PARISH NOTICES - SUNDAY, 29 MARCH 2009

• Today is the Fifth Sunday in Lent. On Thursday 2 April – the Chrism Mass at which the bishop blesses the holy oils will take place at St. Ann’s Cathedral – Nashik Road at 5 pm. All are invited to take part in this mass. Next Sunday is Palm Sunday. The blessing of palms and procession will take place at both the morning and evening mass. For other details regarding the Holy Week services please see the notice board.
• Lent is a time for prayer and reflection. Our parish Lenten mission will soon conclude with two more prayer moments. Next Friday 3 April there will be the Way of the Cross animated by the Youth at 6:30 pm. It will be followed by mass. On Saturday 4 April we will have a Lenten Reflection and Reconciliation service at 5:30 pm. It will last for 2 hours. It is open to all those who are in the 9th Std and above. Kindly avoid bringing children. Please come to experience God’s healing and forgiveness. Kindly note there will be no evening mass next Saturday.
• Please assist the volunteers who collect Church support outside the parish office after the Saturday evening mass and the Sunday evening mass.
• We thank our Blessed Mother for her graces that we receive at our grotto - a place of prayer and blessing. We have posted the final accounts for the expenses of our grotto on the notice-board. The deficit is now about Rs. 20,000/. If any parishioners would like to contribute and help us erase this deficit, please get in touch with the Parish Priest.
• Please finalize and hand in your animations for the Way of the Cross on Good Friday by 1 April to Fr. Matthew. All those involved in the various liturgical services are requested to make the required arrangements and attend the scheduled practices.

WAY OF THE CROSS ON GOOD FRIDAY

Here is the itinerary of our Way of the Cross on Friday 10 April 2009

1st Station – JESUS IS CONDEMNED TO DIE
At the STI GROTTO – animated by Nirmala Home

2nd Station – JESUS CARRIES HIS CROSS
At the STI CHAPEL – animated by STI

3rd Station – JESUS FALLS THE FIRST TIME
At the STI ENTRANCE GATE – animated by St. Joseph’s Novitiate

4th Station – JESUS MEETS HIS MOTHER
At the DB SCHOOL MAIN ENTRANCE – animated by Sunday School children

5th Station – SIMON HELPS JESUS CARRY HIS CROSS
At the steps of DB FOOTBALL GROUND – animated by Tanmaya

6th Station – VERONICA WIPES THE FACE OF JESUS
At the DB GROTTO – animated by Youth/DBB

7th Station – JESUS FALLS THE SECOND TIME
At the KILBIL SCHOOL MAIN ENTRANCE – animated by Kilbil community

8th Station – JESUS MEETS THE WOMEN OF JERUSALEM
At the GATE OF KILBIL RESIDENCE – animated by Zone B

9th Station – JESUS FALLS THE THIRD TIME
At the SHTC HALL – animated by Maria Vihar

10th station – JESUS IS STRIPPED
At the trees between SHTC & MARIA VIHAR – animated by Zone C

11th Station – JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS
In the MARIA VIHAR HALL – animated by SHTC

12th Station – JESUS DIES ON THE CROSS
At the DIVYADAAN BASKET BALL GROUND – animated by DD

13th Station – JESUS IS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS
At the DIVYADAAN ACADEMIC BLOCK – animated by Nirmala Convent

14th Station – JESUS IS LAID IN THE TOMB
At the DIVYADAAN MAIN ENTRANCE – animated by Zone A

PARISH NOTICES - SUNDAY, 22 MARCH 2009

• Today is the Fourth Sunday in Lent. Wednesday 25 March is the Solemnity of the Annunciation. It is also Pro-Life Day.
• Lent is a time for prayer and reflection. Our parish Lenten mission has begun. It is being held on 13-20-27 March - 3 Fridays in Lent. Next Friday 27 March there will be the Way of the Cross animated by Zone C at 6:30 pm. It will be followed by a prayer-reflection on the theme “In the footsteps of the Master”. The reflection will be followed by mass. The entire evening program (Way of the Cross-Prayer-reflection and Mass) will begin at 6:30 pm and end by 8 pm. All parishioners are invited to attend these reflections to deepen our faith in this season of grace that the Church gives us.
• Our Lenten and Holy Week program is out on the notice-board. Please note the timings of the services and also collaborate with your zone leaders on the days allotted for animation.
• Please assist the volunteers who collect Church support outside the parish office after the Saturday evening mass and the Sunday evening mass.
• We thank our Blessed Mother for her graces that we receive at our grotto - a place of prayer and blessing. We have posted the final accounts for the expenses of our grotto on the notice-board. The deficit is about Rs. 37,728/. If any parishioners would like to contribute and help us erase this deficit, please get in touch with the Parish Priest.
• Holy Cross Parish is organizing a Lenten Retreat and Healing Service from 26 to 29 March. Please see the notice-board for further details.

PARISH NOTICES - SUNDAY, 15 MARCH 2009

• Today is the Third Sunday in Lent. Thursday 19 March is the Feast of St. Joseph husband of Mary.
• This Sunday – 15 March – will be the last day of Sunday catechism for this academic year. We ask God’s blessings on all the children and the catechists who animated them so competently and selflessly during this year.
• Lent is a time for prayer and reflection. Our parish Lenten mission has begun. It is being held on 13-20-27 March - 3 Fridays in Lent. Next Friday 20 March there will be the Way of the Cross animated by Sunday school children at 6:30 pm. It will be followed by a prayer-reflection on the theme of “Communication in the Family”. The reflection will be followed by mass. The entire evening program (Way of the Cross-Prayer-reflection and Mass) will begin at 6:30 pm and end by 8 pm. All parishioners are invited to attend these reflections to deepen our faith in this season of grace that the Church gives us.
• Our Lenten and Holy Week program is out on the notice-board. Please note the timings of the services and also collaborate with your zone leaders on the days allotted for animation.
• We have begun collecting Church support through volunteers who sit outside the parish office after the Saturday evening mass and the Sunday evening mass. Please assist us in making this collection.
• We thank our Blessed Mother for her graces that we receive at our grotto - a place of prayer and blessing. We have posted the final accounts for the expenses of our grotto on the noticeboard. The deficit is about Rs. 37,728/. If any parishioners would like to contribute and help us erase this deficit, please get in touch with the Parish Priest.
• Holy Cross Parish is organizing a Lenten Retreat and Healing Service from 26 to 29 March. Please see the notice-board for further details.

PROGRAM FOR LENT AND HOLY WEEK: MARCH-APRIL 2009

LENTEN MISSION – 13, 20 AND 27 MARCH 2009
6:30 – 8 pm: Friday 13 March, 20 March and 27 March
- Way of the Cross followed by Prayer-Reflection and then Mass

RECONCILIATION SERVICE – 4 APRIL 2009
5:30 pm: To prepare for Easter there will be a reflection-reconciliation service for the parishioners. It will last for 2 hours.
- There will be no evening mass on Saturday 4 April.

PALM SUNDAY – 5 APRIL 2009
7 am and 6:30 pm: Masses with blessing of palms and procession.
- The evening mass will be animated by the Youth Group.

MAUNDY THURSDAY – 9 APRIL 2009
6:30 pm: Mass of the Lord’s Supper
- Animation will be done by Zone B and Kilbil community.
- The venue for the Altar of Repose is the STI Chapel.
- The adoration timings are as follows:
08:30 – 09:15 pm – SHTC and Zone C
09:15 – 10:00 pm – Tanmaya and Zone B
10:00 – 10:45 pm – STI and Zone A
10:45 – 11:00 pm – Common adoration

GOOD FRIDAY – 10 APRIL 2009
8 am: Way of the Cross [animated by zones and communities] will begin at the STI grotto.
6:30 pm: Liturgical Service of the Lord’s Passion
- It will be animated by Zone C and Nirmala Convent.

EASTER VIGIL – 11 APRIL 2009
10:30 pm: Easter Vigil Service at the entrance of Don Bosco Bhavan
- It will be animated by Zone A and Maria Vihar.
- Please bring candles for the Easter Vigil service.

EASTER SUNDAY – 12 APRIL 2009
8 am: Easter Sunday Mass
- There will be no evening mass

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY – 19 APRIL 2009
9 am: First Holy Communion Mass

PARISH NOTICES - SUNDAY, 8 MARCH 2009

• Today is the Second Sunday in Lent. Today is the First Anniversary of the Episcopal Ordination of our bishop - Felix Machado. We pray that God our Heavenly Father will continue to guide him in his delicate task of shepherding our diocese.
• Catechism classes are held at 5 pm every Sunday evening. Next Sunday – 15 March – will be the last class for this academic year.
• Lent is a time for prayer and reflection. In the last parish council meeting it was suggested to dedicate some of the Friday evenings in Lent to have a Lenten mission. Next Friday 13 March there will be the Way of the Cross animated by Zone B at 6:30 pm. It will be followed by a half-hour prayer-reflection on the theme of Forgiveness. The reflection will be followed by mass. The entire evening program (Way of the Cross-Prayer-reflection and Mass) will begin at 6:30 pm and end by 8 pm. All parishioners are invited to attend these reflections to deepen our faith in this season of grace that the Church gives us.
• We have begun collecting Church support through volunteers who sit outside the parish office after the Saturday evening mass and the Sunday evening mass. Please assist us in making this collection.
• Holy Cross Parish is organizing a Lenten Retreat and Healing Service from 26 to 29 March. Please see the notice-board for further details.
• We thank our Blessed Mother for her graces that we receive at our grotto - a place of prayer and blessing. We have posted the final accounts for the expenses of our grotto on the noticeboard. The deficit is about Rs. 37,728/. If any parishioners would like to contribute and help us erase this deficit, please get in touch with the Parish Priest.

COMMON PRACTICE OF PENANCE

“All Christ’s faithful are obliged by divine law, each in his own way, to do penance. However, so that all may be joined together in a certain common practice of penance, days of penance are prescribed. On these days, the faithful are in a special manner to devote themselves to prayer, to engage in works of piety and charity and to deny themselves by fulfilling their obligations more faithfully and specially by observing fast and abstinence” (Can. 1249).

• The days of common practice of penance are Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and every other Friday in the year.
• Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fasting and abstinence.
• Abstinence: The law of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year. The new Code of Canon Law has left it to the Episcopal Conference to determine, in place of abstinence, other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety. In virtue of this, the CBCI at its meeting at Nagpur in February 1984, had decreed that the obligations of abstinence can be fulfilled by choosing certain other forms of prayer or penance or works of charity, besides the traditional one of abstinence from meat.
• In the Diocese of Nashik, the faithful may observe the days of common practice of penance by choosing from any one of the following:
  1. Making the Way of the Cross or a Visit to the Blessed Sacrament or a Meditation on the Lord’s Passion. 2. Prayerfully reading the Scriptures or Praying the Liturgy of the Hours.
  3. Preparing for Liturgical Services by reflecting on the readings as a family.
  4. Giving 10 per cent of one’s daily wage in charity.
  5. Donating Blood.
  6. Offering voluntary service to a Social / Charitable Institution through some parish associations.
  7. Offering a meal to a poor family.
  8. Abstaining from meat preparations, if meat is part of one’s regular diet.
  9. Missing any one meal: breakfast, lunch or supper.
  10. Taking strictly vegetarian meals, without even fish and eggs.
  11. Abstaining from alcohol and/or smoking, for those who use these.
  12. Avoiding all beverages like tea or coffee or sweet drinks between meals.
  13. Avoiding films, television and other forms of recreation.
• Fasting:
  (a) The law of fasting binds those who have completed their 18th year till the beginning of the 60th year.(b) The law of fasting prescribes that only one full meal be taken per day. A light breakfast may be taken in the morning and a light supper in the evening. It is always permissible to reverse the order of the meals; e.g. take the full meal in the evening.
  (c) Those who cannot keep the law of fasting without considerable difficulty of health, work, etc., are excused from the observance of the law. Our faithful are however urged not to excuse themselves too easily from this obligation, as it is but fitting that on the two prescribed days of fasting, we unite ourselves in a special manner with the Passion and Death of Our Lord by a more intense form of penance.
• Dispensations:
  In case of difficulty regarding the fulfilment of the obligation of common penance and fasting, or a doubt regarding the existence of factors excusing from these obligations, a dispensation may be obtained from the Parish Priest or Confessor.
  A dispensation from the law of common penance and fasting is hereby granted to members of the Armed Forces in the Archdiocese and to travellers by land, sea or air.
• Easter Duties:
  Easter Duties would require that the Christian faithful who have been admitted to the Blessed Eucharist, receive Holy Communion at least once a year during the Paschal time, unless for a good reason the precept is fulfilled at another time during the year (Can.920). The faithful are reminded that those who have reached the age of discretion are bound to confess their grave sins at least once a year (Can.989).
• This year the Easter Duties can be fulfilled between Ash Wednesday, February 25, 2009 and Pentecost Sunday, May 31, 2009.

PARISH NOTICES - SUNDAY, 1 MARCH 2009

• Today is the First Sunday in Lent.
• 6 March is the First Friday of the month. In the evening there will be the Way of the Cross animated by Zone A at 6:30 pm followed by mass.
• The next meeting of the Parish Council will be held on Saturday 7 March at 5:30 pm. All parish councilors are requested to attend.
• Catechism classes are held at 5 pm every Sunday evening. We will close for the year on March 15. Children please attend the last three Sundays for a special surprise.
• All those interested in joining the choir for Easter are requested to give their names to Fr. Vinod as soon as possible. The practices will begin from 1 March.
• We have begun collecting Church support through volunteers who sit outside the parish office after the Saturday evening mass and the Sunday evening mass. Please assist us by collecting your cards after the mass.