My dear friends,
We are living through historic times. Holy Week this year will be like no other in recent memory and without a doubt we will be talking about it for years. As we commemorate the great events which gave us new life in Christ, we do so in today’s social context that is full of the concern, anxiety, fear, and sadness caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yet as Holy Week takes us through the “highs” of Palm Sunday and the “lows” of Good Friday, we are filled with the wonderful knowledge that our hope will be fulfilled with Christ’s resurrection at Easter. How comforting this should be to us. Today we witness a terrifying threat to our lives. At the same time, we see much evidence of the Easter hope in the compassion, solidarity, and self-sacrifice of all those who have so gallantly stepped up to fight this common enemy.
For us Christians, remembering the last week of Jesus’ life is an act of hope as well as of compassion. We retell the whole story - it did not end on Calvary on Good Friday but transcends all time and space through the glorious resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is ALIVE!
I would be remiss if I did not address some specific items as we start Holy Week:

(1) While the necessary and prudent measures enacted to prevent and slow the infection rates are still in place, we will continue celebrating the livestreamed liturgies here at All Saints, properly following State and Diocesan guidelines. I ask that you join me in praying that this difficult time prove to be of grace for us all.
(2) Normally, many would seek God’s forgiveness in the confessional especially before Holy Week, but this was infeasible for most because of the viral pandemic. The Church teaches that it is possible to repent in another way through an “act of perfect contrition.” (Ref: CCC, no. 1452).
An “act of perfect contrition” requires
● The love of God;
● The sincere desire for forgiveness (such as praying the Act of Contrition);
● The ardent commitment to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation when available.

When the sacrament is simply not available to us, it is reassuring to know that our All-Loving and All-Merciful God is always there for us, particularly when the circumstances are as strange as they now are and have brought us into such uncharted waters.
(3) Concerning the distribution of palms for Palm Sunday, we will do that after we are allowed congregate in Church. Thank you for your understanding during these unusual circumstances. [Find suggestions, resources, and activities for celebrating Palm Sunday at Home.]
(4) Please check our All Saints website to stay updated and to see listings of online/broadcast masses and other events.
May you have a healthy and grace-filled Holy Week,
Msgr Joseph