In Holy Week the Church celebrates the mysteries of salvation accomplished by Christ in the last days of the earthly life beginning with his messianic entry into Jerusalem.
The journey of Lent comes to its conclusion as in prayer and action we remember every moment of the events from the cheering as Christ enters Jerusalem until he reaches Calvary. May we make room in our hearts for Jesus Christ.
Bishop Richard’s Weekly Message
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
This Sunday, as we gather for the Palm Sunday celebration, our Holy Week begins.
The joyous message that greets the Messiah as he enters Jerusalem must, surely, bring hope to a world in which so many of our brothers and sisters are suffering the effects of conflict, injustice and the impact of natural disasters.
As we enter Jerusalem in the celebration of the Palm Sunday Liturgy, let us take with us in prayer our brothers and sisters across the world. In our prayer, in our lives, let us seek to walk with them in their suffering as, in the coming days, we spend time with the One who is the Suffering Servant.
As the Passion is read this Sunday, let us make every effort to walk with Jesus in every step that he takes. In the days to come this week, I invite you to take parts of the Passion account and make use of them for Lectio Divina. This prayerful reflection on the sacred text will bring the words of the Gospel to a place in the heart, where we listen in faith to the One who calls us to be His. The more we dwell in the Gospel, the more we dwell in Christ, in the One who suffered, died and rose again for us.
May God bless you all,
+ Richard
Holy Week
- PALM SUNDAY OF THE PASSION 10AM Blessing of the Palms in the Hall, Procession into the Church, The Passion of St Luke, Mass.
- Monday in Holy Week Mass. St Mary’s House 8.15am
- Tuesday in Holy Week Mass 9.30am
- Spy Wednesday Mass 9.30am
- The CHRISM MASS Arundel Cathedral 6pm.Live streamed.
- The blessing of the Holy Oils. The Sacrament of Baptism, The Chrism for the Sacraments of Confirmation and The order of Priesthood. The Holy Oil for the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. The Renewal of Priestly Promises.
- HOLY THURSDAY or MAUNDY THURSDAY -from the Mandate to loving service. The Mass of the Lord’s Supper 7pm. The Washing of feet, the Mass, Procession of the Blessed Sacrament to the Altar of Repose. Prayer, Watching until 10pm
- GOOD FRIDAY
- 10 AM The Way of the Cross
- 3 PM Celebration of the Passion of the Lord, The Passion of St John, The Intercessions, the Veneration of the Cross. Holy Communion.
- HOLY SATURDAY
- HMP LEWES. EASTER MASS 8.30AM
- THE EASTER VIGIL In St Mary’s Church 8pm
- EASTER SUNDAY MASS 10AM
Pastoral Notes Good Friday.
Observed as a Day of Fasting & Abstinence.
Basket Collection for the Holy Land Places at both Services.
The Assisted Dying Bill
The Catholic Medical Association has provided comments on the proposed Bill – more details can be found here
Myanmar
CAFOD & the Disasters Emergency Committee have appeals for Myanmar after the earthquakes. Card donations can be made here.
The royal banners forward go
The cross shines forth in mystic glow
Where he in flesh, our flesh who made
Our sentence bore, our ransom paid
St Thomas More Church, Patcham, Brighton 