Sunday, April 10, 2022

We are now entering Holy Week, the most solemn, dramatic, and ultimately joyful week of the entire year. So pay attention!

Lent comes to an end on Wednesday evening, and the Sacred Triduum begins with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Thursday evening. Since Lent is then technically over, it is a good time to bring back your mite boxes. We can collect them on Holy Thursday, or you may bring them back at any convenient time.  

Since the Holy Thursday Mass, with the washing of feet as a sign of service, also celebrates Jesus’ great gift to us of the Eucharist, His own Body and Blood, we are making an exception from not having the common cup at Mass. For the Holy Thursday Mass only we will offer the Eucharist under both forms. That means, if you so wish, you may receive not only the consecrated bread but also the consecrated wine. 

This remains entirely voluntary. You receive the full Christ if you receive only the consecrated bread. That is called the doctrine of concomitance. You are missing nothing if you receive only the bread.  But to receive both species, the consecrated bread and the wine, is a fuller symbol of the Eucharist. And there is no better time to use the full symbolism of Jesus’ command to “take and eat” and also to “take and drink” than at the Holy Thursday Mass. So, if the reception of the cup is significant for your spirituality, and you are healthy and not contagious, you are welcome to receive from the cup this Holy Thursday.

In other news, thank you to all those who joined in the presentations after Mass this past weekend on the financing of our big development project. A special thank you to Christopher Kennedy and Trish Dolese, without whom we would never have gotten this far. 

If you missed this presentation, our financing met or exceeded all eight financial conditions the Diocese of Austin had established in their approval of our redevelopment. As a reminder, The Pastoral Council, Parish Finance Committee, School Advisory Board and Development Committee all accepted the eight conditions the Diocese requested last spring and all leadership bodies have been briefed on the financing details and how we met each of the conditions. If you'd like more information about the financing or have any questions about the project please remember to email [email protected] anytime and w'll get back with you right away.
If you haven't seen our campus in a while, we received drone footage as we begin to see the cranes arrive to begin rebuilding our campus. Find the video at Construction Updates. 

We'll be talking more about time, talent and treasure after Easter. But for now I wish you all a prayerful, enriching, and meaningful Holy Week.