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Yesterday, Sunday 24 March, we celebrated Palm Sunday. The Parish Mass began in Bedford Square with the blessing of palm crosses and olive branches as we recalled the entrance of the Lord Jesus into Jerusalem. After this we processed to All Saints' signing praises to the Lord. Later in the afternoon, at 4:00pm, we concluded Palm Sunday with a service of Stations of the Cross and Benediction. About the Celebration: Palm Sunday is the first day of Holy Week and the Sunday before Easter. On this day we remember the glorious entry into Jerusalem of Jesus riding on a donkey, while a great multitude of people welcomed Him and waved Him on. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and John tell us how the crowds took leafy branches from the trees that lined the road (traditionally identified as palm and olive trees) and waved them in the air shouting “Hosanna”, and threw their clothes and palm branches on the path in front of Him with great jubilance. Photo Copyright: All Saints' PCC Houghton Regis
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On Sunday 17 March, Passion Sunday, Bishop Richard of Bedford visited All Saints’ to celebrate the Parish Mass and to preach. It was a great honour and pleasure to welcome our bishop once again to Houghton Regis. The service included Ecce Sacerdos by Lorenzo Perosi (1852-1956), sung at the Solemn Reception of the Bishop, and Lord, I trust Thee by George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) as the post-Communion anthem. Father Diego would like to thank all the volunteers who worked very hard to make this service such a lovely and powerful occasion. The last two weeks of Lent (sometimes called Passiontide) are marked by darker tones than the rest of the season, as we approach Good Friday. During Passiontide sacred images are veiled so as to hide some of the glory and splendour of the church building and of the liturgy, and to focus our attention on the sorrowful Passion and Death of Our Lord.
On Sunday 3 March 2024 we celebrated the Day of Reflection during the Parish Mass. Since 2021, Marie Curie has organised a Day of Reflection, which has seen communities across the UK come together to reflect on the COVID19 pandemic and remember those who lost their lives to the disease. The Day was also about showing support for two important groups of people: those who are still affected by the losses they experienced during that time, as well as for the workers, carers, and volunteers who played a vital roles during the critical times of the pandemic. We were very honoured that Dr Joan Bailey, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire, Councillor Jimmy Carroll, Town Mayor of Houghton Regis, members of the Town Council, and the Town Clerk attended the service. We are very grateful to Houghton Regis Town Council for organising this event with us, and for providing the orders of service and refreshments afterwards.
Yesterday, on the Last Sunday before Lent (the Sixth in Ordinary Time) we ended the Parish Mass with the burning of last year’s Palm Crosses to make the ash used on Ash Wednesday to mark the beginning of Lent. This simple rite is adapted from liturgical material produced by the Scottish Episcopal Church and available online. The reading from Isaiah 58 invites us to reflect on the spiritual meaning of fasting and repentance as we approach the holy season of Lent.
On Tuesday 28 March we celebrated Mass with Thomas Whitehead Academy for the first time. Our regular Tuesday worship was replaced by a School Mass for Key Stage Two pupils and the school staff. This was a joyous occasion filled with prayer and singing. Each class composed a prayer to be offered during the Intercessions and the children rehearsed the sung parts of the Mass with our talented Music Teacher before attending the service. Photo Copyright: Thomas Whitehead Academy The holy season of Lent started on Ash Wednesday (22 February). On Ash Wednesday we welcomed the pupils and staff of Thomas’ Whitehead Academy to church for a special service where blessed Ashes were distributed. The other photos below were taken at the Parish Mass on Sunday 26 February, the First Sunday of Lent. About the Season Lent invites us to deeper repentance; to make meaningful changes in the way we live so that we may learn to follow the Lord Jesus more closely. To facilitate this Lenten repentance, we are invited to follow three core practices: Fasting, Giving, and Prayer. These should be hallmarks of the Christian life, but we are especially encouraged to engage with them now as we prepare to celebrate Easter. The last two weeks of Lent (sometimes called Passiontide) assume darker tones as we approach Good Friday. During Passiontide sacred images are veiled so as to hide some of the glory and splendour of the church building and of the liturgy, and to focus our attention on the sorrowful Passion and Death of Our Lord. The liturgical colours of Lent are purple, “Roman purple”, and violet to signify penitence. On the Fourth Sunday of Lent (Lætare Sunday) the liturgical colour is a cheerier rose. Photos: Thomas Whitehead Academy and Mr David Steele Photo Copyright: Thomas Whitehead Academy and All Saints' PCC Houghton Regis Sunday 19 February, the 7th in Ordinary Time, marked the last Sunday before Lent. After the Parish Mass and refreshments, a few of us gathered outside the Parish Church to burn last year's Palm Crosses to make ash for Ash Wednesday. In previous years the crosses were burnt on Shrove Tuesday without much ceremony by the Parish Priest and the Sacristan. However, this year we opted for a public rite, a shared moment of prayer, with parishioners, to highlight the link between the palm crosses and Ash Wednesday, between the Passion of the Lord Jesus and our Lenten journey that is approaching. The ceremony we followed is a very simple rite adapted from material produced by the Scottish Episcopal Church (available online). Father Richard Brown, Parish Priest of Holy Cross Marsh Farm, joined us for Mass. Photo Copyright: All Saints' PCC Houghton Regis
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