We are about to enter the most sacred and important week in the Church’s year, Holy Week, during which we travel with Jesus from the crowd’s acclamation at his entry into Jerusalem, through his trial and crucifixion to his triumphant resurrection on Easter Day.
Can there be any day but this,
Though many sunnes to shine endeavour?
We count three hundred, but we missed:
There is but one, and that one ever.
From Easter by George Herbert
This text will be sung by the choir at Evensong on Easter Day. Please take a look at the calendar of services at Cathedral during Holy Week and Easter.
There are ways you can help in the preparations – by making palm crosses or beautifying the church this coming Saturday or by donating money for flowers.
Palm crosses will be distributed at the Eucharists on Sunday. I hope many of you will attend probably our most dramatic service of the year, the 10 o’clock choral Eucharist on Palm Sunday. There will be bells, brass, hymns sung in procession, music from choir and organ, and a dramatic presentation of the Passion story with local actors Jennifer Morehouse, Jane Wheeler and James Loye.
Services during the rest of Holy Week will be quiet, prayerful and meditative before the excitement and celebrations return with the Great Vigil of Easter and the Easter Day services.
If you would like to participate in the Gethsemane Watch – the all night vigil held in the Cathedral from the end of the Maundy Thursday service to the morning of Good Friday. Please sign up on the Volunteer Spot rota at https://www.montrealcathedral.ca/rotas/
Registration is still open for the Cathedral Retreat Living the Life of Prayer with Sally Harrington Philippo as our guest speaker Places remain for the full retreat; April 30 to May 3;or you may also elect to sign up for a one-day Quiet Day on either Friday May 1, or Saturday May 2. Please contact retreatccc@gmail.com
Reminders about other events:
- Tuesday April 7, midday, Seniors’ Lunch
- Tuesday, April 7, 7:30 pm, Paul Clarke of Action Réfugiés, will lead a discussion about ways the Cathedral might respond to the growing refugee problem.
- Wednesday, April 8, 6:15 – 7 pm The first in a new series of free concerts organised by l’Oasis Musicale. Go to http://www.oasismusicale.blogspot.ca/ for information about both this concert and the Saturday concerts.
- This Saturday’s concert features a recital by Alexandru Szasz (trumpet) and Christopher Kusuhara (piano) which includes Modest Mussorgsky’s famous composition for solo piano, Pictures at an Exhibition.
Several Cathedral members including Janet, Jan and Louise helped with the census of homeless people organised by RAPSIM this week. Janet reported that there were well over 1000 volunteers – they needed 800 – and that the event was very well organised with a lot of enthusiastic young people participating. If you want to know more about RAPSIM, an umbrella organisation consisting of groups who try to help homeless people, please speak to Janet King.
Mark Dunwoody, the Diocesan Missioner, is inviting you to complete an on-line survey indicating which ministries are of value to you. Please note the ministries listed are not exhaustive and he invites you to add others. https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/anglicandioceseofmontreal The online survey will remain open until 5pm Friday 10th April. This is our opportunity to make our voice heard as the Diocese forms its new strategic plan “2020 Vision”