The Easter Triduum Sunday
This coming week the Catholic Church gathers for the Sacred Paschal Triduum of the Passion and Resurrection of the Lord. This is the high point of the entire liturgical year.
This Triduum begins with the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Thursday evening 7pm at Kenmore Church. At this Mass we as a community gather in one church to remind ourselves of the Eucharistic gift given to us by Jesus. The washing of feet ritual occurs after the homily which is a sign of service that each one of us has been called through Christ, to live out in our lives. Following the Mass we process to the Altar of Repose to wait and pray with the Lord as we remember his agony in The Garden before his arrest. At this Mass people are encouraged to return their Project Compassion (envelopes and boxes) and place them in the Baskets provided as we assist those in developing places in our world.
On Good Friday we gather to walk the Way of the Cross at 11am at Kenmore and then return at 3pm for the Veneration of the Cross with Communion as we retell the story of Passion of Jesus Christ. The ancient tradition of receiving communion on Good Friday links the celebration with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper and looks forward to the Eucharist of the Easter Vigil. A collection will be taken up to assist Rural Diocese of Broom in WA to maintain a sacramental presence & sustaining priests working in remote and regional areas of our nation. The collection will be given to The Australian Catholic Clergy Remuneration Fund (ACCRAF) conducted by the National Council of Priests on behalf of the Bishops of Australia. Also on Good Friday we gather at Moggill State School at 9am for a Good Friday Ecumenical Service with the other Christian Churches.
The Easter Vigil this year starts at 6pm at Kenmore Church. We gather outside the church around the Easter Fire and we light our candles from the Easter Candle. We then process into the darkened Church lighting our way with the light of Christ. In scripture we listen to the salvation story of humankind and we joyfully sing our Gloria as we celebrate the Christ Risen.
We leave this Mass knowing that Christ has risen from death and that we also rise with him to eternal life.
Fr. Mark Franklin
