Holy Week & The Easter Triduum

This week we enter into the most sacred time in the Church’s year as we celebrate the Easter Triduum -the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, the Celebration of the Passion of the lord and the celebration of Christ’s Resurrection from the dead at the Easter Vigil.  In three days, we see the entire teaching of Christ to love and serve God and neighbour taught in the hardest of ways.  We hear of the service of Christ as He washed the disciples feet, the love of Christ as He gave us the Eucharist, the loneliness of Christ as He wept in fear in Gethsemane, the abandonment of Christ as He stood alone to be judged and condemned, the commitment to His Father as He suffered the brutality of His passion.  We hear of the dark loneliness of Holy Saturday as He lay in the tomb and then the joy of Easter morning as all was fulfilled and all that had been promised was given.  At Easter we learn what our faith asks us, but we remember too that faith gives hope to every soul.  To those who work tirelessly for others – never give up because what you do counts.  To those who suffer alone – never give up for Christ suffers with you.  To those who need hope – never give up for the most blessed of days will always come.  Easter gives us so much – example, inspiration, comfort and hopefully strength too.  This Easter let us give thanks for all Christ gave and gives us still and let us show that thanks by copying His example and loving God and others when and where we can.
 
Under the guidance of the document Paschale Solemnitatis from the Congregation for Divine Worship the Easter ceremonies will be celebrated as follows. 

Holy Thursday:              Mass of the Lord’s Supper – 7.00pm – Holy Family Church
                                            Eucharistic Adoration – 8.00pm – 9.00pm
                                           Night Prayer of the Church – 9.00pm
Good Friday:                  Passion of the Lord – 3.00pm – Holy Family Church
                                           Stations of the Cross – 7.00pm – Holy Family Church
                                           Stations of the Cross  – 7.00pm – St Mary’s Church
                                           Outdoor Stations of the Cross – 9.00pm – Brackaville Cemetery
Holy Saturday:              Easter Vigil – 8.00pm – Holy Family Church
Easter Sunday:             Morning Mass – 9.30am – Holy Family Church
                                           Morning Mass -11.00am – St Mary’s Church

With every blessing – Fr O’Neill