Holy Family Parish, Vancouver, BC » Seasons

Masses, Holy Week 2011

John — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 18:21:25 +0000

Please note that there will be only one Mass on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

On Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday, the divine office of Tenebrae will be prayed at 7:30 am. This special service of Holy Week combines the offices of Matins and Lauds, and is composed of psalms interspersed with mournful readings from scripture, accompanied by the gradual extinction of candles signifying the descent of the world into darkness during Our Lord’s crucifixion (the word Tenebrae means ‘darkness’). At the end of the service, only one candles remains, symbolising Christ, the Light of the World. The sorrowful character of this haunting service reflects the Church’s sadness concerning the rejection of Christ by His chosen people, and the suffering and death He endured for our sins. Especially in our busy world, which grants so little time to the holiest season of the Church, the office of Tenebrae is an excellent way to prepare one’s mind to participate in the great mysteries of Easter.

Sunday 17 April
Palm Sunday
8:00: RIP Anton Flack
10:30: Pro populo

Monday 18 April
Monday of Holy Week
7:30 am: Ryan Mulholland
7:30 pm: RIP Gelacia B. Ramos

Tuesday 10 April
Tuesday of Holy Week
7:30 am: RIP Parents of Pick Wan

Wednesday 20 April
Spy Wednesday
7:30 am: VTMS Members

Thursday 21 April
Maundy Thursday
7:30 am Tenebræ
7:30 pm: Holy Family Parishioners

Friday 22 April
Good Friday
7:30 am Tenebræ
12:00 pm Stations of the Cross
12:30 pm Mass of the Presanctified

Saturday 23 April
Holy Saturday
7:30 am Tenebræ
10:00 pm: Henry & Mary Flack

Lenten Mission, 3–7 April 2011

John — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 16:10:53 +0000

The Dogmas and Titles of Our Lady

A series of talks presented by Father Elias Mary Mills of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate:

The Immaculate Conception

The Divine Maternity

Perpetual Virginity

The Assumption

Co-redemptrix and Universal Mediatrix of Grace

Schedule
Sunday, 3 April. Father Elias will preach at both Masses.
Monday–Thursday, 4–7 April. Morning Mass at 7:3o am followed by talk at 8:00 am; evening Mass at 6:30 pm followed by talk at 7:30 pm.

Father Elias is a Priest of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, and a native of Nebraska. Previously, he became a member of the Carmelite Third Order, with his final profession in August 1986. He joined the Franciscans of the Immaculate in 1993, and was ordained on 27 May 2007, by Bishop Fabian Bruskewtiz of Lincoln Nebraska. He is currently serving as the Father Guardian of Our Lady, Co-redemptrix Friary, attached to the Mother of the Redeemer Retreat Centre in Bloomington, Indiana. Father Elias has given retreats and parish missions on Our Lady across the United States as well as in Canada and Australia.

Stations of the Cross

John — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 19:49:28 +0000

On Fridays during Lent, beginning 11 March, we will pray the Stations of the Cross at 7:00 pm. This will be followed by Low Mass.

Epiphany house blessings

John — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 17:10:01 +0000

Homes are traditionally blessed during the Octave of Epiphany (6–13 January). The blessing is done with exorcised Epiphany Holy Water, blessed chalk, and exorcised incense (frankincense with myrrh).

Since for the most part we all live quite a distance from one another, priority will be given to homes that haven’t yet been blessed, then to those that have not been blessed in a very long time. We would like to group the blessings for regions—i.e. Vancouver, Coquitlam, Surrey, Abbotsford—on certain days insofar as this is possible .

Should the times available not be convenient fo ryou, we can always come by to bless your home later in the year with the regular blessing. Contact the Parish Office to book a day and time.

Ember days of September

John — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 20:52:32 +0000

Wednesday 22, Friday 24, and Saturday 25 September, 2010.

Four times a year, the Church sets aside the Ember Days. These quarterly periods take place around the beginnings of the natural seasons. These days are spent fasting and partially abstaining—voluntary since the 1983 Code of Canon Law—in penance, and are days favoured for priestly ordinations, prayers for priests, first Communions, almsgiving and other penitential and charitable acts, and prayers for the souls in Purgatory. Because of the days’ focus on nature, they are also traditional times for women to pray for children and safe deliveries.

Holy Week schedule, 2010

John — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 02:27:27 +0000

Maundy Thursday
7:30 am Office of Tenebrae
7:30 pm Mass of the Institution of the Blessed Sacrament

Good Friday
7:30 am Office of Tenebrae
3:00 pm Mass of the Presanctified

Holy Saturday
10:00 pm Easter Vigil

Easter Sunday
8:00 am Low Mass
10:30 am High Mass

Please note that there is no Mass in Abbotsford on Easter Sunday.

Lenten Retreats

John — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 20:47:57 +0000

Spiritually recharge for Lent with a silent retreat led by the priests of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter. These separate retreats for women, men and youth are open to everyone, and are a great opportunity to invite a friend to join you in contemplation, prayer and the sacraments. Please bring a bagged lunch.

Women’s retreat: Saturday 6 March.
Men’s retreat: Saturday 27 March.

9:00 am, Holy Mass (and First Saturday Devotions, 6 March)
10:15 am, Break/Optional Breakfast
10:40 am, Spiritual Talk
11:15 am, Exposition and Confession
12:30 pm, Lunch with Spiritual Reading
1:30 pm, Spiritual Talk
2:15 pm, Rosary and Chaplet of the Divine Mercy
3:00 pm, Silent Time & Confession
4:00 pm, Retreat Ends

Youth & Young Adult retreat (ages 12–30): Saturday 13 March

9:00 am, Holy Mass
10:00 am, Breakfast
10:30 am, Spiritual Talk
11:00 am, Exposition and Confession
12:00 pm, Lunch with Spiritual Reading
12:30 pm, Recreation
2:00 pm, Spiritual Talk
2:30 pm, Rosary and Chaplet of the Divine Mercy
3:00 pm, Silent Time & Confession
4:00 pm, Retreat Ends

Obligations of Lent and Easter

John — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 20:12:24 +0000

The Church prescribes fasting and abstaining from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. On these days, only one full meal is allowed, in addition to which two smaller collations are permitted according to need, which, if combined, would not be equal to a full meal. Catholics aged 14–59 are bound to abstinence from meat; those 18–59 must also fast. Those who are ill are freed from these obligations. Everyone, even those above the age of 59, is encouraged to fast and to abstain. Parents and educators are reminded of their duty to introduce children gradually to the understanding and practice of penance.

We must each make a good Confession in preparation for our Easter Communion. This is an obligation. Therefore, make good use of the Confession times at Holy Family. Confession is available before all Masses on weekdays as well as before and during Mass on Sundays.

Christmastide Schedule

John — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:23:58 +0000

This is the schedule of Christmastide services at Holy Family Church in Vancouver. Sunday services will be at the usual times.

Christmas Eve, Thursday 24 December
7:30 am & 9:00 am

Christmas Day, Friday 25 December
Midnight Mass
8:00 am Low Mass
10:30 am High Mass

Feast of Saint Stephen, Saturday 26 December
7:30 am & 9:00 am

New Year’s Day, Friday 1 January
(Holy Day of Obligation in Canada)
8:00 am & 10:30 am

Epiphany, Wednesday 6 January
7:30 pm High Mass

Ember Days: 23, 25 & 26 September

John — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 07:15:26 +0000

This Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday are the autumn Ember Days. Four times a year, the Church sets aside three days to focus on God through His wonderful creation. These ‘Ember Days’ (or Quatuor Tempora in Latin) take place around the beginnings of the four natural seasons, and are each kept on a successive Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. These days are spent fasting and partially abstaining (voluntary since the 1983 Code of Canon Law) in penance, in thankfulness for the gifts God gives us in nature, and beseeching Him for the discipline to use them in moderation. In the Old Testament, the Jews fasted weekly on Tuesday and Thursday, but Christians changed the fast days to Wednesday (the day on which Christ was betrayed) and Friday (the day on which He was crucified) and added Saturday (the day He was entombed). Ember Days are days favoured for priestly ordinations, prayers for Priests, first Communions, almsgiving and other penitential and charitable acts, and prayers for the souls in Purgatory. Because of the days’ focus on nature, they are also traditional times for women to pray for children and for safe deliveries.