatred because of disillusionment? It may be that Judas never intended for his Master to die. Nonetheless, his tragedy was his refusal to accept Jesus as he was. Do you pray with confidence in the words Jesus gave us to pray: Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil?

Chrism Mass [Wed 11.30 am] is celebrated today by the archbishop with other bishops and the priests and people of the diocese in St George’s Cathedral. At this Mass the Holy Oils used for Baptism, Confirmation, Ordination and Anointing are blessed by the bishop. The blessed oils will be brought to our parish that day. Priests of the diocese also renew their dedication to their ministry.

Mass of the Lord’s Supper [Thur 7.30pm] The Easter Triduum begins with the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper. Holy Thursday is the anniversary of the Lord’s Supper when Jesus ate the Passover meal with His apostles. It was then that He instituted the Eucharist, which is Sacrament, Sacrifice and Memorial. He commanded His first priests to repeat this action as a Memorial to Him. It was also then that He washed their feet and gave us an example and command of love. Unselfish love is the theme of this day. Our lives should contain works of mercy, care and concern in response to Christ’s words, “I give you a new commandment: love one another”. (John 13: 34)

After Holy Communion the Blessed Sacrament is taken in silence to the Altar of Repose. Mass will not be offered again until the Easter Vigil Service. We depart in silence from the church strengthened in our belief that “When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus, until you come in glory.”

Altar of Repose: There will be adoration at the Altar of Repose after the Mass of the Lord’s Supper [8pm – Midnight]. It is a reminder to us of when Jesus asked his disciples to spend one hour in prayer with Him in the Garden of Gethsemane. This is an opportunity for us to spend some quiet time with the Lord. To watch and pray with him during this holy week.

GOOD FRIDAY [3pm] The Cross is our greatest good, our richest blessing; from it we receive every grace. We are invited today to kiss the cross and in that kiss, a gesture of love, to express gratitude to Jesus, who by his cross has saved the world. Solemn Liturgy of the Passion: Today the Church celebrates the Passion and Death of her Lord. The celebrant wears red Mass vestments to honour Christ whose blood saves us. A prayer recalling our salvation begins the ceremony. The first reading from Hebrews recalls that Jesus submitted humbly and became for all a source of eternal salvation. The Passion according to John is proclaimed. After the homily, we pray for all of humanity in an ancient form of the General intercessions. The liturgy reaches its high point in the arrival of the cross. At the end of the veneration, the cross is placed at the altar of sacrifice. We then are invited to come forward to receive the Body of Christ and at the end of the ceremony we again depart the church in silence.

HOLY SATURDAY: The Church waits today at the Lord’s tomb, meditating on His Passion and Death. She refrains from all ceremony until nightfall. During the night-watch (Vigil Service) sorrow and mourning give way to joy and celebration.

Morning prayer of the Church 10am; Blessing of Food at 11am.

EASTER SUNDAY THE LORD IS RISEN! ALLELUIA! Our joy has been made complete. The tomb is empty. Christ has returned in the glory of the Resurrection. We try to fully participate in the Church’s Easter celebrations. And if we understand the meaning of Easter we will continue to rejoice in it Sunday after Sunday after Sunday… forever. Dare we return to the tomb of half-hearted Christian living? Part of the mystery of Easter is the many ways in which the tomb of death is empty

Easter Vigil [Sat 8pm] The Great Vigil of Easter is the most joyous and beautiful liturgy of the Church Year. This most ancient of Holy Days is rich in symbolism, saturated with the Word of God, and is, in fact, the principal celebration of the Resurrection of Our Lord. Throughout the ages, it has been in this service that countless saints have proclaimed, "Alleluia, Christ is risen!"

A large fire is kindled and blessed in our school ground where all are gathered. When the Easter candle is lit from this fire, it symbolizes Christ the Light of the World, and it dispels the darkness of the night.

The church is flooded with light, the tomb is empty, death is conquered! The veils of mourning are lifted, bells ring, the organ blasts out its mighty proclamation, "Alleluia, the Lord is Risen, Indeed." May our Holy Week be blessed with the abiding presence of God's great gift of Love in Jesus, so that our Easter may resound with Alleluias!

Pray for the sick: Let us pray for the sick including Mariam Philomin, Fabian Chen, Fidelis Demello, Clifford Aristide, Agatha Lewis, Charlie Hyam, Rose Calver and Eileen O Reilley. To include anyone’s name, kindly contact Lesley Allen.

Thank you: Fabian and Judy Chen would sincerely like to thank the parish for all their well wishes and prayers for Fabian over the last 3 weeks. “Your prayers have carried us over a very difficult time and he is now recovering well at home.”

Readers and Extraordinary Ministers: You should have been contacted about the Rota for Holy Week, if you are unable to cover the rota, please get in touch with Ossie ([email protected]) A hard copy of your reading is available from the Contact corner in an envelope with your name on it. Please remember that Readers and Extraordinary ministers are invited to renew their commitment at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Thursday at 8pm.

Please Note: there will be no coffee morning on this Palm Sunday.

Third Thursday Time: This Thursday, 18th April, 5.30-7.30, at Hartley Hall. Cafe, board games, arts and crafts, quiet space, reflection for Easter and more. All welcome.

Stewardship Reflection: In the prelude to today’s great Passion Narrative, Saint Paul reminds us that we find our hope in the “emptiness” and “humility” of Christ Jesus; a life that led to the cross, but through the cross, to glory and exaltation. The way is not easy. Good stewards know that it requires a willingness to lay aside all rights of personal privilege; emptying ourselves in the service of others; embracing values different from the values of the world. It requires an understanding that to be “in Christ” means to be a servant because Christ came into the world, not as Lord but as servant. What crosses are we willing to carry? What worldly values are we willing to forego in order to share Christ’s glory?

Holy Mass intentions of this week: Sat 6.30 – Mary Drumm [UCM], Sun 10am – Steven and Cecilia Ndeley RIP, 12pm – Bridget Woods RIP, Baptism – Jemimah Maelys Konan, Mon 9.15am – Steve Baldwin wellbeing, Tues 9.15am --Dr Fabian Chen wellbeing, Wed 7.30pm -Theresa Green RIP.

We wish you all a blessed and a prayerful Holy Week