My dear friends,

Happy Easter Monday - or as some call it, Little Easter!

This whole week the Church celebrates the Octave of Easter (9 day novenas lead up to some feasts and then Easter and Christmas continue for 8 days of celebration in a holy octave). Please join us for morning Mass this week as we hear the Easter Gospels Proclaimed in a special way!

It was wonderful celebrating my first Holy Week, the Sacred Triduum and Easter with you at IHM! Thank you for your patience, understanding and cooperation as we hoped to seat as many as possible safely in the church (or school auditorium) for the various Liturgies.

Thank you again to so many who worked so hard and sacrificed their time so that we could prayerfully enter into these most powerful days of our faith in Jesus Risen from the Dead:

 - Fr. Rafferty, Fr. Thumma and Carlos Germosen

 - all the staff of IHM Parish

 - Dr. Laurie Adamo, our Director of Music, with Larry Harris, a selection of IHM Choir, vocalists and brass ensemble

 - Meg Drohan, the President the Saint Veronica's Guild, and to all the members and other volunteers who set up for Holy Week's changing days led by Joanne Grogan and all who assisted them particularly on Holy Saturday

 - Vic Bellavia, Head Usher, and to all the Ushers, especially Paul Asaro

 - Diane Meade, DRE, Laura Covais, CRE, and the Religious Education Program's Gift of Easter Video for the parish directed by Deanna Ricciardi with Gabriella and Dominique Ricciardi, 

 - all the college and high school students who see to the Livestream video

 - and our parish counters.

If you did not have an opportunity to take a small bottle of blessed Easter Holy Water, the remaining ones are available in the church on a first come basis.

This evening, the Rosary will be prayed outside at the statue of Our Lady at 7:30 PM, followed by Adoration inside from 8:00-9:00 PM. Confessions will be available during the Holy Hour.

This Wednesday at 9:45 AM will kick off our 9 week Women Formation Course on the Social Doctrine of the Church. For more information and to register for the materials, please click here.

After enjoying a free trial of Engage, Bishop Barron's Word on Fire resources, our parish has now purchased a year's subscription. After celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus, perhaps you may be interested in how and why the Sacraments enable us to benefit from the salvation God offers.

A Happy Easter Octave!

Msgr. Luke Sweeney