Dear Friends of our Pastorate of the Visitation,
This weekend begins our journey through the holiest week of the year with the celebration of the Passion of the Lord on Palm Sunday. Holy Week offers us many opportunities to experience Jesus’ journey from the Last Supper, to his Cross, and to his Resurrection. As a Pastorate, we will be coming together for the first time for some of these liturgies so invite you to join us as we worship our one Lord as one Pastorate Community. Our choirs have also joined together to share their gift of music with unified voices.
Here are the Holy Week and Triduum schedules for the Pastorate:
- Holy Thursday (@ SJF), March 28th – 7:00pm Mass followed by Adoration until 9:00pm
- Good Friday, March 29th – Passion of the Lord – 3:00pm at SJF, 7:00pm at OLC
- Good Friday, Stations of the Cross – 12:00pm at SJF, 3:00pm at OLC
- Blessing of the Easter Foods, March 30th – 9:00am at SJF, 12:00pm at OLC
- Pastorate Easter Vigil (@ OLC), March 30th – 8:00pm at OLC
- Easter Sunday, March 31st – SJF: 8:00am, 10am, 11:30am. OLC: 8:00am, 9:30am, 11am.
In addition to the events listed above, the Archdiocesan Chrism Mass will take place on Monday, March 25th at 7:30pm at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore. At this Mass, the Archbishop will bless the holy oils to be used for anointing of the sick and the catechumens, as well as consecrate the Sacred Chrism that will be used for Baptisms, Confirmations, and Holy Orders during the coming year. The priests of the Archdiocese will also renew the promises we made at our ordinations. This celebration is open to the public and all are invited to attend. As a priest, I know I am always thankful to see current (and former) parishioners in attendance. Please consider joining us.
Fr. Jim and I will be offering the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Tuesday, March 26th at St. Jane Frances. The morning session is from 9:30am to 10:30am and the afternoon session is from 4:00pm to 5:00pm. Tenebrae will be celebrated at St. Jane Frances at 8:00pm that evening.
Thank you for keeping our Pastorate of the Visitation—St. Jane Frances and Our Lady of the Chesapeake—in your daily prayers! I know this year is different than in the past in that we are offering only one Holy Thursday Mass and one Easter Vigil Mass. I continually pray for guidance as we work together in our Pastorate to create a shared community of faith, steeped in a desire to serve one another and evangelize our families and neighborhoods.
God Bless,
Father Steve
