“EASTER DUTIES”

Down the centuries has reminded us of what has been popularly called our “Easter Duties” to go to Holy Communion around Easter time, that is at least in Lent and/or Eastertide. This should also include making use of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which takes place here on Saturday mornings and evenings (see back of newsletter), on request to a priest and at other times as indicated in the newsletter (e.g. after some Sunday Masses close to Easter).

There are blue examination of conscience leaflets at the back of Church. These are especially helpful for helping us to discover what we have done wrong. The more we discover the deeper we can repent and be healed and the deeper we can know the love of God – like our own patroness of whom Jesus said “As she loves much she mist have been forgiven much”.

Pope Benedict began this Lent by speaking, in his Angelus message, about the Gospel account of the healing of the leper. He invited the faithful to turn frequently to the sacrament of Confession.

The Pope said the sins that we commit separate us from God, and if they are not confessed with humility and trust in the divine mercy, they can even reach the point of producing the death of the soul.

He said that in the Sacrament of Penance, Christ crucified and risen, through his ministers, purifies us with his infinite mercy and restores us to communion with the heavenly Father and with our brothers.

The Holy Father pointed out how, according to the ancient Jewish law, leprosy was considered not only an illness, but the most serious form of impurity. In leprosy, it’s possible to glimpse a symbol of sin, and in his passion, Jesus would become like a leper, made unclean by our sins and separated from God. He would do all of this for love, for the purpose of obtaining for us reconciliation, forgiveness,