Per Caritatem

If you live in Dallas or happen to be in Dallas this week and want to participate in the festivities of Holy Week, we invite you to join us at St. John’s.  

Holy Monday:  9:30am Eucharist (Rite One)

Holy Tuesday:  6:30am Eucharist & breakfast

Holy Wednesday:  6pm Eucharist

Maundy Thursday:  7pm Maundy Thursday Liturgy

[The Maundy Thursday liturgy, celebrated at 7:00 p.m., has a dual focus. We remember how on the night before Christ died for us, he washed his disciples feet and instituted the Lord's Supper. The name of the day comes from the Latin phrase mandatum novum, "new commandment," since this is the night on which Jesus said to his disciples, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another." (St. John 13:34). Jesus said this just after he has washed his disciples' feet. In many parish churches, the foot-washing scene is acted out by the clergy. That's what we'll be doing this year at St. John's, with the celebrant washing the feet of the acolytes. Following our celebration of the Holy Eucharist that night, the reserved Sacrament is removed to the Altar of Repose in the chapel, and the church's altar is stripped as we remember how Christ was betrayed after sharing this last meal with his disciples. Following this is The Watch, where parishioners keep vigil in the chapel until 9:00 a.m. the next morning. All are asked to sign up for a half-our shift, some time through the night].

Good Friday:  12 noon Good Friday Solemn Liturgy; 7pm Good Friday Solemn Liturgy

[Good Friday is a day of fasting and devotion for all. The Solemn Liturgy of the day, offered at Noon and at 7:00 p.m., is focused on St. John's account of Jesus' Passion (St. John 18:1-19:37), followed by the Solemn Collects and the veneration of the Cross. On this day, Communion is celebrated, but the Sacrament is distributed out of the previous day's reserve].

Holy Saturday:  12 noon The Liturgy for Holy Saturday; 7pm The Great Vigil of Easter

[The short Holy Saturday liturgy is offered at Noon in the chapel. In it we remember the day on which our Lord's body lay in the tomb, awaiting the Day of Resurrection.   

Easter Sunday begins at sundown on Saturday. The first liturgy is the Great Vigil, in which the drama of Christ's Passover, his passing from death to life, is celebrated in four movements. First is the Service of Light, in which the Paschal Candle is lit and the Church is called to rejoice in Christ's victory over darkness. Then comes the Liturgy of the Word, in which we hear "the record of God's saving deeds in history." (BCP 288) Thirdly, we baptize those who are have been prepared for baptism, and if there are no baptismal candidates, we instead reaffirm our baptismal vows. The fourth and final movement is the First Mass of Easter, our great Thanksgiving for the Resurrection of the Son of God and the new life he offers. Reception to follow in the Parish Hall].

Easter Sunday:  7:30am Said Eucharist; 10:30am Sung Eucharist

[On Sunday morning, our celebration of the Resurrection continues, with two Eucharists offered at 7:30 and 10:30 a.m. Following the second liturgy, we have the Easter egg hunt for children].