SAINT BRIDGET OF SWEDEN PARISH Where Christ is Our Light ———–——————— SUNDAY, MARCH 28, 2021 ————-—————— to him in the joyful times of our lives AND through the challenges of our Letter from the Pastor lives such as this pandemic we are in the midst of this very moment. Come! The Reverend Jeffrey V. Romans, KCHS Follow Jesus! May this truly be a holy week for you and your families, and for our parish family as well. and following Him. As we approach the holiest week of These are the days, above any other the year for us as Christians, we day of the year, when we are reminded look forward to the Paschal Celebra- Dear Friends in Christ: that: tions of Holy Thursday, Good Fri- But how will these TODAY we celebrate PALM SUN- day and Easter. if there is no cross, then there is no take place this year, and what will be DAY albeit a little different than conquering death; different due to precautions being tak- perhaps we had planned. It will not be the normal but we CAN be togeth- if there is no suffering, then there en in consideration of the coronavirus er! That, in and of itself, provides is no rejoicing; pandemic? some sense of normalcy in a year that if there is no faithful following in First, I want to express how humbled has been anything but normal. We His path, then there is no spending and grateful to God I am that we are continue with the mask- eternity with Him! even able to gather for these celebra- ing and the social distanc- Perhaps more than ever tions this year. That we can come to- ing but being able to be we can appreciate these gether, even with some modifications, together to celebrate this statements. Perhaps the is much better than where we were last most holy of weeks is a suffering of this past year. true gift, especially since year has opened our Yes there will be some differences we were not able to be hearts and our minds a together in church this from our pre-pandemic liturgies of ho- little bit more to see the ly week. As you are already aware, we time last year. Please fruits that come from will not be able to gather in large num- note that today from 10AM until our sharing in the passion of Christ. bers as we have in the past for the Ho- 12Noon parishioners will be outside ly Week and Easter Sunday. Despite the South Entrance to distribute This is Holy Week when shouts of tri- the loosening of some restrictions last Palm to our Virtual Parishioners. umph and joy as we celebrate Jesus’ week, we must still maintain proper Simply drive into the church lot and entry into Jerusalem quickly change to social distancing which means we con- around the building, and receive shouts of “Crucify him.” tinue with the capacity of 200 for this your palm staying in your car and We move today into the most sol- week and on Easter Sunday we move be on your way! emn week, Holy Week, and prepare to a capacity of 250 which we truly be- TODAY our celebra- ourselves for the celebration of lieve we can accommodate while still tion reminds us that Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resur- respecting the need for social distanc- we cannot get to East- rection. We begin this week’s long ing. er but by the way of journey with Christ, aware that each of Our Lord’s Passion us was in His mind and heart as He Everyone wishing to attend the and Cross. This is the endured His suffering to be the sacri- Triduum and Easter celebrations week in which we re- fice that takes away our sins. Through must make a reservation online in member and celebrate His wounds we are healed. advance on our website We like- the foundations of our Through His resurrection each of www.stbridgetcheshire.org. ly will not be able to accommodate faith. These are the us has the hope and promise of days of God’s grace and the days in sharing in that new life of the resur- walk-ins, so please be sure to sign-up which we are strengthened by the Pas- rection. The renewal of our Baptismal early! The Masses have all been added sion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Promises on Easter Sunday will remind to the registration for Masses link on Christ. us of our hope of forgiveness and our our website. We will also be opening hope in the resurrection! our Saint Thomas Becket Church for This week’s liturgies bring out into the Easter Sunday Masses only! This will open our hope of resurrection, our We have many choices in life. The allow us to accommodate 100 people in entrance into Heaven, which, as Christ most important of these is our decision the Church for those two Masses and so clearly revealed, depends not only to accept Jesus Christ. But accepting an additional 30 people in the Father on His dying and rising, but also on us the Lord means being united to him Frisbie Hall. I thank you in advance taking up our own individual crosses both in his glory AND in his passion. for your understanding with this. Accepting the Lord means being united 2 ing as you make your way to receive Holy Jesus is here in our parish family. He is Communion and please keep your mask on! in each of our parishioners who desire Finally, please be sure to consume the to spread His light in the darkness of consecrated hosts while near the Ex- our world, who desire to be instru- traordinary Ministers. Do not carry ments of His love and mercy in the Some liturgical changes will have to the Lord back to your car with you! lives of those around them. He is pre- sent in each of us who desire to share take place too due to the re- Again, I thank you in advance for your we in the glory of the Resurrection! strictions. On Holy Thursday, cooperation with these procedures. will not be able to celebrate the foot And as we have been doing already, we Come and join us this Holy Week! washing ceremony as part of the Mass, will refrain from congregational and Come join us in person or via and there will be no altar of repose or choir singing until it is determined it is Livestream! Eucharistic procession. safe to resume, and everyone in attend- FINALLY, PLEASE BE SURE TO On Good Friday, we will have the ance is expected to wear a mask. With PRAY! Utilize this time, as individuals these necessary concessions, we will be veneration of the cross, but without and as families, to pray for an end to We will able to celebrate these special liturgies touching it or kissing it. the spreading of Coronavirus. We will provide the opportunity for those who this year in person, contemplating the get through this together! Please keep wish to venerate the cross to approach Lord’s passion and death, and rejoicing in your prayers those caring for others as we do during communion in a single together in his resurrection on Easter throughout this pandemic especially file, remaining properly distanced while Sunday! healthcare providers, nurses, doctors, in line, and then venerating the cross Another important message of the firefighters, police personnel, and with a profound bow or genuflection. liturgies this week is our call to pro- EMT’s that the Lord will bless them, The Easter Vigil, again to avoid the claim the message of Easter, He is protect them from harm, and keep crowding that can occur with a pro- not here, for He has been raised just them healthy! cession, will begin with everyone seat- as He said. This is a message of ed in church and no outdoor fire or Hope for the world. This is a mes- lighting of individual candles during the sage that must be shared! And Service of Light. But we WILL be able shared NOW! to celebrate the Sacraments for those in THIS is our role in the Hope and our Rite of Christian Initiation of Joy of Easter! We are not simply to Adults program so it will still be a walk this week with Jesus through His Lastly, a word of gratitude to the beautiful, moving, and meaningful ser- passion, death, and resurrection, nor Knights of Columbus Santa Fe vice! are we simply to just celebrate these Council 2978 for helping to organize Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the great mysteries of our faith, but we are our Confession and Communion Easter Vigil, and Easter Sunday called to be moved by them, to be mo- afternoon last Sunday. God gave us 10:30AM Mass will all be tivated, to be empowered to then go a beautiful day to celebrate this oppor- livestreamed for those still not com- out and find ways to proclaim this tunity, and their assistance made it a fortable attending in person. Good News to all the world. very stress-free and smooth experience for all. We are so grateful to the SOMETHING NEW! Worth a try! Knights for their willingness to serve One additional feature of the our parish in so many ways, such as 10:30AM Easter Mass this year will this, throughout this time of pandemic. be the opportunity to join us from your car with the use of your car As always, please remember to pray radio.