Dear Parishioners,
               
Welcome to Holy Week!  We begin this weekend with blessing of palms and a procession.  Join us for as much as you can of the Triduum – (“the sacred three days”) as we celebrate Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter.  For many it provides a kind of “mini retreat” that can be spirit refreshing and life renewing.
           
Our celebration of The Lord’s Supper on Thursday evening at 7:30 pm will include footwashing for those who wish, and handwashing for others; sandals or easy to remove shoes and socks are recommended.  We conclude the evening with a short procession to the garden setting in our gym, and later on a closing night prayer at 10:00 pm for those who wish to stay.
           
On Good Friday we celebrate the Church’s official Liturgy at 12:45 pm with Liturgy of the Word, Passion Play with Salesian High School students, Homily, Veneration of the Cross and Communion; in addition, beginning at noon we’ll have reflection time, music and silence.  During the “three hours” our own teenagers carry the cross through Pleasant Hill in our name.  They arrive back at the Church at 2:00 for all of us to venerate the cross after the presentation of the Passion Play.  There will also be a Good Friday service and prayer time and communion at 7:30 pm in the gym.  Remember our beautiful new Prayer Garden (behind the junior high school) is available all week for private reflection and prayer.
           
Our Easter Vigil with the blessing of the Easter Fire and Candle, reception of 10 new Catholics and 16 receiving the Eucharist and Confirmation at 7:30 pm Holy Saturday evening.  (Be sure to bring some bells to help us celebrate!)  On Easter morning there are two additional Family Masses at 9:15 and 10:45 am.  Hopefully! outdoors in beautiful sunshine?! or else crowded into the gym!
           
There are several ways you can personally add to the beauty and joy of our Easter celebration: 1) we welcome the donation of colorful Easter plants in memory of loved ones (not Easter lilies); just drop them off next Saturday between 8:00am – 11:00am am.  A memorial book will be available; 2) youngsters and families going to the outside family Easter masses can drop off (Saturday) or bring to our outdoor masses (Sunday 9:15, 10:45) strong stem cut flowers (eg. Carnations)  to decorate the outdoor cross; 3) everyone is invited to help decorate our Church and to set up the family mass area next Saturday beginning at 9:30 am; join us for a few hours of work – lunch provided!  4) if you’re coming to the Easter Vigil (7:30 pm Saturday) be sure to bring some bells along to help us celebrate; 5) a personal touch you can add to our celebration is to write a note of welcome to one or several of our “new Catholics” who join our community this Easter either by the sacrament of baptism or by celebrating confirmation and Eucharist for the first time, and whose names and pictures are in the vestibule. 
           
Do plan on coming early to our Easter services (the crowds will be huge!)  One wonderful Easter gift and witness you could share is to park a block away and walk to Church, since parking will be at a premium.  Wherever you park, be sure not to block another car and be careful of the many Easter pedestrians.  We hope to avoid Easter morning anger and Christian road rage! We have been kindly given the use of parking areas on both sides of Gregory Lane near Pleasant Hill Road as long as we do not park directly in front of any stores that are open. 

Your Pastor,
Brian T. Joyce