The Length of Lent!!
This Sunday we begin Holy week, however technically Lent ends on Holy Thursday when we begin the Easter Triduum. It’s not that we abandon all the initiatives that we’ve begun in Lent; we actually enter deeper into our relationship with Christ and the celebration of His life, death and resurrection. The Triduum begins with the Celebration of the Lord’s Supper (Holy Thursday 8pm); the Blessed Sacrament is brought in procession to the Altar of repose –in the Parish Pastoral Centre. The Church building is laid bare with even the Holy Water taken out of the fonts. We remember ‘Agony in Garden’ at the ‘watch and pray’ 10 -11 pm.
We have no Entrance Hymn at Good Friday’s Passion Ceremony as (hopefully) we continue to be in the Triduum. There’s no recessional hymn either, for the same reason. At the Easter Vigil (the most important Mass of the Year!!) we celebrate the resurrection of Christ’, symbolised by the Paschal Fire, then the Light of the Paschal Candle and the spread of the Good News of the Resurrection, in the spread of the lighted candles through the church. (Oh by the way don’t be tempted to light your own candle from a lighter; everyone’s Light should come from the Paschal Fire!) This year we will have Baptisms at the Vigil (the most appropriate time to have Baptism).
We celebrate each day of Easter Week as if it were Easter Sunday right up to the following Sunday (the Octave of Easter). And just for good measure, Eastertide (the Easter Season) lasts until Pentecost Sunday. And believe it or not, Eastertide is the same length as Lent. If we’ve had 40 days of preparation and reflection for Easter Sunday, then we celebrate it for 40 days too.
Fr. Philip Adm. (Very balanced!?)
Thank you for the €1,511 which you donated to last Sunday’s collection for the Support of Priests of the Dioceses and for the Share Collection which amounted to €999.
The Society of St. Vincent De Paul’s Advocate Collection will take place after all weekend Masses this week end. The special works conference of the Society of St. Vincent De Paul has received an unprecedented demand on all the services. These include holidays for children in need. Please be as generous as you can.
Today’s 10am Mass is part of the ‘Do this in Memory of Me Programme’. This Mass is for children who will be receiving their First Holy Communion here on Sun., May 13th. We welcome the children and their families to our Sunday Mass.
The Parish Baptism Team will meet in the P.P.C. on this Monday night, April 1st, with the parents and God parents of children who are to be baptised here in Milltown during the month of April.
PENITENTIAL SERVICES
Will take place in Milltown on this Tues. April 3rd at 8.00 p.m. and in Clonskeagh on Wed. 4th April at 8pm.
COMMUNION IN THE HOME
We invite parishioners to inform the priests if any members of their families or neighbours who may be housebound and would wish the Eucharist to be taken to them periodically.
The Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin’s inner city. The proceeds from the collection at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday night will be donated to Brother Kevin at the Capuchin Day Centre which is located in the inner city. Staff and volunteers at this Capuchin Day Centre provide hot meals, shower facilities and food parcels to people all over the city. Each day the centre serves up to 200 breakfasts and there is an ever increasing demand for the dinners they provide to about 450 people daily from all over Dublin. Every Wednesday morning, up to one thousand people are regularly queuing outside the Capuchin Day Centre to receive free bags of groceries. The demand for their service has risen greatly in recent years due to the increase in unemployment and the fact that thousands of people are struggling to pay the costs of accommodation. No money changes hands and no questions are asked of the people who come to The Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin’s inner city. The Centre also offers the services of a doctor, nurse and counselor plus clean clothing, and very importantly, an opportunity for the homeless to chat.
The Parish Pastoral Centre will close for normal business on Spy Wednesday night (April 4th) and will reopen on Easter Sunday morning.
The Blessed Sacrament will be brought to the Altar of Repose (which will be located in the Parish Pastoral Centre) directly after the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday night. Parishioners are welcome to come into the Centre and remain if they wish for the ‘Hour of ‘Watch and Pray’ ‘which will commence at 10pm
Orlagh in April:
The monthly ‘DAY FOR YOURSELF’ on Saturday, April 14th, has as its theme: Trust in God. It will run from 10.00am to 4.30pm and will be led by Dr. Bernadette Toal and Fr. John Byrne OSA. Further details are available from Fr. John Byrne OSA, Orlagh, Old Court Road, Dublin 16.Tel (01) 495 8190, info@orlagh.ie & www.orlagh.ie
EASTER TIMETABLE 2012
PALM SUNDAY
Palms will be blessed before each Mass.
HOLY THURSDAY
No morning Mass
Solemn Mass of the Lord’s Supper 8.pm Followed by Adoration at the Altar of Repose in the Parish Pastoral Centre.
“Watch and Pray” - An hour of music and reflection from 10.00 p.m. to 11.00 p.m.
GOOD FRIDAY
A day of fast and abstinence
Stations of the Cross are at 12.00 noon and 8pm.Solemn Celebration of Our Lord’s Passion and Holy Communion commences at 3.00 p.m.
HOLY SATURDAY
Easter Vigil at 9.30 p.m.
EASTER SUNDAY
Mass at 10.and 11.30 a.m.
(No evening Mass)
EASTER MONDAY
Mass at 11.00 a.m.
PENITENTIAL SERVICES
8pm on Tuesday 3rd April, in Milltown
&
8pm Wednesday 4th April, Clonskeagh
INDIVIDUAL CONFESSIONS
On Good Friday: after the Stations at 12 noon, the 3.00 p.m. Ceremony and the Stations at 8pm. Confessions on Holy Saturday will be available between 12.00 noon-1.00 p.m. and 8.00-8.30 p.m.
Catholic Youth Care will have a retreat for Young Adults on April 28th. This will take place in St. Paul’s Church, Arran Quay. For further information contact CYC at vjackson@cyc.ie or akeegan@cyc.ie
A minimum of three months notice is required for all marriages in the Dublin Diocese. Pre Marriage Courses are available at Accord 4780866
PILGRIMAGE TO KNOCK
St Joseph's Young Priest’s Society in Dundrum is organising a pilgrimage to Knock on Sat. 23rd June. Chief Celebrant and Homilist will be Archbishop Charles Brown, Papal Nuncio. Bus departs from Bank of Ireland, Dundrum. More details later. Contact Tony O'Connor 087 2399414, 2982917.
