Our Lenten journey is nearing its conclusion, as we enter the holiest week of the year, when our salvation was accomplished through the dying and rising of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Holy Week begins with the commemoration of Our Lord’s triumphant and symbolic entry into Jerusalem, on Palm Sunday, when we also hear the gospel account of his passion and death: weekend Masses at the usual times.
Mass will be celebrated as usual during the first part of Holy Week (9.15am Monday-Wednesday). Our usual half-hour of eucharistic adoration takes place following Mass on Monday and Tuesday, with confessions available during this time. There will be a reconciliation service on Tuesday evening at 7.30pm, and a holy hour with adoration and confessions on Wednesday evening from 7.30pm (in lieu of the usual lunchtime holy hour, moved due to the Chrism Mass in the Cathedral that morning)
The liturgies of the great three days at the end of this week, known as the Sacred Paschal Triduum, are as follows. Please see our Holy Week newsletter for more information about the celebrations.
MAUNDY THURSDAY – 17TH APRIL
8pm: Mass of the Lord’s Supper
With adoration at the Altar of Repose until midnight
GOOD FRIDAY – 18TH APRIL
8.15am: Office of Readings and Morning Prayer
9.00am: Stations of the Cross, especially for children
10.00am: Walk of Witness from Methodist Church
3pm: Liturgy of the Passion
7.30pm: Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary
HOLY SATURDAY – 19TH APRIL
9.15am: Office of Readings and Morning Prayer
9pm: Easter Vigil & First Mass of Easter
EASTER DAY – 20TH APRIL
9am & 11 am: Sung Mass as usual
All Masses and the Good Friday liturgy are live streamed for the benefit of those unable to be present.
The season of Lent begins on Wednesday 5th March, Ash Wednesday. Mass with imposition of Ashes takes place at 9.15am and 8pm, to begin our Lenten ‘campaign of Christian service’. The 9.15am Mass will be live streamed.
On Friday evenings during Lent we share in the devotion known as the Way of the Cross together with our Anglican neighbours at St Laurence’s Church, some weeks at St Joseph’s and some weeks over the road at St Laurence’s, starting at 7.30pm:
7th March: St Joseph’s
14th March: St Laurence’s
21st March: St Laurence’s
28th March: St Joseph’s
4th April: St Laurence’s
11th April: St Joseph’s
Pope Francis’s message to the whole church for this season of Lent during the Jubilee Year ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ can be found here.
You can read some suggestions on how to make the most of this season by following the practice of self-denial, prayer and alms-giving, in our parish newsletter.
