Anno Domini 2024 October 29

Beloved of the Lord:

Today is Tuesday, 29 October, in the year of our Lord 2024. The scheduled services are as-follows:

• Tuesday (today): 5:30 PM, Mass, Bl. James Hannington, Bishop & Martyr.
  6:30 PM, Evensong.
• Wednesday: 12:10 PM, Mass, Feria of Trinity XXII.
• Thursday: NO SERVICES; Trunk-or-Treat from 5:30 ~ 7:30 PM (Come early to set-up).
• Friday, All Saint's Day: 9:00 AM, Sung Mass, with Gregorian Canon, followed by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
  6:30 PM, Said Mass.
• Saturday, All Soul's Day: 10:00 AM, Mass, Requiem I.
  5:00 PM, Mass, Requiem III.
• Sunday: 8:30 AM, Deacon's Liturgy, Trinity XXIII.
  10:00 AM, Mass, Trinity XXIII.

As you can see, we are now entering the busy season of the Church. Things in that vein will commence on Thursday evening, All Saint's Eve, or the Vigil of All Saints, with our annual Trunk-or-Treat, in-front of the Parish. We line-up cars at the bottom of the drive, trunks facing Main Street, and dispense goodies to the wee wanderers that come-by the Parish. We show-up around 5:00 PM, get set-up, and dispense treats from 5:30 'til '7:00 or 7:30 PM.

The next day is, of-course, All Saint's Day. We will have our usual 9:00 AM service, with the Gregorian Canon, saying the Mass for 'All Saints. The Mass will be sung. After the Mass, we'll continue the standard schedule, with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, for one-hour after the conclusion of the Mass. For those unable to attend the morning celebration of the Mass, it will be repeated at 6:30 PM.

Saturday brings us to All Soul's Day. At 10:00 AM, we will say the First of the three authorised Mass-settings for this day. Since the Missal directs that the Second Mass be used for regular observances for the Dead, which we do monthly at S. Matthew's, the Third Mass will be said at 5:00 Saturday evening.

We have recently made several changes to our weekly schedule of services. The first is that on the First- and Third Sundays, Deacon Collins will say a Deacon's Liturgy, at the 8:30 Service. Deacons are neither able to Bless nor Consecrate, but are able to distribute the Holy Sacrament, after it has been consecrated by a Priest, or a Bishop.

This can be an invaluable service, particularly when the Priest is away, or ill, or for other reasons is unable to say the Mass. Including it in our regular schedule gives the Parish an opportunity to become familiar with the service, and keeps our Deacon in fighting trim, so-to-speak, with regular opportunities to practice the Liturgy. On Sundays when we have a Deacon's Liturgy, Dcn. Collins will preach at both services.

Our long-standing 5:00 PM time-slot for the Saturday evening Mass has been moved to 10:00 AM. Originally intended to serve as an anticipatory Mass for those unable to attend on Sunday mornings, it was seldom used for that purpose, and wound-up being the Mass for the ladies who prepare the Church for the Sunday services. This move will allow them to complete their tasks earlier in the day, freeing up their personal time in the evenings. PLEASE NOTE that, in the interest of time, a full Mass is not said on Saturdays, unless a major Feast Day fall thereon; we simply distribute the Sacrament, the ladies having already spent the netter part of an hour in labora for the Parish. I remain

in His praise,

The Venerable T. L. Crowder

Pastor, Saint Matthew's Parish