Dear friends in Christ
A variety of names have been given to this Sunday down the ages: Low Sunday (in contrast to Easter Sunday); Dominica in Albis (because the newly Baptised appeared at Mass dressed in their white baptismal robes); Quasi Modo Sunday (from the opening words of the Introit for the Mass: Like newborn babes...); First Sunday after Easter (as in the former Roman Missal), now the Second Sunday of Easter; and most recently (thanks to St Pope John Paul II: Sunday of Divine Mercy. All of these titles indicate different dimensions of this Day which is rich in spirituality and theology. More beautiful though, is that it renews the joy of Easter as it is the Octave Day. We recall—in the Gospel at Mass—the appearance of Jesus to the Eleven in the Upper Room. Peace be with you He says and breaths upon them the Holy Spirit. This is the moment Jesus confers on His Church the power to absolve sin in His name. This is the gift of Divine Mercy that the Church has so generously bestowed on souls down the centuries since that moment. This Sunday afternoon we shall have the lovely Devotion to The Divine Mercy beginning at 2.30pm. This includes the praying of the Chaplet, veneration of the image of Divine Mercy, blessing with the relic of Saint Faustina and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. I might remind you that because the Sunday Mass obligation remains suspended at the present time—and because of the difficulty of many to access the Sacrament of Penance—a perfect Act of Contrition can suffice for fulfilling the condition to gain the graces attached to this Devotion.
I repeat my thanks of last weekend to all of you who helped in the celebration of Holy Week and Easter. I am grateful for the many greetings and expressions of gratitude you have sent me; also for the Easter Offerings which, in these financially difficult times, are especially appreciated. My prayer is, that Eastertide will be a moment for the casting away of any fears and apprehensions that have hampered our lives in this past year; and that this may be a season of renewed hope and entrustment to the mercy of God in our lives, in the Church and in the world.
God bless you all!
Msgr Kevin Hale