Diary for the w/c Sunday 11th March 2007

Third Sunday in Lent

Palm Sunday

Today Jesus rode into Jerusalem in triumph, taking possession of his own royal city. The children of the Hebrews strewed branches in his path. For us, Palm Sunday prefigures Christ taking possession of the heavenly Jerusalem at the end of time as the King who reigns forever.

9.30 am: SOLEMN BLESSING OF PALMS, at Carshalton Day Centre, Oaks Way, together with members of Good Shepherd Church, followed by Procession to Saint Margaret’s and Mass

Maundy Thursday

Today we re-enact Jesus’s act of loving service in the Supper Room, washing his disciples’ feet and giving himself in form of bread and wine, so beginning the sacrifice he would complete on the Cross next day. After Mass we keep vigil with Jesus in his Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.

9.40 am: Morning Prayer. NO Morning Mass.
10.00am: Servers’ Rehearsal for tonight’s ceremony.
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Good Friday

This is the one day of the year when Mass is never celebrated. Instead at 3 o’clock, the hour Jesus died, we assemble to Commemorate his Passion and Death, to Venerate the Cross through which he wrought our salvation and finally to receive Christ’s Body in a Communion of Love.

9.40 am: Morning Prayer will be recited.
10.00 am: Altar Servers’ Rehearsal for this afternoon’s ceremony

Holy Saturday & Easter Sunday

Often – but wrongly – called “Easter” Saturday, today is NOT part of the Easter Season, but a day of mourning for the dead Jesus in the tomb. It is not a day of compulsory fasting, but it is still appropriate to fast on this day up until the Vigil Mass as was the ancient custom. However there is a sense of expectancy as we await the celebration of the Resurrection in our Easter Vigil Mass, which begins at dusk with the Blessing of the New Fire, from which the Paschal Candle, symbol of the Risen Christ is lit and carried into the darkened church where we listen to the Proclamation of Easter

Washing Of The Feet On Maundy Thursday

The other centre point of the Maundy Thursday Mass, apart from celebrating Jesus’s Institution of the Holy Eucharist, is the Washing of the Feet, showing the Master of us all taking the role of a servant. Traditionally this is re-enacted at the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper.

Father Kevin will go down one side of the centre aisle, then up the other side, accompanied by the servers with basin, jug and towels, and inviting those at the end of each bench to have [one of] their feet washed

Your Prayers Are Asked For

Those preparing for reception into the Catholic Church at Easter

Rita Fraser and Yumna Joubeily.

Our Sick

Fr Chris Cutler, Bunny Moret, Joan Carlton, Sean O’Domhnaill, Grace Wylie, Doris Bayly, Shirley Scott, Irene Clifford, Raymond Sweeney, Alphonse Silva, Bill Jones, Maureen Hall, John Harrington, Mary Buckley, Antoni Knopek, Jan Barwis, Linda Bennett, Mary Kerrigan, Wanda Juchniewicz, Mary Geraghty, Patrick McMahon, John Meade, Michael Manning, Jamie Lallone, Byron Carlton, as well as Bishop Michael Evans

Last Sunday

Attendance was 324 and the Offertory came to £261.37, compared with £640.92 on the same Sunday last year. Last Sunday’s Offertory, omitted from last week’s Newsletter, came to £420.50. Many thanks.