CTK Gears Up for Lenten, Easter Triduum, and Easter Seasons
March 6, Ash Wednesday, kicked off the Lenten Season for the Catholic world. The previous day, March 5, the devout parishioners witnessed the ceremonial Burning of Palms to Ashes outside the Divine Mercy Chapel just before the 6 pm mass.
March 8, the first Friday of Lent, was the first Parish Way of the Cross, which would then be held every Friday thereafter during Lent, after the 6 pm mass. For March 8, the sponsoring parish organization was the Parish Pastoral Council, with Lay Coordinator Bert and Marie Anne Santos coordinating. The five succeeding Fridays were assigned to the various ministries and mandated organizations:
Mar 15
Public Affairs, Social Services & Development, Catholic Women’s League, Knights of Columbus, Ladies of Charity, Buklod ng Panginoon, and Mother Butler Mission Guild, with Mila Bangco coordinating
Mar 22
Stewardship, Legion of Mary, Adoracion Nocturna Filipinas, Couples for Christ, and Christian Family Movement, with Benjie and Wins Mirasol coordinating
Mar 29 Apr 5
Family & Life, Youth, Mustard Seed, Diwanihan Kristiyano, with Regie and Joanne Polancos coordinating
Apr 5
Catechetical, Formation, Life in the Spirit Prayer Community and Healing Ministry, Sunrise, with Doy & Estrelle Lopez as coordinators
Apr 12
Altar Servers, EMHCs, GreCols, LeComs, Media, VocaJon, with Louie Laudico coordinating
The various villages also had their Way of the Cross, either on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, all officiated by Fr. Steve Zabala. All village Ways of the Cross were celebrated at 8 pm except for the Libis community which had theirs at 5 pm. Acropolis was first off the block with its Way of the Cross conducted last March 11.
Holy Week will begin as usual with Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord this coming April 14, including the two anticipated masses of April 13. As tradition dictates, there will be two parts to every Palm Sunday mass – the Commemoration of the Lord’s Entrance into Jerusalem; and the Palm Sunday Mass proper, to celebrate the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus.
The first part will have an entrance song, the Presider’s Introduction, the Prayer of the Blessing of Palms, and the Gospel Reading, which is the account of the Lord’s entrance into Jerusalem. The second part will have the opening prayer, the Liturgy of the Word, the Readings, and the Gospel narrative of the Passion of the Lord, featuring the male lector as Pilate, the Presider as Jesus, the choir and congregation as the Jewish crowd, and the commentator as the narrator. Both parts will be at the main church. The only exception to the format is the 7:30 am mass of April 14 where the officiating priest will do the commemoration of the Lord’s Entrance into Jerusalem outside in the lower parking lot in front of the Divine Mercy Chapel followed by the procession to the main church.
Holy Monday (April15), Holy Tuesday(April 16), and Holy Wednesday (April 17)will be marked by the Annual Kumpisalang Bayan, or Penitential Service and Confessions, from 6:45 pm which is the end of the daily evening mass up to 8 pm. Penitents are advised to come on Monday or Tuesday so as not to create a long queue on the last night, Wednesday.
Holy Thursday is an extremely important day in the global Catholic calendar. In the morning is the Chrism Mass, celebrated in the Vatican and in all the dioceses worldwide. In the diocese of Cubao, this is held at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Lantana, Cubao, the seat of the Cubao Diocese. This special mass is concelebrated by the bishop together with all the priests in the diocese where the holy oils that will be used throughout the year for baptisms, sacrament of the sick, etc. are blessed and consecrated. The Chrism Mass is also the time in the year when all the priests of the diocese reaffirm their commitment to the institution of the priesthood and their vows of priestly service.
The afternoon of Holy Thursday, on the other hand, marks the liturgical end of the Holy Week once the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper begins at 5:30 pm. The mass marks the start of the short Sacred Paschal Triduum (or Easter Triduum). The Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper is marked by the reception of the holy oils blessed earlier in the morning, the washing of the feet of the 12 Apostles, the consecration of the communion hosts to be used the next day, and the noticeable lack of the final blessing.
Immediately after the Thursday Evening Mass, the Blessed Sacrament is brought down to the Altar of Repose at the Divine Mercy Chapel for the Eucharistic Vigil from 7 pm to 12 midnight. The faithful are encouraged to drop by for even a brief period for adoration.
On Good Friday, April 19, the Celebration of the Passion of the Lord begins at 3 pm. The altar is bare and there is no entrance procession or entrance song since this is technically a continuation of the Thursday Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper. The mass is marked by the veneration of the cross. As with the Thursday Evening Mass, there is no final blessing. The Good Friday service is followed by the procession of the Santo Entierro, literally, ‘holy internment’ and the Madre Dolorosa.
Holy Saturday, April 20, will see the all- important Solemn Easter Vigil at 8 pm, the greatest and noblest of all solemnities and often referred to as the ‘Mother of all Vigils’. This marks the culmination of the Easter Triduum. The Vigil is marked by several readings, the Service of the Light, and the Liturgy of Baptism. Just before midnight, the image of the Risen Christ and the image of Mother Mary meet in the ‘Salubong’ in front of the CTK Formation Center. Traditionally, the Risen Christ carosa starts from the Acropolis GreenMeadows gate escorted by male parishioners while the carosa carrying Madre Dolorosa starts from Giraffe Street, escorted by the female parishioners.
On Holy Saturday, the parish will sponsor a Lenten Recollection at 9:30 am. Holy Saturday’s Recollection will be facilitated by Fr. Emmanuel Cruz.
The Easter Season begins with Easter Sunday, April 21, and will end with Pentecost Sunday, June 9. An Easter Recollection has also been scheduled on May 4, with Fr. Emmanuel ‘Nono’ Alfonso SJ as facilitator.
