Holy Week

The members of the Parish Life Committee organized St. Patrick’s Dinner. Deacon David and Laurie Gaydos prepared and donated all the food and some new decorations for the dinner; Merry and Bob Sleece donated $100; Dominick and Angela Bucci donated a Basket of Cheer, soda, and bread; Edward and Beverly Obssuth donated gifts for the “green gifts” raffle.

We thank other members of the Parish Life Committee who decorated the hall – Renata Cymana and Penni Lazor; Michael Merson helped in the kitchen, our youth helped to serve and did clean up after the event. In addition to tasty food, there was an interesting presentation about pre-paid legal services provided by Julie Shepherd and Lynn Imperiale. We not only enjoyed the food and Irish music, but our parish received a net profit of $1,516. St. Patrick’s Dinner was an Irish luck for our parish!!!

On Saturday, March 20, 2010 District #2 of the Polish National Union of America, our fraternal organization had a quarterly meeting at Holy Cross Church. The discussion concerned support of the youth of our Seniorate for their participation at CONVO 2010, PNU national convention in September 2011.

My Dear Parishioners and Friends during the celebration of the Holy Week particularly on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday April 1 – 3, 2010, I invite everyone to participate in these liturgies as final preparations for the celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord on Sunday April 4, 2010. The schedule of services for Holy Week and Easter Sunday is enclosed. If you search for a spiritual renewal, the Holy Week – is the place to be, pray and reflect on the redemptive sufferings of Jesus that brought us salvation.

THE LITURGY OF THE HOLY WEEK

The services of the Holy Week are very significant and important for each parishioner to participate.

ON WEDNESDAY OF HOLY WEEK – March 31, 2010. The decoration of the church will take place at 12 P.M. Especially ANS members are asked to help. The celebration of the Sacrament of Penance – General Confession will take place at 7:00 P.M. The youth who have received First Holy Communion and are under 16 years are strongly encouraged to attend the private forms of confession at 7:30 PM. Adults also if they wish can attend private form of confession.

ON HOLY THURSDAY – April 1, 2010 at 7:30 P.M. we will commemorate the Last Supper of Jesus in the Upper Room and the institution of the Sacraments of Holy Orders, Holy Eucharist and Penance. On that day we will celebrate the Holy Mass in white vestments. On Holy Thursday we will ring bells during the Gloria. The bells will not be used until the liturgy of Resurrection. At the end of Holy Thursday Mass, the Holy Eucharist will be taken to the side altar to signify that Jesus was taken at night from the Garden of Olives and imprisoned by Sanhedrin. The exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament will be until 9:00 P.M. Please sign up for the adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament on the list located in the parish hall.

ON GOOD FRIDAY – April 2, 2010 at 3:00 P.M. the liturgy of the Stations of the Cross with children and youth participation will take place. We will meditate for the last time during this Lent, about the passion and suffering of our Lord. The opening of the Lord’s tomb will take place. A simple reception will take place consisting of coffee and juice with crackers.

The Liturgy of Good Friday this year will take place at 4:15 P.M. In the previous years the liturgy of Good Friday was not well attended. That is why I change the time of service hoping that more people will attend. The Liturgy of Good Friday consists of the Passion of Jesus according to the Gospel of St. John. The main purpose of the liturgy will be veneration of the Cross, the symbol of victory over death and sin. On that day the Holy Communion will be distributed (consecrated on Holy Thursday) and the adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament will take place until 6:30 p.m. Please sign up for the adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament on the list located in the Parish hall.

ON HOLY SATURDAY – April 3, 2010

On Holy Saturday you can bring the Easter baskets with festive food to be blessed at 4:00 p.m. Easter baskets will be blessed also after the Liturgy of Holy Saturday. Since the ancient times the Holy Saturday was a day for the new catechumens to be baptized. Our Liturgy will begin at 6:00 P.M. with the blessing of fire and the Pascal candle. The Liturgy of the Word with the history of salvation will take place. The Holy Water will be blessed which we use during the upcoming weeks to bless ourselves in the church, to baptize children and for the Asperses on Sundays. The Easter Vigil will take place at the end of the celebration.

EASTER – SUNDAY APRIL 4, 2010

THE LITURGY OF EASTER – RESURRECTION OF THE LORD will be celebrated on Easter Sunday at 8:00 a.m. preceded with the procession around the church. The solemn Mass will follow. The second Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m.

My Dear Parishioners and Friends, each and everyone is welcomed to attend these beautiful celebrations in order to more completely understand the meaning and important events of the life of Jesus especially His passion and glorious resurrection.

THANK YOU – I would like to thank the St. Nicholas Ministry who donated Easter flowers for the sick and homebound of our parish. All home bound greatly appreciated the fact that they are remembered by the Holy Cross Church family. Special thanks are extended to Lucy and Richard Daum, who made arrangements to purchase flowers and delivered them to the church. I thank also Alfreda Bazanowski for sending cards to home bound, and for special occasions to our parishioners on behalf of Holy Cross Church.- Fr. Joseph.

EASTER EGG HUNT – will take place on Sunday April 11, 2010 at 10:10 a.m. All children from our parish are invited to enjoy this event. The party in the parish hall will follow. Please invite your friends.

Wishing you a Happy and blessed Easter,
Christ has risen! Indeed He is risen!

Father Joseph R. Cyman, Pastor