Religious Education
PASSIONTIDE: Entering the Mystery of God's Love
Were you to walk into our beautiful church today you would notice a striking change. Statues, crucifixes, and sacred images are covered in purple cloth. At first this seems strange and mysterious but it's purpose is rich in meaning and helps us enter more deeply into the story of Holy Week.
As we move into the final weeks of Lent, the Church enters a deeply reflective and sacred time known as Passiontide. This period, which includes the last two weeks leading up to Easter, invites us to slow down, be still, and draw closer to the suffering, death, and ultimately the love of Jesus.
The covering of statues during Passiontide is a long-standing tradition in the Catholic Church. It serves several important purposes:
A sense of absence and longing - by covering sacred images, the Church creates a feeling of emptiness. What is usually visible is now hidden. This reflects the growing solemnity of this season and helps us feel, in a small way, the sorrow and loss experienced as Jesus approaches His Passion.
A call to focus on the essentials - with visual distractions removed, our attention is drawn more fully to the readings of Scripture, especially the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ suffering and sacrifice. It reminds us that this is a time to listen, reflect, and pray.
Preparing for the joy of Easter - the absence of these images makes their return at Easter even more powerful. When the cloths are removed, it is a visible and joyful reminder of the Resurrection—Jesus is alive, and light has overcome darkness.
The colour purple is the liturgical colour of Lent. It symbolises penance, preparation, and reflection. During Passiontide, the use of purple cloth reinforces the solemn and prayerful nature of this time as we walk with Jesus toward the cross.
Here at school, we are encouraging students to see this not as something “strange,” but as something meaningful. You might like to ask your child:
- Why do you think the Church covers things up before Easter?
- How does it make you feel when something important is hidden?
- What do you think it will be like when everything is uncovered again?
These simple conversations can help children begin to understand that this is a time of waiting, remembering, and hoping.
A journey we take together
Passiontide reminds us that our faith is not only about celebration, but also about reflection and compassion. As a school community, we journey together through these final weeks of Lent—preparing our hearts for the great joy of Easter.
May this sacred time be one of quiet reflection, meaningful conversation, and renewed faith for all our families.
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Families are warmly invited to attend our whole school Stations of The Cross Liturgy next Monday (30th March) from 2.30 pm in the Hall. This solemn and reflective event will provide an opportunity for our school community to journey with Jesus through the final moments of his life, as we enter the sacred time of Holy Week. We hope you can join us as we gather in prayer and reflection.
Please note the following Holy Week and Easter Mass and service times in our Parish.
Kathryn Ady
Religious Education Leader