This coming Sunday, we enter the holiest week of our Church year. The week begins with Palm Sunday of our Lord's Passion. The season of Lent ends with the beginning of the Triduum at sunset on Holy Thursday and the celebration of the Mass of the Lord's Supper. We recall Jesus' crucifixion on Good Friday. On Holy Saturday, we participate in the Easter Vigil with the Service of Light, stories of our faith history, and the initiation of catechumens and candidates with the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Communion. Easter Sunday dawns gloriously as we celebrate the Resurrection of Christ Jesus.
Each year, I encourage families to make Holy Week special, different from every other week of the year. While spring sports practices are beginning and some families (at least from Michigan) are preparing to travel south for spring break, I believe that it is important for Catholic families to fast from their usual extracurricular activities and spend some time together in activities that will help them enter into the celebrations of the holiest week of our faith.
The celebrations of Holy Week are filled with signs and symbols, smells and tastes. In order to more fully appreciate them, we need to step out of our ordinary lives and enter into the extraordinary events of Christ's passion, death and Resurrection.
For information about the celebrations of Holy Week and activities to do with your household, download this guide: Download Guide_HolyWeek_Easter_YearC.pdf (182.9K)
