OUR PARISH - LITURGY SCHEDULE AND SERVICES
 

LENTEN OPPORTUNITIES AND SERVICES

STATIONS OF THE CROSS ON FRIDAYS

We will offer Lenten Stations of the Cross on Fridays at 6 pm during Lent
February 16, 23 and March 1, 8, 15, 22

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LENTEN GROUP - SACRED SPACE

Please join us during Lent as we reflect on the weekly Gospel from Sacred Space, a daily devotional book by the Jesuits that includes daily reading, reflection, and prayer.

Through this experience from Sacred Space, you will be invited to develop a closer relationship with God during this season of Lent. We will meet to discuss the weekly reading or anything that may have spoken to you during the week. The cost for the book will be $6.50.

  • DATES - Each Sunday during Lent - February 18, 25 and March 3, 10, 17, 24
  • TIME - 4:30 pm until approximately 5:45 pm
  • WHERE - St. Christina Ministry Center - 11033 S. Christiana Avenue
  • QUESTIONS OR TO REGISTER - Please contact Sue Carter at 773-445-9539 or scarter@stchristinaparish.org.
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    LENTEN ALMSGIVING - RICE BOWLS - CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES

Join our faith community - and more than 12,000 Catholic communities across the United States - in a transformative Lenten journey with CRS Rice Bowl. Pick up your family’s CRS Rice Bowl by the entrances of the church. During the 40 days of Lent, we will reflect on global hunger and take action to help our sisters and brothers impacted by this injustice. Visit crsricebowl.org to learn more. Rice Bowls should be returned by the end of Lent with your donation.

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DAILY REFLECTIONS FOR LENT

Please take home a copy of the booklet Daily Reflections for Lent.
They are available at the entrances of Church.

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LENTEN REGULATIONS

Following are the regulations for abstinence and fasting to be observed by Catholics during Lent:

A fast and abstinence is prescribed for Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Fasting is observed by all Catholics between 18 and 59. Those bound by this may take only one full meal. Two smaller meals are permitted if necessary to maintain strength according to one’s needs, but eating solid food between meals is not permitted.

Abstinence from meat is to be observed by all Catholics 14 years and older on all Fridays of Lent.

By the threefold discipline of fasting, almsgiving, and prayer, the church keeps Lent from Ash Wednesday until the evening of Holy Thursday. All of the faithful and the catechumens should undertake serious practice of these three traditions. Failure to observe penitential days totally or a substantial number of such days must be considered serious.

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HOLY WEEK AND EASTER LITURGIES AT ST. CHRISTINA

PALM SUNDAY - SUNDAY, MARCH 24 - Christian communities celebrate Palm Sunday, marking the beginning of Holy Week, the most sacred time of year for Christians. Palm Sunday recalls the story in Christian Scripture of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, greeted by people waving palm branches. Palms are blessed and distributed at all the Masses. It is a reminder for Christians to welcome Jesus into their hearts and to be willing to follow him. The service on Palm Sunday also includes a reading of the Passion, the story of the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus.

  • Palm Sunday Mass Schedule - Saturday at 4 PM - Sunday at 8 AM, 10:30 AM and 5 PM

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SACRED TRIDUUM - Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Vigil / Easter - The Easter Triduum begins with the Vigil of Holy Thursday. It marks the end of the forty days of Lent. The Sacred Paschal Triduum is the three most solemn days of the liturgical year, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil. These most holy days celebrate the Paschal Mystery, first, the passion, suffering, and death of the Lord Jesus, followed by his resurrection, the triumph of the holy cross, and Christ’s decisive victory over sin and death. The Triduum is a single feast, the Paschal Mystery, celebrated over three days.

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HOLY THURSDAY - MARCH 28 - The evening Mass on Holy Thursday is referred to as The Mass of the Lord's Supper. This is where the Church re-lives the institution of the Eucharist and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass at the Last Supper, as well as the institution of the priesthood, which took place the evening before Jesus was crucified.

After the homily there is an optional "washing of the feet" ceremony, where the priest washes the feet of others to signify his role as servant - just as Jesus did with his disciples. Extra hosts are consecrated at this Mass to be used on Good Friday when no Mass will be celebrated.

The Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday concludes with a procession of the Blessed Sacrament to the "altar of repose," a place where the consecrated Host is kept, away from the main altar where Mass is normally celebrated.

Many parishes will create space for people to stay and pray with the reposed Eucharist at this altar of repose late into the night, remembering Jesus' request in the Garden of Gethsemane for someone to "watch and pray" with Him.

  • Morning Prayer at 8:30 AM
  • Liturgy of the Lord’s Supper at 7 PM
  • Adoration in Church until Midnight

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GOOD FRIDAY - MARCH 29 - Good Friday is a mandatory day of fasting and abstinence. This is the day of the crucifixion, the day Jesus died for the sins of the world.

The parish altar looks very different on Good Friday: it is plain and bare. There is no consecrated Host in the tabernacle at the main altar of the church; it was carried away on Holy Thursday night to the "altar of repose" to signify Jesus' death. The candle by the tabernacle is blown out, and the tabernacle doors are left open to show that it is empty. Jesus is gone. This is quite dramatic, reminding us that Good Friday is a solemn day of mourning and prayer. The ceremony on Good Friday is not a Mass—it is a communion service using the consecrated hosts from Holy Thursday. Good Friday is the only day of the year on which no Masses are offered.

  • Morning Prayer at 8:30 AM
  • Stations of the Cross at 3 PM
  • Confessions immediately after Stations
  • The Celebration of the Lord’s Passion at 7 PM

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HOLY SATURDAY - MARCH 30

  • Morning Prayer at 8:30 AM
  • Blessing of Food Baskets and Children at 12 Noon
  • Sorry, NO 4 PM Mass

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EASTER VIGIL - SATURDAY, MARCH 30 - A vigil Mass is held after nightfall on Holy Saturday and is the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus. This is called the Easter Vigil: the most glorious, beautiful, and dramatic liturgy for the Church. The vigil is divided into four parts: 1) the Service of Light, 2) the Liturgy of the Word, 3) the Liturgy of Baptism, and 4) the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

This is also the Mass in which many RCIA catechumens are brought into full communion with the Catholic Church.

  • The Easter Vigil begins at 7 PM

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EASTER SUNDAY - MARCH 31 - Easter Sunday is what we've all been waiting for! The forty days of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving during Lent was in preparation for this day, when our hearts and souls can drink in deeply the culmination of the Paschal mystery: the Resurrection.

  • Mass of the Resurrection celebrated at 8 AM and 10:30 AM
  • Sorry, there will be NO 5 PM Mass on Easter

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REGULAR DAILY AND WEEKEND MASSES
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION - CONFESSIONS

MASKS ARE OPTIONAL!
Based on the mask mandate in the City of Chicago,
mask wearing is optional in all our Parish Facilities including Church.

Weekday Masses from Monday through Saturday at 7 am

Sacrament of Reconciliation - Confessions
Monday through Saturday
after the 7 am Mass and on Saturdays from 3 to 3:45 pm
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Weekend Masses
Saturday (Vigil) at 4 pm
Sunday at 8 am, 10:30 am and 5 pm

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EUCHARISTIC HOLY HOUR

Please join us for Holy Hour with Rosary and Benediction
every Thursday before the First Friday of each month at 7 pm in Church.
Next Holy Hour on Thursday, April 4.

As we are now into Lent a few weeks, this may be a good time to re-evaluate the progress
in the commitments we made to prepare ourselves in this season of repentance.

We look forward to seeing you and so does Jesus!

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WEEKLY EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

The Chapel is open to the public
Monday through Friday from 8 am until 4 pm
with Exposition from 1 pm until 4 pm.

Come and spend an hour with Jesus and together we can thank him for giving us the strength, perseverance, and faith for bringing us through this past year.

MAKING EUCHARISTIC ADORATION A PART OF YOUR LIFE - Regular time spent with the Lord in Adoration can be life changing. Here are some ways to make this form of prayer a regular part of your life.

Be real with yourself. Holy hours are great, but if you don’t have that much time, or if you aren’t used to spending that long of a time in prayer, you might need to build up to it. Start with going to the chapel for fifteen minutes at a time. The quality of time you spend with our Lord and the frequency of times are often more meaningful than the length.

Stay practical. It might not be possible for you to get to your church whenever you feel like it. But maybe you can arrive early for Mass and spend some time with Jesus. Or perhaps you could arrange your schedule so that you (and even a spouse, child, or friend with you) can stop in as you’re driving past the church. Even a few minutes can change your week for the better.

Go out of your way. How can you make Adoration a regular part of your weekly rhythm of prayer? It may mean sacrificing other things, such as time online or watching TV. Start searching for more opportunities to sacrifice other things for that prayer time with Jesus - and watch how he blesses you.

Like anything else that is worthwhile in life, it takes a certain degree of discipline to become more eucharistic in your prayer life. Remember, however, that God is never outdone in generosity.

Excerpt from “Heavenly Strength and Protection - The Blessing of Spending Time with Jesus" by Mark Hart from Our Sunday Visitor June 2022 © Our Sunday Visitor Publishing. 1-800-348-2440 - www.osv.com - Used by permission. No other use of this material is authorized.

ADORATION CHAPEL ADORERS NEEDED! - As you can read in the article above, becoming closer to God and spending quiet time with Jesus can be very rewarding. As we are now beginning a new liturgical year, it may be a good time for renewing your own spiritual life. We are once again looking for volunteers of all adult ages to become adorers in our Chapel for the Exposition hours from 1 to 4 pm, Monday - Friday. This is only for one hour, one day a week! Having “alone time” with Jesus in private prayer and contemplation can be a great experience. It is a place to be strengthened, healed, and comforted, and can foster a stronger relationship with Jesus. So, please think and pray about joining this ministry. Only willingness and desire to spend time with Jesus is all that is needed. If you have any questions or want to sign up for adoration, please contact Carol Smith at 708-217-7301.
 

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