PASSION OR PALM SUNDAY - 24th March 2024
My Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We celebrate Palm Sunday one week before Easter Day. It marks for us the triumphal entry of Our Lord Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, an event that is recorded in all four Gospels. He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, while the crowds waved palm branches and shouted "Hosanna!"
Palm branches were widely associated with victory and triumph in the time of our Lord. The laying down of cloaks on the ground was also a sign of respect and honour for someone of great importance.
And so on this Palm Sunday at 10 am we will celebrate with a procession carrying palm branches and other greenery to honour the Lord who is our King.
But Palm Sunday, although triumphal, also precedes the marking of events which led to the arrest, passion and crucifixion of the Lord.
Now is the time for us as Christians to reflect upon our faith and to prepare ourselves for the solemnity of Holy Week. Through these next few days we will walk with Christ through the saving events of our faith and be led to the celebration of His resurrection, which for us is new, eternal, real and abundant life.
SERVICES FOR THIS WEEK
24th March 2024
THIS SUNDAY - PALM SUNDAY
Blessing of Palms, Procession and Parish Mass at 10.00 am.
25th March
Chrism Mass at Lichfield Cathedral at 11.00 am.
NOTE TO THOSE COMING: Please meet promptly in the Ticket Concourse at Milton Keynes Central Railway Station at 7.45 am for departure at 8.19 am.
26th March
TUESDAY
Mass and Address at 6.30 pm
Stations of the Cross at 7.00 pm following.
27th March
WEDNESDAY
Lauds (Morning Prayer) at 9.00 am.
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at 11.45 am.
Mass and Address at 12.15 pm
Vespers (Evening Prayer) at 6.00 pm.
Stations of the Cross at 6.30 pm.
28th March
MAUNDY THURSDAY
Lauds (Morning Prayer) at 9.00 am.
Solemn Mass, Eucharistic Procession and Watch at 6.30 pm.
29th March
GOOD FRIDAY
Lauds (Morning Prayer) at 9.00 am.
Children’s Eastertide Service and Party at 12.00 noon
Solemn Liturgy of the Passion at 3.00 pm.
30th March
HOLY SATURDAY
Lauds (Morning Prayer) at 9.00 am.
Preparing the Church for Easter from 10.00 am.
Blessing of Fire and Paschal Candle. Vigil and First Mass of Easter at 8.00 pm.
NEXT SUNDAY - EASTER SUNDAY
Lauds (Morning Prayer) at 9.15 am.
Solemn Festal Mass at 10.00 am.
Followed by Easter Egg Hunt for the Kids and Easter Party of Welcome for Father Adetunji, Funke and family.
TEA AND COFFEE IS AVAILABLE AFTER MASS ON SUNDAYS - DO JOIN US FOR FELLOWSHIP.
PARISH NEWS
CONFESSIONS will be heard 20 minutes before any of the Weekday Masses and immediately afterwards. Please speak to Father Victor or Father Ian
HOLY WEEK AND EASTER SERVICES LEAFLETS. We would still welcome volunteers to leaflet a few streets around the Parish in the next couple of days. The leaflets are at the back of Church.
THE HEALTHY CHURCH INITIATIVE. Thank you all for taking part in this process through which we will be able to reflect on our ongoing Parish Mission. Canon Gary Ecclestone has informed us that the data results of our survey are being processed now and he will be with our PCC on the 11th April to share the results so that we may begin to target our Parish Mission response accordingly.
THE ADULT BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION CLASS continues. The classes take place after the Parish Mass on Sundays at the Vicarage at 12.30 pm. THERE ARE A FEW OF YOU WHO ARE YET TO BE CONFIRMED- PLEASE SPEAK TO FATHER VICTOR AS IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO ATTEND CLASSES.
The Bishop is with us on the evening of the 2nd May at 6.30 pm for a Solemn Mass of Baptism and Confirmation.
HOLY WEEK AND EASTER SERVICES
This is the week we walk with Christ through the saving mysteries of our faith. Please come.
REPOSITORY - CHURCH GIFT SHOP
This is open before and after Mass on Sundays and weekdays selling a wide range of items from religious cards, rosaries, books, crucifixes and icons to mugs, fridge magnets, church diaries, pens and note books.
Items can be seen in the glass case by the font at the back of church and in the glass case in the Vestry Hall. Please take a look.
OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL takes place each and every Sunday. If you have children between the ages of 5 - 12 they will be most welcome from 10 am in the Vestry Hall. Hope to see you there.
IF YOU HAVE ANY PRAYERS or Mass intentions you would like me to offer at Mass or if would like someone added to our parish prayer list of the Sick or Departed.
My contact details are as follows:
Telephone: 07714190663
Email: Vicarstmartin@outlook.com
I am also available in person during Surgery Hour on Saturday’s in Church between 10.30am - 11.30am.
THE SACRAMENT OF CONFESSION AND RECONCILIATION is also available at this time.
Please continue to remember the following in your prayers:
For a good and worthy keeping of this Holy Week that in walking with Christ through His Passion, Death and Resurrection we may be drawn ever closer to Him.
For our Parish that we may emulate him in our faithfulness to the Gospel and its proclamation and to the care of our brothers and sisters in their need.
For our Bishop Paul and all the Parishes that look to him in the See of Oswestry.
For our Sunday School and for the children attending.
That the gifts of the Holy Spirit may be ours so that we may grow our Parish and serve the people of Fenny and Bletchley more effectively.
For the success of our ‘Growing Healthy Churches’ initiative.
For the Children who attend our Sunday School.
For a deepening of our faith and a greater commitment to Christ.
For the strength to remain firm in our Christian faith and to give witness to it through our own example.
For the people of Israel and Palestine and for an ending of the conflict there.
For an end of war in the Ukraine and in Somalia and the re-establishment of Peace.
That we may continue to remember, the needs of those so less fortunate than ourselves.
For those at school, college or University, that they may be kept safe and well.
For those who work, particularly those who have families or other dependents.
For the Government, that in this time of rising costs we may see increased integrity within the world of politics.
For peace to reign within our homes and amongst one another.
For the elderly, housebound and those living in residential and nursing homes.
For our Ambulance Service and for our other Emergency Service Staff and for Milton Keynes Hospital and all who work there.
For Father Victor, Father Ian, Father Tunji and for all parish clergy as they seek to continue to make present in our midst the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass, the other Sacraments of Christ and offer continuing Pastoral care.
For the Monastic Community of the House of Initia Nova of the Order of Saint Benedict and for its Motherhouse in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
For it’s Abbot, Michael-John Austin, for all of the community and for those new to its life.
For the Sick:
For Ward Bullock, Abigail Bullock, Soraya Khajehpour, Diane Hare, Annette Thomas, Derek Albert, Cecile Raven, Doris Weatherley, Yvonne and Denis Simpson, Gary Ashby, Richard Lyons, Heather Burke, June Reid, Nicola Monaghan, Rosalio Eluna and Jean Holden.
For the Departed:
For Annette Thomas, Bishop Alan Wilson, Paul Pangrace and all the recently departed and for all whose Year’s Mind occurs at this time.
Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord.
And let Light Perpetual shine upon them.
Blessings on you and your families as we walk together through this Holy Week with Christ our God,
Father Victor (Brother Cuthbert)
