You are invited to celebrate the Easter Vigil
with the Parish Family
of Immaculate Conception and Assumption of Our Lady
On Saturday, April 15, at 8:00 PM
Immaculate Conception Church.
If you've never been to the Easter Vigil Liturgy, treat yourself and come!
What happens?
1. The Service of Light
First the new fire is blessed, next the Paschal Candle is inscribed with year, 2017, and the incense is embedded in the candle at the place of the five wounds of Christ, forming a cross. The Deacon processes into Church Proclaiming: The Light of Christ! The church is in complete darkness as the Easter Candle processes up, the light of Christ is shared and waves of light sweep up to the front of the church until ALL are in the Light and have received the Light of Christ. Most beautiful and touching to experience!
2. The Liturgy of the Word
The Liturgy of the Word provides for us a time to ponder the Old Testament Scripture passages which are proclaimed. As we listen we experience the sweep of Salvation History from Creation through Jesus' Resurrection. We listen and reflect in near darkness, as a reminder of our real need for Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.
3. The Liturgy of Baptism
As the Litany of Saints is sung, at this point, Danielle, Mary, Sophia and Brener process following the Easter Candle to the Baptismal Font. There Fr. Sorgie blesses the water and baptizes each person, claiming them for Christ as he pours the water. while saying: "I baptized you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Using the Sacred Chrism, Father confirms each of them. Last of all, each receives a white garment signifying the new life in Christ they have received.
Jessica, Leslie, Linda, John, Joseph, and Matthew are then confirmed as well by Fr. Sorgie, using again the Sacred Chrism which Cardinal Dolan consecrated at the Chrism Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral.
4. Liturgy of the Eucharist
The Mass proceeds as usual until Communion. For the first time, Danielle, Mary, Sophia and Brener as well as Leslie and Linda will receive the Eucharist.
The best gift I can give you, especially if you are unable to come tonight is the beautiful Exsultet. The words are below for your pondering and a video so you can hear it sung. Use your imagination and place yourself in the darkness as the Easter Candle, the Light of Christ, conquers the darkness of sin and death!
The Exsultet: The Proclamation Of Easter
Exult, let them exult, the hosts of heaven,
exult, let Angel ministers of God exult,
let the trumpet of salvation
sound aloud our mighty King's triumph!Be glad, let earth be glad, as glory floods her,
ablaze with light from her eternal King,
let all corners of the earth be glad,
knowing an end to gloom and darkness.Rejoice, let Mother Church also rejoice,
arrayed with the lightning of his glory,
let this holy building shake with joy,
filled with the mighty voices of the peoples.
(Therefore, dearest friends,
standing in the awesome glory of this holy light,
invoke with me, I ask you,
the mercy of God almighty,
that he, who has been pleased to number me,
though unworthy, among the Levites,
may pour into me his light unshadowed,
that I may sing this candle's perfect praises.)
(V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with your spirit.)
V. Lift up your hearts.
R. We lift them up to the Lord.
V. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
R. It is right and just.
It is truly right and just, with ardent love of mind and heart
and with devoted service of our voice,
to acclaim our God invisible, the almighty Father,
and Jesus Christ, our Lord, his Son, his Only Begotten.
Who for our sake paid Adam's debt to the eternal Father,
and, pouring out his own dear Blood,
wiped clean the record of our ancient sinfulness.
These, then, are the feasts of Passover,
in which is slain the Lamb, the one true Lamb,
whose Blood anoints the doorposts of believers.
This is the night,
when once you led our forebears, Israel's children,
from slavery in Egypt
and made them pass dry-shod through the Red Sea.This is the night
that with a pillar of fire
banished the darkness of sin.This is the night
that even now, throughout the world,
sets Christian believers apart from worldly vices
and from the gloom of sin,
leading them to grace
and joining them to his holy ones.
This is the night,
when Christ broke the prison-bars of death
and rose victorious from the underworld.Our birth would have been no gain,
had we not been redeemed.O wonder of your humble care for us!
O love, O charity beyond all telling,
to ransom a slave you gave away your Son!
O truly necessary sin of Adam,
destroyed completely by the Death of Christ!
O happy fault
that earned so great, so glorious a Redeemer!O truly blessed night,
worthy alone to know the time and hour
when Christ rose from the underworld!
This is the night
of which it is written:
The night shall be as bright as day,
dazzling is the night for me,
and full of gladness.The sanctifying power of this night
dispels wickedness, washes faults away,
restores innocence to the fallen, and joy to mourners,
drives out hatred, fosters concord, and brings down the mighty.
On this, your night of grace, O holy Father,
accept this candle, a solemn offering,
the work of bees and of your servants’ hands,
an evening sacrifice of praise,
this gift from your most holy Church.But now we know the praises of this pillar,
which glowing fire ignites for God's honor,
a fire into many flames divided,
yet never dimmed by sharing of its light,
for it is fed by melting wax,
drawn out by mother bees
to build a torch so precious.
O truly blessed night,
when things of heaven are wed to those of earth,
and divine to the human.Therefore, O Lord,
we pray you that this candle,
hallowed to the honor of your name,
may persevere undimmed,
to overcome the darkness of this night.
Receive it as a pleasing fragrance,
and let it mingle with the lights of heaven.
May this flame be found still burning
by the Morning Star:
the one Morning Star who never sets,
Christ your Son,
who, coming back from death's domain,
has shed his peaceful light on humanity,
and lives and reigns for ever and ever.R. Amen.
Excerpt from the English translation of the Roman Missal © 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved
What time are Masses on Easter Sunday?
Immaculate Conception Church
8:00 AM, and both in the Upper and Lower Church at 10:00 AM and Noon
Assumption Church
9:00 AM, 10:30 AM, Noon
Blessed Holy Saturday! Pray with me for those to be baptized, confirmed and receiving Holy Communion for the first time at the Easter Vigil as well as our Second Graders soon to celebrate First Communion and our teenagers who soon will receive the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Confirmation! We rejoice and celebrate with them as they receive these Easter Sacraments!
God bless you!
Sr. Cora