St. Columba Cathedral announces Holy Week schedule

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Holy Week activities and services are planned at St. Columba Cathedral, 154 W. Wood St.

For Palm Sunday, the Passion of the Lord Mass will be celebrated at 4:30 today and at 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Sunday with Monsignor Peter M. Polando, rector, presiding.

On Holy Tuesday, about 1,000 people representing the 94 parishes, missions and schools in 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.

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.

The Chrism Mass includes the annual renewal of the diocesan and religious priests of 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 parishes.

As part of the Year of Mercy, Bishop Murry, in the name of Pope Francis, will commission 22 priests of the diocese as Missionaries of Mercy.

They are to be living signs of the God’s readiness to welcome those in search of God’s pardon especially through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Pope Francis also has granted Missionaries of Mercy the authority to pardon those sins customarily reserved to the Holy See.

Bishop Murry will commission the following diocesan priests as Missionaries of Mercy – the Rev. Edward Brienz, Monsignor Michael Cariglio, the Rev. Christopher Cicero, Monsignor James Clarke, the Rev. Brian Cline, the Rev. Sean Conoboy, the Rev. Robert Edwards, the Rev. George Franko, Monsignor Lewis Gaetano, the Rev. Terrence Hazel, the Rev. Robert Kaylor, the Rev. John Keehner, the Rev. Maciej Mankowski, the Rev. J. Patrick Manning, the Rev. Craig McHenry, the Rev. David Misbrener, the Rev. Raymond Paul, Monsignor Peter Polando, the Rev. Melvin Rusnak, Monsignor Robert Siffrin, the Rev. Michael Swierz and Monsignor John Zuraw.

The Ecumenical Television Channel through the services of CTNY, Catholic Television Network of Youngstown, will broadcast the Chrism Mass at 8 p.m. Tuesday and 10 a.m. Wednesday.

The Mass of the Lord’s Supper will be celebrated at 6 p.m. Holy Thursday with Bishop Murry.

The cathedral will remain open until 8 p.m. for adoration 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, will be taken.

On Holy Saturday, the blessing of Easter food will be at 3 p.m.

The Easter vigil will be at 8 p.m. with Bishop Murry presiding.

Easter Sunday Masses are scheduled at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. with Monsignor Polando.

The Cathedral Choir, directed by Dr. Daniel Laginya, will be featured at the 12:30 p.m. Mass.

There will be no 4 p.m. Mass.

Sacrament of Reconciliation will be available from 1 to 1:30 p.m. Monday, a communal reconciliation service at 6 p.m. Tuesday, 1 to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday and 9 to 9:30 a.m. and 1 to 1:30 p.m. Holy Thursday.