Letter from the Pastor
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April 11, 2021
Today has many and diverse names. Liturgically it is known as the Second Sunday of Easter. It is also known as Divine Mercy Sunday, Low Sunday, White Sunday (Whitsunday), Alb Sunday, Doubting Thomas’ Easter, and the most interesting: Quasimodo Sunday. This particular title comes from the first two words of the Entrance Antiphon at Mass in Latin, Quasi modo geniti infants… “As newborn babes…” And, yes, the name of this Sunday is the origin of the name of the hunchback, Quasimodo, in Victor Hugo's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." Poor Quasimodo as an infant was discovered at the cathedral’s steps on Low Sunday and so was named for this day.
In the early Church, the newly baptized wore their white garments everywhere since their baptism at the Great Vigil of Easter until today. On this day, the newly baptized officially take off their white Baptismal robes. After the robes have been removed, the newly baptized go and sit among the congregation.
This day, too -- a day on which the Gospel concerns not only the story of "Doubting Thomas," (Thomas’ Easter) but the merciful institution of Confession -- is known since May 23, AD 2000 as "Divine Mercy Sunday." Today, a plenary indulgence is granted to those who, under the usual conditions, take part in the public devotion to His Divine Mercy. Today at 3:00 PM, we will have a Holy Hour. We will gather in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament we will pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet and Novena. All are encouraged and welcomed to attend.
This devotion, focused on Christ's limitless mercy and love for humanity is a relatively new one. It is based on the 1930 writings of Sister St. Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, canonized in 2000.
The point of the devotion is mercy -- begging His mercy, trusting in His mercy, and showing mercy to those around us. In 2000, Pope John Paul II made it known that this Sunday, a day when the Gospel readings concern Christ's merciful institution of the Sacrament of Reconciliation will also be known as "Divine Mercy Sunday."
Whatever you wish to call this day, we need to realize that it is still Easter. It is the last day of the Octave of Easter. And we continue for the next 42 days we celebrate the Easter feast. For the 40 days of Lent, we prepared for the Sacred Triduum, now for 50 days we will celebrate Easter. In that sense, we are an Easter people, life is always greater than death, good conquers evil, the light overpowers the darkness, and Easter is a longer season than Lent. Because of Easter we are reborn for another year, we should be full of joy and see the goodness of God in our life, just like quasi modo geniti infants, newborn babes!
Holy Week and Easter
It was truly a joy for Fr. Clarke and me to see the number of people who attended Holy Week and Easter. I also think we may have rekindled an old custom here at St. Margaret’s, the Sunrise Mass on Easter. It was very well received.
I would like to thank all those who made the ceremonies of Holy Week so beautiful and most importantly, prayerful. Also, a very grateful and enthusiastic Thank You for all who contributed to our very important Easter collection. The Easter, like the Christmas collection, is vital for the works of the Parish. If you haven’t contributed yet to the Easter collection, there is still time to show your gratitude to God for all He has given you and your family.
Let us continue to celebrate and walk together in the glory and light of these 50 days of Easter.
