I hope you
enjoyed our Easter celebrations and that they were meaningful for you. Easter Liturgies are
sometimes complicated and take much preparation beforehand. So many people came
forward to help, knowing that I was alone this year, and they are to be thanked
for their time and generosity. I am indebted to the members of the RCIA for
their help with the oil ceremony and the washing of the feet on Holy Thursday
and the set up for the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday afternoon. Your assistance made everything so much
easier. Many thanks to Jennifer Thiele
for the palm arrangements on Palm Sunday and Good Friday. They certainly set
the stage for these celebrations! The Easter flowers are beautiful and I would
like to thank Mike and Jennifer Pirri of the Apple Market, for their generous
donation again this year. Thank-you to Bridie Boyd for keeping them
watered and looking healthy!! Many thanks to Pat Hyland and all the
ladies who helped with the reception following the Easter Vigil. The food was delicious and plentiful. The Liturgies themselves require many hands
to make them flow as smoothly as possible. Our Ministers of Welcome,
Eucharistic Ministers, Ministers of the Word and Altar Servers all came
together to lend their help and I am very grateful to you all, not only on
special feasts but all year through, for your commitment and dedication to your
ministry. Both of our choirs, the 9:30 choir, under the direction of Anthony
Bastianon and our 11:30 choir, under the direction of Sean Bator, outdid
themselves again. Your music was
prayerful and somber when it needed to be and joyful at the appropriate times
too! Many thanks to all our musicians for your preparation for Holy Week
and Easter. I know it takes weeks of preparation for such feasts and your
preparedness was evident to us all. Last, but not least, thanks to all of you,
our parishioners, for attending our many celebrations during Holy Week. Your participation in our special liturgies
is most encouraging to me. I believe
that we had record numbers of parishioners on Holy Thursday evening for Mass
and Night Prayer, at the Easter Vigil and at the Stations of the Cross on Good
Friday evening! A note of thanks is due our webmaster, Luis Gomes, for ensuring
our Lenten, Holy Week and Easter Schedule was posted prominently on our
website. Thanks too, for your good wishes, gifts and cards! I wish you all
continued joy in this Easter Season.
Fr. Phil
