From the Pastor's Desk - March 29, 2026

Dear St. Martin’s Parishioners,

St. John the Evangelist introduces his account of Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection with the statement, “[Jesus], having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end” (Jn. 13:1). That statement sums up what this most holy of weeks is all about: the manifestation of how far God is willing to go to save us because he loves us. One author expresses the importance of Holy Week this way:

Holy Week. Essentially, bright days such as are needed. And truly that is all that is

needed. I am convinced that if people would really hear Holy Week, [the Triduum],

the Resurrection . . . there will be no need for theology. All of theology is there.

All that is needed for one’s spirit, heart, mind and soul . . . It's all in these services.

Not only is it revealed, it simply flows in one's heart and mind.

Holy Week is the culmination of world history and the beginning of the Kingdom of God. We spend Holy Week not simply recounting events from the past, but fully participating in the events of our salvation so we, too, pass over into the Kingdom of God as a new creation. I urge you to spend this week in prayer and participating in the Church’s liturgies. These liturgies are the instrument of your salvation if you enter into them in faith.

There are no daily Masses after Wednesday of this week, and the last day we have confessions is on Wednesday after the 9:00am Mass. There are no daily morning Masses on Thursday, Friday or Saturday. Thursday begins the Easter Triduum, with three Masses in the evening—English, French and Spanish. I want to invite you in a special way on Friday to our Living Stations of the Cross, which begin at 12:00pm on Fr. Meyer Field. Easter Sunday Masses are the same, but there is no 5:00pm or 6:30pm Mass on Sunday.

Lastly, the Novena of Divine Mercy begins on Good Friday. We will pray that together in the Church after the 12:00pm Living Stations. Pamphlets for the novena can be found at each of the church entrances in English and Spanish.

Holy Week Blessings,

Fr. Dave