Palm Sunday - April 9, 2006

Dear friends in life and in ministry . . .

Palm Sunday has arrived and with it one of the most inspiring liturgical weeks of the Church year. Those of you (and I know on my friends list their are some) who mourn the loss of the splendor of the pre-Vatican II liturgy, need only to attend the Masses and special celebrations of this week to experience that same majesty of worship.

In about an hour our parish will gather for our annual Seder meal. On Tuesday we'll travel to Rochester for the Chrism Mass and on Thursday, we begin the Triduum by bringing forth the Oils Blessed on Tuesday before celebrating the Mass of the Lord's Supper with it's very meaningful foot washing rite.

This week's column reflects my personal love of this Holiest of weeks - a love that is expanded this year with the welcoming at our Easter Vigil of eleven new Catholic Christians.

I pray that this Holy Week will be for you - a true celebration of God's greatest miracle of love - the Pascal Mystery of Christ's passion, death and Resurrection.

Hope your week is blessed .

Ray

Printable column coming soon... (Adobe PDF file, plugin needed) (Click Here For Sent To Serve Archives)

Palm Sunday - April 9 , 2006

Nine adults and three children will enter the church during the Easter Season. Receiving the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil will be Beverly Knowles, Sharon McKinley and Stan Wraight. Jamie French, Jill Gaudino, Melissa Gerych, Don Knowles, and Mike Warren who have been previously Baptized into other Christian faith denominations will be accepted into full membership in the Roman Catholic Church and receive the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. Toddlers Xavier and Gracie Carter will receive the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation as is the norm for children entering the Church at the Easter Vigil. On Easter Sunday, Wyatt Ambrosone will be baptized at the 9:00 a.m. Easter Mass.

One other member of the “Elect”, Stacey Brzezinski who will be traveling with her family over the holidays will receive the Easter Sacraments later in the Easter Season.

Since last September, the nine adults have been involved in the parish’s Rites of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) process which has immersed them in our parish community through weekly meetings and liturgical rites. Guiding them through this process was a team of Catechists and friends including Deacon Ray, Bill Grimmer, Barb Perry, Jill Haynes, Martha Wraight and Don Youngs.

Holy Week and the Triduum
The Sacred Liturgies of this week are especially important for the Church. In our Diocese hundreds of people including nine adults and three children from St. Mary's in Bath will complete their journey to the Easter Sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation. I sincerely hope that you will attend the inspiring services that will take place this week.

SEDER SUPPER - Palm Sunday, 4:00 p.m.     O’Malley Hall

We’ll begin with this afternoon’s Seder Supper at O’Malley Hall. At this ritual meal based on the Jewish Passover, we will recall our special connection to the people of the Original Covenant and celebrate our New Covenant through Jesus.

COMMUNITY TAIZE SERVICE

Tuesday, April 11, 7:00 p.m.  St. Thomas Episcopal Church

While our Elect and other parishioners journey to Sacred Heart Cathedral for the Chrism Mass, you are invited to attend an ecumenical Taizé-style worship service to be held in the Chapel at St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church. This service, sponsored by the Bath Ministers Association, will be modeled after those held at the ecumenical Community of Taizé, France. The primary elements of worship at Taizé are meditative song, prayer, scripture and silence. This will be a special event for those wanting a quiet, and mystical worship experience for all the senses. Of course, descriptions of worship are poor substitutes for the “genuine article.” The best way to understand Taizé is to experience it for yourself.

HOLY THURSDAY - 7:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Church

Pre-Mass Bread and Soup Supper -  6:00 - 7:00 p.m. O’Malley Hall

The Mass of the Lord’s Supper celebrated on Holy Thursday is one of the most beautiful Eucharistic liturgies of the Church year. At this Mass we present the sacred Oils that were blessed by Bishop Clark at Tuesday’s Chrism Mass for use throughout the Diocese.  These are:

1. The Oil of the Sick used to anoint the ill, the infirm as the priest
prays for their spiritual and physical healing. This oil is also used
along with Viaticum (last Communion) to prepare those who are close to
death.

2. The Oil of the Catechumens used to spiritually strengthen those
beginning their journey toward Baptism.

3. Sacred Chrism which is used to confirm, to ordain priests and at
Baptism to remind us that we are a “Royal Priesthood” anointed and sent
to offer our lives (time, talents and treasure) in sacrifice and service.

At this Mass we also commemorate the institution of the Eucharist and the Lord’s call to service ritualized in the Washing of Feet. Participating in this Foot Washing ritual is an act of humility for both foot washer and the person whose feet are washed. It is my hope that many parishioners will come forward to have their feet washed this year. For me personally washing the feet of people I dearly love allows me to express as Jesus did, my desire to serve rather than be served.  The title of this weekly column signifies the desire I have to live my life in diaconal service to those whose spiritual lives have been entrusted by the Church to my care.

Following Holy Thursday Mass, (which we will celebrate at St. Mary’s (with St. Gabriel’s parishioners) our Church will remain open for private prayer before the Blessed Sacrament until 10:00 p.m.

GOOD FRIDAY - 6:00 p.m.     St. Gabriel’s Church

On Good Friday we remember the passion and death of Jesus with a service which includes the Reading of the Passion, special Prayer Invocations, the Veneration of the Cross, and Holy Communion. St. Mary’s parishioners will gather at St. Gabriel’s at 6:00 p.m. for this service. No Mass is celebrated on Good Friday.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS      Ecumenical Prayer

Good Friday, Noon     Pulteney Park

An Ecumenical Stations of the Cross will take place at noon at Pulteney Park. Fifteen traditional Stations of the Cross will be erected around Pulteney Square in Bath for a noon-time observance by the community. Member congregations of the Bath Ministers’ Association are inviting the community to join in a symbolic walk with Jesus.

EASTER VIGIL - 8:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Church

The Easter Vigil is the holiest Liturgical Celebration of the Church Year. At this Vigil Mass our “Elect” will be Baptized, Confirmed and receive the Holy Eucharist for the first time. Our celebration will begin at 8:30 p.m. at a bonfire near the Pavilion where the Easter Candle will be blessed, lit and carried in procession into the church.

EASTER SUNDAY - 9:00 a.m. St. Mary’s Church

On Easter Sunday morning or 9:00 a.m. Easter Mass will include the baptism of Wyatt Ambrosone, son of Sarah Ambrosone and grandchild of Cheryl and John Ambrosone.

I hope that you will try to join us in the many wonderful services at which we celebrate the Triduum.

Especially this week - let us be kind to each other, wash each others feet when they are weary, celebrate Eucharist with greater reverence and joy, and prayerfully consider the love that God has for each of us. “For God so loves us that he gave his only son” to teach us, reassure us, feed us, die for us, and lead us to a new and everlasting life.”

Have a Holy Week and a Joyous Easter.

Deacon Ray Defendorf

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