Holy Week, the Triduum and Easter

04-04-2020Weekly ReflectionFr. James Aboyi

How are you holding out? I hope you and your family are doing well.

I know it is hard for any of us to accept, but we have received new Liturgical guidelines from the Vatican and the Diocese requesting that Holy Week and Easter celebrations be celebrated in private this year. I know we all have diff erent questions about what this implies. Here is the summary of the guideline regarding the Holy Week, the Triduum and Easter celebration:

Palm Sunday. The Holy Week begins this weekend with the celebration of Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday is allowed this year but only as a private Mass. However, Palm branches are not to be distributed to the faithful as a cautionary measure. We will have a Virtual Private Mass here at St. Benedict at 11 am, livestreamed on our YouTube Channel.

Chrism Mass. The Chrism Mass this year will be postponed until a later date when the sacred oils will be blessed and distributed.

Easter Triduum.

The Easter Triduum cannot be transferred to another time so it will be observed as a private celebration. All the Triduum ceremonies will be livestreamed for our parish community.

Holy Thursday. We will livestream our Holy Thursday Mass at 7 pm. The washing of feet and the procession to the Altar of Repose will be omitted this year.

Good Friday. The celebration of the Passion of the Lord is permitted. However, the Veneration of the Cross will be transferred to the Feast of the Triumph of the Holy Cross on September 14, 2020, health regulations permitting. The Passion of Lord will be livestreamed on YouTube at 7 pm on Good Friday, April 10.

The Easter Vigil. The Easter Vigil is permitted and will be livestreamed at 7 pm on Holy Saturday, April, 11. The ceremonies of the Lighting of Easter Fire, Baptism, and the Sacrament of Initiation will be omitted during the Vigil Mass this year. The RCIA Candidates and Catechumens will receive their Sacraments on another date, to be announced.

Easter Sunday. We will livestream the Easter Mass at 10 am on Sunday, April 12. This is to remind everyone that the Bishop has dispensed all the faithful from fulfilling their Sunday and Easter obligation this year. Although the Holy Week and Easter ceremonies are low-key this year, it does not diminish the validity and importance of the celebrations in any way. The liturgies of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Vigil form the “Three Day” celebration commonly known as the “Triduum,” during which we commemorate the Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. We often refer to Holy Week as “The Week that Saves the World.” This is because within Holy Week, Jesus gives us the most precious gift of His Body and Blood when He instituted the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist on Holy Thursday. On Good Friday, He made the ultimate sacrifice by accepting death on the cross to free us from the bondage of sin and redeem us as children of God. On Easter Sunday, He defeated the power of death and rose triumphantly from the tomb to show us the power of the Resurrection and the glimpse of the glory of heaven. We encourage everyone to pray the Act of Spiritual Communion during Communion time when you watch the live streamed Masses.

Thank you and remain blessed,

Fr. James

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