Participation in the Passion of Jesus

Triduum newness and reminders   

Parish staff members who have responsibility for liturgy met last week to review details for the Triduum: the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, the Passion of the Lord on Good Friday and the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night. I have something new and something old (a reminder) to offer.

Dirty Feet

Something new this year relates to the Holy Thursday feet washing. The people having their feet washed will be chosen. Recall in the past, parishioners voluntarily and spontaneously came forward to have their feet washed. It is good to volunteer and be spontaneous! At the same time children and youth seemed to be over-represented in that regard. Rather than spontaneously volunteering I will call and ask twelve people in the parish to have their feet washed. Let me explain why I like to do that.

We know the feet washing in John’s Gospel sort of takes the place of the institution of the Eucharist, found in the other three Gospels. It seems John did this as a commentary on what Eucharist is supposed to move us to be and do. We are supposed to be leaders and we are supposed to lead through service. Therefore, I asked staff members to give the names of two or three leaders and servants in the staff member’s sphere of influence. I’ll talk about this process in the homily on Holy Thursday and what this means for us!!

Good Friday Offertory Collection

The something old regarding the Triduum is a reminder that our offering each year during the veneration of the cross  goes to help Christians in the Holy Land. See the following for a reminder about this tradition and see the website below where the following can be found:

Pope Francis has asked our parish to support the Pontifical Good Friday collection, which helps Christians in the Holy Land. Your support helps the church minister in parishes, provide Catholic schools and offer religious education. The Pontifical Good Friday Collection also helps to preserve the sacred Shrines.

The pandemic hit particularly hard the Christians in the Holy Land. Most of them depend on pilgrimages to work.  In these times of crisis, the Good Friday Collection is also necessary to meet the basic needs of the People of God still living in this land where the Church was born.

When you contribute to the Pontifical Good Friday Collection, you become an instrument of peace and join with the Catholics around the word in solidarity with the Church in the Holy Land. For more information about Christians in the

Holy Land visit www.myfransiscan.org/good-friday

PLEASE BE GENEROUS!!

Divine Mercy Sunday and the Precious Blood of Jesus

It is official. Beginning Divine Mercy Sunday (April 24) Incarnation church will offer the Precious Blood of Jesus during Mass. For now there will be two cups at the main aisle of church…and there is more.

At this same time we will:

¨ Return the communion procession traffic flow to its

pre-pandemic norm, where the side aisles will have two communion ministers and those receiving will return to their seats by the center and wall aisles.

¨ No longer require Eucharistic ministers to wear masks.

Speaking of Divine Mercy Sunday, we will have

Divine Mercy Sunday Devotions that afternoon from

2:00 – 4:00 pm. Hope to see you there!

Penance for Sixth through Eighth Grades

Thanks to Danny Dunn, Incarnation teacher and interim Youth Ministry Coordinator, who helped make a dream of mine come to fruition: our sixth through eighth grade students celebrated the sacrament of Penance/Confession with their classmates during school. Adding this usual Catholic grade school practice as our common practice is a step forward regarding the piety and Catholic identity of Incarnation School!

Fr. Ignatius at Centerville City Council Meeting

Last Monday evening found Fr. Ignatius welcoming and being welcomed by the Centerville City Council to offer the invocation for their usual meeting. I have been blessed to pray before a couple of Centerville City Council meetings each year. When asked to pray this past Monday and it being a pastoral council meeting night, it was a joy for me to ask

Fr. Ignatius to do so!

New Deacon in the Making

I mentioned the sad news weeks ago, that Deacon Bob is diminishing some of his duties due to his senior status. Wonderfully, I also have good news! Incarnation parishioner, Phil Theodore, has been accepted into the Permanent Deaconate Program for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

Phil is in the process of completing his project in ministry in the Lay Pastoral Ministry Program (LPMP). This project is a great one and will be a huge blessing for Incarnation Church, as it invites PREP and day school parents to become more actively involved in parish life.

He will begin a three year, part-time, process of formation and education at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in hopes of becoming a permanent deacon. Please pray for him and his wife Kathy as they enter into formation and discernment! In a future bulletin, I’ll let Phil tell about his project and his next big endeavor.

Blessed Holy Week

Blessed Holy Week to all! May our active participation in the liturgies of Holy Week unite us with the suffering people of Ukraine and all who experience violence and injustice. May that participation be a powerful prayer for them and the whole world.

Sincerely and with Love in Christ,

Fr. Pat