Palm Sunday falls on the Sunday before Easter, commemorating Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Palm Sunday is celebrated by the blessing and distribution of palm branches. The crowd greeted and honored Jesus by waving and scattering palm branches as He passed them, riding on a donkey. Palm Sunday marks the first day of Holy Week. The Liturgy of Palms precedes Holy Mass is steeped in symbolism and the church re-enacts the Scripture described in each of the four Gospels. The liturgy ends solemnly, as Fr. Mark strikes the Crucifix three times, chanting Matthew 26:31-32: “It is written, ‘they shall strike the Shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. But after I am resurrected, I will go before you to Galilee. There you shall see Me,’ says the Lord.”

Holy Thursday celebrates the Institution of the Holy Eucharist as the true Body and Blood of Jesus Christ and the Institution of the Sacrament of the Priesthood. During the Last Supper, Jesus offers Himself as the Passover sacrifice, the sacrificial lamb. Christ also bids farewell to His disciples and prophesizes that one of them will betray Him and hand Him over to the Roman soldiers.

During this Mass, Fr. Mark washes the feet of twelve parishioners, as Christ washed the feet of His twelve Apostles. This act symbolizes Christ’s humility of service and the need for cleansing with water, a symbol of Baptism.

The “Gloria” is sung during this Holy Mass, with the organ swelling to a crescendo and bells and chimes ringing. When the “Gloria” is ended, everything falls silent, any signing continues only a capella, and the remainder of Mass is celebrated in solemn contrast. At the end of Mass, the Blessed Sacrament is taken to the repository and the door of the empty tabernacle is left open. The faithful recite Psalm 22 and are invited to remain in church to continue to adore the Blessed Sacrament.

Holy Thursday marks the end of Lent and the beginning of the Sacred Triduum. No Mass will be celebrated again until Easter proclaims the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Good Friday commemorates the Lord’s Passion and Death. During the services, we listen to the words of Scripture and strive to understand the true meaning of His sufferings and the needs of the whole world. We worship the Cross as the symbol of His triumph and finally, we enter into spiritual communion with Him.

We observe Good Friday with fasting and church services:

• Stations of the Cross at 2pm,
• Celebration of the Lord’s Passion at 2:30pm
• Tenebrae at 7pm (see below).

Following the Tenebrae service, the faithful are invited to remain and keep vigil at Christ’s symbolic tomb through the night, just as the disciples stayed with the Lord during His agony on the Mount of Olives before the betrayal by Judas.

The word Tenebrae means "darkness" or "shadows." During the service, the candles of a large candelabra will gradually be extinguished until only a single candle, considered a symbol of our Lord, remains.

As it gets darker and darker, we reflect on and experience Jesus’ great emotional and physical pain that was very real for Him that evening. Toward the end of the service, the Christ candle is hidden, symbolizing the apparent victory of the forces of evil over good. At the very end, a loud noise is made, symbolizing the earthquake at the time of his death and His resurrection.

At the moment of the earthquake, the temple veil was torn apart, making the Holy of Holies exposed to public view. The hidden candle is then restored to its place, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil. By this single light we all depart this service in silence.

Holy Saturday celebration has a very rich liturgy. The faithful are invited to be drawn into the Service of Light: asking Christ the Light to illuminate any darkness within their hearts; allowing the Word of God be a living word; asking for God’s saving grace, as He freed the ancient Israelites from the bondage of slavery.

Let the celebration of the blessing of baptismal water touch your heart; ask the Holy Spirit to renew your commitment to bring justice to a hungry world.

The blessing of the Easter Basket containing the food for the first meal of Easter is a beloved Catholic ritual for centuries among families of Eastern European origin. This tradition has now been adopted by people of all ethnic backgrounds, who enjoy its rich symbolism. The baskets contain a variety of Easter foods, typically including bread, meat, decorated eggs, cakes or breads, butter, and salt, and are blessed on Holy Saturday after the services. This tradition continues in our parish, and we invite all to bring their Easter baskets.

Christ is Risen! Indeed, He is Risen! Our Lenten journey has ended and today we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ! During Holy Mass, we witness the empty tomb and rejoice just as the women at the tomb did that first Easter morning when the angel appeared to them and told them that Jesus has been raised from the dead. As Fr. Mark celebrates Holy Mass, incense fills the church, our bells ring, the organ swells, the choir sings joyfully, and we give glory to God for Christ’s victory over sin and death.