We are about to enter into the most solemn week of the church year. Beginning on this Sunday we embark on our journey through Holy Week. Walking with Our Lord from his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, sharing the remembrance of the institution of the Holy Eucharist on Holy Thursday, and carrying the cross with him through his agony and bitter passion on Good Friday, finally rejoicing with all the angels and saints with his glorious resurrection on Easter Sunday morning.
Here at the shrine we have several events happening and we hope that you will be able to join us during this most sacred week of the year.
SUNDAY MARCH 28th at 4:00PM: Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
We will have Solemn Evening Prayer (Vespers) with the distribution of Blessed Palms.
MONDAY through WEDNESDAY MARCH 29-31 at 3:00PM: Reflections on the Passion
Our Co-Director of Liturgy and Devotions, Michael Antaya, will offer a livestream series of brief reflections on the Passion of Christ, utilizing sacred scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and the writings of the saints to help us prepare for the the Sacred Triduum.
THURSDAY APRIL 1, 2021: HOLY THURSDAY
The shrine will be open all day for private devotions. The Immaculate Conception Gift Shop will close at 5:00pm but the shrine will remain open until 10:00pm. A period of private prayer before the Blessed Sacrament in the Tabernacle will be available. The Holy Rosary will be prayed at 9:30pm and solemn night office of the church will be recited at 10:00pm.
FRIDAY APRIL 2, 2021: FRIDAY OF THE LORD’S PASSION (Good Friday)
The Shrine will be open all day for private devotions.
The Solemn Novena of Divine Mercy begins at 3:00PM.
The Solemn Way of the Cross with dramatic Procession will be held at 7:00PM.
SATURDAY APRIL 3, 2021: HOLY SATURDAY
The shrine will remain open until 3:30PM.
The Solemn Novena of Divine Mercy begins at 3:00PM.
SUNDAY APRIL 4, 2021: EASTER SUNDAY
The Solemn Novena of Divine Mercy begins at 3:00PM.
MONDAY APRIL 5, 2021: EASTER MONDAY
The Solemn Novena of Divine Mercy begins at 3:00PM.
Mass for Easter Monday will be at 6:00PM (Father Marc Tremblay celebrant/homilist; transferred from First Friday)
The Solemn Novena of Divine Mercy will continue all week until Saturday April 10 with the Prayers offered during the Great Hour of Mercy at 3:00PM.
We hope you will be able to join us for these events during Holy Week and the Solemn Novena of Divine Mercy!
Calendar of Events Updated
Under the Ministries tab above, the calendar of events has been updated to include the following upcoming events:
June 6 2021, Corpus Christi Procession
July 5 2021, 115th Anniversary Mass for the Dedication of St. Anne’s Church
July 17-25 2021 Annual St. Anne Novena
July 25 2021 Annointing of Sick
July 26 2021 Feast of St. Anne and Joachim Mass, celebrated by Bishop Edgar daCunha
Please feel free to reference our calendar to keep abreast of the events, devotions, and Masses being celebrated in our Shrine.
March Healing Mass Video Posted
A replay of the March Healing Mass is available on the sidebar to the right under the DONATE button, To expand to full size, click on the icon on the lower right and it will display full screen for you. Press your ESC (Escape) key to return to the smaller version.
Healing Mass Tonight!
Plenary Indulgence Granted for the Month of July, 2021!
The Society has requested from the Apostolic Penitentiary, with the gracious permission of Bishop da Cunha, that a plenary indulgence be granted on the occasion of the 125th Anniversary of St. Anne Shrine for the month of July 2021.
This morning, we were notified:
“This Apostolic Penitentiary has received the forwarded request (St. Anne Shrine) and tells you that it is granted what has been politely requested and therefore the Indulgence can be publicly announced.“
The conditions under which the indulgence can be gained are as follows:
A Plenary Indulgence is granted under the usual conditions (Sacramental Confession, Eucharistic Communion, and prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff), obtainable once per day during July 2021, by truly repentant faithful pilgrims animated by charity (this indulgence may be applied to the suffrage of the souls of the faithful in Purgatory) and love of our Lord:
- Each time pilgrims devoutly visit St. Anne Shrine and Church in Fall River, Massachusetts and address humble prayers to God in this place for an appropriate period of time for the conversion of sinners and the growth of the kingdom of Christ in the world, concluding with the Lord’s Prayer, the Ave Maria, Gloria Patri, and invocation of the intentions of the Holy Father.
- Each time in the right spirit they attend the Novena to St. Anne during 17-25 July 2021.
- As a special dispensation of God’s limitless mercy, participation in the Festival Mass, Benediction, Exposition, and (if permitted by health officials) the procession of the relics of St. Anne on July 26, 2021 through the streets of Fall River, Massachusetts.
This is a special favor being granted to our beloved Shrine by the Holy Father, and a sign of limitless mercy, healing, and forgiveness found within the walls of St. Anne’s.
What is an indulgence? An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints.
In general, the gaining of indulgences requires certain prescribed conditions (as above) and the performance of certain prescribed works. To gain indulgences, whether plenary or partial, it is necessary that the faithful be in the state of grace at least at the time the indulgenced work is completed (i.e., one must be a Catholic, not excommunicated or in schism).
It is appropriate, but not necessary, that the sacramental Confession and especially Holy Communion and the prayer for the Pope’s intentions take place on the same day that the indulgenced work is performed; but it is sufficient that these sacred rites and prayers be carried out within several days (+/- 7 is suggested) before or after the indulgenced act. Prayer for the Pope’s intentions is left to the choice of the faithful, but an “Our Father” and a “Hail Mary” … Continue reading...