Dear Friends,
Today is Passion (Palm) Sunday
Holy Week Services
Holy Thursday: Confessions: 11.30 - 12.30pm
Mass of the Lord’s Supper: 7.30pm
Holy Hour 8.30– 9.30pm
Please note that there will be no Mass at 11.00am or 1.00pm on Holy Thursday.
Good Friday: Stations of the Cross: 12.15pm
Celebration of the Lord’s Passion: 3.00pm
Holy Saturday: Please note that there will be no services in the church on this day.
The Easter Vigil will take place in the Pro-Cathedral at 9.00pm as per the Archbishop’s instructions.
REFLECTIONS FOR GOOD FRIDAY
Jesus crucified is God crucified. Jesus is the total and final embodiment in history of God’s loving mercy; and so the Cross is a unique, terrible, extreme act of violence –a summary of all sin. The Cross represents the human rejection of love. And not even that can destroy God’s love…Jesus, the condemned criminal, speaks of God’s presence in the extremity of suffering, in abandonment and death – God as victim. God is forever wounded, but forever loving.
Rowan Williams
Former Archbishop of Canterbury
God, in Jesus, assumes the Cross in order to be in solidarity with those who suffer – not to sublimate and eternalize the Cross but to transform the Cross into a sign of blessing, a sign of suffering love. Love is the motive for the assumption of the Cross by God.
Jürgen Moltmann(+2024)
German Reformed Theologian
God suffers the death of the Son. Yet God suffers so that we might live and that is the most complete expression of love. It is on the Cross that love is made credible.
Jon Sobrino(1938 -)
Liberation Theologian
Bl. JOHNSULLIVAN MONTHLY MASS
As Holy Saturday falls on the third Saturday of April, the Blessed John Sullivan monthly Mass will not be held. The next monthly Mass is scheduled for Saturday, May 17th.
PILGRIMAGE TOLOURDES
Organized by Lourdes Kindness and led by Fr. Liam Scanlan, this pilgrimage includes six nights full board from 1st July 2025, with nurses and carers in attendance. Cost is €980 per person sharing. For details and booking, contact Terry Clarke at lourdeskidnesspilgrimage@gmail.com or call 01 8348549 / 087 412 9792. Follow on Instagram @lourdeskindness.
COLLECTION PRO TERRA SANCTA
Following are quest from the Holy See, Archbishop Farrell has this year again asked that we take up a collection on Good Friday for the Holy Land, Pro Terra Sancta. This collection takes place in dioceses throughout the world. We are invited to pray and to collect funds for the Catholic community in the Holy Land and for the maintenance of the Holy Places there.
LAST WEEKCOLLECTION
Church: € 677
Share collection: € 120
Card reader: €436
Thanks for your generous contributions to St. Francis Xavier’s Church. Easter Dues envelopes available at the back of the Church