April 2, 2023
As our Lenten journey continues, we realize that this weekend we celebrate Palm Sunday and begin Holy Week. Just a friendly reminder for the remaining weeks of Lent that we continue to follow the Lenten practices of abstinence and fast. Abstinence pertains to all who have reached their fourteenth birthday – we are asked to refrain from eating meat on the remaining Fridays of Lent, including Good Friday. Fast pertains to all from the ages of 14 to 59 inclusive to limit oneself to one full meal and two smaller meals each of the days of Lent.
To help you plan for your celebration of Holy Week in preparation for Easter, the following information might be helpful concerning Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. Please remember that on these three days, there is NO 9:00 AM MASS. In place of the 9:00AM Morning Mass, we pray Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours.
Holy Thursday: The Mass of the Lord’s Supper is a concelebrated Mass at 8:00 PM with Fr. Damian and the Korean Catholic Apostolate. The Mass includes the washing of the feet following the proclamation of the Gospel and the Homily. After receiving Holy Communion, there is a simple procession with the Blessed Sacrament from the sanctuary to the repository followed by quiet adoration until 10:00 PM.
Good Friday: The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ is celebrated at 3:00 PM. Individual adoration of Crucifix will be available during the service. The Rite of Communion follows the veneration of the Crucifix. The Good Friday service closes with a prayer by the priest and everyone departs in silence. Stations of the Cross are prayed at 7:30 PM.
Holy Saturday: The Easter Vigil Mass is celebrated at 7:30 PM. The Mass being with the blessing of the new fire and the Paschal (Easter) Candle, the Liturgy of the Word will have several readings, including the proclamation of the Gospel, the blessing of the Easter Water, the renewal of baptismal vows, the offertory and Communion as usual.
Easter Sunday: There will be two Masses celebrated on Easter Sunday Morning: one at 8:30 AM and the other at 10:15 AM. An Easter egg hunt for children will be sponsored by the Holy Name of Jesus Circle of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate.
Please return the Easter Flower Fund envelope as quickly as possible to enroll loved ones in the Easter Mass Novena of Masses at Holy Name of Jesus.
Many thanks to those parishioners who have already sent in a pledge and/or gift to the 2023 Catholic Ministries Appeal. The Appeal helps to support the many ministries which serve more than 600,000 people on Long Island every year.