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Our Lady of Consolation Parish, Vattmann
Tuesday April 7, 2020
"It is the Lord who marches before you; he will be with you and will never forsake you. So do not fear or be dismayed."
(Dt. 31:8)
My dear family of faith,
We entered Holy week on April 5th by celebrating Palm Sunday. In our Church I celebrated Holy Mass with three of our parishioners
and read the Passion narration. That was beautiful. I felt happy to have celebrated Mass with some faithful, representing
you all.
Friends, let me call your attention to the words of our Holy Father Pope Francis. In his homily on Palm Sunday to all
of us and to the whole world the Holy Father invited you and me to look at the crucifix at your home during this Holy Week
and spend some time before it. The crucifix is hung in your home sometimes not even noticed. This is the week to notice that
crucifix. It is where you and I are reminded constantly how much the Lord loves us. It speaks volumes of what your life is
worth. And so I echo the words of the Holy Father to stop, look at the crucifix and meditate on Christ on the Cross. Meditate
on the love our loving Father who pours out to you in his son Jesus Christ. Listen to what the crucifix is saying to you today,
these days of Holy Week especially on Good Friday.
Let that love of Christ on the Cross embrace you and each member of our families especially the children during this Holy
Week until we arrive at the beautiful gift of Easter to sing joyfully "Alleluia!, He is risen"
Friends, normally on this day, Tuesday of the Holy Week, the priests of the diocese, deacons and faithful join our bishop
to celebrate the Chrism Mass during which the Holy Oils are blessed. I as a priest terribly miss the Chrism Mass with Bishop
and my brother priests this year. It is one such Mass every priest looks forward to. This year it will not occur.
Though the Chrism Mass will not occur this year the only consolation is that the same will be celebrated later. Today,
Chrism Mass Tuesday, is still be holy by the beauty of your prayers for all priests. Please pray for our priests from your
homes. Pray that we the priests have a spirit of renewal to the promises we have made when we were ordained to be of service
to God and to all of you and to do it by the love of Jesus Christ our Lord. Thank you for your prayers.
I am praying for each one of you every day during the daily Holy Mass and during the Eucharistic adoration at our church.
Love you all.
Please give attention to the following:
1. The diocese has sent us some information regarding confession before Easter. Read through it in the attachment. If
you want to make confession please call the parish office (361) 297-5255 or my cell phone (361) 738-9988 to make an appointment
for confession.
2. The members of "COVID 19 Parish Task Force" might have approached some of you asking whether you wanted to
attend the Holy week services in our church because the diocese allows a maximum of 10 people to gather including priest/s.
Of course, this is not compulsory. This is only for those who are healthy, willing and wanting to attend.
3. Here is the Holy Week Schedule.
HOLY WEEK SERVICES
AT OUR LADY OF CONSOLATION CHURCH, VATTMANN
April 4, 2020
Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord on April 5 @ 9:30 am
Holy Thursday Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper on April 9 @ 6:00 pm
Good Friday Celebrations of the Passion of the Lord on April 10 @ 3:00 pm
Easter Vigil on April 11 @ 7 pm
Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord on April 12 @ 9:30 am
4. We have daily Mass in our Church. The following is the schedule. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 8:30 am. On
Wed. at 5:30 pm and on First Sat. at 5:30 pm. The Sunday Mass is at 9:30 am.
5. The Eucharistic Adoration is Monday through Friday at 11 am.
Both the Mass and Adoration are streamed via Zoom. If you want help to connect to Zoom call Barbara Grayson. (956) 433-1625.
The directions are also on our website. https://ourladyatriviera.tripod.com/
6. On Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday there is no 8:30am Mass.
7. Starting on Monday, April 13th we are starting the Novena of Our lady of Consolation to pray for an end to the pandemic.
All are welcome to join. The novena will be prayed during the Eucharistic Adoration @11 am weekdays and during Mass on Sunday.
The novena will end on April 21st.
8. As you are not able to attend the Holy Week services in the Church this year please make plans to watch them with family
through OLC streaming on Zoom or in any one of the religious channels like EWTN.
9. Time to time please check our parish website and your email. The parish posts valuable information for you from the
diocese, from our parish and our pastor.
10. If you need any kind of spiritual support please call the pastor.
I wish you a blessed Holy Week. Let us continue to pray for the entire world and for each other.
God bless us all.
Stay safe.
Miss you all in the Church.
Love you all.
Hope to see you soon as a community to worship the Lord together.
Blessings!
Fr. Varghese K. Ethappiri
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