Dear Friends,

Hoping in the abundance of mercy of the Lord with a grateful heart, in solidarity with the suffering brothers and sisters, I assure you my continued prayers and support.

It has been an ongoing struggle to be separated from our faith community. Even though we are physically separated from communal celebrations, we are united in Spirit. As well, through the technology of video and social media, we can celebrate the Triduum with our friends.

We will be livestreaming celebrations from St. Stephen’s Church on the Parish’s Facebook page as follows:

• Maundy Thursday: April 9 at 2 pm
• Good Friday: April 10 at 2 pm
• Easter Vigil: April 11 at 5 pm
• Easter Sunday: April 12 at 9 am  

I invite all of you to connect to the Parish Facebook page to take part in the celebrations from wherever you are.

On Good Friday, we will be placing the cross at the front doors of the churches in St Stephen and St Andrews. You are invited to drive by at your convenient time, sit in your car, look at the cross, say thanks to Jesus for his sacrifice, meditate upon the stations of the cross, and drive safely home.

On Easter Sunday after the 9 am mass, we will conduct a Eucharistic Blessing (or procession). The priest will carry the Body of Jesus in the monstrance and be driven along the streets in St Stephen beginning at 10 am. He will continue to St Andrews that afternoon from 2 pm onward. If you happen to see the car on your street, please come out to your driveway and receive a blessing while at the same time maintaining proper social distancing.

From Monday after Easter on the weekdays the church bell will ring in both churches at 7.30 pm to invite you to pray the rosary from your homes. On weekends at the regular mass times, church bells will ring as invitation to join in mass in Facebook.

Let us join our hearts in these devotional activities.

May God be with us, and may He bless and protect us.

Fr. Suresh Savariraj