Article from Parish Bulletin: The Arrow on March 7, 2010

"Fr. Carl’s Corner"

Coming soon to your parish church… THE TRIDUUM! With the third Sunday of Lent upon us, we are getting closer and closer to the holiest days of our Church’s liturgical year, the TRIDUUM! The TRIDUUM refers to the three days we celebrate at the end of Holy Week, Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil. These three days are meant to be one continuous celebration of Christ’s dying and rising. We bring our life’s joys and sorrows, and everything in between, and enter into the Paschal Mystery of our Lord. I hope you will begin to make plans now to join us for these three holiest of days in the liturgical life of our Church and parish.

I know that last year a great effort was made to join the larger parish community and the Family Mass community together for the celebration of Holy Thursday and the Easter Vigil. I have talked to many people about their experiences of last year and heard both positive as well as some concerns regarding these shared celebrations. It is the Cardinal’s request that we continue to do the same this year. To that goal I have been meeting with parish and Family Mass leaders to review and plan for this year’s services.

Realizing the need to tighten things up and to simplify some practices that were time consuming, and for some distracting, we have planned what I believe will be very beautiful and prayerful celebrations of these holiest of days. In the next few weeks we will be sharing with you what is planned so that there are no surprises to distract or offend those attending the services. There are many ways to celebrate these liturgies, which are full of symbolism that should be highlighted in special ways at this time of year.

One of the most important symbols of our joining together for these two services is a sign of UNITY! While there are many parts to the “body” of Saint Giles parish, we are all ONE BODY IN CHRIST. We share the same goal, growing in faith, living in Christ as one, hopefully, sharing in His promise of everlasting life! If we cannot do this, what does it say about who we are as people of faith and as a community?

So… if you enjoyed the services last year you will also do so this year. If you had issues with any parts of it, come and give it another chance. Things will be better since some of the challenges of the first year have been reviewed and worked through. Mostly, be there because you are a member of this community and together we proclaim and become the Risen Body of Christ for each other and the world around us to see. How could you not want to be a part of that?

In God’s Service,
Fr. Carl