During the beginning season of Lent, our school had Ash Wednesday mass where students had the opportunity to receive their ashes. The mass was presided by Rev. Fr. Thomasz Zalweski, OP. During mass, the priest emphasized in the homily that in the season of lent, we are called to refocus ourselves on Christ, our only and everlasting light. He explained the importance of altering our life and giving up bad habits. Below are some images of the Ash Wednesday Mass from our school. “REPENT AND BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL” “YOU ARE DUST AND UNTO DUST YOU SHALL RETURN”
On April 17th, 2022 our school had our Easter mass, where students were formally received into the Catholic Church through the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and First Holy Communion. The mass was presided by His Excellency Rev. Thomas Chung An-zu, the archbishop of Taipei along with Fr. Thomas Zalweski, OP, and Fr. Artulo Morales, CMF. It was a great honor for the school to have the archbishop celebrate mass in our school. Every year during the Easter season, new catechumens are received into the Catholic Church through a process called RCIA where children who have reached the age of reason and adults become Catholics as they have desired. Great thanks to our school catechist, Sr. Rosa Dabhi, CCV who held faith formation and Catechism classes every year to prepare some of our school students who desire to become Catholic or who want to be fully received into the Catholic Church founded by Jesus through the sacraments of initiation. Please pray for those students who have received the sacraments that they may be strengthened by the Holy Spirit to continue their faith journey. During the mass, the three sacraments of initiation were performed and it was a great joy for us to see more Dominican students grow in faith! In the archbishop’s homily, he emphasized the importance of faith and believing in the Risen Christ. He also emphasized the importance of easter and how it affects all of our lives, and that we should follow the example of Mary Magdalene of how we meet the risen Christ. For more images that might be uploaded, please check the school website.
Easter is the most important season of the whole liturgical calendar, even more important than Christmas. The Roman Catholic Church has always marked Easter on the first Sunday which is followed by the first full moon of the spring equinox. Therefore, the date differs each year from March 22nd to April 25th. Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus on the third day after He suffered and died for us on the cross. Because of his death on the cross, he endured all of our punishments due to sin for us, and by rising from the dead, He made salvation for all possible and gave us life. The resurrection marks the beginning of the Christian religion.
Before the Easter season begins, it is preceded by the season of Lent. Lent has a length of forty days. It is a season of penance, prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown during Holy Thursday. During this time, the priest wears purple vestments at mass symbolizing penance. Catholics fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. They also abstain from meat every Friday during Lent. During the season of Lent, we should seek the Lord through the Scriptures, we should serve him by giving alms to the needy, and we should fast by practicing self-control. During Lent, we not only abstain from material luxuries, but we also seek the inner conversion of our hearts, to follow our Lord’s will more faithfully.
The week that leads to Easter Sunday is called the Holy Week. The Season of Lent ends on Holy Thursday. Below are the important days of the Holy Week.
Holy Thursday- Marks the last supper, the meaning of the Eucharist is revealed and Jesus taught his disciples how to serve others by washing their feet. During mass that day, the priest washes 12 parishioners’ feet to recall this event. John 13:2–17 recounts Jesus’ performance of this action. In verses 13:14–17, He instructs His disciples: If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.
Good Friday- It marks the passion, suffering, and death of our Lord for us on the Cross. Jesus was beaten up by the Roman Soldiers and crucified under Pontius Pilate.
Easter Vigil- It is the day when Jesus’ disciples kept vigil or prayed outside the tomb of Jesus. It is traditionally associated with Christ’s triumphant descent into hell. During that day’s mass, catechumens from the RCIA are fully initiated into the Catholic Church through the sacraments of initiation.
Easter Sunday- It marks the resurrection of Christ whom He himself has promised. “ And He said to them’ Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day.’”- Luke 24:46
In the Vatican, Pope Francis held the easter mass in St. Peter’s Square on April 9th, 2023. On the same day, he delivered his Urbi et Orbi message and blessing to the people.
“Today is Easter, the Pasch, a word that means ‘passage,’ for in Jesus the decisive passage of humanity has been made: the passage from death to life, from sin to grace, from fear to confidence, from desolation to communion in him. In him, the Lord of time and history, I would like to say to everyone, with heartfelt joy, Happy Easter to all!” -Pope Francis
“Let the Church and the world rejoice, for today our hopes no longer come up against the wall of death, for the Lord has built us a bridge to life,”- Pope Francis
References:
Brockhaus, H. (2023, April 19). ‘The most important and beautiful day of history’: Pope Francis on Easter 2023. Catholic News Agency.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254056/the-most-important-and-beautiful-day-of-history-pope-francis-on-easter-2023
Connelly, S. (2020). The True Meaning of Easter Sunday for Catholics. Get Your Daily Bread Together With the Catholic Faith Store.
https://www.catholicfaithstore.com/daily-bread/true-meaning-of-easter-sunday-catholics/
Sandra. (2019). What is Holy Week? Saint Patrick Catholic Church. https://www.saintpats.org/parish/holy-
week/#:~:text=Holy%20Week%2C%20the%20final%20week,to%20when%20He%20was%20crucified.
What is Lent? (n.d.). USCCB. https://www.usccb.org/prayer-worship/liturgical-
year/lent#:~:text=Lent%20is%20a%2040%20day,the%20Lord%27s%20Resurrection%20at%20Easter
NOTE: ALL IMAGES IN OUR SCHOOL ARE TAKEN BY THE SCHOOL MIT TEAM. NO IMAGES MAY BE USED WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE SCHOOL MIT TEAM.
Wish everyone a Happy Easter. May the Risen Christ bring you hope and blessings!
IMPORTANT CORRECTION: Date of Easter Mass and Celebration of Sacraments of initiation: Apr 19th, 2023