Livestreaming of Easter Services

Holy Week 2020 has arrived amidst the challenges caused by the current COVID-19 pandemic.

With Masses now being livestreamed daily by the Archdiocese of Perth, the Perth Catholic community are this year being encouraged to participate in the celebrations of Easter from the safety of their own homes, following the Government ordered restrictions.

Mass for Holy Thursday, celebrated by Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, will be streamed from 7pm, Thursday 9 April and Good Friday service will be streamed at 3pm, Friday 10 April.

The Easter Vigil Mass will be streamed on Saturday 11 April from 6.00pm, and the Easter Sunday Mass at 11am. Both services will be celebrated by Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB.

The Masses will be streamed to the Archdiocesan website, Facebook and YouTube.

• www.perthcatholic.org.au
• www.youtube.com/catholicarchdioceseofperth
• www.facebook.com/perthcatholic

Easter

Easter is the holiday that celebrates and commemorates the central event of the Christian faith: the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after his death.

Easter is the oldest Christian holiday and because Easter represents the fulfilment of God’s promises to mankind, it is the most important day of the church year. All the Christian movable feasts and the entire liturgical year of worship are arranged around Easter.

Easter is preceded by the season of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting and repentance culminating in Holy Week, is the last day of the Easter Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday) and followed by a 50-day Easter Season that stretches from Easter to Pentecost.

As we know from the Gospels, Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day following his crucifixion, which would be Sunday. His resurrection marks the triumph of good over evil, sin and death. It is the singular event which proves that those who trust in God and accept Christ will be raised from the dead and have eternal life in heaven. It also signifies new birth/life in Christ, which is why adults entering the Church are baptised during Easter. By remembering Christ’s resurrection, we become aware that we too will rise again.

In his first Easter message , Pope Francis said that Easter “means that the love of God is stronger than evil and death itself; it means that the love of God can transform our lives and let those desert places in our hearts bloom. Jesus is risen, there is hope for you; you are no longer in the power of sin, evil. It “is the exodus, the passage of human beings from slavery to sin and evil to the freedom of love and goodness.”

Dear Lord,

May I realize afresh today what Your death and resurrection mean for me: Forgiveness, freedom, and the ability to walk with You through this fallen world into eternity.

May I always find satisfaction in You and Your willingness to offer Yourself to me. In Jesus’ Name,

 Amen.