Did You Know?

Through the Sacred Liturgy – especially in this Holiest of Weeks – we are invited to “walk” with our Lord through the key moments of His Passion, listening to the Gospel accounts of the Passion and ritually responding in ‘sacred participation.’ The Liturgy of the Lord’s Supper, this Thursday evening at 7:00, will allow us to take our place with the disciples in the Upper Room, to witness the washing of feet, and to respond personally to our Lord’s words: “Take and eat. . . My Body. . . take and drink. . .My Blood.” We will then walk with Him to the Garden of Gethsemane (the Divine Mercy Chapel) and spend some time “watching with Him”. On Good Friday, we will pray a special “Mary’s Way of the Cross” at 12:00 Noon to begin the solemn Good Friday observances – the Tre Ore (Three Hour) Service at 12:45, the Divine Mercy Chaplet prayed at 3:00 – all in preparation for the solemn and deeply moving Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion at 7:00 PM, when we will enter the Judgement Hall of Pilate and walk with our Lord on His Way of Sorrows to the Cross, reverencing His Cross. On Holy Saturday at 7:00, we will keep Vigil at His Tomb and then be renewed in the power of His Resurrection, as we share the joy of the Risen Lord with His new disciples, baptized into His Death and Resurrection and anointed with His Spirit! And then the unfolding joy and excitement of the Resurrection lived by us and among us in all the Holy Masses of Easter! Yes, this is the Holiest of Weeks and our own spiritual Pilgrimage to Jerusalem!

As you know, the special Pontifical Collection for the Holy Land is taken every Good Friday. Again, sadly, this year our fellow Christians in the Holy Land are facing special and unique hardships – many of which we hear about in the daily news. The political, religious, and challenges of warfare are more complex than ever. (Please see the article in this bulletin, with the interview with the Custos of the Holy Land – Father Francisco Patton, OFM, the head of the Franciscan Community charged with the oversight of the Holy Places and the Church’s many ministries in the Holy Land.)

In your most your generous response to the Pontifical Collection last year, you helped support 23 parishes and three academic institutions, offered more than 500 scholarships, helped keep schools open for over 10,000 pre-K through grade 12 students, supported Seminarians, restored and maintained 640 houses/apartments for Christian families, provided assistance for more than 9000 families through weekly food baskets, helped to preserve 80 shrines, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Basilica of the Nativity, providing employment for more than 1000 workers.

The Pontifical Collection for the Holy Land this Good Friday is particularly critical and your generous support is needed now as never before! Knights and Dames of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, whose Order is especially dedicated to supporting the Church in the Holy Land, will be assisting us in receiving this Collection and in the liturgies of Good Friday!