Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord
Holy Week Schedule
- Palm Sunday 9 a.m.
- Wednesday of Holy Week 9 a.m.
- Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord's Supper 5:30 p.m.
- Good Friday Veneration of the Holy Cross 5:30 p.m.
- The Solemn Paschal Vigil of Holy Saturday at Sundown, about 8 p.m.
- The Solemn Mass of the Lord's Resurrection for Easter Sunday 9 a.m.
| Mass | Lector(s) | Servers |
|---|---|---|
| Holy Thursday 5:30 p.m. | Mike Rome | Caroline, Preston, Chandler |
| Good Friday 5:30 p.m. | Angel Farlow (Reading), Kendra Collins (Gospel Narrator), Michael Lancaster (Gospel Voice) | Kathleen, MaryKatherine |
| Holy Saturday 8:00 p.m. | Cathy VanderVieren (Rdgs 1 & 3), MaryAnne Gilfoil (Rgds 6 & 7), MaryKathryn Book (Epistle) | Carter, Walker, Henry |
From The Font
“Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!”
The Jewish word Hosanna, aka Hoshana aka הושענא, was known to the Jewish man on the street for its use during Sukkot which was the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles. That feast was one of three which devout Jews were expected to celebrate with a week-long festival. Each day of the festival culminated in the Hoshana prayers which asked the Lord to send His Messiah who would save the Jewish people.
Of course, Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to His Passion and death during the festival of Passover, aka Pesach aka פֶּסַח, not the separate festival of Sukkot… Some Bible scholars have tried to make something of the connection beyond the obvious, but the obvious connection is plenty for me. The Feast of Tabernacles, during which the prayer of the Hoshana is prayed, has already been on our minds ever since Peter witnessed the Transfiguration. It was there that Peter said, “Lord, it is good that we are here. Let us build three booths…” He was certainly referencing the Festival of Tabernacles in which small tents or booths are built to represent God’s providence and His nearness to the chosen people. By chanting Hosanna when Jesus walked into the city, the people were making the connection between 1) God’s nearness, 2) God’s salvation, and 3) Jesus as the Messiah.
I mistakenly preached a few weeks ago that the Festival of Booths was connected with the modern Feast of Pentecost. That was an error. I confused the Festival of Sukkot with the Festival of Shavuot… This third “pilgrimage feast” of Shavuot does take place at the same time as modern Pentecost and it commemorates the receiving of the Law of Moses (who was also there at the Transfiguration).
And so everything starts to become more and more connected as Jesus rides the donkey into the city. The great Feasts of Judaism come together alongside the revelation of Jesus as fully human (in His Passion and Death) and fully divine (in His Resurrection). Plenty of other symbols will add to this unification including the veil of the temple tearing and the great eclipse coinciding with the great earthquake both of which put to rest any nonsense about the Passion of Jesus being not historically accurate.
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
And so here we are at Holy Week. One of my favorite Church jokes is to look at someone who is a little discombobulated and say “you look as lost as a Jesuit in Holy Week!”
Holy Week may seem like a lot now, but our modern form is really, really simplified. Prior to the 1950 changes, each day of Holy Week had its own special and unique character.
Palm Sunday, then as now, was full of music and decor and red vestments and, of course, palms. The highlight, though, was the chanting of the entire Passion from St. Matthew’s Gospel. It was sung by three people and set to hauntingly beautiful tones.
Monday was consciously a day of restful preparation. The idea was that the rest of the week is full speed ahead and so take some quiet to get ready. Tuesday was a meditation on St. Mark’s Passion narrative with two entire chapters of the Gospel chanted at Mass. Wednesday things took a deliberate step up with the reading of Judas’ betrayal and so, in the English-speaking world, Wednesday of Holy Week was also known as Spy Wednesday.
Also, depending on the place, the ancient tradition of Tenebrae might be sung in the evening. Tenebrae, properly speaking, is part of the Monastic Liturgy of the Hours, but it was adapted long ago for the whole Parish to gather and to hear the scriptures read, the chants sung and to symbolically get ready for Easter by first lighting and then slowly extinguishing candles accompanied by some liturgical sound FX.
“Maundy” Thursday got its name from the ceremonial washing of feet (“the Mandatum”). Thursday is the day in which Jesus established the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper and in doing so, established the Priesthood. As such, the Bishop calls the priests of the diocese together and they renew their vows at the Chrism Mass in which the oil of Chrism, the oil of the sick, and the oil of catechumens is also blessed. The parish Mass for Holy Thursday typically repeats the pattern of the Washing of Feet and ends with the altars being stripped bare and the Holy Eucharist being reposed as a separate altar for meditation.
Good Friday is much the same as it always was. Mass is not celebrated and the services are sombre and reflective. The Cross and the Death of Jesus are the heart of the day.
Holy Saturday marks the beginning of the Easter Season with the celebration of the Paschal Vigil in which light, water, the dance of silence with sound symbolize the Resurrection of Jesus and provide the human senses with a powerful experience of our Church and Liturgy as Drama Queen. Some modern people would argue that these symbolic aspects are unnecessary or detrimental, but they miss what’s taking place entirely. If Jesus is fully man and fully God and we are a unity of body and soul, then any real worship in spirit and in truth of Jesus Christ requires a complete immersion of the spiritual in the physical. That’s just what Holy Week is meant to be!
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Thomas Trichell/Tommy
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon No Mass
- Tue 11:00a Live stream Mass of Holy Chrism from St Francis Xavier Cathedral
- Wed 9:00a In memory of JCB “Chipper” Jumonville/family
- Thu 9:00a In memory of Payton and Donald Trichell/family
- Fri 5:30p Good Friday Services -- No Mass intention
- Sat 9:00a Private Intentions of Father Ryan (Traditional Latin Mass)
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Father Ferre and in honor of Trey Magoun/Magoun
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning for the special intentions of Margo Corulla.
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Date | Servers | Lector(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 3/27 5:30p | None Scheduled | M Rome |
| 3/28 9:00a | Walker, Marsh, Cooper | A Keene |
| 4/3 8:00p | Easter Vigil-Walker, Carter, Henry | MK Book |
| 4/4 9:00a | Easter-Volunteer | S Marsh |
| 4/10 8:00p | None Scheduled | A Keene |
| 4/11 9:00a | Preston, Marsh, Evelyn | B Sullivan |
Upcoming Events
- Confessions every Friday & Saturday from 5p until Mass at 5:30p
- Sunday Morning Catechism in the Hall after the 9:00a Mass unless otherwise indicated
- Pastoral Council meeting monthly on the third Tuesday at 6p unless otherwise indicated
- March 28-April 4 Palm Sunday and Holy Week - see below for times and participants
- April 3 Easter Egg Hunt on Church Hall grounds
For Your Information:
ROSARY GROUP… a group of parishioners is meeting on Monday at 5:30 p.m. to pray the Rosary. Everyone is invited to join with the group. If you need additional information, please contact the Coordinator, Louise Magoun, at 318-341-2403.
ORDINATION OF THOMAS KENNEDY...on Saturday, May 22 at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Alexandria. Many of you will remember Thomas as he spent a summer with us while a Seminarian at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans.
FAST AND ABSTINENCE Good Friday is a day of Fasting which means that adult Catholics should plan to abstain from meat and dishes made with meat and should limit their eating to a single meal for the day. If medical conditions or strenuous work require taking extra nourishment, those meals should be small in size and also free of meat.
EASTER EGG HUNT … will be on Saturday, April 3, 2021 on the grounds of the church hall. Stephenie Marsh will give leadership to the event. If you would like to help, let her know. All can contribute hard-boiled, dyed eggs or plastic eggs with treats. Please avoid anything with peanut butter as we have some very allergic children in our group of youngsters!
LILIES and FLOWERS FOR EASTER...Envelopes can be found on the table at the entrance of church if you would like to have Easter Lilies in memory of a loved one or in honor of someone. You may drop your envelope in the collection basket.
Stewardship Good stewards strive to conform their lives to that of Christ -- emptying themselves of all pride and putting themselves at the service of others.
GOOD FRIDAY collection to support maintenance of the Holy Lands.
EASTER SUNDAY collection to help reimburse St. Edward for funds we pay to support Infirmed Priests of the Diocese of Alexandria. The entirety of this collection remains here in Tallulah.
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2020-21 | $ 2,111 |
| February Budget | $ 8,444 |
| February Income | $ 9,122 |
| February Expenses | $ 7,631 |
| March Budget | $ 8,444 |
| March 20/21 collection | $ 2,270 |
| March income to Date | $ 7,311 |
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Terry Hall (March 27), Cooper Ellerbee, (March 27), Dana Dukes (March 28), Teddy Oliver (March 28), Harper Bedgood (April 2, 2012), Betty Smith (April 2), Carter Sullivan (April 2), Walker Sullivan (April 2)
In Our Daily Prayers…
Please let us know of anyone who is ill or hospitalized and would like to receive a visit from Father. Also, help us keep our prayer list up to date by advising us of those who should be added or removed.
Our Holy Father Pope Francis and Pope-Emeritus Benedict XVI; Bishop Robert Marshall, and our Diocesan leaders, our President, Governor, Mayor and national, state and local elected representatives
Our parishioners who are sick, shut-in, or otherwise in need of our prayers: Harper Bedgood, Connie and Dan Copes, Elizabeth Crothers, Marie and Norman Ernst, Mary Ernst, Monique Florence, Margaret and Pat Gilfoil, Susan and Johnny Gilfoil, C.W. and Alyce Keene, Bill Kennedy, Charlotte Marsh and Lance and Stephenie, Ed Mills, Kathleen Mills, Sue & Mike Rome, Delia Trichell, and Don Wood
Those under full-time care: Frances Kennedy, Carol Dunning, Sharon Hansen of Gonzales, Consuelo Marsh of Lake Providence, Marie Cedotal Our friends and relatives who need our prayers: Lee Adams (Smith), Ashley Alexander (Regan), Jenna Faye Allen (Florence), Pam Amacker (Gilfoil), James Arceneaux (Book), Todd Beene, Marie Farlow Bellard, Molly Corulla, Georgie Gilfoil Breard, Hattie Brown (Lancaster), Jerry Bullard, Stella & Fernando Calvo (Keene), Sara Cannon (Gilfoil), Karen and Rod Cobb, Truman and Diane Collins, Jami Cook (Wilks), Carol Dipert (Rome), Tommy Dunning, Joe Farlow, Mike Farlow, Thom Gilfoil, Charlotte Green, Kathy Garley Hanlon (Gilfoil), Rita Hargrave, Justin Rittenhouse and Arielle Lewis (Keene), LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), Michelle McGuire(Gilfoil), Wayne Pitre (Gilfoil), Lee and Tiffney Rome, Dianne W. Roper (Murphy), Linda Sanchez (Wilks), Theresa and Albert Thom (Rome), Meg Keene Thomas, Elaine and James Trimble (Rome), Teresa Vidrine (Wilks), Joe Yerger
Our collegiates: Aidan Collins, Anna Ginn, Josh Hall, Chris Hall (USMC), Matt Hall (USArmy), Nick Hall, Emmy Lu Marsh, Bailey Rome, Brice Wood
Those Catholics residing at Christian Acres, Louisiana Transitional Center for Women, and our local Detention Centers and for their families and loved ones.