¶April 1, 2007 – Palm Sunday.
Today is Palm Sunday. Please feel free to take extra palm home for family and friends. Vespers and Benediction are at 4:45 PM.
¶Tenebrae
Tenebrae, Latin for “darkness” is a special Holy Week liturgy featuring passiontide music spanning medieval chant and Renaissance polyphony including Gregorio Allegri’s sublime setting of Psalm 51, Miserere sung by the choir. The mood of the service is somewhat somber, quiet and reflective; its dramatic features are the gradual extinction of a fifteen branch candelabra in the sanctuary, as the church contemplates the temporary triumph of the prince of darkness over the world, and a loud noise at its conclusion, suggesting the earthquake described in the Passion narratives. Tenebrae begins at 6:30 PM on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evening. Because of the nature of this service, it is not recommended for children and infants.
¶Maundy Thursday
Holy Thursday is the day of the year to hear Mass and receive Holy Communion. Come even to part of this very special Mass which begins at 9:00 AM.
Come, bring your children. Let them experience the “Birthday of the Mass” with the bells and clackers, the Pange Lingua as Our Lord leaves the church, the sorrowful stripping of the Altar. Parents, PLEASE bring your children to walk in the procession to the beautiful Altar of Repose, dropping rose petals along the way to show Him love and adoration.
The Maundy (from Mandatum, or commandment in Latin) is a rich Sacramental of the church, although now performed but once a year, on Holy Thursday in honor of Our Lord who washed the feet of His Apostles.
This service is an ideal one for mothers with little children. It is short and the children can sit so as to see the ceremony. Combined with a visit to the beautiful Altar of Repose it makes for a good family observance of Holy Thursday. See you on Thursday at 1:30 PM.
On Maundy Thursday a parish potluck luncheon follows the Mass. Please plan to bring a meatless dish to share: vegetable casseroles, salads, fruits and bread.
The Blessed Sacrament will be at the beautifully decorated St. Joseph’s altar, the Altar of Repose or Sepulcher, for twenty-four hours, and should not go unvisited, or be left unattended.
The men of the Guard of Honor are asked to keep their customary hours to guarantee Our Lord is not left unattended during the hours of the night. Please come for at least one visit.
¶Holy Communion
Holy Communion may be received on Maundy Thursday and Holy Saturday, but not on Good Friday. Those who have been making their Nine First Fridays should probably start over.
Holy Saturday
The magnificent Mass, and the whole of the Easter Vigil, is the most splendid and moving service of the entire year,—enhanced this year by the addition of the ordination to the sub-deaconate of Mister Markus Ramolla. The Vigil begins at 8:00 AM Saturday morning, we anticipate that Holy Communion should be at approximately 11:30 or 12:00 PM. You should adjust your fast to be able to receive Holy Communion at approximately this time. A special reception follows the Easter Vigil services to honor our newly ordained sub-deacon, Reverend Mr. Markus Ramolla. Everyone is invited. The Lenten Fast and Abstinence ends at Noon. Easter Water, a powerful sacramental, is available after the Holy Saturday Vigil.
The year, the Easter Matins and Lauds, usually sung at 4:30 AM Easter Sunday morning, will be anticipated at 6:30 PM, as a kind of joyful finale to Tenebrae. You are, of course, welcome to this shorter and rather splendid service.
¶The Blessing of Easter Food
Again this year we will observe the beautiful custom of blessing Easter food. Please bring: butter, meat, breads, candy and whatever other items you will use for your Easter feast to be blessed after Holy Saturday ceremonies.
¶Easter Novena / Memorial Flower Offerings
Envelopes for the Easter Novena of Masses and Flower donations are available in the pews and in the vestibule. The Novena of Masses will be said daily beginning with Easter Sunday. Names of loved ones for the Memorial Flower Offerings will be listed in the Easter bulletin. Tomorrow is the last day envelopes for the Memorial Flower Offerings may be returned to be included in the Easter bulletin. Offerings must be returned by tomorrow Noon. Please be generous.
¶Next Sunday
The beautiful Easter Sunrise Mass is at 6:00 AM. Easter Vespers are at 4:00 PM. Please note, there will be NO 5:45 PM evening Mass on Easter.
Set your missal: April 8th. Easter Sunday, Vidi aquam sung instead of Asperges. Sequence. Prf: Easter. Canon: Proper Communicantes & Hanc igitur.
¶Lenten Folders
There will be a box at each end of the Communion rail on Good Friday to receive the Lenten Offering folders which were given out on Ash Wednesday.
¶Volunteers, Please!
Volunteers are needed this Tuesday and Wednesday night after Tenebrae; but especially Friday night after Tenebrae and Saturday after the vigil service, when all the decorations for Easter must be put up. Even if you can only offer an hour, please come and help.
¶Holy Helper Volunteers…
April 2nd – April 7th
Special Schedule for
Holy Week/Easter Preparations!
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday; Holy Thursday afternoon & evening; and Good Friday afternoon and evening
HOLY WEEK Preparations
Rose Kuebler; Becky & Mary Rose Uhlenbrock; Katie Bischak; Kathy Cozzens; Theresa Hill; Gerry Keaveney; Wilker Family;
Ironing – Nathalie Andreotta, Mrs. Mattingly, Linda Cardamon; sewing/mending – Rita Ferguson.
Saturday, April 7th:
Holy Saturday Preparation for Easter
Katie Bischak; Rose Kuebler; Rita Ferguson; Jeanne Hille; Jean Bischel; Wilker family; Gerry Keaveney; Chris Ritze.
Ironing – Nathalie Andreotta, Mrs. Mattingly, Linda Cardamon; sewing/mending – Rita Ferguson.
Volunteers, please contact Katie Bischak, or Sr. Mary Magdalen and let us know when you could help during Holy Week.
A sincere thank you to all who helped with the cleaning, ironing and sewing this past week. Hang in there…one more week – the big push – and we can all breathe a big sigh of relief, and enjoy our beautiful church, resplendent in magnificent Easter white. May God bless and reward all of you.
¶The Paschal Sacraments
First Testing & First Confessions: Saturday, April 21st. (Baptismal Certificate must be presented before testing, and form filled out.)
• Obligatory Day of Recollection for all First Communion Children: Thursday, May 24th.
Confirmation: Saturday, May 26th.
First Holy Communion: Sunday, June 10th.
Parents, please remember, you must submit to the Office the Baptismal certificates of children not baptized at St. Gertrude the Great. If your child is not enrolled in the school or Sunday School, please let us know if you are planning on bringing him to be tested in April. Unless we have the Baptismal certificate, we will be unable to do the necessary testing. Sometimes it is difficult to tell if a child is ready for the Sacraments. Please consult the priest. The Church earnestly desires all children to receive Our Lord as soon as possible.
¶Our First Annual Jog-A-Thon
Time is growing short. By now, you should have forms that have been filled out and some checks and/or cash. Please turn in all forms and money to the church office or give them to Marlys Arlinghaus or Connie in the Book Store.
Saturday, April 14th and 21st, the Beckett Ridge Krogers is also allowing us to set up tables to solicit sponsors.
We need parental supervision – moms and dads – to supervise these tables. There will be a sign-up sheet in Helfta Hall. We need parents to participate with the children and take an hour or two to help out.
Our list of participating sponsors is growing! Their names are on a sign near the entrance doors in the vestibule. Have you contacted anyone we could add to this list???
This can be a really great fund raiser if everyone takes part, and a wonderful source of outside revenue. If you need additional sponsor forms or flyers you will find them in the Book Store.
Dear St. Gertrude Parishioners,
Employers and companies are often willing to contribute to or sponsor charitable fundraisers that their employees are involved in.
Ask your employer if he’s willing to be a Jog-a-Thon sponsor. Corporate forms are available in the Church Office.
Thanks for your enthusiastic support!
— Father Cekada
¶Knights of the Sacred Heart
Due to Fr. Saavedra’s travel plans, the Knights of the Sacred Heart and St. Angela Merici Girls’ Group will not meet for the following Monday afternoons: April 2, 9 and 16th. See you on the 23rd!