March 26, 2023
Fifth Sunday of Lent
by Fr. Boniface Endorf, O.P
Dear St. Joseph Parish Family,
This week is our annual parish Lenten mission and Fr. Cajetan Cuddy OP will the preacher. He’ll preach from Monday the 27th through Wednesday the 29th at 7pm each night in the church. The topic is “In Search of Real Spirituality: The Only Three Questions.” We hope that everyone can make it—Fr. Cajetan is a wonderful preacher and it will be a great mission.
This Sunday also begins Passiontide, when our Lenten observances are intensified as we make our final preparations for Holy Week and Easter. A traditional part of these observances is covering the statues in the church, which you can see at St. Joseph’s.
Speaking of Holy Week, which is the center of the Church’s calendar, here’s this year’s schedule:
Holy Thursday–
9am: Matins & Lauds in Church
8pm: Mass of the Lord’s Supper
Adoration in chapel of repose (McGuire Hall) until midnight
Compline just before midnight
Good Friday–
9am: Matins & Lauds in Church
Noon: stations of the cross with confessions
3pm: Veneration of the Cross
8pm: Tenebrae
Holy Saturday–
9am: Matins & Lauds in Church
8:30pm: Easter Vigil
Easter Sunday–
no confessions Easter Sunday
9am: Easter Mass
11:30am: Easter Mass
6pm: Easter Mass
If you’re deciding which of these liturgies to attend, the most important are the Mass of the Lord’s Supper Thursday night, the Veneration of the Cross Friday afternoon, Tenebrae Friday evening, and the Easter Vigil Saturday night. The more liturgies you attend, the deeper you can delve into these holiest of days and the closer you can come to encounter Christ.
Mass Tidbit:
I’m going to veer into a tangent this week and talk about confession. You may have noticed that the words of absolution that the priest says at the end of confession have changed. I’ve highlighted the changes below:
“God, the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of His Son has reconciled the world to Himself and poured out the Holy Spirit for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church may God grant you pardon and peace, AND I ABSOLVE YOU FROM YOUR SINS IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON, AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. Amen.”
The text changed to more accurately reflect the Latin original. The last sentence didn’t change and is in all caps because that’s the part the priest must say exactly for the sacrament to be valid. The priest speaks those words in persona Christi, speaking on behalf of Christ Himself, because only God has the power to forgive sins. It’s a great gift of God’s mercy that He has provided us the sacrament of confession so that we can receive His forgiveness whenever needed. Make sure to take advantage of the many graces confession confers.
God Bless,
Fr. Boniface
