| OBSERVATIONS ON HOLY THURSDAY
As we continue our look at the older forms of Holy Week and the Easter Triduum, we come to Holy Thursday. Not much will be seen to be different, to the casual observer, between these rites and the revised rite of 1955. The tabernacle is veiled and the sanctuary lamp burns, as the Blessed Sacrament is still in the tabernacle. It will be removed after Mass is concluded. The bells are rung at the Gloria, and then fall silent until the Gloria of the Easter Vigil. In this Mass, the priest consecrates two large hosts, one for the priest's communion at this Mass, and the other to be offered on Good Friday at the Mass of the Presanctified. After the priest's communion he places the second host into another chalice, which is then covered with a pall and inverted paten and then a white veil, which is tied with a white ribbon. After the conclusion of Mass, the procession to the altar of repose (also called the "tomb") takes place. Returning to the main altar, the Blessed Sacrament is removed from the main tabernacle, such that the only place our Lord is present in church is at the altar of repose. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament carries on as usual after the stripping of the altars, which takes place in the usual manner.
Some preliminary notes on Good Friday, in advance of a more thorough description to come: It will be noted that only one consecrated host will remain in the church for the Good Friday liturgy. This is because the Mass of the Presanctified on Good Friday presumes that only the celebrant (not even the sacred ministers in a solemn celebration) receives Communion. Outside of that, only Holy Communion as Viaticum was traditionally given on Good Friday. In this manner, the deprivation of the presence of our Lord is felt even more keenly by the faithful.
YOUNG LADIES’ SODALITY
The Young Ladies' Sodality will meet again on Friday, March 2, at 4pm in the school building. Girls ages 6 and up are welcome. Please join us for a Lenten themed afternoon.
HELP NEEDED
As last year, help is needed on Saturday, March 17, to veil the crucifix and all the statues in the church in preparation for Passiontide. If you can help with this and are comfortable on ladders please contact the pastor by calling the office or
email pastor@sacredheartfw.org
REGULATIONS FOR LENT
The following are the barest minimum obligations which must be observed by Catholics under pain of serious sin (if there is no serious excusing cause). Abstinence from meat is observed on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and all the Fridays of Lent by all Catholics 14 years of age and older. Fasting is observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday by all Catholics who are 18 years of age but not yet 59 years of age. Those bound by this rule may take only one full meatless meal. Two smaller meals, not equaling together a full meal, are permitted as necessary to maintain strength according to one’s needs, but eating solid foods between meals is not permitted. If there are any questions about when one would not be obliged to this observance, please contact the office. The older regulations are given at the end of this bulletin for those who wish to observe Lent in a more traditional manner.
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
There will be Stations of the Cross each Friday evening during Lent beginning at 6 PM, followed by Mass at 6:30 PM. Please join us for this special Lenten devotion. Normal First Friday devotions will be suspended during Lent.
LENTEN BIBLE STUDY
Our Bible study of 1 Peter continues after the Wednesday 6:00 PM Mass.
VOLUNTEERS STILL NEEDED
A number of volunteers are needed to help keep the church clean. At the moment, there are only three people to divide up all the work, and these three people are finding the burden overwhelming. There are a number of small jobs that could be split up among a larger number of individuals. You could take one small job — many of these could be done in 15 or 20 minutes, even before or after Mass on Sunday, if travel is an issue:
—Sweeping floors - Weekly
—Vacuuming - Weekly
—Check/Fill holy water fonts (clean if needed) - Weekly
—Clean bathrooms - Weekly
—Straighten up books in pews - Weekly
—Empty trash - Weekly
—Clean window sills - Weekly
—Clean windows on entry doors - Weekly
—Wipe down pews - Monthly
—Dusting - Monthly
—Clean windows, inside and outside weather permitting - Monthly
If you can help with any of these tasks, some of which are very small, on a regular or semi-regular basis, please contact Stephanie at howesr83@gmail.com. Remember, many hands make light work. We should be able to take pride in the appearance of our church building for the glory of God!
OLDER LENTEN REGULATIONS FOR DEVOTIONAL PURPOSES (NO LONGER BINDING ON THE CONSCIENCES OF CATHOLICS)
Fasting was observed on all days of Lent, Sundays excepted. Contrary to what many believe and what many currently available “traditional” calendars claim, this even applied to major feast days (St. Joseph and the Annunciation), in order to preserve the integrity of the forty days of fast. Complete abstinence from meat was observed on Fridays and the Ember Days of Lent. Partial abstinence (meat allowed once) was observed on the remaining days. Although these regulations no longer bind, anyone able to do so is exhorted to follow the more strict, traditional fast and abstinence during the season of Lent. Although not as meritorious as when it was required by the Church, because now only the virtue of temperance, but not obedience, is being exercised, fasting is still a valuable means to bring the appetites under control and free the mind to contemplate higher things, as long as any temptation to pride is avoided, as the Pharisee who boasted about his observance of fasting.
CONGRATULATIONS to Maria Devens, who made her first Holy Communion on Feb. 11!
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