Dear St. Bartholomew & St. Vivian Parishioners,
As we mentioned at Masses over the weekend, this week, Holy Week, is a very important week in the Church year. The Sacred Triduum (that is, the three most sacred high holy days of the Church) begins with Holy Thursday Mass, Thursday evening.
I urge you to consider coming to one or all of these ancient and beautiful ceremonies.
Here is a brief synopsis of each liturgy:
Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper
| Assumption 7:00pm |
| St. Bernard 7:00pm |
| St. Clare 7:00pm |
| St. Vivian 7:00pm |
This liturgy goes about an hour and a half.
We begin with the tabernacle empty and the church specially decorated. During the Gloria, the bells are rung for the last time until Holy Saturday night.
After the homily, the priest washes the feet of some volunteers, to imitate Christ’s own example of service at the Last Supper.
At the end of Mass, the Blessed Sacrament (that is the remaining hosts from communion) are paraded in a solemn procession around the inside of the Church and taken to a special shrine in church (known as a “repository”). The liturgy ends in silence, and the faithful are invited to remain as long as they would like at the candle-lit shrine, adoring our Lord on this anniversary of the Last Supper.
Good Friday Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion
| Assumption 12:00pm |
| St. Bartholomew 12:00pm |
| St. Clare 2:00pm |
| St. Clare 7:00pm |
| Mother of Christ 7:00pm |
| St. Vivian 7:00pm |
This liturgy goes about one full hour.
The Church is devoid of decoration and unnecessary furniture, and the tabernacle is empty. (The Blessed Sacrament is now stored in a secret place outside of the Church.) This starkness causes a feeling of desolation.
In the first part of the liturgy, the congregation reads the Passion of Jesus as told in the Gospel of John. This is done in parts like on Palm Sunday. Following this, solemn petitions are read for the Church and for the world.
In the second part, the priest and people all come forward to make a gesture of reverence and adoration to the cross, which has been brought into the church for this purpose.
In the third part, the altar is set quickly and simply, and we share communion from the hosts that remain from Holy Thursday night. Good Friday is the one day of the Church year that the Eucharist is not celebrated!
Holy Saturday: The Easter Vigil
| St. Bernard 8:00pm |
| Assumption 8:45pm |
| St. Bartholomew 8:45pm |
| St. Clare 8:45pm |
By Church law, this liturgy must begin after sunset and goes approximately 2 full hours. It fulfills the Easter Sunday obligation.
We begin by blessing a fire outside of Church and lighting the Easter candle from it. The people follow the Easter Candle into the dark church and light candles that they are holding, so that the whole church is filled with candle light as we go to our places in church. A special song of Easter praise is song by the priest, the deacon, or some other minister. Several Old Testament readings are read that tell the history of salvation. Each reading has its own special responsorial psalm.
After that the Gloria is sung with bells ringing inside and outside of Church. The Alleluia is sung for the first time since the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. The Gospel is proclaimed and followed by a brief homily.
Baptisms and Confirmations are then performed for any converts to the faith.
The candles that the people of the congregation have are re-lighted for them to renew their baptismal vows. The people are then sprinkled with holy water by the priest.
The gifts are then brought up and the Liturgy of the Eucharist is celebrated in solemn fashion. The Feast of Easter has begun for all participants in the Easter Vigil. Catholics are welcome to come to Mass again on Sunday morning.
If you have never been to one of these celebrations, I think it is a very good idea to go, at least a few times in life, if not every few years, or maybe every year. A great amount of effort is spent in preparing for and performing these ceremonies. These are ancient and beautiful ceremonies that involve the congregation in special ways, with movement around church and other special activities. Worship a little! Be a part of it!
If you have never been to one of these celebrations, I think it is a very good idea to go, at least a few times in life, if not every few years, or maybe every year. A great amount of effort is spent in preparing for and performing these ceremonies. These are ancient and beautiful ceremonies that involve the congregation in special ways, with movement around church and other special activities. Worship a little! Be a part of it!
-Father Umberg
