St. Mary's altar area at Easter decorated with flowers and yellow and white banners

Around St. Mary's this week (March 28, 2021)....

Przesłane : Mar-24-2021

 

Easter Triduum

Preparing for and Celebrating the Easter Triduum

April 1– 4, 2021 

The Easter Triduum is the highpoint of our Church year. The word Triduum means three.  For a Catholic there is really nothing more important than gathering with the community to pray throughout these three days.

The Easter Triduum is really one liturgy that extends over the three days. We go home in-between to rest, pray and to ponder the mystery of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.

The Last SupperHoly Thursday April 1st : Mass of the Lord’s Supper: 8:00 p.m.

You are invited to bring gift cards for grocery stores or cash to the celebration of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday.  These monetary gifts will be brought forward during the Preparation of the Gifts.  Also, if you have a handbell, please bring it to ring during the Gloria.

Good Friday

Good Friday April 2nd: Celebration of the Lord’s Passion 12:00 and 3:00 p.m.

We will gather for the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion.  We do not celebrate Mass on Good Friday.  It is the same liturgy at 12:00 and 3:00 p.m.

Holy Saturday April 3rd : Midday Prayer 12:00 p.m.

Gather with the parish family to pray Midday Prayer.  This time of prayer will include anointing of the elect and the final preparation for initiation.  All are invited to this brief time of prayer.Family Praying

Easter Vigil April 3rd at 8:00 p.m.

St. Augustine called this vigil the “Mother of all Vigils”. We hear stories from Scripture, proclaim God’s praises and rejoice at the waters of new life.  We will celebrate initiation with our five elect and together with thanksgiving participate in feasting at the Eucharistic table.

If you have a handbell, please bring it to ring during the Gloria.

** There is no 5:00 p.m. Mass on April 3rd.

 

Allelluia

Easter Sunday: Mass

8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m.,

12:00 noon and 4:00 p.m.

We live in a world that seldom takes time off from work and daily demands so it is important to plan how we can keep the Easter Triduum holy. You are invited to take time each day, to prepare and to reflect on the liturgy.

 

Middle school kidsEDGE – if you are in grades 5 – 8, enjoy games and love to laugh, come out to our EDGERS ONLY virtual games night on Friday, April 9th @ 6:00 p.m. Join us on www.zoom.us and enter Meeting ID: 810 2303 3855, and Passcode: 512683.  One of your hosts will let you in! We are looking forward to seeing everybody!

 

Knights of Columbus Logo

 

Cash and Gift Card Collection

The annual Knights of Columbus Easter Food Collection for the Barrie Food Bank has been cancelled this year because of COVID.  Today after all Masses, member from the Knights of Columbus, Council 1626 will be outside the entrances and exits of the church collecting only cash, gift cards or cheque donations in Barrie Food Bank Grocery bags. No actual food donations can be accepted. Please give generously.

 

 

Cross and Easter flowersDo you know how the date of Easter is set?

The Jewish calendar is tied to solar and lunar cycles so the dates of Passover and Easter fluctuate each year. Easter Sunday is the first Sunday after the first full moon, after the Spring Equinox.  In 2021 the first full moon after March 20th rises on March 28th, which means Easter Sunday is April 4.

 

Tree representing Ministry with Maturing AdultsMINISTRY WITH MATURING ADULTS

Christian Meditation meets weekly, online. Christian Meditation is one form of prayer and is a discipline that requires practice, concentration and commitment. This ancient form of Christian contemplative prayer invites us into a time of sacred silence.  The next session is on Tuesday, March 30TH at 10:30 a.m.  All are welcome.  No prior experience is needed. If you have any questions or to receive the link to the meeting please email Catherine Ecker at cecker@archtoronto.org.

The Next Chapter Network is a faith-based support network for women who are widowed.  The network encourages and empowers widows to move forward into a positive future. This group is not a bereavement support group and is not intended to replace the Bereavement Support Group at St. Mary’s Church. The next meeting will be online on Monday, March 29TH, from 7:30 p.m.– 8:30 p.m., please remember to wear your mask. To get the link or more information please contact Catherine Ecker at cecker@archtoronto.org.

 

Basket holding envelopesPONTIFICAL COLLECTION ON GOOD FRIDAY

The Pontifical Collection for the benefit of the Holy Places is scheduled this year on Good Friday, April 2, 2021.  Our parish, once a year on Good Friday, is called to support Christians in the Holy Land.  Many Christians in the Holy Land depend on the collection for their lives.

     As a Pontifical collection requested by Pope Francis, the annual Good Friday Collection helps to maintain not only the Holy Places above all, but also the pastoral, welfare, educational and social works that the Church carried out to the benefit of the Christian brothers and sisters and the local population.

 

2 wedding ringsLiving and Celebrating the Sacrament of Marriage

The expression a wedding lasts a day a marriage lasts a lifetime highlights the importance of celebrating and living marriage vows day after day. The married couples in our parish are a sign to us of God’s faithfulness and through their witness we are strengthened. If you celebrated a wedding anniversary in March we shall pray with you and share in your joy at all Sunday (Saturday evening) Masses on March 27 and 28th.  Please join us in thanking God for the gift of the married couples in our midst.

 

Stained glass window showing CommunionPreparation for first sharing in Holy Communion

Parent (only) Catechetical Meeting

All parents who have registered their children in the preparation process are to attend a meeting on either Tuesday, April 6th from 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. OR Thursday, April 8th from 7:30 p.m.– 9:00 p.m. Important information is shared at this meeting and you shall receive a second book which is to be completed at home. If you have any questions please email Catherine Ecker at cecker@archtoronto.org.

 

Logo for Kairos CandaKAIROS GOOD FRIDAY VIRTUAL WALK FOR JUSTICE

Friday, April 2 at 9:00 a.m. on YouTube live at https://youtu.be/eliBhGGmcrU or through

Facebook Live at https://www.facebook.com/simcoekairos/live/

A virtual peace and justice observance of solidarity with all members of the human family.  We are a local group inspired by the work of KAIROS Canada, a national social justice movement which unites the work of various Canadian churches and all people of faith or conscience as they work together for ecological justice and human rights.  Join us virtually to reflect on the parallels between the suffering and death of Jesus of Nazareth and the current suffering of many members of our community who have gone mostly unnoticed in the past year and whose numbers have grown due to the effects of the pandemic.  Through reflections, songs and prayers we hope you will experience this year’s Good Friday walk for justice as an opportunity to show solidarity with all members of our human family