Saturday, March 28, 2015
Staff report
YOUNGSTOWN
Holy Week services and Easter events have been announced at St. Columba Cathedral, 154 W. Wood St.
Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord Masses will take place at 4:30 p.m. today and at 10:30 a.m. Sunday with Monsignor Peter M. Polando, rector, presiding; and 4 p.m. with the Rev. Edward Brienz, cathedral associate pastor, presiding.
About 1,000 people representing the 94 parishes, missions and schools of the six-county Catholic Diocese of Youngstown will demonstrate the unity of the diocesan Church as they gather at the cathedral for the Mass of Holy Chrism at 10:30 a.m. Holy Tuesday.
Bishop George V. Murry will be principal celebrant.
Priests concelebrating in the sanctuary will include diocesan consultors and deans.
Each parish is invited to bring a banner depicting that parish, to be carried in procession at the opening of the celebration and which will stand along the walls in colorful witness during the Mass.
One important aspect of the Chrism Mass focuses on the annual renewal of the diocesan and religious priests in their commitment to priestly service.
An additional focus of this liturgy 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 their parish.
The Ecumenical Television Channel through the services of the Catholic Television Network of Youngstown will air the Chrism Mass at 8 p.m. Tuesday and at 10 a.m. Wednesday.
On Holy Thursday, the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper will be celebrated at 6 p.m. with Bishop Murry presiding.
The cathedral will remain open until 9 p.m. 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 Service 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 the suffering of the poor of every faith in the Holy Land, takes place.
On Holy Saturday, the blessing of the Easter Food will take place at 3 p.m. The Easter vigil will take place at 8:30 p.m. with Bishop Murry presiding.
Masses on Easter Sunday will take place at 10:30 a.m. with Bishop Murry and at 12:30 p.m. with Monsignor Polando featuring the Cathedral Choir directed by Dr. Daniel Laginya. There will be no 4 p.m. Mass.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be available Monday from 1 to 1:30 p.m. with a communal reconciliation service at 6 p.m.
Reconcilation also will be offered from 1 to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday and from 9 to 9:30 a.m. and 1 to 1:30 p.m. Thursday.