All parishes in the Diocese of Meath will celebrate the Easter Triduum with various liturgies during Holy Week and on Easter Sunday.
These ceremonies include the Mass of the Lord’s Supper (Holy Thursday), the Passion of the Lord (Good Friday) and the Easter Vigil (Holy Saturday).
Click here for the full schedule of Holy Week and Easter celebrations.
The theme of the Year of Mercy is likely to feature prominently in many of these ceremonies, with all parishes providing opportunities to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Already on Palm Sunday, Pope Francis emphasised that “Jesus, even at the height of His annihilation, reveals the true face of God, which is mercy. He forgives those who are crucifying Him, He opens the gates of paradise to the repentant thief and He touches the heart of the centurion.”
Bishop Michael Smith will preside at the Chrism Mass on Wednesday at 7pm in the Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar. Priests will renew the promises they first made on the day they were ordained. The Diocese of Meath has 123 diocesan priests, most of whom are serving in our 69 parishes, schools and hospitals. A number of religious and missionary priests will also take part in the Chrism Mass, during which the holy oils will be blessed and consecrated. The Oil of Catechumens will be carried forward by members of the diocesan youth team who will attend World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland later this year. The Oil of the Sick will be presented to the Bishop by seven lay people from the Diocese of Meath who practise the seven Corporal Works of Mercy, while clergy celebrating their 25th, 50th and 60th priestly jubilees this year will present the vessels with the Oil for the Sacred Chrism.
Among the Holy Week events, parishes will pray the traditional Stations of the Cross. In several places, this liturgy will be conducted outdoors (Bohermeen, Castlepollard, Drogheda, Kingscourt, Kinnegad, Mullingar, Navan, Trim and Tullamore). Some parishes will celebrate a Dawn Mass on Easter Sunday (Collinstown, Drumraney, Kingscourt, Mullingar, Nobber and Tullamore).
Liturgies for the Polish community in the Diocese of Meath will be celebrated in the following parishes: Ashbourne, Castlepollard, St Mary’s Drogheda, Kingscourt, Mullingar, Navan, Trim and Tullamore.
If you wish to send us some photos from your parish celebrations, we could be delighted to receive them for our gallery. Contact us at secretary@dioceseofmeath.ie.
