Għasri Parish's notices for this week are as follows:
1. On Saturday 16th March 2024 at 7.00pm, we have the monthly meeting for married couples at the Għasri Parish Centre.
2. On Saturday 16th March, a mini retreat in English will be held in our parish (organised by the English-Speaking Community too. This will be led by Fr. Loreto Tabone. No booking is required for the retreat and everyone is welcome (i.e. Catholics, Anglicans, no denomination, other denominations) as per the other attachment.
3. On Sunday 17th March 2024 in the morning (from 9.10am till around noon) members of the Għasri Festa Committee will be visiting local residents who would like to contribute to 2024's Festa.
4. On Sunday 17th March 2024 at 9.15 (during catechism), there will be a separate meeting at the Għasri Parish Centre for parents whose children will receive the Sacraments in 2024.
5. On Thursday 21st March 2024, the church will be open for Eucharistic Adoration from 7am until 5.55pm (masses as usual at 7.30am and 6pm). We will pray the Rosary in front of the Holy Eucharist at 5.30pm with the prayer intentions for vocations and families.
6. On Thursday 21st March 2024 at 6.45pm we have the monthly meeting of the parish council.
7. On Friday, 22nd March 2024, Our Lady Mary of Sorrows (Maltese: 'Ommna Marija tad-Duluri'): Mass in the morning at 7:30 am. In the evening at 5:20 pm, we say the Rosary, Stations of the Cross, and Blessing. At 6:00 pm Mass followed immediately by the Procession with the Statue of Our Lady of Sorrows.
8. On Saturday 23rd March 2024 at 7pm, the Festa Committee will organise a traditional dinner at Għasri Parish centre. Tickets from Għasri Local Council (telephone: 21558686).
9. On Sunday 24th March 2024 (Palm Sunday) there will be a sacred music concert at Għasri Parish Church at 7.30pm conducted by Jean Pierre Cassar.
10. A confessor who is not resident in Għasri is available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation at Għasri Parish church on Saturdays between 5.30pm and 6.15pm. On Sundays, Confession is available: during 8.30am Mass; from 10.15am until 11am; and from 6pm until 6.30pm.
11. Communion for the sick (Viaticum) is given every Sunday after 8.30am's Mass.
12. Those who have any flowers from their gardens and would like them to be included on the Flower-Decorated Altar of Reposition (a.k.a. the Sepulchre) which is the temporary flower-themed section of the church open for the seven visits on Maundy Thursday evening and Good Friday morning) are kindly requested to bring them to the church from Monday, 25th March 2024, until Tuesday, 26th March 2024. One would like to gently point out that flowers brought outside these times cannot be guaranteed inclusion because: (1) flowers brought before Monday, 25th March, may not last until Friday afternoon, and (2) those brought after Tuesday may be too late, as most of the setup would have already been completed by the parish's flower decoration team. If the church appears closed, please note that the members of the team will have the church's back door open, located next to the new playing field whilst setting it up. If you see both front and backdoors closed, feel free to send me (Fr. Edward Vella) an email or a Facebook Messenger or SMS/WhatsApp on: (+356) 79082170.
13. Those who would like to be part of Lauda Sion Choir (Għasri Parish's choir), the next rehearsals for Holy Week 2004 will be: Wednesday 20th of March at 6:30 pm and Wednesday 27th of March at 6:30 pm at the Parish Church.
Holy Week 2024 schedules:
- On Friday, 22nd March 2024, Our Lady Mary of Sorrows (Maltese: 'id-Duluri'): Mass in the morning at 7:30 am. In the evening at 5:20 pm, we say the Rosary, Stations of the Cross, and Blessing. At 6:00 pm Mass followed immediately by the Procession with the Statue of Our Lady of Sorrows.
- On Saturday, 23rd March, in the evening, we open Holy Week with the first Mass of Palm Sunday at 6:00 pm.
- Palm Sunday: 24th March at 8:30 am Mass with the blessing of palms and olives and a short procession that commemorates Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem to give His life for us. Masses: 10:30 am, 5:00 pm at the Patronage church, 6:00 pm.
- On Tuesday, 26th March, at 6:30 pm, a Penitential Celebration in which we prepare for confession and afterwards, there will be several visiting confessors available for confession.
- Maundy Thursday: 28th March, at 7:00 pm Mass of the Lord's Supper and the Washing of the Feet. At the end of Mass, the Blessed Sacrament is taken to the altar of repose (Sepulchre) and the 7 visits are made.
- Good Friday, 29th March, at 3:00 pm we do the celebration where commemorate Jesus’ death on the cross for us, and we venerate His Cross.
- Holy Saturday, 30th March 2024, at 8:00 pm we begin the Easter Vigil, which is the greatest celebration of the Christian faith. Therefore, a call for all as a parish to come together to celebrate our greatest feast.
- Easter Day Sunday 31/3/2024 (also a National Holiday) - Mass times: 8:30 & 10:30 am and 6:00 pm at the parish church. 5:00 pm at the Patronage church.
Updates from various pastoral groups in Għasri Parish:
- Weekly spiritual meetings for students from Form 2 until Form 5 every Friday evening at 7.30pm at Għasri Parish Centre.
- Sunday School: There are two catechism sessions every week: Saturday at 5pm and Sunday at 9.15am. Both are currently held at the Għasri Parish Centre and are available for all kids until Form 2 (Year eight). The necessary form is required to be filled prior to enrolling in Sunday School. Please send an email or contact Fr. Edward Vella.
- Every third Saturday of the month, at 7.30pm, we have a monthly meeting for married couples at the Għasri Parish Centre.
- Legion of Mary: every Friday at 4.30pm at the St. Edward's Hall in Għasri Parish's sacristy. The Legion of Mary is an Irish-founded institution with international presence. Send us an email if you would like more details on membership and we will forward your query to one of their representatives.
- English-Speaking Group: Prayer meeting in English every second Thursday of the month at Għasri Parish Church at 3.30pm followed by an Afternoon Tea at the rectory opposite the church.
Updates from the Għasri Parish Council:
- The parish office is open on Tuesdays (9am-10.30am), Thursdays (9am-10.30am), Sunday (9.15am-10.30am). The person who is available during these office hours is Ms. Grace Calleja from the Għasri Parish Council. Thus, one can speak directly to a parish representative on logistical/administrative matters relating to the parish during these hours.
- The updates on the two infrastructural projects which are currently ongoing at our parish are as follows > (a) Updates on the Church's roof restoration: collections during the first weekend of each month will go directly to this infrastructure project. The architect noted that it's not just the membrane which needs changing but also some stones around the windows. > (b) There are no new updates on the cemetery works. However, those who would like to reserve a new grave are kindly requested to contact the parish.
- Finance updates from the Financial Committee within the Għasri Parish Council -- none.
- Those who would like to make a literary contribution to the next edition of Il-Korpus (i.e. the annual publication exclusively on Għasri's spiritual and secular history) are kindly requested to contact the editor as usual. Alternatively, one can contact the parish and we will provide the contact details of the editor.
Notes from the Gozo Diocese:
- The Diocese's pastoral theme for this year is "Stay with us, Lord" (Luke 24:29). More information on the social media of Gozo Diocese.
- The Lenten Exercises led by the Bishop of Gozo, Msgr. Anton Teuma, which were held at the parish church of Għasri in February 2024, where the theme was Repentance, are now available online on the YouTube playlist of the Diocese of Gozo at this link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJsSpKY689vl7VB-Mn0g6LXOMt9cbzj_c
- Those who would like to subscribe to the print-version of Gozo Diocese's monthly publication "Il-Ħajja f'Għawdex" can send a separate email which would be forwarded to the publishers. The printed publication is in Maltese only and the fee is paid annually.
- For updates on the Synod on Synodality, one can follow the official media of either the Gozo Diocese, the Archdiocese of Malta or the Vatican News.
I wish you all a blessed week!
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