Holy Week

04-08-2022Weekly Flocknote Message

Holy Week begins this weekend with the celebration of Palm Sunday. Holy Week is the peak of the Liturgical Calendar of the Church and the most important week for Catholics. I am glad the pandemic has declined significantly, making it possible for us to celebrate the full liturgies during Holy Week this year, including the Triduum and Easter. Here is what to expect during the Holy Week:

Palm Sunday: We will have a solemn Palm Sunday procession during the 9am and 11am Masses this weekend. The “Simple Entrance” will be used for the other three Masses. Palms will be provided as you enter the Church.

Chrism Mass: The Chrism Mass will be celebrated on Monday, April 11, at Saints Simon and Jude Cathedral in downtown Phoenix. All the priests and religious in the Diocese are expected to renew their vows/promise and commitments during the Mass. The Bishop will also bless the sacred oils that we use throughout the year for Baptisms, Confirmations and Anointings of the Sick.

Holy Thursday: The celebration of the Lord’s Supper will take place at 7pm. We will have Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament right after Mass at the Altar of Repose in the St. John Bosco School Chapel.

Good Friday: There are several opportunities for prayer on Good Friday. The Divine Mercy Prayer Group will lead the Divine Mercy Novena at 11am in the parish Chapel (Annex 2). The Novena ends on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 24. The “Seven Last Words” will begin at Noon in the St. John Bosco Multipurpose Room (MPR). Then, at 3pm, teens from the parish youth groups will lead Living Stations of the Cross in the MPR. The Passion of the Lord will be celebrated at 7pm in the MPR.

Easter Vigil: The Easter Vigil will be celebrated at 8 pm on Saturday. We will begin with the Easter Fire outside in the St. John Bosco Courtyard. During the Vigil, we will welcome five new people into our Catholic faith as they become fully initiated members of our Church through the waters of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Eucharist for the first time. Please visit our parish website or check the bulletin for Holy Week and Easter liturgical schedules.

Realm Database System

I thank all those who have already signed up and set up their account on our new database system, Realm. I understand that not all of the features of the program, such as volunteer groups and notifications, are fully accessible at this time yet. Our main goal for this first phase of our roll out is to have everyone double check their profiles to ensure they are correct, and to set up their security and safety features. Our staff is working on setting up the remaining features and will let you know when phase two begins. Click here for a step by step instructions about how to set up your account. If you have questions or need help getting started, please call the parish office (480-961-1610) or email us at Realm@stbenedict.org.

Charity and Development Appeal (CDA) Update

I am glad to inform you that the recent update for our parish participation in the Charity and Development Appeal (CDA) shows that 178 families have already participated in the CDA from our parish community, with a total pledge of $82,926. This represents 98% of our total goal of $85,000! I thank those who have already participated. I encourage those who have not yet participated to consider sending their pledge or payment this week. The CDA envelopes are available at the parish office and during weekend Masses in the MPR. Please give us a call in the parish office (480.961.1610) if you have any questions or if you need help setting up your Text-to-Give or Online payment.