We are followers of Jesus Christ living in joyful, loving fellowship within his Catholic Church through the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter.
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We're now in Holy Week accompanying Jesus through his passion, death, and glorious resurrection. We look forward to the day that St. Alban's is a fully established Ordinariate parish, but until then, the Church's canon law requires that we join in the Sacred Triduum (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil) of our larger host parish, St. Kateri Tekakwitha. But we then celebrate Easter Mass together!
This year due to the coronavirus shutdown, we have two options for Holy Week. Fr. Evan recommends either joining St. Kateri's livestream, or joining the Ordinariate livestream from our cathedral, Our Lady of Walsingham in Houston.St. Alban's website will also carry the Ordinariate cathedral's livestreamed liturgies on our homepage, and then switch to our own 11 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass.
St. Kateri's Holy Week schedule (where Fr. Evan will be participating) is Holy Thursday Mass at 7 p.m. ET, Good Friday liturgy at 3 p.m. ET, and Holy Saturday / Easter Vigil at 7 p.m. ET.
The Cathedral of Our Lady of Walsingham's Holy Week schedule is Maundy Thursday Mass at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Good Friday Liturgy at 4 p.m. ET.
and Holy Saturday/Easter Vigil Mass at 9 p.m. ET.
For Good Friday, St. Alban's will send out a link via Flocknote that morning to a beautiful Stations of the Cross that Father Evan, music director Gil Donohue, and a number of parishioners helped put together, for you to pray.On Easter Sunday, please join us at 11 AM for Easter Sunday Mass broadcasting on St. Alban's Facebook , YouTube channel , and our website homepage. Remember at Mass to pray the Prayer of Humble Access, or make a Spiritual Communion, or pray the Anima Christi; and if you can't pray the Sunday Mass, then pray the rosary as a family.On Sundays, we now have coffee hour over Zoom at 12:15 PM on Sunday. Subscribe to our Flocknote for information on how to join. We look forward to sharing the traditional Easter greeting of "Christ is risen!" to which one says, "He is risen indeed!"Please remember to support us this Easter . You can give online here or by mail to St. Alban's Catholic Church, c/o Fr. Evan Simington, 445 Kings Highway S., Rochester, NY 14617.A REflection & Musical REsources for the Holy Triduum
from St. Alban's Music DirectorAs we enter into the Holy Triduum this weekend, I wanted to provide some music for you for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Maundy comes to us from the Latin word “mandatum,” the same word from which we get “mandate.” In the Latin text of the Gospel of John, from which the readings for Maundy Thursday are taken, Christ says, “ Mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis invicem sicut delexi vos” (Jn 13:34). This translates to, “A new commandment give I unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you.” Hence, we refer to this day when Christ gives this new commandment as Maundy Thursday. During the Washing of Feet, this text is the first antiphon which is sung, and the English composer Thomas Tallis (1505-1585) has a wonderful setting which I have attached a recording of below.During the Good Friday liturgy, the cross is brought forward for adoration to the chant, “Behold the wood of the Cross, whereon was hung the Saviour of the world. O come, let us adore.” It is worth noting that the last time we sang “O come let us adore” ( Venite adoremus), it was in celebration of Christ’s Incarnation -- now, the same text refers to the instrument of our salvation. Following this, a variety of chants and hymns are sung during the Adoration of the Cross, including The Reproaches. The Reproaches, or in Latin Improperia, are a series of verses and responses set as Christ’s remonstrance to the people: “My people, what I have I done unto thee, or wherein have I offended thee? Testify against me.” Below is a recording of a setting of this moving text by the English composer John Saunders (1955-2016).
Additionally, I have attached a recording of Antonio Lotti’s (1667-1740) setting of the Crucifixus, the text we speak in the Creed each week: “[He] was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried.” I hope these are helpful for you in contemplating Christ’s Passion as we enter the Holy Triduum.
Wishing you all the best,Gil Donohue