Dear parishioners,
With Palm Sunday this week, we enter Holy Week. The week is called “holy” because it is when we celebrate the very core of our faith, the very reason of the existence of Christianity: the resurrection that gives meaning to our being Christians. For this reason, the Pascal Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Vigil/ Sunday) is celebrated with the utmost solemnity. The best way to celebrate our precious faith in the resurrection and the victory of Christ as well as ours over sin and death is by participating actively in the celebrations of this week. Besides, our Lenten efforts and observances (fasting, prayer, and almsgiving) have led us to celebrate Easter and our own “Passover” with joy.
Palm Sunday introduces us to the mystery of Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection. It disposes us to understand the value of suffering on account of our faith and commitment. On Holy Thursday, we celebrate the institution of the Eucharist, the institution of the priesthood, and the great commandment of love. On Good Friday, we meditate on the ultimate proof of God’s love for us: the passion and death of Jesus who reminds us: “there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life of one’s friends.” If we truly love Him, can we lay down our life for Him; can we give Him back our God-given talents, time, and treasure? If we love one another, can we readily forgive one another, suffer for one another, “die” for one another? On Easter Vigil, that is, Saturday night, we begin the solemn celebration of Christ’s resurrection, the victory of light over darkness, of holiness over sin. The Pascal Triduum is in fact one single celebration: the Pascal mystery; that is why it is important to attend all the celebrations of the Easter Triduum. The Liturgy of the Lord’s Supper will be on Holy Thursday at 7:00 pm. The Stations of the Cross on Good Friday will be at 3:00 pm with the Good Friday ceremonies at 7:00 pm and the Easter Vigil will begin at 7:30 pm. Easter Sunday masses will be as our regular Sunday masses at 8:30 am and 11:00 am, with the Cameroon mass at 1:00 pm and the Congolese mass at 4:00 pm.
As we enter Holy Week, let us not forget our spiritual and material commitments to our church, to our parish. Thanks for setting aside time for these celebrations and thanks for donating generously during the various collections (regular, Catholic Appeal, and Grand Annual).
Once again, let us continue to pray for our Deacon John Tanyi who will be ordained a priest on Saturday, May 25th. His first mass will be on Sunday at 10:00 am. There will be only mass that day.
I wish you all a blessed Holy Week.
~ Fr. Augustin