In the liturgical life of the Church, the Easter season which lasts fifty days is the climax, hence there is great preparation for its celebration. The very important celebration of the Paschal Mystery, that is, the mystery of the Lord’s passion, death, and resurrection at Easter, commences on Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the Lenten Season, and reaches crescendo in Holy Week. Ash Wednesday and the Holy Week liturgies which comprise of Palm (Passion Sunday) Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday/Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday are well celebrated at the College.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten Season, the forty-day period of fasting, prayer, and alms giving, designated by the Church to prepare her children for the celebration of the great Paschal Mystery. The day’s liturgy derives its name from its unique component of the blessing and distribution of ashes on the foreheads of participants with the words, “Repent, and believe in the Gospel,” or the injunction “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” The ashes are prepared from the palm branches that were blessed on Palm (Passion) Sunday the previous year. At the College, the liturgy is celebrated in an atmosphere of penitence and prayer.Read More…
 |
 |
 |
 |
In the Catholic faith tradition, the week leading up to the celebration of the great Paschal Mystery is designated as Holy; holy because it recalls the salvific work of God for humankind through the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Holy Week commences with the celebration of Palm (Passion) Sunday, which recalls the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem to accomplish his Paschal Mystery. At LJC, it is a special time for the finalists who spend Easter holidays in school in order to continue with their National Certificate Examinations. They together with members of staff of the College Community celebrate the liturgies of the Holy of Weeks reflectively and prayerfully. Palm Sunday liturgy commences with the blessing of Palm branches, which are burnt to produce ash for the celebration of Ash Wednesday. The memorial of the Lord’s triumphant entrance takes place by means of the procession into the Chapel of the Good Samaritan with the blessed palm branches by students and members of staff.Read More…
 |
 |
 |
 |
The Mass of the Lord’s Supper, which recalls the institution of the Holy Eucharist by Christ the Lord before his passion and death, is celebrated in the evening the Thursday of Holy Week. It is a beautiful liturgy that highlights the profundity of God’s love for humanity and His commandment concerning fraternal charity demonstrated by the priest in the act of the washing of the feet after the homily. The Mass of the Lord’s Suppers begins the Paschal Triduum which ends on the Easter Vigil. At the LJC, the Mass of the Lord’s Supper concludes with the reposition of the Blessed Sacrament in the Chapel at the Jesuit Residence. The reposition takes place by means of a procession from the Chapel of the Good Samaritan, led by Altar Servers, to the Altar of repose in the aforesaid chapel. The reposition of the Blessed Sacrament is followed by periods of silent adoration by members of the College Community.Read More…
 |
 |
 |
 |
Good Friday is the one day of the church’s liturgical year when there is no celebration of the Holy Mass. As a matter of fact, the Church does not celebrate the Sacraments at all, except for Penance and the Anointing of the Sick. The Good Friday celebration of the Passion of the Lord recalls His death by which He redeemed humanity from eternal damnation. At LJC, in keeping with the ancient tradition of the Church, the celebration takes place by 3:00 p.m. (the time it is believed that Jesus died on the Cross) and consists of three parts, namely, the Liturgy of the Word, the Adoration of the Cross, and Holy Communion. Prior to the celebration, the students, in the morning of Good Friday, reenacts the passion of Christ, reflectively and prayerfully.Read More…
 |
 |
 |
 |
On Holy Saturday the Church waits at the Lord’s tomb in prayer and fasting, meditating on his Passion and Death and on his Descent into Hell, and awaiting his Resurrection. There is no celebration of Holy Mass until after the solemn Vigil of the Lord’s resurrection by night, which is the greatest and most noble of all solemnities. The Easter Vigil is a paschal Mass of the Sunday of the Resurrection. It consists of four parts: 1) The Service of Light, 2) The Liturgy of the Word, 3) The Liturgy of Baptism, and the Renewal of Baptismal Promises, 4) The Liturgy of the Eucharist. All these are well celebrated at the College with the exception of the baptismal liturgy celebrated in the College on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. The paschal joy of the Lord’s resurrection is felt in the College and overflows into Easter Sunday and the fifty days of the Easter season.
 |
 |
 |
 |
Easter Sunday liturgy recalls the resurrection of Christ the Lord from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day after his burial following His death on Good Friday. It is the culmination of the Passion of Jesus, preceded by Lent, a 40-day period of fasting, prayer, and alms giving. It marks the beginning of the Easter Season (Eastertide), which lasts seven weeks, ending with Pentecost Sunday which commemorates the decent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles. At LJC, the liturgy is beautifully celebrated with parents and friends of the finalist in attendance.Read More..
 |
 |
 |
 |