Never mind the bus queue or the Sunday Service experience catch any bus that is going downtown and arrive at St Edmunds Catholic Church The Avenue Southampton Hampshire where there are virtually no seats left vacant or empty and its the very devil of a job to get a pew if you are even a tad late due to Holy week pressure. However, I managed to attend the start of the Holy Week Services and what is often referred to during my lifetime as "Palm Sunday" was in full session where I was in attendance.
The readings were heard clearly at the back of the Church, and the whole of the congregation was interspersed by varying degrees of age, sex, gender and lots of small children accompanied either by Mother Father and an Adult. The children as a whole were extremely well behaved and when we were all frog marched out to the patio at the front of the Church there was not one single chuckle or whimper from any of them so Mum had done her job well as I observed as she gave them a welcome treat as we all got on our knees to recognize Palm Sunday in Holy Week and we were careful not to overstay our welcome and got out just in time as Mgr Vincent Harvey was the Main - Clergyman with his Choir in full accord at his side. Holy Week is a hugely well attended Religious Mass here in Southampton and the whole atmosphere blended well with the message of the Gospel and the Roman Catholic Church message was one of .. Belief In The Person of Jesus! He is buried, but he rises again added Fr Paul Leonard on this handout given to The Faithful as everyone enters the entrance Porch into the Church!