Holy Week services set at St. Columba

Staff report

youngstown

St. Columba Cathedral, 154 W. Wood St., has announced its schedule of services for Palm Sunday and Holy Week.

Palm Sunday Masses will be at 5:30 p.m. today with the Rev. Edward Brienz, associate pastor, presiding. Bishop George V. Murry will be the celebrant at 10:30 a.m. Sunday and the Rev. John E. Keehner, cathedral rector, at 4 p.m.

About 1,000 people representing the 94 parishes and mission of the six-county Catholic Diocese of Youngstown will demonstrate the unity of the diocesan Church as they gather at St. Columba for the traditional Mass of Holy Chrism at 10:30 a.m. Holy Thursday.

Bishop Murry will be principal celebrant. Priests concelebrating in the sanctuary will include diocesan consultors and deans. One important aspect of the Chrism Mass focuses on the annual renewal of the diocesan and religious priests in their commitment to priestly service.

A focus of the Holy Thursday service will be the consecration of the Sacred Chrism and blessing of the Oil of the Sick and the Oil of Catechumens. At the close of Mass, each pastor will receive Sacred Chrism and the other Holy Oils for use in his parish.

Each parish is invited to bring a banner depicting that parish, to be carried in procession at the opening of the celebration.

Ecumenical Television Channel (ETC) will air the Chrism Mass at 8 p.m. Holy Thursday and at 9 a.m. Good Friday.

Also on Holy Thursday, the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper will be celebrated at 6 p.m. with Father Keehner. The cathedral will remain open until 9 for veneration of the Blessed Sacrament. Security will be provided.

On Good Friday, Bishop Murry will preside at the Passion of the Lord and veneration of the cross at 3 p.m. During this service, the annual collection for the Holy Land, which helps preserve the holy places of Christ’s homeland and helps alleviate suffering of the poor of every faith in the Holy Land, will take place.

On Holy Saturday, the blessing of the Easter food will be at 3 p.m. The Easter vigil will take place at 8 with Bishop Murry presiding.

Masses on Easter Sunday will be at 10:30 a.m. with Father Keehner and 12:30 p.m. with Father Brienz and featuring the Cathedral Choir directed by Dr. Daniel Laginya. There will be no 4 p.m. Mass.

The Sacrament of Penance will be available at the cathederal from 1 to 3 p.m. Monday and Tuesday and 1 to 1:30 and 5:30 to 7:30 Wednesday. A communal penance service is scheduled at 7 p.m. Monday.