In the week starting April 3, there will be a meeting of altar servers on Monday at 5 PM at the Church of the Holy Family. This Tuesday (April 5), the Holy Mass at St. Martin will exceptionally not take place, nor will the evening Bible study. On Friday, we will continue our preparation for the First Holy Communion at the Church of the Holy Family. Next Sunday is Palm Sunday; at the beginning of the Holy Mass, branches will be blessed, please bring them for the Holy Mass. We will start at St. Martin in front of the church; at the Holy Family on the parking lot to the left of the church. I also thank everyone who participated in the cleanup at St. Martin's Church on Saturday, April 2.
In the week starting April 10, we enter Holy Week of the Passion and Resurrection of the Lord. On Monday, April 11, from 4:30 PM there will be confessions at the Church of the Holy Family until 6 PM. On Tuesday, due to the Renewal Seminar, the Holy Mass will be moved from St. Martin's Church to the Church of the Holy Family. For this reason, there will also be no online catechism class. On Thursday, during the evening Holy Mass in memory of the Last Supper, there will be the washing of feet ceremony. After the Mass, there will be adoration in the Garden of Gethsemane. On Good Friday, which is a day of strict fasting, there will be an opportunity to participate in the Stations of the Cross devotion at the Church of the Holy Family at 9 AM. The Good Friday services will be at 4 PM. I also warmly invite you to the prayer of the Stations of the Cross at Petřín, which will begin at 9 PM in front of the monastic basilica. On Holy Saturday, which is a day of silence, we will have the opportunity to pray with readings at the Church of the Holy Family at 9 AM, which is part of the Liturgy of the Hours. Then there will be the opportunity for adoration at the Tomb of God, with access to the church through the gate of the St. Charles Home. Please come and go wearing a respiratory mask, which you may remove in the church space. In the evening, the Easter Vigil rites will take place at 8:30 PM. On Easter Sunday, the Masses will be first at 9 AM at the Church of the Holy Family and then at 10:30 AM at St. Martin's Church. At the end of the Masses, food will be blessed. You can either place them in front of the altar or keep them with you. In the evening, I invite you to the prayer of solemn Vespers with a procession to the baptismal font, which will take place in the Strahov Basilica at 5 PM.
In the week starting Sunday, April 17, we will be experiencing the Easter Octave. On Wednesday, I will have to attend the canonic chapter, which takes place once a year in our monastery and is mandatory for every member of the order. For this reason, there will be no online class on Tuesday, nor will there be a Holy Mass on Wednesday evening. The Friday preparation for the First Holy Communion will continue at its usual time on Friday at 4:45 PM at the Church of the Holy Family. Next Sunday (April 24), elections to the pastoral council will take place. Every parishioner over 15 years old, who resides in our parish, may participate in the elections. The elections will take place after the Holy Mass at St. Martin's and at the Church of the Holy Family. Each voter will receive one ballot, on which they may mark up to three candidates. If they mark more candidates, their vote will be invalid. The ballots will be counted after the elections, and the result will be announced next Sunday.
In the week starting Sunday, April 24, when there are elections to the pastoral council in our parish, we are expecting the following events. On Tuesday, after the Holy Mass at St. Martin's Church, there will be a meeting of the parish council. For this reason, there will also be no online catechism class this week. On Friday, preparation for the First Holy Communion continues at 4:45 PM at the Church of the Holy Family. On Saturday at 5 PM, there will be the baptism of Šimon Nálepa at the Church of the Holy Family. Next Sunday's collection is designated for supporting the salaries (or remuneration) of priests. The Holy Mass next Sunday at the Church of the Holy Family will be broadcast on Czech Radio, station Vltava.
On April 3, we published the candidates for the parish pastoral council, which you can view on its page.
Opportunity to support refugees staying with the Borromean Sisters in Řepy: Currently, the community of sisters is taking care of 11 refugees. The first family consists of 4 people (arrived on March 9) — a retiree and her daughter, who has two children (4 months and 10 years old). The second family consists of 4 people (arrived on March 19), retirees and their daughter with a son (9 months old). The third family consists of 3 people (arrived on March 29) — a mother and two children (6 and 10 years old). Thank you for your support: bank account number - 670100-2216862098/6210 or in cash with Sister Agnela Zdeňka Pechová.
I wish you a blessed Lenten time and let us pray for the people of Ukraine and for peace for this troubled country.
Řehoř J. Žáček.
