Dear Friends: I want to encourage you again to participate well in the Holy Week Services. If you have off on Friday you can have a mini retreat by coming to the Thursday foot washing and Eucharist adoration afterward. Then keep quiet in the home with no tv or radio or only Christian music until coming to the veneration of the cross service at 3 pm. You can then come to the stations of the cross at 6 pm also. You can continue silence on Saturday as you do your Saturday work and prayers and complete your triduum with the Easter Vigil Saturday at 8 pm or Sunday morning with the renewal of baptism vows. You can visit churches on Friday or Saturday also or perhaps a cemetery or park. This is an easy once a year opportunity to dedicate some time to prayer to God to be ready to profess your faith together with the community at the Commemoration of the Lord's Resurrection.
I will be going to the cathedral for the Chrism mass to receive the holy oils on Tuesday so we will not have daily mass that day. We also will not have Thursday evening mass or Friday morning mass. The Saturday 4:30 pm mass is cancelled and replaced with the Easter Vigil mass at 8 pm which is longer because of more readings and rites. The Easter Sunday masses will also be longer due to more rituals. I look forward to celebrating this special time with you.