Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Ennis Road, Limerick
Welcome to Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Diocese of Limerick

Good Friday Liturgy

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Date/Time
Date(s) - 2 Apr 2021 until 5 Apr 2021
3:00 PM - 3:00 PM


Welcome to our celebration of the Passion of Jesus.

Today, everything in our Church is bare and silent – no flowers, no candles, no cloths, to adorn the Sanctuary.

The Liturgy that we are about to celebrate is not a funeral service. It is a celebration of the day we call “ GOOD.”

Today the Liturgy invites us to ponder the mystery of LOVE.

 

There are THREE parts to our ceremony

The Liturgy of  the  Word which includes the General Intercessions. [see below]

The First Reading from the Prophet Isaiah invites us to look closely at the Suffering Jesus. A very striking part of this Reading is the number of times the words “ WE  “ OURS “ “ US “ are mentioned, referring to our part in His  sufferings.

The Veneration of the Cross. The Cross is central to our celebration.

We gaze in wonder at the depth of God’s love for each of us, individually.

We will not be able to venerate the Cross in the usual way here in our Church, so you might like to hold a Crucifix or your Rosary Beads for this part of our celebration.

The Service of Holy Communion completes our ceremony…

 

THE  UNVEILING OF  THE CROSS.

We have now come to the climax of this celebration – the Veneration of the Cross.

Since the 4th Century the Church has set “ Good Friday” apart as a day to glory in the Cross of Jesus…………………

 

When the Cross has been venerated by the Priests and Ministers :-

Each of us has a cross to carry. The past year has caused each of us pain and discomfort, uncertainty and worry, anxiety about family members; our distance from friends and neighbours; the fact that we cannot come to our Church for Mass; the pain of losing family members and friends.

We recall the dying words of Jesus to His Father,  “ Into  your hands I commend..”  we  pause and we place in the Hands of our Father all that burdens us at this time…. Trustingly, we place all in God’s hands.

 

We now move to the Service of Holy Communion……..

As we come to the end of our celebration of the Good Friday Liturgy, we are left with a question posed in our First Reading from the Prophet Isaiah –

, “ Who  could believe what we have heard and seen?”

 

SOLEMN INTERCESSIONS FOR GOOD FRIDAY

I. FOR HOLY CHURCH

Let us pray, dearly beloved, for the holy Church of God, that our God and Lord be pleased to give her peace, to guard her and to unite her throughout the whole world and grant that, leading our life in tranquility and quiet, we may glorify God the Father almighty.

Prayer in silence.

Presider: Almighty ever-living God, who in Christ revealed your glory to all the nations, watch over the works of your mercy, that your Church, spread throughout all the world, may persevere with steadfast faith in confessing your name. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

II. FOR THE POPE

Let us pray also for our most Holy Father Pope Francis, that our God and Lord, who chose him for the Order of Bishops, may keep him safe and unharmed for the Lord’s holy Church, to govern the holy People of God.

Prayer in silence.

Presider: Almighty ever-living God, by whose decree all things are founded, look with favor on our prayers and in your kindness protect the Pope chosen for us, that, under him, the Christian people, governed by you their maker, may grow in merit by reason of their faith. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

III. FOR ALL ORDERS AND DEGREES OF THE FAITHFUL

Let us pray also for our Bishop Brendan, for all Bishops, Priests, and Deacons of the Church and for the whole of the faithful people.

Prayer in silence.

Presider: Almighty ever-living God, by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church is sanctified and governed, hear our humble prayer for your ministers, that, by the gift of your grace, all may serve you faithfully. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

IV. FOR CATECHUMENS

Let us pray also for (our) catechumens, that our God and Lord may open wide the ears of their inmost hearts and unlock the gates of his mercy, that, having received forgiveness of all their sins through the waters of rebirth, they, too, may be one with Christ Jesus our Lord.

Prayer in silence.

Presider: Almighty ever-living God, who make your Church ever fruitful with new offspring, increase the faith and understanding of (our) catechumens, that, reborn in the font of Baptism, they may be added to the number of your adopted children. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

V. FOR THE UNITY OF CHRISTIANS

Let us pray also for all our brothers and sisters who believe in Christ, that our God and Lord may be pleased, as they live the truth, to gather them together and keep them in his one Church.

Prayer in silence.

Presider: Almighty ever-living God, who gather what is scattered and keep together what you have gathered, look kindly on the flock of your Son, that those whom one Baptism has consecrated may be joined together by integrity of faith and united in the bond of charity. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

VI. FOR THE JEWISH PEOPLE

Let us pray also for the Jewish people, to whom the Lord our God spoke first, that he may grant them to advance in love of his name and in faithfulness to his covenant.

Prayer in silence.

Presider: Almighty ever-living God, who bestowed your promises on Abraham and his descendants, graciously hear the prayers of your Church, that the people you first made your own may attain the fullness of redemption. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

VII. FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE IN CHRIST

Let us pray also for those who do not believe in Christ, that, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, they, too, may enter on the way of salvation.

Prayer in silence.

Presider: Almighty ever-living God, grant to those who do not confess Christ that, by walking before you with a sincere heart, they may find the truth and that we ourselves, being constant in mutual love and striving to understand more fully the mystery of your life, may be made more perfect witnesses to your love in the world. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

VIII. FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE IN GOD

Let us pray also for those who do not acknowledge God, that, following what is right in sincerity of heart, they may find the way to God himself.

Prayer in silence.

Presider: Almighty ever-living God, who created all people to seek you always by desiring you and, by finding you, come to rest, grant, we pray, that, despite every harmful obstacle, all may recognize the signs of your fatherly love and the witness of the good works done by those who believe in you, and so in gladness confess you, the one true God and Father of our human race. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

IX. FOR THOSE IN PUBLIC OFFICE

Let us pray also for those in public office, that our God and Lord may direct their minds and hearts according to his will for the true peace and freedom of all.

Prayer in silence.

Presider: Almighty ever-living God, in whose hand lies every human heart and the rights of peoples, look with favor, we pray, on those who govern with authority over us, that throughout the whole world, the prosperity of peoples, the assurance of peace, and freedom of religion may through your gift be made secure. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

X. FOR THOSE IN TRIBULATION – SOLEMN INTERCESSIONS FOR GOOD FRIDAY

Let us pray, dearly beloved, to God the Father almighty, that he may cleanse the world of all errors, banish disease, drive out hunger, unlock prisons, loosen fetters, granting to travelers safety, to pilgrims return, health to the sick, and salvation to the dying.

Prayer in silence.

Presider: Almighty ever-living God, comfort of mourners, strength of all who toil, may the prayers of those who cry out in any tribulation come before you, that all may rejoice, because in their hour of need your mercy was at hand. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.