HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE
PALM SUNDAY, March 29
4:30pm – Saturday Evening (3/28) Palm Sunday Mass & Blessing of Palms (Church)
8:00am – Palm Sunday Mass & Blessing of Palms (Church)
9:30am – Blessing of Palms and Procession to Church (School)
10:00am – Palm Sunday Mass (Church)
HOLY THURSDAY, April 2
7:00pm – Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper
Church Open For Holy Thursday Private Prayer until 10:00pm
GOOD FRIDAY, April 3
Church Open For Good Friday Private Prayer from 12:00-3:00pm
2:00pm – Good Friday Prayer Vigil Led by Gun Sense Team
3:00pm – Good Friday Stations of the Cross
7:00pm – Good Friday Mass – Memorial of the Lord’s Passion & Death
HOLY SATURDAY, April 4
8:00pm – Easter Vigil Mass
EASTER SUNDAY, April 5
8:00am – Easter Sunday Mass
10:00am – Easter Sunday Mass
PALM SUNDAY
The weekend of March 28-29 celebrates Palm Sunday. The 4:30 PM Mass on Saturday and the 8:00 AM Mass on Sunday will begin in the back of Church with the blessing of palms and the reading of the first Gospel before the ministers and Fr. John process into Church. However, on Sunday morning, the 10:00 AM Mass will actually begin at 9:30 a.m. in front of our School on Castleman Avenue. The celebration will begin with the blessing of palms there on the School parking lot, and then the congregation will joyfully process up Castleman and down 39th Street to Church, where Mass will continue at 10:00 a.m. This is a wonderful opportunity to witness our faith to our neighborhood, so please join us if able. All this is weather permitting, of course, so if it is raining, please check back on this parish website for the latest updates.
HOLY THURSDAY
During our celebration of Holy Thursday Mass, we invite families of second-grade students – soon to make their First Communion – to sit together near the front of Church to experience this Mass of the Lord’s Supper in a special way. The second graders will also participate in the Offertory procession and will join Father in transferring the Eucharist into our St. Vincent de Paul Chapel at the end of the Mass.
GOOD FRIDAY
On Good Friday, April 3, the Church will be open for private prayer starting at 12:00pm Noon until 3:00pm. Then from 2:00-3:00pm, the SMOS Gun Sense: For the Common Good team invites you to a Good Friday Prayer Vigil: Mourning and Remembering Lives Lost To Gun Violence. Please join in prayer for those whose lives have been torn away due to gun violence in our City and in our neighborhoods. You may want to bring the name(s) of someone you know (or know of) who has died as a result of gun violence. The gathering will be a quiet prayerful vigil outside in front of church (near the corner of 39th St. & Flad Ave.). Immediately following, we will have our traditional Good Friday Stations of the Cross at 3:00pm in the Church. And that in the evening at 7:00pm, we will celebrate a Good Friday Mass.
FAST AND ABSTINENCE
Good Friday, April 3, is a day of fast and abstinence. Fasting is for Catholics between the ages of 18-59 and means one meal, two smaller meals, and nothing in between meals. Medicine and water are always allowed, and in cases of ill health, there is no obligation. Abstinence is refraining from eating meat. If possible, continue this fast through Holy Saturday, so that we may approach the Resurrection hungry and thirsty and ready to receive Christ!
BLESSING OF EASTER BASKETS & CHALK DRAWINGS
All our families and children are invited to bring their Easter Baskets and Easter foods for a blessing at 12:00 noon on Holy Saturday, April 4. This blessing will take place outside in the courtyard between the Church and Rectory. Following the blessing, all are invited to decorate our sidewalks around the Church with Easter chalk drawings to welcome everyone who comes to Church on Easter Sunday. Bring your chalk, your ideas, and your enthusiasm!
TRIDUUM COLLECTIONS
On Holy Thursday, a collection is always to be taken exclusively for the poor. This year, our Holy Thursday collection will be shared with our St. Vincent de Paul Society.
On Good Friday, a collection is taken for the upkeep of the Christian shrines in the Holy Land.
On Easter Sunday, a collection is taken for the care of our retired Archdiocesan priests who have served us so well for many years. Thanks for your generosity to our retired priests and to all these special collections!
DAILY MASS & EUCHARISTIC ADORATION
Please note that there will be no 6:30 AM Mass on Holy Thursday (April 2), Good Friday (April 3), or Easter Monday (April 6). There will also be no Eucharistic Adoration on Holy Thursday, April 2. Eucharistic Adoration will resume on Thursday, April 9, from 7:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. in the St. Vincent de Paul Chapel.
CHILDREN’S LITURGY OF THE WORD – COFFEE & DONUT FELLOWSHIP
There will be no Children’s Liturgy of the Word and also no Coffee & Donut Fellowship on Easter Sunday, April 5. Both will resume the following Sunday, April 12.
HOLIDAY OFFICE HOURS
The School will be closed on Holy Thursday. The Parish and School Offices will both be closed on Good Friday through Easter Monday. Both offices will reopen on Tuesday, April 7.
EARLY BULLETIN DEADLINES
With Holy Week and the Easter holiday approaching, please take note of the early deadline for submitting your bulletin events and announcements to the Rectory Office. The submission schedule is as follows:
- Weekend of April 11-12 (Divine Mercy) articles are due on Wednesday, April 1 by 2:00 p.m.
Questions? Please contact Michael Sonntag at parishnews@stmargaretstl.org or call 314-776-0363.
