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Pondering Some of the Teachings of the Easter Vigil in its Afterglow Msgr. Charles Pope • April 18, 2017 • The Easter Vigil so recently celebrated provides a rich fare for reflection. Alas, its memories pass so quickly. The shadowy yet wonderful Easter Vigil is the greatest and most elaborate liturgy of the Church year.Due to its length and late hour, many Catholics have never rejoiced in the somber glow of its initial moments or in the blaze of glory and sacraments that follow. It features a presentation of the dramatic battle between darkness and light; the light wins,...

April 15, 2017 Holy Saturday At the Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter Reading 1 Gn 1:1—2:2 In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters. Then God said,"Let there be light," and there was light.God saw how good the light was.God then separated the light from the darkness.God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night."Thus evening came, and morning followed—the first day. Then God said,"Let there be a dome in the middle...

THOUSANDS ARE JOINING THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN UNITED STATES THIS EASTER VIGIL April 15, 2014 by splendor1618  The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DCThousands Joining the Church in the U.S. This Saturday Archdiocese of Washington Has Largest Number in Its History WASHINGTON, D.C., April 14, 2014 (Zenit.org) – A widower honoring his late wife and a Chinese graduate student are among the thousands of new Catholics joining the Catholic Church in the United States at Easter.All have participated in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), a process of conversion and study...

'The Lord is waiting'Pope baptizes 10 at Easter Vigil Catholic.net photoPope Francis enters a darkened St. Peter Basilica carrying a lone candle. Homily of Pope Francis, Easter Vigil The Gospel of the resurrection of Jesus Christ begins with the journey of the women to the tomb at dawn on the day after the Sabbath. They go to the tomb to honour the body of the Lord, but they find it open and empty. A mighty angel says to them: "Do not be afraid!" (Mt 28:5) and orders them to go and tell the disciples: "He has been raised from...

April 19, 2014Holy SaturdayAt the Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter    Reading 1 Gn 1:1-2:2 In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters. Then God said,“Let there be light,” and there was light.God saw how good the light was.God then separated the light from the darkness.God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.”Thus evening came, and morning followed—the first day. Then God said,“Let there be a dome in the middle of...

What is the very First New Testament Proclamation by the Church at the Great Easter Vigil and What is Announced to Us? At the Great Easter Vigil, after a lengthy series of Old Testament readings, The lights come on full, the Gloria is intoned and the opening prayer is sung. Then all are seated for the first reading from the New Testament proclaimed in the new light of Easter glory. It is Romans 6, the opening text from the New Testament proclaimed by the Church as Christ steps forth from the tomb! It would seem the Church considers this an...

Easter at Stoughton church Easter Vigil Mass at Immaculate Conception Church in Stoughton, from a few years ago, celebrated by Fr. Joseph McDermott.

The buzz on the new "Exultet": here come the bees! Mar 15th, 2011 by Deacon Greg Kandra With Easter rapidly approaching, deacons everywhere will be clearing their throats and getting ready to give voice to the great hymn of the Paschal Proclamation — also known as “The Exultet,” a seven-minute a capaella chant that fittingly, as the lyric proclaims, “humbles earthly pride.”    It is the Mother of All Chants, an epic best approached with a strong heart and steeled nerves.(For those interested, there’s an excellent downloadable version here that I’ve used for the last three years.)My pal Elizabeth...

Diocese of Orange will baptize record number at today's Easter Vigil - Anaheim Roman Catholic |   The Catholic Church is alive and well in Orange County.More than 800 people will be baptized and nearly 650 baptized candidates will be received into full communion with the Catholic Church during Easter Vigil ceremonies throughout the Diocese of Orange tonight."We are blessed as a Diocese to baptize so many new Catholics on this Holy Saturday. It is inspiring as a Bishop to welcome a record number of new Catholics into our church. This ceremony is the climax of the liturgical year...

RCIA-ROUNDUP Apr-22-2011  Dioceses around US welcome new Catholics at Easter By Catholic News Service FORESTVILLE, Md. (CNS) -- Five days before the Easter Vigil, siblings Isaac, Olivia, Rosette and Adejia Gray were a little nervous as they talked about becoming Catholic. "There's going to be a big crowd," said seventh-grader Adejia. Her younger second-grade sibling Isaac nodded. Sixth grader-Rosette said, "Everybody's going to be staring at you." "I forget the position of the hands," said third-grader Olivia, about how to receive her first Communion. "You don't worry about a thing. You stick with Father," said Father Everett Pearson as he...

Thousands Joining Church at Easter in US Bishops' Conference Features Conversion Stories Online WASHINGTON, D.C., APRIL 15, 2011 (Zenit.org).- Tens of thousands of new Catholics are expected to join the Church at Easter, including a former Planned Parenthood director and seven members of the same family. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) released the statistics of those expected to join the Church based on participation in the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion, a step in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults that takes place at the beginning of Lent.Among those preparing to enter the...

Lent And Holy Week (A Primer) Posted by Frank -Feast of St. Vincent Ferrer  We are officially past the half-way point of the Lenten Season.  Before you know it, it will be Holy Week. As a convert who entered the Church on Holy Saturday in the Year of Our Lord 2008, I'll never forget that experience. Those who serve as sponsors for the Catechumens and Candidates never forget it either.But if you are like me, it is good to be reminded of not only what is taking place on that day, but for the whole season. The recollection of what...

Dear Brothers and Sisters,Saint Mark tells us in his Gospel that as the disciples came down from the Mount of the Transfiguration, they were discussing among themselves what “rising from the dead” could mean (cf. Mk 9:10).  A little earlier, the Lord had foretold his passion and his resurrection after three days.  Peter had protested against this prediction of death.  But now, they were wondering what could be meant by the word “resurrection”.  Could it be that we find ourselves in a similar situation?  Christmas, the birth of the divine Infant, we can somehow immediately comprehend.  We can love the...

by Fr. William Saunders Other Articles by Fr. William Saunders The Triduum and 40 Days 04/20/06 Is the Triduum part of Lent? When I count the days from Ash Wednesday through Holy Saturday, I find that it only turns out to be 40 if we count the Triduum and do not count the six Sundays during that period. I know that the date of Ash Wednesday was specifically selected to produce a 40-day Lent. So aren’t the three days of the Triduum really part of Lent? Here is one time when the “straight answer” is not going to be clearly “straight.”...

Tonight being Easter Vigil is a special night for those in the RCIA program. Tonight, they will receive full acceptance into the Church including Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation.

Holy Saturday and the Easter VigilHoly SaturdayThe women sawhow his body was laid; and they prepared spices and ointments;and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.Luke 23:55,56Holy Saturday (in Latin, Sabbatum Sanctum ), the 'day of the entombed Christ,' is the Lord's day of rest, for on that day Christ's body lay in His tomb. We recall the Apostle's Creed which says "He descended unto the dead." It is a day of suspense between two worlds, that of darkness, sin and death, and that of the Resurrection and the restoration of the Light of the World. For this reason...

THE EASTER LITURGY THE VIGIL 1 The deacon or priest may introduce the Vigil using these or other appropriate words. Brothers and sisters in Christ, on this most holynight, in which our LordJesus Christ passed overfrom death to life, the Church invites hermembers, dispersed throughout the world, togather in vigil and prayer. For this is the Passoverof the Lord, in which through word andsacrament we share in his victory over death.As we await the risen Christ, let us hear therecord of God's saving deeds in history, recallinghow he saved his people in ages past and in thefullness of time sent his...

Saturday March 30, 2002 Easter Vigil Reading (Romans 6:3-11) Gospel (St. Matthew 28:1-10) My dear friends, we celebrate this night the greatest of all the liturgies of the Church, and all of the symbolism that we celebrate is packed into one Mass. We start, for instance, with that dichotomy between darkness and light, and we recall that Jesus is the light that came into the world, that came into the darkness, and the darkness was not able to overcome the light. The Easter fire was lit in the darkness and the light then spread throughout the entire church. We also,...

ROME, APRIL 11, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university. * * * Q: Our pastor found himself in a dilemma last Easter. He was appointed in charge of two parishes, but only able to celebrate one Vigil Mass for the parishes at the larger of the churches. The problem encountered was how to bless two paschal candles! In the absence of any advice from the diocesan authorities, and with no trace of any liturgical norm to hand, he decided to bless and engrave them both, but only lighted one (which the...

March 26, 2005Easter SundayThe Resurrection of the LordAt the Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter Psalm: Saturday 15 Reading IGen 1:1-2:2 or Gen 1:1, 26-31a In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss,while a mighty wind swept over the waters. Then God said,"Let there be light," and there was light.God saw how good the light was.God then separated the light from the darkness.God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night."Thus evening came, and morning followed -- the first day. Then God...