Programme for Lent 2021

Dear Friends in Christ, 

As Ash Wednesday approaches, and the Holy Season of Lent begins once again, we are alll very much aware of the events of the past year and how the World-wide Pandemic has affected every household and community. We have expereinced three lockdowns over the past eleven months. Many have lost their lives to Covid-19, many have been sick. A whole new world-order has emerged. The one ray of light on the horizon is the vaccine. Slowly and gradually many are now reciving the vaccine for protection against this terrible disease.  Perhaps the past year has helped us to focus our attention on God. During The Holy Season of Lent the Church gives us the opportunity to focus our minds, and really enter into the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ. These next several weeks will help us to prepare for the greatest event of human history; that at a moment in time Jesus Christ, truly God and truly man, was able to triumph over sin and death. We are invited to share in this mystery, and especially during this Lenten Season. 

I would ask every single parishioner to seriously think about your commitment in faith, especially in light of the Pandemic. Ask youselves the important questions of whether you have been true to your faith; to the commitment in faith; to the practice of faith; to the sharing of faith with your family; to personal prayer; to stewardship; to works of charity. I truly believe the Church now has the greatest challenge in the life of faith due to the Pandemic; this is now a universal issue, and perhaps this Lenten Season will give us those opportunities to address all these issues.

The disciplines of Prayer, Fasting & Alms Giving are key to the Holy Season. How we respond to these is personal. Why not make an extra special effort this year to really enter the spirit of Lent? Whatever you decided to do is between you and Almighty God. Please don’t let the Holy Season of Lent pass you by and ignore opportunity to get closer to the Lord. 

May God Bless You All during this Holy Lenten Season

TIMES OF MASSES & SERVICES DURING LENT

ASH WEDNESDAY: With Distribution of the Ashes at all Masses

St. Edmund’s     10.00am  Please make a very special

St. Edmund’s   12.15pm to attend one of the Masses.  

St. Edmund’s     8.00pm Day of Fasting & Abstinence 

SUNDAY MASSES

St. Edmund’s     6.00pm. (Saturday Vigil Mass)

St. Edmund’s   9.00am.  Parish Mass 

St. Edmund’s 11.00am.  Parish Family Mass 

St. Edmund’s   5.00pm. Stations / Exposition / Benediction

MONDAY

St. Edmund’s        Mass 10.00am Try to attend an extra mass during Lent

  Followed by Holy Hour / Exposition

TUESDAY

St. Edmund’s        Mass 10.00am  

WEDNESDAY

St. Edmund’s        Mass 10.00am   Followed by Holy Hour / Exposition  

THURSDAY

St. Edmund’s        Mass 10.00am  

FRIDAY   Fridays are now Fast Days! No meat today

St. Edmund’s       Mass 10.00am     Followed by Holy Hour / 

     Stations of the Cross/ Exposition

SATURDAY   

St. Edmund’s       Mass 10.00am. Preceded by Morning Prayer at 9.45

St. Edmund’s 11.00am Confessions in the Church.

St. Edmund’s     6.00pm Vigil Mass for Sunday

SUNDAY MASSES

St. Edmund’s   9.00am   Parish Mass St. Edmund’s           11.00am   Parish Family Mass

LENTEN DIARY 2021 

17^th  Feb Ash Wednesday.  3 Masses.  See Newsletter. 

Day of Fasting and Abstinence 

 21^st Feb Rite of Election. RCIA Candidate

 26^th Feb CAFOD Lenten Family Fast Day / Cafod Envelope

  5^th March Women’s World Day of Prayer

14^th March Laetare Sunday / Mothering Sunday /

19^th March Consecration to St. Joseph (Year of St. Joseph)

28^th March BRITISH SUMMERTIME BEGINS. Clocks forward

HOLY WEEK 2021 BEGINS

 28^th March Passion Sunday / Palm Sunday. 

30^th March Parish Penitential Service

31^st  March Chrism Mass, Brentwood Cathedral, 11.00am

SACRED TRIDUUM

 1^st   April Triduum Begins. Mass of the Lord’s Supper 8.00pm

 2^nd  April Good Friday. Passion of Our Lord 3.00pm

 3^rd  April Holy Saturday/ Easter Vigil, 8.00pm

 4^th  April Easter Sunday / The Resurrection of the Lord

2 Masses:  9.00am & 11.00am at St. Edmund’s

RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS
This year on our Journey of Faith, one member from the community has decided to go forward to the Reception of the Easter Sacraments. Steven Bullock will be Baptised, Confirmed, and receive the Holy Eucharist. Please keep him in your prayers over this Lenten Season. These final weeks of instruction will help to prepare her for the Joy of the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday Evening 3^rd April 2021.