Lent, Holy Week, Triduum & Easter Schedule

• Lent & Holy Week Planning

  • In case you missed it, please find the Memorandum for 2023 Lent and Easter liturgical celebrations here

  • Lenten Resources | Visit our Diocesan Lenten Resources at catholicyyc.ca/Lent and find listings of Lenten missions/retreats in the Diocese, daily Lenten reflections, Stations of the Cross, and activities during Lent for individuals, children, or family.

• Schedule for the Parish Triduum and Easter Sunday liturgies will be shared on Faithfully and Diocesan social media. 

  • Please review the schedule we collected from you last year  (link to https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1p4m51CkXOQSHLVxYkB5nszOAaZts8beJYsyRtPjxfk4/edit?usp=sharing )

  • To submit or edit your parish Triduum & Easter schedule, please email Jan at receptionist@calgarydiocese.ca by Friday, March 24th

Palm Sunday, The Sacred Paschal Triduum, Easter Sunday

See the Diocesan the Memorandum for 2023 Lent and Easter liturgical celebrations here

PALM SUNDAY

• Review the liturgical guidelines for Palm Sunday ( procession, solemn blessing, Passion readings etc.) in the ORDO (pg. 192-194), and Roman Missal (pg. 254-263)

• Looking for a quick FAQ on Palm Sunday to share in your parish bulletin? 

• ​Please find resources for families or individuals on simple and meaningful ways to draw closely to Jesus in His Passion and Death during the Holy Week.

THE SACRED PASCHAL TRIDUUM

Through his Paschal Mystery, the Lord Jesus redeemed the human race and gave perfect glory to the Father. By dying, Christ destroyed our death; by rising, he restored our life. For this reason, the Easter Triduum, when we celebrate the suffering, Death and Resurrection of our Lord, is the high point of the Liturgical Year. The Easter Solemnity is to the year what Sunday is to the week. (ORDO)

Holy Thursday

• Review the liturgical guidelines for Holy Thursday in the ORDO pg. 200, and Roman Missal (pg. 281-293). 

• Graphics for Holy Thursday: Wide#1 - Wide#2 | Square#1 - Square#2

Good Friday

• Review the guidelines for Good Friday in the ORDO pg. 202, and Roman Missal (pg. 295-319) 

• Paschal Feast: The Church of God fasts today and tomorrow to honour the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus, and to prepare to share more deeply in the joy of his resurrection. Good Friday is a universal day of fasting and abstinence from meat. (ORDO)

• Download graphic

• Needs of the Church in the Holy Land | Good Friday National Collection
  As requested by the Holy See, the parishes in the Diocese of Calgary will arrange for the Second Collection on Good Friday for the Holy Land. This collection is "not only for the Holy Places but above all for those pastoral, charitable, educational, and social works which the Church supports in the Holy Land for the welfare of their Christian brethren and of the local communities." (St. Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Nobis in Animo) 

  • Alternatively, parishioners can also give online to the Good Friday National Collection through our website at catholicyyc.ca/goodfridaycollection

• Graphics for Good Friday: Wide#1 - Wide#2 | Square#1 - Square#2 

Holy Saturday & Easter Vigil

On Holy Saturday, the people of God remain in prayer and fasting at the tomb of the Lord, meditating on his sufferings, death, and descent to the dead. Throughout this day the faithful are invited to continue the solemn paschal fast which they began on Good Friday. During the solemn Vigil Service, a night of prayer which looks forward to the celebration of the Lord's resurrection, mourning will give way to the joys of Eastertide, which we will celebrate for the next fifty days. (ORDO)

• Review the liturgical guidelines in the ORDO pg. 204, and Roman Missal (pg. 323-365). 

• Resources in singing the Exsultet

• Graphic for Easter Vigil: Wide#1 - Wide#2 | Square#1 - Square#2 

EASTER SUNDAY

• Review the liturgical guidelines in the ORDO pg. 205, and Roman Missal (pg. 366)

• The Easter Sequence is sung today following the second reading. Resources for singing the Easter Sequence. 

• Graphic for Easter Sunday: Wide#1 - Wide#2 | Square#1 - Square#2 

A Message from Bishop McGrattan

• Recognizing the Work of God in the Parishes
  "Pope Francis has always encouraged the shepherds of the Church to have 'the smell of the sheep'.  Through the Pastoral Visit of a parish, it has been my experience that this has in fact been a reality for me as a bishop."   Read the Bishop’s message on our blog
  
  Read the latest Faithfully 

Priestly Ordination of Santiago Torres

Rev. Mr. Santiago Torres, a transitional deacon currently completing studies at St. Joseph Seminary, Edmonton, has been called to ordination to the Holy Priesthood at St. Mary's Cathedral, Calgary, on the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Friday, June 16, 2023 at 7 pm.  

Action item for Pastoral Staff 
Please share with your parishioners

RCIA Scrutinies & Presentations

Excerpt from the Memorandum for 2023 Lent and Easter liturgical celebrations on RCIA Scrutinies & Presentation:

Following the Rite of Election, the Elect enters into the period of Purification and Enlightenment. 

• Scrutinies are celebrated on the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Sundays of Lent with Year A readings (RCIA no. 133).

• Candidates, baptized Christians preparing for Reception into Full Communion, do not go through this rite. Instead, Candidates are invited to a Lenten Renewal.

• The presentation of the Creed to the Elects takes place during the week following the First Scrutiny (RCIA no. 144). 

• The presentation of the Lord’s Prayer to the Elects takes place during the week following the Third Scrutiny (RCIA no. 165).

Action item for Pastoral Staff 
Please share with your parish priest(s) and RCIA Coordinator

Solidarity Sunday - March 25/26, 2023

Solidarity Sunday – March 25/26, 2023, is fast approaching. If you have any queries about how Solidarity Sunday should be implemented this year please contact:
Carol Hollywood at 403-805-4544 or carol.hollywood@shaw.ca
or
Carmen Michaud 1-780-469-1010 x2180 or cmichaud@devp.org

Action item for Pastoral Staff 
Please share with your parish priest(s)

Share Lent 2023

Chrism Mass | April 3

Holy Week & Triduum with Bishop McGrattan

All are welcome!
Bishop McGrattan will celebrate the following liturgy at St. Mary’s Cathedral: 

Action item for Pastoral Staff 
Please share with your staff, catechists, clergy, and parishioners

Braiding Together:  Bishop McGrattan's reflections on Pope Francis' pilgrimage to Canada

Donate through Birdies for Kids

Career Opportunities

• Administrative Assistant (Part-time) - Our Lady of the Rockies, Canmore
• Administrative Assistant (Part-time) - St. Pius X, Calgary
• Hospitality/Security (Part-time) - Sacred Heart, Calgary
• Administrative Assistant (Part-time) - St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Calgary
• Administrative Assistant (Part-time) - Sacred Heart, Strathmore
• Children's Liturgy Coordinator (Casual) - St. Michael Catholic Community, Calgary

Other resources & events

1. Sunday Bulletin shorts, free to use
   The story of the man born blind is artfully told in an imaginative way, exploring the relationship between faith, knowledge, sin and vision. Even though the healing of the blind man is the central physical change, the moral and theological reality of sin is equally important in this gospel account. The disciples’ first question, “Who sinned?” and Christ’s answer are provocative still today. The Pharisees are so threatened by Jesus’ action – an action that explodes their neat traditional categories – that they resort to meaningless nit-picking.
   - What sentence or phrase in the gospel speaks to you?
   - Has there been a time when you “saw” Jesus clearly, perhaps in a person, a news story or an ordinary event in your life? Explain.
   - Has your own stubbornness or unwillingness to see another’s point of view ever caused hurt or division?
   - We all have blind spots in matters of justice and charity. They affect the way we see things in family life, work, etc. What will help us to improve our vision, in order to “truly see” ?
   • (Source: Diocese of Saskatoon)
      
2. Resources for children
   
   Kid's challenge this week: We hear how Jesus helped a blind man to see again. God has given us the gift of sight to see all the wonderful things that he has made in our world. But we also need to open our eyes to see things that are damaging the world, and our planet. Let's think of one way you can try to make a difference, to care for our earth and to help people who are poor to change their lives for the better. 
   • Colouring page this Sunday
   • Kid's Bulletin for this Sunday
   • Sunday Connection for this Sunday (Gr. 1-8) 
   • Children's Liturgy of the Word this Sunday 
     • Children's Liturgy sheet for leaders/parents (CAFOD) | Illustration
     • Children's Liturgy of the Word with Miss Heidi (Catholic TV)
        
3. Profession of Vows - Seeds of the Word Seeds of the Word community invites you to attend the First Profession of Vows of two male and two female novices who have been in formation here in Calgary, as well as the incorporation of a new missionary member to religious formation. This celebration with Bishop McGrattan will take place at St Mary's Cathedral on March 19 at 7 pm.
    
4. Baking with the Sisters - The Religious Sisters of Calgary Diocese are inviting unmarried women interested in sharing in a Lenten Baking Event on Friday, March 31st from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. We are gathering at the Providence Sisters’ convent to bake some Lenten breads and make lentil-vegetable soup. After sharing the meal together, we will have some time for reflection on Scripture and prayer. Come to meet the Sisters and spend some quality time with them. Free food! Great opportunity to enjoy each other’s company and to delve more deeply into prayer and conversation with the Sisters.
   Location: Providence Residence, 150 Providence Blvd SE (just east of St. Mary’s University)
   Please register with Sr. Dianne at sisterdianne.turner@calgarydiocese.ca or call 403-218-5504 by March 30th. 
    
5. Journey through Lent 2023 | 4th Week of Lent
   This year’s Lenten reflections from CCCB are delivered by His Eminence Gérald Cyprien Cardinal Lacroix, Archbishop of Quebec and Primate of Canada, and the Most Reverend Brian Joseph Dunn, Archbishop of Halifax-Yarmouth. On this Fourth Sunday of Lent, Archbishop Dunn provides a reflection on Jesus’ healing of a blind man and the significance of the different kinds of sight.. - Watch Video Here
    
6. Braiding Together: Bishop McGrattan’s reflections on Pope Francis’ pilgrimage to Canada
   On His pilgrimage to Canada in July of 2022, the Holy Father engaged with the First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples in a very direct and intimate manner, offering his apology and learning from each encounter.  Bishop McGrattan was instrumental in the preparations for the visit and accompanied the Holy Father during his time in our country. He has distilled his own reflections into ten key messages which he will present and discuss with us.  Please join us at St. Peter's Parish, on Saturday, April 15th as we walk together on the journey of healing, truth-telling and reconciliation.  Bishop McGrattan will celebrate the 8:30 am Mass, followed by his presentation.  
    
7. March / April 2023 Calendar Highlights
   • Mar 19 | Profession of Vows, Seeds of the Word - St. Mary's Cathedral
   • Mar 19 -21| Lenten Mission - St. Gerard's, Calgary
   • Mar 19 | Vespers and the Study of the Life of St. Francis - St. Luke's, Calgary
   • Mar 20 | Solemnity of St. Joseph - St. Mary's, Brooks
   • Mar 20 | Alpha - St. Mary's, Brooks
   • Mar 21 | Clothed in Power: Transforming Parishes through the Holy Spirit, Zoom
   • Mar 21 | Pastoral Care:  The Art of Accompaniment - Webinar
   • Mar 21 | Share Lent - "Meet our Partners" Day - Webinars
   • Mar 21 | Lenten Mission - St. Mary's Cochrane
   • Mar 23 | Come Aside Evening: Lenten Reflection - FCJ
   • Mar 23 | St. Mary's University President's Dinner - Calgary Italian Cultural Centre
   • Mar 24, 31 | Enhancing our Lenten Journey - St. Mary's Cathedral
   • Mar 24 | Live-In Retreat - Okotoks
   • Mar 25 | Lenten Reflection - Divine Mercy Sisters - Providence Convent
   • Mar 27 | Alpha - St. Mary's, Brooks
   • Mar 29 | Spiritual Directors' Enrichment Day
   • Mar 29 - 31 | Lenten Parish Retreat - St. Mary's, Brooks
   • Mar 31 | Friday Mass with St. John Choir Schola - St. Anthony's Church
   • Mar 31 | Baking with the Sisters - Providence Convent
   • Mar 31 - Apr 2 | Centering Prayer Retreat - Martha Retreat Centre, Lethbridge
   • Apr 1 | Anger Management - FCJ
   • Apr 3 | Chrism Mass - St. Mary's Cathedral 
   • Apr 3 - 5 | 40-Hour Devotion for Vocations - St. Luke's, Calgary
   • Apr 5 | Crossroads:  Charity of the Cross Holy Week Retreat - Mt. St. Francis, Cochrane
   • Apr 8 | Share Lent - National Way of the Cross
   • Apr 12 | Vespers: Evening Prayers - FCJ
   • Apr 14 - 16 | Couples Retreat - Mt. St. Francis, Cochrane
   • Apr 15 | Braiding Together - Bishop McGrattan's reflections on Pope Francis' pilgrimage to Canada - St. Peter's, Calgary
     
     To submit your parish/lay association events - go to catholicyyc.ca/news and click "Add Event" (please submit description + poster/graphic in JPEG/PNG)