Click here for the schedule of Holy Week and Easter ceremonies which will take place in the Cathedral of Christ the King and in the parishes of the Diocese of Meath.
All the major Holy Week ceremonies will take place at the Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar.
These include the Chrism Mass which will be celebrated by Bishop Michael Smith and the priests of the Diocese of Meath on Wednesday at 7pm. During that Mass, the vessels containing the Oils of Catechumens, the Oil of the Sick and the Oil for the Sacred Chrism will be presented to Bishop Smith by several families representing the link between the sacraments and the life of faith lived out in the family home.
The oil of the sick will be carried forward by Tony and Mary Allen, both of whom work in healthcare, accompanied by their daughter Laura and son-in-law Derek and granddaughter Roisin. Laura gave birth to baby Sean two weeks ago.
The oil of catechumens will be carried forward by Alex Killeen, an altar server in Holy Family Parish, Ballsgrove accompanied by his mother Miriam, and Sandra Maher, a parish youth leader.
The chrism to be consecrated by the Bishop will be presented by Fr Seamus Houlihan, who celebrates the silver jubilee of his ordination this year, together with Dominic and Deirdre Horgan and family from Nobber and also Bernie and Peter Sheridan and family from Kilbeg.
Bishop Smith will celebrate at the Mass of the Last Supper in St Mary’s Parish, Navan and the Passion of the Lord on Good Friday, also in Navan. He will preside at the Easter Vigil in the Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar.
Good Friday liturgies take place in virtually every church in the Diocese of Meath.
Outdoor stations of the cross will take place in nine parishes – Bohermeen, Castlepollard, Clara, Collinstown, Drumraney, Longwood, Mullingar, Navan and Tullamore.
Dawn Masses on Easter Sunday will take place at the following locations in the Diocese of Meath.
Drumraney: Dawn Mass at 6.30am in the old cemetery
Fore Abbey: Dawn Mass at 6.00am
Kingscourt: Dawn Mass at 6.15am at the Mass Rock on Loughanleagh Mountain
Mullingar: Dawn Mass at 6.30am at Lough Ennell
Nobber: Dawn Mass at 6.00am in the old cemetery
Raharney: Dawn Mass at 6.00am
Tullamore: Dawn Mass at 6.00am at the site of the original parish church
The faithful are reminded that the obligation both to fast and to abstain from meat, an obligation observed under a more strict formality by our fathers in the faith, still binds on Good Friday. That Friday called “Good” because on that day Christ suffered in the flesh and died for our sins.
The norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon members of the Church from age 14 onwards.
