Passion Sunday
Follow this beautiful Carmelite Lenten Retreat with Catholics around the world.
This Week in the Church
On Passion Sunday, each Mass will be preceded by the Blessing and Procession of the Palms starting in front of the School 15 minutes prior to each Mass time.
Penitential Services
· Monday, April 3 – Christ the Redeemer @7pm
· Tuesday April 4 – St. Stephen’s @10:30am
TRIDUUM SCHEDULE Holy Thursday - April 6, 2023 7 pm - Mass of the Lord’s Supper Followed by Adoration at the Repose Altar Good Friday - April 7, 2022 10am - Outdoor Stations of the Cross (starting inside St. Edmund’s Parish) 3pm – Celebration of the Lord’s Passion Followed by CWL Soup & Buns Easter Vigil – April 8, 2023, 9pm 9pm – Resurrection of the Lord Easter Sunday - April 9, 2023 8am/9:30am/11:00am (Children’s Mass) 6pm Filipino Mass Resurrection of the Lord
PLEASE NOTE:
THERE ARE NO MASSES ON HOLY THURSDAY EXCEPT MASS OF THE LORD’S SUPPER AT 7PM
THERE ARE NO MASSES ON GOOD FRIDAY – JUST THE 3PM CELEBRATION OF THE LORD’S PASSION
NO DAYTIME MASSES ON HOLY SATURDAY – THE 9PM EASTER VIGIL IS THE ONLY LITURGY ON THAT DAY
Important Updates
Easter Floral Donation Envelopes are at the Church entrance – thank you so much for helping add to the Joy of Easter. There is a space on the envelope to include a Repose Intention for your Loved Ones or a Special Intention.
2022 TAX RECEIPTS - available from the Parish Office.
2ND SUNDAY OF THE MONTH – there is a Filipino Mass at 6pm (next one is Easter Sunday, April 9th)
Reflections
The Paschal Mystery
Today we begin Holy Week, the days during which we journey with Jesus on his way of the cross and anticipate his Resurrection on Easter. Today’s liturgy begins with the procession with palms to remind us of Jesus’ triumphant entrance into Jerusalem.
The events of Jesus’ Passion are proclaimed in their entirety in today’s Liturgy of the Word. Those events will be proclaimed again when we celebrate the liturgies of the Triduum—Holy Thursday’s Mass of the Lord’s Supper, the Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion, and the Easter Vigil. In communities that celebrate the Sacraments of Initiation with catechumens, these liturgies take on special importance because they invite the catechumens and the community to enter together into the central mysteries of our faith. These days are indeed profound and holy.
In Cycle A, we read the Passion of Jesus as found in the Gospel of Matthew on Palm, or Passion, Sunday. (On Good Friday, we will read the Passion of Jesus from the Gospel of John). The story of Jesus’ Passion and death in Matthew’s Gospel focuses particularly on the obedience of Jesus to the will of his Father. As Jesus sends his disciples to prepare for Passover, he indicates that the events to come are the will of the Father (Matthew 26:18). In Jesus’ prayer in the garden, he prays three times to the Father to take away the cup of suffering, but each time, Jesus concludes by affirming his obedience to the Father’s will (Matthew 26:39-44). Even Matthew’s description of Jesus’ death shows Jesus’ obedience to the Father.
Another theme of Matthew’s Gospel is to show Jesus as the fulfillment of Scripture. Throughout the Passion narrative, Matthew cites and alludes to Scripture to show that the events of Jesus’ Passion and death are in accordance with all that was foretold. And if the events were foretold, then God is in control. In addition, Matthew is particularly concerned that the reader does not miss the fact that Jesus is the Suffering Servant of the Old Testament.
Jesus acts in obedience to the Father even in death, so that sins may be forgiven. Matthew makes this clear in the story of the Lord’s Supper. As Jesus blesses the chalice, he says: “. . . for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:28)
While the Gospels of Matthew and Mark have many parallels in their narrative of the Passion, there are a few details worth noting that are unique to Matthew. Only Matthew indicates the price paid to Judas for betraying Jesus. The story of Judas’s death is also found only in Matthew, as is the detail that Pilate’s wife received a warning in a dream and that Pilate washed his hands of Jesus’ death. Finally, Matthew’s Gospel alone mentions the earthquakes and other phenomena that happened after Jesus’ death.
Matthew places the responsibility for Jesus’ death on the Sanhedrin, the chief priests and elders who were responsible for the Temple. However, the animosity that those Jewish leaders and the Jewish people demonstrate toward Jesus is not to be interpreted in ways that blame the Jewish people for Jesus’ death. Throughout Matthew’s Gospel, the narrative reflects the tension that probably existed between the early Christian community and their Jewish contemporaries. At the Second Vatican Council, the Council Fathers made clear that all sinners share responsibility for the suffering and death of Jesus and that it is wrong to place blame for Jesus’ Passion on the Jewish contemporaries of Jesus or on Jewish people today.
There are many vantage points from which to engage in Jesus’ Passion. In the characters of Matthew’s Gospel, we find reflections of ourselves and the many ways in which we sometimes respond to Jesus. Sometimes we are like Judas, who betrays Jesus and comes to regret it. We are sometimes like Peter, who denies him, or like the disciples, who fell asleep during Jesus’ darkest hour but then act rashly and violently at his arrest. Sometimes we are like Simon, who is pressed into service to help Jesus carry his cross. Sometimes we are like the leaders who fear Jesus or like Pontius Pilate, who washed his hands of the whole affair. Jesus dies so that our sins will be forgiven.
The events of Jesus’ Passion, death, and Resurrection are called the Paschal Mystery. No amount of study will exhaust or explain the depth of love that Jesus showed in offering this sacrifice for us. After we have examined and studied the stories we have received about these events, we are left with one final task—to meditate on these events and on the forgiveness that Jesus’ obedience won for us.
~ Loyola Press
Mass Intentions
Sunday, April 2
· Repose Peggy Bridge by Alexis
· Repose Beverley Larose by Antoine Larose
· Repose Luz Lammoglia by Elisa & John Bueno
· Repose J. Victor Santos by Ludovina Santos
Monday, April 3
· Repose St. Edmund’s Parishioners
· Repose Valencia Gant by Peter & Diane Nation
Tuesday, April 4
· Repose Nonito Sonalan by Marian Sonalan
· Repose Anna Hrvatin by Liz Snadel
· Spec. Intention Father Cannio by Charmaine Guindon
· Repose Helen Comello by Louzado family
Wednesday, April 5
· Repose Manuel Quieto by wife Gilda & family
Thursday, April 6
· Spec. Intention Lynn McLeod by Liz Wong
· Repose Eugene Martinez by Tony & Weng Gaskell
Saturday, April 8
· Repose Raffaele Cusano by wife Rosa
If you need a Mass Intention, please contact the Parish Office
Events
Parish
Parish Groups
ST. Edmund's Christian Meditation Group
Date: All Mondays at 7:00 PM
Participation in person:
please contact Luis Zunino - lzunino@gzarchitects.com or at 604-987-8304
Option to participate via ZOOM:
For an introductory conversation, please contact Luis Zunino - lzunino@gzarchitects.com or at 604-987-8304 – Afterwards, A ZOOM link will be provided
Catholic Women’s League meetings are now in person on the 2nd Thursday of each month @ 7pm
SPECIAL NOTE: Starting April meetings will be in person
The Knights of Columbus general meetings are in person on the 1st Tuesday each month @7pm/executive meetings are also in person on the last Tuesday of the month @7pm
Please note - the Knights’ Pancake Breakfast will not take place in March or April.
All Spring Term lessons are now available to book at https://cjtenniscoaching.ca/booking-page-groups .
Registration for Summer camps and lessons will be available in April.
School
KINDERGARTEN APPLICATIONS for the 2023/2024 school year are now being accepted at St. Edmund’s School. Please submit a copy of your child’s birth and baptism certificates with your application form. If you are non-Catholic, please submit a birth certificate. Application forms may be printed from our website www.stedmunds.ca and e-mailed to the school office at office@stedmunds.ca
Kindergarten to Grade 7 Principal: Ms. Diana Silva
Office Telephone: 604.988-7364
Email: office@stedmunds.ca
Website: www.stedmunds.ca
Instagram: @stedselementary
Our school is a vibrant faith and learning community dedicated to developing the full potential of each child using Christ as our centre. We are blessed with caring and dedicated educators committed to inspiring life-long learners in all areas. We welcome the opportunity to share the many enriching learning experiences with you and your family. Please contact the school office for more information.
Religious Education
PREP
Every Wednesday at 6-7pm
Children's Choir Training
Every Saturday at 10 AM
Altar Servers’ Training
Every Saturday at 11 - 11:30am
Archdiocese Notices & Events
Anyone who has information regarding the whereabouts of Marie Pauline Profetana is requested to contact Father Joseph Le at jle@rcav.org.
The Good Friday Collection is requested by the Holy See to help maintain the Church’s holy places in the Holy Land, so important to the faith of Christians everywhere, and also to support the faithful who struggle to survive under political and economic oppression and persecution. This Pontifical Collection will be taken during the Good Friday celebration on April 7 2023. Those who are unable to attend the service, or who prefer to contribute online, may do so by Interac e-transfer or CanadaHelps by visiting www.commissariat.ca/supporting-us
World Wide Marriage Encounter hosts a weekend retreat - April 14-16, 2023 in Kamloops! Come join us to live your best life in love, renew your marriage & rekindle romance. For more information and to register visit: Behold Vancouver website
Registration closes Mar 28/23 - see WWME on Youtube: https://youtu.be/VvQUEZ35Ufg
Catholic Health Association of BC
Apply for our $500 Bursary!
This year, the board of directors of CHABC is pleased to announce that it will grant a $500 Bursary to a graduating student who is enrolled in a Catholic secondary school, or a member of a BC or Yukon parish and enrolled in a public secondary school, or home-schooled.
Interested students are invited to submit a 500-word essay by April 7, 2023, that demonstrates an awareness and understanding of the significance of Spirituality in Health Care. In your essay, please explain why you believe that care for the spirit is just as significant as care for the body, and why spiritual care is particularly important in tending to the sick and dying, to their families, and to those who care for them. Applicants must demonstrate a clear understanding of spirituality in care as opposed to focusing on religious beliefs and services
Deadline: April 7, 2023
Emailed submissions must be sent prior to midnight on
April 7, 2023 to info@chabc.bc.ca
For essay and submission guidelines, please visit www.chabc.bc.ca/bursary
Catholic Health Association of British Columbia
Project Advance 2023
The Project Advance Webpage is live, please visit projectadvance.ca
You can donate by scanning ↘
Special Gifts
Remember a loved one with a special gift
Bread and Wine
Financial Updates
Remember St Edmund's in your Will
Prayer Requests and Advertisements
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Our Parish Community is asked to pray for the Special Intentions of All Carmelite Priests |  |  |
Our Parish Community is asked to pray for the Special Intention of Father Steny & Father Cannio |  | |