Sunday 28th March 2021 : Palm Sunday

• Please note that the Mass times have been reviewed : See below (Mass Times and Intentions)

All the Masses will be live-streamed: https://holy-cross-stream.click2stream.com

Please Note: with the new regulations, we will only be able to hold up to 40 people in the church. We shall follow a “First Come, First Served” rule. Since the obligation to participate the Holy Mass on Sundays is still suspended, please consider attending on weekdays with your family members so that those who cannot make it on weekdays can come during the weekends. Please wear a face mask, sanitise your hands and keep a sufficient distance always in the church. Kindly follow the guidance of Welcome Ministers. Looking forward to seeing you.

* Classes will be via Zoom now

* From 24th April (after the Easter holidays) we hope to have regular classes at Hartley Hall.

* In October, we shall have the celebrations of the Sacraments of First Holy Communion and Confirmation.

• According to the guidelines of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales [Vade Mecum for Holy Week 2021], we follow the following at Holy Cross.

This year, the Celebrations for Holy Week and the Sacred Triduum will be in the presence of Christ’s faithful. This differs from the situation faced last year when acts of public worship were suspended because of the covid-19 pandemic.

Please remember that we follow...

1. The wearing of face coverings in church by the faithful (unless the person has a valid exemption from this regulation)
2. Social distancing of people within the church building
3. Frequent hand cleansing with sanitiser
4. Good ventilation of the church building to refresh the air quality within
5. Cleaning of the church building after each act of public worship
6. The timely dispersing of the faithful after the acts of worship avoiding congregating in car parks or on the streets outside the church.
   

• Holy Week 2021 Mass Times

Holy Week in our Parish

Holy Week, “the Great Week of our Salvation” begins today, at one end Passion Sunday and at the other end the Easter Triduum of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter vigil.

Reconciliation Service [Mon 6.30pm]: This is an opportunity to receive the Lord’s healing and forgiveness in the Sacrament. Three priests will be available to hear confessions in different languages.

Passion [Palm] Sunday: [Mass Time: 6.30pm (Sat); 9am, 11.30am and 1pm] The palm branches blessed during the celebration of the liturgy will be distributed to the faithful as they leave the church after Mass.

Mass of the Lord’s Supper [Mass Time: 6.00pm and 8pm] 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 and 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. This year, the Washing of the Feet is omitted and there is no procession to the Altar of Repose. The Reserved Sacrament is kept in the Tabernacle of the church. The altar will not be stripped in the usual manner since the Blessed Sacrament is reserved at that altar. Watching in lieu of the Altar of Repose is not possible this year.

GOOD FRIDAY This year we shall have the Stations of the Cross at 10am, 12 noon, 6pm and 8pm. A solemn blessing with the relic of the Real Wood of the Holy Cross given after each liturgy of the Station of the Cross. The celebration of the Lord’s Passion will begin at 3pm. For The Adoration of the Holy Cross, we will use the second form for ease. For the Adoration, the Veneration of the Cross is limited to the priest alone. After I have done this, I will “invite the people present in a few words to adore the Holy Cross and afterwards, hold the Cross elevated higher for a brief time, for the faithful to adore in silence”. This will be expressed by the faithful through a short period of silent prayer, a gesture such as a bow in their places, followed by another short period of silent prayer. It is recommended that at all acts of worship on Good Friday in the churches of England and Wales, the opportunity for the faithful to contribute to the Holy See collection for the Holy Places of Palestine will be available.

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 Vigil [Mass times: Sat 11am] 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!"

Easter Sunday [Mass times: 9am, 11.30am, 1pm and 6pm].

• The Holy Mass is offered everyday  via Livestream

• : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTBK92cTt8hZCEZ4mruXZNQ

• Our Newsletter is available by visiting our Newsletter webpage with updates on how and when to register for the sacraments of Baptism, Holy Communion, Confirmation and RCIA

Please take a copy of the Newsletter home with you - please do not leave it in the church. Thank you.

• Diamond Club Magazine is available here