From the Pastor’s Desk.
Dear Parishioners,
Today is the fifth and last Sunday in the season of Lent. Next Sunday we will celebrate Palm Sunday, recalling our Lord’s entry into the city of Jerusalem. Our scripture readings this week focuses on the Spirit of God. Our second reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans tells of how the Spirit of God dwells within us. As disciples of the Lord, we are filled with his Spirit. Our gospel passage today is the account of Lazarus being raised from the dead. It is in this gospel that the Lord gives us this beautiful declaration, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me shall never die”. It is with faith that we proclaim Jesus as the resurrection and the life. Over these next few weeks, we will enter the most sacred of days, that is our Lord’s passion, death and resurrection from the dead. May our hearts be filled with God’s unconditional and merciful love as we journey with Jesus to Calvary.
Palm Sunday and Holy Week Schedule
With the celebration of Palm Sunday next week, we enter Holy Week. We will have a regular Sunday mass schedule next week for Palm Sunday. Weather permitting, we will have an outdoor procession with the blessing of palm branches at the 9:00AM, 10:15AM and 11:30AM Masses. Please follow the instructions of the ushers if you plan to participate in the outdoor procession. Monday April 3 is Reconciliation Monday. There will be a priest available to hear confessions from 2:00PM to 5:00PM and 7:00PM to 9:00PM at Our Lady of Victory. Thursday April 6 is Holy Thursday which we commemorate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. It will take place at 7:30PM at Our Lady of Victory Church. The Good Friday Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion will take place at 3:00PM at Our Lady of Victory. Saturday Solemn Easter Vigil will take place at 8:00PM at Our Lady of Victory. We will have a regular Sunday schedule for Easter Sunday. There are large posters with the Holy Week schedule outside each of our three churches.
Stations of the Cross & Lenten Vespers
Stations of the Cross will be prayed each Friday night during the season of Lent beginning at 7:00PM. Stations of the cross will be held at each of the three churches. As is the custom here at St. Martin de Porres, each Tuesday evening during the season of Lent we will have Eucharistic Adoration and pray Vespers. It will take place at Our Lady of Victory Church beginning at 7:30PM.
Easter Flower Envelopes
Easter flower envelopes are located at the doors of each of our three churches. Each Easter flower is $25. You may place the donation in the envelope and return it in the collection basket on Sunday or bring it to the parish office.
Wishing all of you a blessed and peaceful week,
Father Alonzo Q. Cox
P.S. I want to thank all of you who through your tremendous kindness thought of me and most especially prayed for me this past week as I celebrated my birthday. Please know of my own prayers for each of you as we continue to build up the Body of Christ here in Bedford Stuyvesant.