There is a Scanned copy of the parish Easter Card bearing the times of liturgies visible on the Documents page of this site. This can be accessed from the Home page. A copy of this card, should arrive through the post, to all families in the St Birinus Parish database. Copies are available at St Birinus Catholic Church or from the parish office. CB has one beside his phone should any parishioner require clarification. 01491 838484
CB - 26-03-2010
A copy of the parish bulletin for Holy Week can be found on the "Documents" page of this site.
CB 29-3-2010
Acopy of the music programme for the easter triduum has just been received and placed immediately on the documents page of this site
CB - 1-4-2010
St Birinus Catholic church draped for sung Mass during the evening of Maundy Thursday (April 1st 2010)
Tenebrae (sung earlier, and each morning of the Easter Triduum, Thursday, Friday and Saturday) and the Mass was acoompanied by singers of Schola Gregoriana Cambridge under their director Christopher Hodkison.
A splendid group.
CB - 2-4-2-10
The faithful gathered in St Birinus Catholic Church at 3pm for the Good Friday liturgy which remembers the trial of Christ and his sacrifice on the cross on Calvary. The covering of the Rood Screen crucifix has been partially released in preparation for its uncovering during the liturgy.
The singers of Schola Gregoriana Cambridge, directed by Christopher Hodkinson accompanied our liturgy. The Schola together with their former director Dr Mary Berry have visited St Birinus Church to sing our Easter Liturgy for the last decade or so. Mary died in 2008 and now lies in our cemetery.
Good Friday began with the prostration of the clergy on the altar which has been stripped in readiness for the remembrance of Christ's crucifixion and day in the tomb at Gethsamane.
Irfan, our organist, read the first reading of the liturgy, from the book of Isiah in the Old Testament of the suffering servant.
The Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge sang the Kyrie and opening antiphon and responses.
The Gospel reading the Passion by St John was sung by Fr John Osman and members of the Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge.
After the readings and singing of the Passion according to St John Fr John Osman gave his homily from the pulpit.
The space available for congregation is limited in St Birinus Church. On this day, Good Friday 2010, the TV connection between St Birinus Church and the parish (Davey) room was a great enabler for the overflow of parishioners who came in procession for the Veneration of the Cross and for Holy Communion.
After the readings and singing of the Passion. The altar was prepared for Mass and the clergy and acolytes gathered at the church door for the solemn entrance of the crucifix.
A painted (St Francis style) crucifix was carried into church and progressively exposed to the people with the prayer "Ecce Lignum Crucis" " Behold the wood of the cross", repeated three times as the procession is made to the altar.
Before being lodged on the altar the cross was venerated by those present.
Ecce Lignem Crucis 1
Ecce Lignem Crucis 2
The Veneration of the Cross
On Good Friday the sacrifice of the Holy Mass is not offered and so no consecration of Bread and Wine occurs.
Mass on Good Friday has no consecration and therefore the Consecrated element is brought from an altar of repose and distributed to communicants.
CB - 2-4-2010
Preparing for Mass
Mass of the pre-sanctified
Holy Communion
The Dismissal
Holy Saturday, the Vigil of Easter, dawned wet and overcast in 2010. The Vigil fire was lit close to St Birinus porch and guarded from rain with umbrellas.
The Vigil liturgy was accompanied by The Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge who with Clergy and Acolytes began the ceremonies of blessing the new light within the porch with the congregation within.
In more clement weather a procession of light streams from the presbytery garden into the chapel as the light from the brazier is transferred to The Pashal Candle and the candles held by the congregation.
The Pashal Candle is borne into the church and placed near to the pulpit where Fr John Osman, accompanied by a cantor and the Schola.... , begins the readingsand accompanying prayers and responses from the Old Testament.
CB finds the spectacle of the darkened church becoming light very moving.
The font and water are blessed.
The altar is prepared for the Easter Mass
During the Mass, Parishioners do not recite the creed but affirm the promises made at their baptism.
The Vigil Mass was accompanied by singers of The Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge. Hymns were accompanied by the Schola and our own organist Irfan.
It is now late on Holy Saturday and your webmaster and his wife have booked a crossing to Dublin from Holyhead on Easter Sunday.
CB will go to bed and add more pictures when time allows.
The space available for congregation is limited in St Birinus Church. 
Mass of the pre-sanctified
The Dismissal
