Thank you for your offering last week of £1420.76.  Mass attendances were 690.

Sunday 29/3/15

Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord (B)

 

6pm Saturday Mick Brace RIP (Georgina Tomkins)

 

9.15am People of the Parish

 

11.00am Emily Callister RIP (Bunnage Family)

 

Monday 30/3/15

 

Holy Week

 

9.30am  Persecuted Christians (CWL)

 

Tuesday 31/3/15

Holy Week

 

9.30am Denis & Ivy Nelligan on their 70th Wedding Anniversary (Nelligan Family)

 

Wednesday 1/4/15

Holy Week

 

9.30am Kitty O’Riordan RIP

 

Thursday 2/4/15

Maundy Thursday, Mass of the Lord’s Supper

 

8.00pm  Fr Michael Lally

 

Friday 3/4/15

Good Friday,

 

11.00am Children’s Stations of the Cross

 

3.00pm Celebration of the Lord’s Passion

 

Saturday 4/4/15

Holy Saturday

 

11.30am  Swieconka

 

8.30pm  Easter Vigil and First Mass of Easter. (For all Parishioners)

 

Sunday 5/4/15

Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of The Lord

 

9.15am Mrs Anna Cusack RIP (Wharton Family)

 

11.00am  Harry Ford RIP (Martin Bridle)

 

Monday 6/4/15

Octave of Easter

 

9.30am  Jimmie & Mary O’Connor

 

Tuesday 7/4/15

Octave of Easter

 

9.30am  Peggie & Mai Linehan

Wednesday 8/4/15

Octave of Easter

 

9.30am Ann Kinahan RIP (Mary Kelly)

 

Thursday 9/4/15

Octave of Easter

 

9.30am  Eileen & Terry Quinlan (Howell Family)

 

Friday 10/4/15

Octave of Easter

 

9.30am  Private Intention (Foundation Mass)

 

Saturday 11/4/15

6.00pm (Vigil Mass)

 

Margaret Thompson

 

Sunday 12/4/15

Second Sunday of Easter

 

9.15am  People of the Parish

 

11.00am  Peter Keen RIP (Barradell Family)

 

Confessions heard Saturday 5.00pm-5.45pm or by appointment.

A Note from Paula and Suzanne!

As you know the Easter offering is your personal donation to your Parish Priest.  Given that Easter is so close to Fr Tom’s leaving date of the 19th April he has asked that there be no special extra leaving collection for him.  P&S

Good Friday Collection

To help maintain and support a Christian presence in the Holy Land.

First Holy Communion 2015

Upcoming Sessions 4.30pm-5.45pm

Saturday 18th April:  Children only

Saturday 25th April:  Children only

Confirmation 2015

The next meeting will be a trip to Westminster Cathedral on Saturday 18th April.  Confirmation candidates will meet at Petts Wood Station at 4.30pm. 

The Easter Triduum

The celebration of Easter is the culmination and highpoint of the Church’s year.  The season of Lent helps us to focus and prepare, the season of Eastertide encourages us to continue to focus on the great gifts that Christ won for us and on giving thanks for them.  At the heart of these two seasons is Easter itself.  It is at this time we celebrate, in a special way, Christ’s love for us, his passion, his death and his resurrection.  During the Triduum, the three days, the liturgy draws us closer into the mystery of Jesus’ saving love, by making his life present to us once more.  The Triduum appears to be a series of three separate liturgies: The Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday, and Easter Vigil on the eve of Easter Sunday.  They are actually one continuous act of worship.  From our experience of Mass we know that it begins with the Sign of the Cross and is concluded by the Dismissal.  The Sign of the Cross is made at the beginning of Mass on Maundy Thursday, but not at the Liturgy on Good Friday or at the Easter Vigil, there is no dismissal at the conclusion of the Maundy Thursday Mass or the Good Friday Liturgy, only at the end of the Vigil.

We listen to the reading of the Passion on Palm Sunday and Good Friday, but during the Triduum we liturgically take part in that great act of Jesus’ self sacrifice.

Maundy Thursday we witness the washing of the feet, that sign of what Christian love and service should be, and we also join the disciples, once again, at the last supper as we pray the Eucharistic prayer.  We too watch and pray before the Blessed Sacrament, as did the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, until midnight when the Lord is taken away.

On Good Friday we see the cross being carried, as once the people of Jerusalem did, and then in silence depart.  The disciples waited in despair while Jesus lay in the tomb, we wait in hope on Holy Saturday to celebrate the joy that was, that is, and is to come: the resurrection.

During the Easter vigil we see the light of Christ blaze once more, and we individually receive that light and hold it in our hands.  With the light of Christ to Illuminate our minds we hear the scriptures, as did the disciple on the road to Emmaus, and recognise Christ in them.  In a blaze of light and sound we give glory to God and welcome the risen Lord.  We celebrate our hope of eternal life and resurrection, by renewing our baptismal promises and welcoming fully into the community those received into the church.

The Triduum is a journey, like that of the Israelites from Egypt, from waiting for rescue, to celebrating salvation.  Gain a complete sense of that journey this year by joining the parish as we take part in the Triduum, three days and three different services, but one whole liturgy and one complete experience of the mystery of our redemption.

Refurbishment of the Parish Hall in 2015

Plans to refurbish the parish hall are now being actively followed up and the aim is to complete the work this year if possible.

The current layout of the hall will be retained and essentially a complete refit is being planned.  All being well, the bar and kitchen will be renewed and other plans include renewal of the hall’s wiring and ceiling, the floor to be sanded and sealed.  Formal tendering is being initiated for all of this major work and we will keep you updated as things develop.

Catholic Women’s League

All ladies are warmly invited to attend the AGM of the Petts Wood CWL which will be held in the Social Centre on Monday 30th March at 8.00pm.

Peter Keen RIP

Jo Keen and family send thanks to Father Tom and everyone for their prayers, help and support for the celebration of Peter’s life on Monday 23rd March.

Please remember in your prayer Mrs Josie Barlow recently deceased. RIP

Reminders - Church Cleaning!

Saturday 4th April:  Year 5 Parents

Saturday 11th April:  Year 3 Parents – Holy Communion Group 2

Saturday 18th April:  Year 3 Parents – Holy Communion Group 1

An Easter Greeting

The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ was preceded in time by a life of teaching, doing good and in every way revealing himself as all the Love God has and is.  We may often give in to the temptation of doubting God’s love for each one of us.  And life as it ‘pans out’ can be a huge challenge to faith and hope.  When that is how it all feels, just consider that if you were the only human being ever created Jesus would still have given his life for you.

In a wonderful film ‘Of Gods and Men’, the leader of the community of monks martyred in North Africa says “Remember that love is eternal hope”.  That empty tomb on Easter Morn is the sign of real hope. Jesus confronted and defeats our last enemy – death.  He shares and promises to share with us that victory.  This greatest Act of Love in the history of the world is one which gives hope to all humankind.

With these words and a prayer I wish you a Very Holy and Happy Easter.