WDTPRS POLL: How much of the Sacred Triduum will you attend?

This is a busy time for all of us, but this is also the most sacred and profound time of the whole liturgical year.

Here is a little poll… which is entirely anonymous.

You might prefer your local parish for the Triduum.  You might travel a great distance for something you consider more worthy.  You might be able to go to everything offered or just part of it.  You might even wind up going to more than one!

This is more about actual plans to go, if you can, rather than whether you long to go but can’t.

But vote and give us a comment in the combox.
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REMEMBER: Participation at the Easter Vigil on Saturday evening fulfills your obligation to attend Mass on Easter.

Also… GO TO CONFESSION if you need to and if you can!  JUST GO!

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And don’t forget to follow me on Twitter and … the … thingy.

ALSO!… ALSO!….

Will you stay on Thursday for Adoration or will you also visit other Churches to see their Altars of Repose?
 

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89 Comments

  1. Lucas says:

    We used to go to all 3 days at the National Shrine in DC, but it will be to tough on the little one this year. So we are going to Good Friday at a local church and Holy Saturday at my old parish church.

  2. greg the beachcomber says:

    No Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil and sleep in Sunday morning option? The Lord has risen, but he gets up earlier than I do.

  3. capchoirgirl says:

    Going tonight and doing some adoration after;
    going to the “seven last words” and service tomorrow;
    Vigil OR Easter Sunday–haven’t decided quite yet. Family plans are up in the air.

  4. capchoirgirl says:

    Oh, forgot to add. Going to my local parish. Really excited–first triduum at the new parish, can’t WAIT to experience it there.

  5. greg the beachcomber says:

    Of course, I meant “He.” (Can I blame my new keyboard?)

  6. FrCharles says:

    This year will be the first time I preach at the Easter Vigil!

  7. Kris says:

    Same here as others — Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Vigil. Sleep.

  8. ljc says:

    I wish I could go to a more “worthy” Mass elsewhere but I have a friend being baptized in a Mass I know will be below desireable standards

  9. capchoirgirl says:

    ljc–perhaps the joy of seeing your friend baptized will help cancel out the lack of desirable standards? I hope so, anyway.

  10. RichardT says:

    Thursday Evening, Good Friday, Vigil – then chocolate eggs in bed on Sunday.

    Can’t find an option for that.

    But, due to travelling, all three probably in different churches.

  11. Dr. Eric says:

    I’m going tonight to the local parish, and then we might go visit various churches and go to their Eucharistic Adorations- I heard that this is a custom.

    Tomorrow, I’m going to St. Francis de Sales in St. Louis- I’ll be the guy with the well groomed beard.

    And it depends on what my wife and kids want to do as far as Saturday Vigil/Easter Sunday Mass.

  12. Dr. Eric says:

    May you be guided by St. John Chrysostom, Fr. Charles!

  13. Flambeaux says:

    Tonight will be in either Anglican Use or EF, depending on which parish I go to (which will, in turn, depend on what time I get out of the office). Regardless, I’ll visit both Altars of Repose.

    Tomorrow, EF

    Saturday, Easter Vigil at EF

    Sunday, Mass of the Day (with egg hunt to follow) in either EF or Anglican Use.

    This will be my oldest son’s first Triduum in which he’s aware of what is going on. I’m not sure what his stamina will be, but he declares he’s intent on doing at least tonight and tomorrow.

  14. AlexE says:

    Tonight int the OF, but will be very very nice then off to at least one other church. Tomorrow OF or EF, depends if I have to serve or not. Saturday and Sunday more OF which will be very lovely.

  15. Sigh…it seems like some of the worst liturgical abuses are saved for the Triduum and for Easter. But I shall attend Good Friday in Bishop Vasa country, at the tiny church where I go to attend Mass in the Extraordinary Rite. Good Friday will not be in the Extraordinary Rite, but Father promises it’ll be by the book!

  16. robkphd says:

    We have a friend who is coming into the Church – so we will be there for the Vigil – along with four kids – including a 3 year old and a (yikes) 8 month old. So, we will likely not also be going Sunday morning as well. But I am looking forward to everything starting this evening.

  17. AnAmericanMother says:

    Husband and I are “on duty” for the entire Triduum — the choir is chanting everything “according to the book”, and singing Palestrina, Byrd and Tallis as appropriate.

    Daughter will hopefully arrive from college in time for the Good Friday service. We can always use another good voice.

    We will fall into Easter Monday exhausted but happy. This parish is a great place to spend Holy Week and Easter.

  18. No Good Friday or Easter Morning for me. I work on Friday unfortunately.

  19. AnAmericanMother says:

    Fr. Charles, is “break a leg” appropriate?

    If not (or also), may the words of your mouth and the meditations of your heart be always acceptable in the sight of the Lord, our strength and our redeemer.

  20. lucy says:

    My husband, myself and our five children are driving up to Sacramento for tomorrow’s goings-on. It’s an FSSP parish, so we’ll listen to Tenebrae, and then have confession, and then what the afternoon brings is more singing by priests and choir – our first taste of it, so not sure what it entails.

    Then Sunday, here in Fresno, one of those FSSP priests will come down for our Easter Latin Mass. It will be wonderful! The priest singing, our young girls’ choir, and our schola. Should be fabulous, even if it is at 3:30pm! Followed by Easter dinner at our home with friends.

    Oh, and Sunday morning Easter egg hunt and candy for the children……

  21. Nora says:

    We will go to our local parish for Holy Thursday, Good Friday (2x), and Vigil. I may go on Sunday, because I will be there to tend to the sacristy and to the Easter egg hunts, but I will not take my daughter. I like for kids to get a visceral understanding of how the liturgy works, and sleeping late on Sunday is pretty visceral for a teen. Our Triduum will be enhanced this year by the presence of our 3 seminarians and transitional deacon. The practice sessions for the sung passion and Exulset have been beautiful! I can hardly wait for it to all start tonight.

  22. I stay for the Adoration at the Chruch I attend Holy Thursday Mass at until it closes, usually at 10, and then I wonder to the East side of St. Paul where Father GW, Church of St. John, has Adoration at the Altar of Response AND Confessions until Midnight. Some years Father GW is my only remaining hope.

  23. This: “Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil and sleep in Sunday morning. The Lord has risen, but He gets up earlier than I do.”

  24. Ralph says:

    I LOVE the Eater Vigil! Beautiful. Candle light as we hear “Christ Our Light” and reply “Thanks Be To God” Awesome. I love seeing folks received into the Church. I was one of them not so many years ago.

    But, alas, I have the little ones now. They suffer when you keep them up too late. So, it’ll be the morning service on Sunday. That’s ok. I love that service, too. If I can round up the brood in time and no one is sick perhaps we might be able to get in Good Friday as well.

    What beauty is Holy Week. What a Church we have been given!

    Viva Christo Rey!!

  25. As for this evening, I don’t intend on going “church hopping”. I will spend some time before our Lord in quiet adoration, and then I will go home. I MIGHT check out a local Byzantine church, though… maybe.

  26. jrotond2 says:

    Not only that, but Tenebrae all three mornings. The Triduum is when one, proverbially, lives at church.

  27. emily13 says:

    Everything!! Plus Morning Prayer at my parish both Good Friday and Holy Saturday. Divine Mercy novena, Triduum and confession at the parish of my spiritual director. I love the Triduum! Especially because 10 years ago, I was received into the Church at the Easter Vigil. Praised be Jesus Christ!

  28. emily13 says:

    Oh – and I will stay for adoration…at least until the conclusion of the special 10-11 holy hour…may not make it until midnight!

  29. Aaron says:

    Holy Thursday, adoration afterward, Good Friday, and Vigil. Family get-together on Sunday; sleep on Monday. I got roped into having my feet washed tonight too, so I better go scrub them.

  30. Amy MEV says:

    I was just wondering what would be a good penance/work to perform in reparation for the many women’s feet that will be washed tonight (not my parish, please God). I think spending an hour in adoration this evening fits the bill perfectly. Now I just have to hope that my very young children behave long enough to stay the full hour! Or perhaps I will sneak out late in the night and head over. I love going at 3:00am, even if my pastor has cautioned against women doing so.

  31. mike cliffson says:

    gotter be at vigil – part of me these past 50 yrs, praise m’parents for taking me young evn when bed started 8ish and vigil 11.30ish, praise God in a nd for etc holy mother church and all Iv’had since.

    Lighter note, non anglosphere : Thoroughly approve, just not quite cup of tea:
    Stabat Mater last Sun, in latin, & sung.
    Music?
    Well, spanish flamenco is the modern form of milenia old cante hondo.
    The equally milenia old ecclesiastical form of cante honde is called a saeta.
    For anglosaxon ears, the fact that saeta also translates Thunderbolt , as per OT, is NO COINCIDENCE!

    Even Romanrite , the church has a many mansions foretaste!

  32. Holy Thursday at the parish where I work.

    The Great Vigil at the parish where I work.

    7:30 Easter Sunday Morning at the parish to which I belong.

    Alas, I will be on the road on Good Friday picking up one of my sons from school.

    My oldest son, currently in the college seminary program, came home yesterday in order to participate in the entire Triduum at our home parish.

  33. Ellen says:

    I’m going to Good Friday and Holy Saturday. I’ll get to church on Friday early to make the Stations of the Cross and meditate. I’m looking forward to Holy Saturday because I am going to a church where they do it right. Then Sunday we celebrate my parent’s 60th wedding anniversary.

  34. Barnabas says:

    Holy Thursday and adoration tonight; Good Friday service at 3 (at my parish) or 7 (at a neighboring parish), depending on when I get out of work. All OF (I haven’t the time to find an EF Triduum in the DC/Northern VA area). I’m hoping I get to the earlier service so I can also go to Stations of the Cross tomorrow night. Then EF Low Mass at 6:15 Sunday morning at my home parish.

  35. Father G says:

    This will be my first Sacred Triduum as a priest; here is what my pastor has scheduled me to do:

    1) con-celebrate the Holy Thursday Mass(and have my feet washed),
    2) celebrate the Good Friday Pre-Sanctified Service in Spanish,
    3) sing the Exultet at the English Easter Vigil
    3) celebrate the Spanish Easter Vigil (I will be baptizing two adults and this will be the first time ever I will confirm).
    There is a beautiful fiddleback chasuble which I plan to wear for the Easter Vigil.
    4) hear confessions on Good Friday and Holy Saturday.

  36. yatzer says:

    I was planning to go Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. But I was sick earlier this week and have scaled back to Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

  37. KAS says:

    I wish I could do everything this year but I’m going to have to miss Vigil–Angie at 7 months is not up to being calm for that long service but I am taking her to everything else! And who knows, if enough of my friends with infants go to vigil, I’ll risk it to!

  38. Charivari Rob says:

    Just came back from Holy Thursday and a little time in Adoration at our own parish.
    Good Friday is up in the air yet – we’ll be on the road, just don’t know exactly when yet. May spend some time online before departure checking times at a couple of landmark parishes along our route.
    Vigil and/or Easter morning will be in NYC, either at a parish near my father-in-law or a parish where a priest friend is assigned.

  39. I voted “two plus Sunday”, but “two plus Vigil” was what I meant.

    Re: liturgical problems, I guarantee that being spaced out with sinusitis will make you focus on Jesus and prayer and let go of any bad or infelicitous stuff.

    Please pray for my pastor, btw. He was obviously not himself at Mass tonight, and there’s a lot of Holy Week still to go.

  40. ejcmartin says:

    Attended Holy Thursday at one parish, Good Friday at another, the Vigil at still another where the priest is the only one I know of that sings the Exultet, then Easter Sunday NO and later in day, the Extraordinary Form (Where there will be an adult Baptism!) My wife went out for Adoration while I stay home with the (sleeping) boys.

  41. frjim4321 says:

    Attendance at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper was down a bit. Glorious weather here which sadly puts a dent in church attendance. Altar servers were tremendous working with an adult emcee who was a great help. Noticed a partularly long line for receiving from the cup, there was actually a delay which is unusual here, so it seems like those who were here were very much into it. The washing of the feet was very smooth. It was probably the most reverent MLS since I’ve been here. Tomorrow (Good Friday) the weather is predicted to be stunningly beautiful, and sadly that might hurt participation in the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion. Church is pretty much all set for tomorrow, so the AM should be fairly non-hectic and prayerful. Everything is in order for the Vigil as well, so frankly the next 48 hours should be relatively calm. Bye for now. Fr. Jim (friend of Eastern Blue Birds)

  42. Ended up attending a Divine Liturgy at a local Byzantine church (looked like a former Roman church, by the stained glass windows and half the artwork). Afterward, I visited a nearby English-Polish-Spanish parish (Divine Mercy) to keep Jesus company for a few minutes, and then went to my parish to do the same.

    The homily I heard at the Byzantine church equated sex-offender priests to Judas: unfit for and unworthy of the priesthood! Yowza…

  43. capchoirgirl says:

    I did stay for adoration. The first time I’ve ever had my church do a REAL altar of repose. It was sooo pretty! We turned one of the church halls into a garden–the tall altar candles were there, flowers, it was great. rows and rows of chairs for people to stay. I left around 9:00…stayed for about a half hour…and there were a good amount of people left. Confession was being done at the same time so I hope people went to confession and then popped over to the altar of repose.
    A really nice Mass–very full. Standing room only! NEVER seen that for a Holy Thursday Mass.

  44. lavatea says:

    Had planned to go to everything except Mass on Sunday (going out of town to visit my Protestant family). I’m being Confirmed at the Vigil (at last!) and will use that to fulfill my obligation. I am attending the Good Friday service tomorrow. Didn’t make it to Holy Thursday tonight – my daughter woke up sick today, and I’m having some issues myself so I’m trying to take it as easy as possible.

    Happy Easter, everyone!

  45. capchoirgirl says:

    And only men at the washing of the feet. Hallelujah!

  46. Titus says:

    Just got back from the second disappointing Holy Thursday Mass in two years. Is it so hard to read rubrics and sing Ubi Caritas? I guess. Off in a moment to a tenebrae at the basilica, though, which will be superb.

  47. Latin! We sang in Latin, through dense plumes of incense! And do you know what? The congregation gets LOUDER when we sing in Latin.

    Louder than MSNBC or the NYT, I might add….

    Got us a young priest who’s for real. He and all the Lord’s faithful servants need our prayers and encouragement every day, not just during Lent. So let’s keep at it.

    Wishing everyone a blessed Easter!

  48. Bryan says:

    Let’s see…this week…
    Evening prayer last Sunday.
    Mass/recollection/penance Monday (served)
    Mass/recollection/adoration Tuesday (also served)
    Rosary last night (and was delighted to meet Jeff Pinyan! Yea!)
    Evening Mass tonight. Adoration. Just got home.
    MC at 3PM tomorrow.
    Retreat Saturday for the RCIA class.
    Easter Vigil where we ‘bring ’em in’.
    Read at 12PM Sunday.

    And I’m a lay person. How’s that for a Holy Week schedule. Yea, I do hold down a full time job, too.

  49. Jbuntin says:

    Attended Holy Thursday at my old N.O. parish because E.F parish I’ve been going to isn’t able to have the whole Triduum. So it will be Good Friday at the N.O. and then Easter Sunday at the E.F.

  50. For the Gospel of Life says:

    Good Friday service and Easter vigil (unfortunately, my job requires evenings, so I’m working Holy Thursday).

    One of my favorite homilies was delivered last year at this time at Holy Family Cathedral in Tulsa, OK – http://vultus.stblogs.org/2009/04/christ-is-risen-1.html .

  51. smallone says:

    OK…just got back from Holy Thursday mass, which I love, but could not stay for Adoration with two antsy 5 year old boys in tow.

    So I am not sure if I’m going to be able to get thru Good Friday alone with them. DH has to work. Maybe it will be one and Sunday.

  52. momoften says:

    We started with Tenebrae, then 2 Holy Thursday services(we serve a monastery and our parish.then just one Good Friday and then another Tenebrae… then Holy Saturday the boys will be split up between the Monastery and the Parish…and a talk on Saturday morning…Then Easter Sunday (thankfully) just one EF Mass…then—we have Benediction later in the afternoon…whew….exhausting but love it!!!

  53. donmar35 says:

    Went to 3 parishes not my own for adoration after Holy Thursday Mass. Never even heard of doing this growing up. Is there supposed to be a certain number of churches you visit?

  54. Tina in Ashburn says:

    Returned from Holy Thursday Mass tonight. Hope to attend two Good Friday observances including the evening stations of the cross. On Sunday, am excited to attend a High EF Mass, said by Fr deLadurantaye, Diocesan Secretary of the Liturgy, in the tiny creaky old church in Leesburg VA, my childhood parish. We lucked-out for this Easter morning EF Mass because of the first-and-third-Sunday schedule for the EF there.

  55. Will D. says:

    Just back from my parish’s Mass. Had to get a quick dinner in me. Now off to neighboring parish’s adoration, then back to my parish until midnight.

    My pastor introduced me to the idea of visiting other parishes for the adoration three years ago. I love it, and can’t imagine a Holy Thursday without visiting at least one other parish for a few minutes prayer.

  56. frjim4321 says:

    We had six women, two men, and one boy. Fr. Jim.

  57. Kate says:

    We just recently returned from Mass and visiting churches. This is a tradition I loved as a child and one that I keep up with my children. They really look forward to Holy Thursday night. After Mass, we spent some time in adoration at our own church and then visited three more.

    At the second church, (It is an inner city church, and the last few pastors have worked very hard at reaching out to the Latino community.) there were many people praying. Not everyone was adoring Our Lord; some were socializing. However, a wonderful young man reprimanded two women who were chatting and looking at cell phone pictures. They both stopped talking right away,put the cell phone away, and began to pray. It was great to see young people mixed in with the older crowd at that church.

    The other churches had a just few older parishoners adoring Our Lord. Why so few young people? It would be great if the priests would inform and invite people to stay and adore or visit churches. I think a lot of peole just don’t know about the tradition.

  58. benyanke says:

    I’m serving (have served) at Chrism Mass (Tue), Tenabrae (Wed), Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil and Sunday Morning. Then crash in bed.

    Very exausting week serving and coming (way way) early to everything.

  59. Julie says:

    I did not attend the Holy Thursday Mass at my parish and didn’t intend to. I’m still not quite over what I witnessed last year and did not want to subject myself OR my children to it again. Men, women and children got their feet washed while sitting in chairs across the Sacristy. And then after Communion the Priest instructed everyone to line up and come forward again and they proceeded to annoint everyone’s hands. They didn’t use water, they used oil. I’ve never seen anything like this done before and it really bothered me. We will likely attend the Passion service tomorrow afternoon and the Tenebrae service tomorrow evening. I would like to attend the Easter Vigil which is especially meaningful to us since 3 years ago my husband was received into the church and my children were baptised on this night. I’m not yet sure if we will also attend Mass on Sunday but probably not.

  60. Dr. Eric says:

    Fr. used The Roman Canon tonight. He uses it so very rarely that I didn’t catch that was what it was.

    There were 7 kids who are going to make their First Communion who were the only ones to have their feet washed.

    We sang “Gift of Finest Wheat,” “One Bread, One Body,” The Psalm was in E Major but the last three notes were G (natural) F (natural) and E (natural) it was really nauseating, I think it was something by Michael Joncas.

    I had hoped that we’d sing Pange Lingua- but we did the English translation.

    I guess I’ll have to get my Latin fix tomorrow.

  61. Peggy R says:

    I avoid our parish for Triduum. The bulletin forewarns of all being invited for footwashing. I’m not sitting through that. Having only 12 for footwashing, including females regrettably, at another nearby town is an improvement. Other than that, the pastor prays the Canon and Says the Black and Does the Red. The folk group, the main music at this parish, loves to sing “O God of Jacob” after communion nearly every time I attend up there. There was no music for the procession to the historic Log Church for exposition, which I did stay for. It would be a 10 mile trek at a minimum between towns for an adoration tour. I had not heard of it before. This pastor also tends to another small parish that has more traditional music and last year did sing Pange Lingua in Latin for the procession. He alternates between parishes each year. One parish hosts the entire Triduum each year. He explained that the liturgy begins tonight and extends through the Easter Vigil, at the end of which we will receive a final blessing. He also urged to quiet reverence in Church after tonight’s mass and through the Vigil.

    Sadly, during the readings and gospel, some cell phones went off. Fr. was a bit discombobulated when he was trying to find his voice to commence his homily. He’s a gentle, quiet-spoken man. He finally, in his gentle way, acknowledged he heard the cell phones and instructed folks to turn them off. That’s the first time I heard a priest have to say something about that during mass, though I’ve heard phones go off from time to time.

    I will attend either the Cathedral of our diocese or the same parish as tonight for Good Friday liturgy. I plan on taking the kids, though I worry about their ability to get through 1.5 hours of liturgy. I attended our parish Good Friday liturgy once. The GF prayers were grossly generalized and lumped together. But then they create and add their own rituals in place of what we already have. The OCP books without detailed text encourages this sloppiness and altering of intended text.

  62. Peggy R says:

    P.S. We won’t attend Vigil, but are debating whether to brave the insane crowd at our parish. [We dealt w/that for years in NoVa. Not interested in the madhouse of C-E Catholics being chatty and making a very crowded church.] We haven’t been to our parish yet on Easter. We may go to the parish up the highway again where I attended Holy Thursday Mass tonight.

  63. nzcatholic says:

    Couldnt go to the Holy Thursday mass due to work
    Went to traditional good friday service at 3p.m
    going to confession tomorrow
    Saturday night , easter vigil in Novus Ordo
    then Easter Sunday in traditional form

  64. I plan to attend Low Mass (EF) at Mater Ecclesiae in Berlin, New Jersey. For those of you looking, it’s at 261 Cross Keys Road, Berlin New Jersey at 8.30AM.

  65. Mark M says:

    Yep, going to all four at the FSSP’s Edinburgh apostolate. Am also singing Tenebrae in the Cathedral each day…

  66. Luce says:

    Attended Mass tonight with Adoration afterward. Gained a Plenary Indulgence since it is the first Thursday of the month in the year of the Priest and met all other conditions. This was escpecially important with the assualt against the Holy Father and our priests.

    Plan to attend one of Good Friday Services. Attending Easter Vigil Sat. since I know someone entering the Church, but will also go to Sunday Mass since that is our EF service. I’ve never been to the Vigil. When I entered the church last year it was with my ICKSP priest during the day on Holy Sat., not the Vigil.

  67. viennaguy says:

    I love how Father Z assumes everyone goes to the Sunday morning Mass, when in fact the majority here seem to prefer the Vigil + lie-in.

    Thursday, Friday, Vigil for me!

  68. Gaz says:

    For about the last 15 years, I have made a “vow of stability” for the Easter Triduum. I go to as much of it as is on in a single church – in the main, this has been my local parish. Many years ago, I foolishly did the OF AND EF trick and was an altar server at all of both. I realised then that I was missing the point. For the last 5 or 6 years with the exception of the year when I was a sponsor for a catechumen, I’ve been doing my best to build a better Triduum at my local parish. So, to the four mentioned, add Stations of the Cross but leave off Lauds on Holy Saturday. The trick, I think, is to pace yourself so that you can enjoy the Easter Octave properly.

  69. poohbear says:

    Going to Good Friday services this afternoon and Stations this evening. This will be my first time for Good Friday at my new parish and I am a little apprehensive. We have one priest who says the black and does the red, but the pastor makes things up as he goes. I am hoping for the best. Planning to go to Sunday morning Mass, but prefer the Vigil. Unfortunately I have to work Saturday evening this year.

  70. jmvbxx says:

    We attended mass yesterday evening in El Espiritu Santo in Barranquilla. Today we are going to a nearby town, Santo Tomas, for mass. Saturday and Sunday are back in our main parish (Espiritu Santo).

    I wouldn’t choose to pass this time without the intimacy, sense of purpose and community that these days bring.

    J

  71. catholicmidwest says:

    frjim4321,

    We had six women, two men, and one boy. Fr. Jim.

    Why? You have only 2 grown men in your congregation or what?

  72. Henry says:

    For the beautiful and reverent Holy Thursday Mass in our non-renovated old church, there were 12 men for foot-washing (and will be 14 women participating in the stations of the cross this afternoon).

    For the foot-washing, the 12 men came down the center aisle, and 6 proceeded to each transcept, where there are chairs before the side altars where people kneel after lighting candles, etc. Each man picked up his own chair and carried it to the designated place in the center before the high altar. As this happened, a rather traditional Catholic in the pew beside me — who ordinarily would never dream of making a comment during Mass — leaned over and whispered “Looks like a new Novus Ordo ritual, the Procession of the Chairs.”

  73. MaryAgnesLamb says:

    stayed for a bit of Adoration after. Hope to get to the Good Friday Service this afternoon–as of now looking a bit dicey.

  74. catholicmidwest says:

    Henry, =)

    Next it’ll get its own “liturgical lay minister of the high and holy chairs of charity.” Ack.

  75. HamiltonMom says:

    My husband attended Holy Thursday Mass. (I stayed home with the kids– they did not want to attend :( I am working on them!) Good news is that our Pastor washed the feet of men– no women. I am hoping to attend some services today and I am praying that I can attend the Easter Vigil.

    Both kids are off school today and next week. I am using this time to discuss the reason for this Easter Break. Today my soon to be 7 year old asked a lot of questions about the Crucifixion– I reminded him that is why we send him to a Catholic school v public school.

    Please pray for my 9 year old and 7 year old that they may have more vigor to attend these sacred services. Also pray for my sanity for the next 10 days — LOL

  76. Geoffrey says:

    Will attend the all of the Sacred Triduum liturgies, except for Easter Sunday. Stayed for adoration for about an hour.

  77. gloriainexcelsis says:

    Sadly, this year I haven’t been able to make any, for several reasons – illness, weather – everything that the devil has put in my way. I watched the beautiful chanting of St. John’s Passion on EWTN at Pope Benedict’s Good Friday broadcast and thought of how it will be at St. Stephen’s, Sacramento, today. The lovely coloratura ending was omitted at the Vatican, but the choir taking the part of the crowd was effective, I thought. BTW, Fox News has the whole Vatican Good Friday ceremony on its live stream. You can watch it on your computer if you don’t get EWTN. Oh! They interviewed Raymond Arroyo this morning on Fox, for his new book. He spoke beautifully about Mother Angelica, some pictures of her were interspersed. He also noted that young women are flocking to the traditional order, etc., etc. Good publicity. Plus Fox also showed the video for “Coming Home Catholics,” which is having an effect apparently. Thank you, Fox News.

  78. Wendy says:

    Everything that I can.

    Mass and Adoration last night.

    This afternoon, we have an outdoor procession Stations of the Cross, which takes place on the main street of our town, in the ½ mile from one of our parish’s two churches to the other.

    Then Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion and Veneration of the Cross tonight.

    Vigil of Easter tomorrow night. Last year I was so emotionally invested in my confirmation that my attention was divided between what was happening and what was about to happen, but this year I’m in! and the alleluias will be joyous.

    One of the Easter Masses on Sunday (I try to go to the early morning Mass, as the late-morning Mass has become a rave-up for the youth (loud gives me a migraine), but while the spirit is willing, this middle-aged flesh likes the sun to be well above the horizon before she sees it.)

    And then, to add to the magnificence of the start of the Octave of Easter – a Solemn High Missa Cantata down the road at Holy Ghost Church (thanks, ipadre).

    Why, yes, I do love this time of year. It doesn’t show too much, does it?

  79. Discipula says:

    Somehow every year I end up being the designated babysitter, even now when my youngest sibling is too old to need a sitter I end up sitting for someone. Perhaps I’ll be able to make the Vigil Mass but I’m not really planning on it.

    I did make it to Confession though.

  80. jpcullen70 says:

    Holy Thursday Divine Liturgy @ Byzantine Catholic Church, followed by assisting with the stripping of the altar. After that, spent 45 minutes in side chapel where the eucharist was located.

    Left and went to the local ICKSP oratory where the High Mass was ending and benediction started. Spent another 45 minutes there.

    Will attend Good Friday Vespers, followed by Procession of the Epitaphios of Christ to the tomb. Afterwards, will spend time in silence, meditating on the passion & death.

    Holy Saturday Liturgy & Easter Sunday Liturgy.

  81. If my energy holds out, I’ll make every event of the triduum. Here in México that is a lot, and it is emotionally intense. For instance — I just got back from the Viacrucis. Our parish has four neighborhood chapels. Started by walking about 1.5 miles over to Asunción chapel, then we made the Viacrucis through the streets, about 2 miles over to Divina Misericordia chapel, then a mile to get home. In this land steeped in Catholicism and in the blood of martyrs, making all the events is almost too strenuous, but I think I can hold out. Just one more walk, tonight, back to Asunción, from whence we will carry the body of Christ, in a glass coffin, guarded by flaming torches, back to San Antonio, the main church. Tomorrow — the Viamatris. Don’t know what this is, it is the first time I have seen it in the agenda, but I will know what it is by this time tomorrow.

  82. lux_perpetua says:

    all i have to say is, God bless Fr. James Mayor and the priest over at our lady of Lourdes in philadelphia. attended both on Thursday and this afternoon and it was, by far, the most beautiful NO liturgy i’ve ever seen in my life. chanting, a perfect mixture of Latin and English. Reverent silence during today’s Liturgy with the entire Gospel chanted. only men had their feet washed, with a beautiful procession in the beginning with 10 altar servers and then a bunch of little girls all dressed in white wearing veils.

    father’s homily, on wednesday, urged that, though we have options of how to receive our Lord, we should really open our hearts and think about what the proper posture should be to receive the greatest gift God has offered to man. so, Communion on the tongue at the altar rail for most. and veneration of relics from the True Cross and crown of thorns. can you tell it was grace-filled?

    unfortunately Mass for Easter will be at my parents parish, which is pretty much the polar opposite of what I have described. Kind of an anti-climactic end to everything

  83. Gwen says:

    I attended Holy Thursday Mass last night at our cathedral; our Bishop was the celebrant. Today we had Stations and the Passion, with our Bishop officiating the latter. Very moving, very good homilies–all about sin, reconciliation, sacrifice, redemption. He does a great job singing many of the prayers, and several in Latin. I was disappointed that he washed some womens’ feet, but other than that, all by the book and very very reverent.

    Tomorrow a.m. the Franciscans at our cathedral have a morning prayer service (LOTH, I think) that I’ll attend. Easter Vigil I get baptized and confirmed at my (soon to be ex) parish, then Sunday morning I’m reading at the same parish at 9:30 and hope to make an 11:30 Mass at the cathedral.

    So that should be 4 Masses and three other services.

  84. Agnes of Prague says:

    Praised be Jesus and Mary!

    *Holy Thursday Mass; after a very late dinner (started around 10! My Mass ended at 9) about an hour at the Altar of Repose
    *Good Friday–Tenebrae, Stations of the Cross, “Post-Meridial Liturgical Action”
    *Tomorrow… hoping to read some of Tenebrae by myself. Easter Vigil.

    This was my first “Tridentine Triduum.” Holy Thursday was unutterably amazing. I am very excited about the Vigil.

  85. Dr. Eric says:

    I just got back from the Good Friday Liturgy at St. Francis de Sales in St. Louis. It was over 3 hours long. The guy in front of me fell asleep at least twice. The Liturgy was beautiful. And, you wouldn’t believe how many young married couples were there with 3-4 kids and little babies.

  86. Penguins Fan says:

    Holy Thursday was at our local parish. As usual, we brought the 2 year old with us. As usual, we were late. My wife is from Colombia and i don’t think she has ever been on time for anything her entire life. The choir sang nice but it was with a piano, flute and guitar. I really want to go to the Pittsburgh Latin Mass at St. Boniface.

    Holy Friday was at the parish in South Oakland that hosts the Latino community. The servide began at 6:30 and our little guy was so hot he was sweating. This was followed by a procession of the body of Jesus and the Sorrowful Mother. I had to step out of the church a little early so my little boy would not get sick from the heat. I talked to the police officers who were leading and following the procession and they were not happy about the time of day of the procession given the neighborhood. it seems the local chapter of the Crips are not far away.

    Sunday Mass will be at my mother’s parish, a “cornerstone” of Modernism in the Diocese of Youngstown.

    One day, sooner rather than later, I am going to put my foot down as we are going to the TLM. I am okay with the Novus Ordo for Daily Mass but the way it is celebrated in Pittsburgh on Sundays in most parishes I have been to makes it come up short compared to the TLM.

    Oh, I did make it to confession on Wednesday. There were long lines…at 11AM Wednesday afternoon.

  87. Mother says:

    We have to find a true-to-Holy Mother Church corner of the country in order to live out our beautiful faith.
    We, as a family feel quite isolated. No services other than liberal, modernized, watered down liturgies etc.
    here in the Northeast.
    Meanwhile, we suffer and make sacrifices and travel for hours to attend the TLM.
    God help us!

  88. irishgirl says:

    Since I still can’t drive-hope to soon-I only went to a Holy Hour from 2 to 3 on Good Friday at our TLM chapel. A member of the congregation picked me up at my house and drove me back.

    No priest-we just did the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, the Stations of the Cross, and Veneration of the Cross. The latter is different from the way most churches do it: you walk up the main aisle, genuflect three times [both knees] on small kneeling pads, then bend down to kiss the feet of the crucifix. I had a hard time getting to my feet, so the ‘one-half’ of the couple who care for the chapel helped me to my feet [I’m getting old at 55!].

    Then Mass at noon Sunday. I’m singing with our ‘tiny choir’ as we did last week for Palm Sunday. I hope I won’t be ‘croaking’ instead of singing-had a little cold last couple of days. Then it’ll be Easter dinner at the house of the fellow who brought me to the Good Friday service. He’ll take me to his house, then back to my house in the evening.

    I wish we could have the Sacred Triduum! But the priests who say Mass come from out of town, and there’s so few of them.

    Fr. Charles-good preaching to you! May you have the fervor of the Apostles!

    Father G-how exciting! Your first Triduum! Your plans sound soooo cool!

  89. hawkeye says:

    Went to all of the Triduum services. Sadly, couldn’t go to my parish because they are awful there. Went to the priests’nursing home for all of Triduum liturgies as I was on my yearly Holy Week retreat at the convent whose nuns attend to the priests in the nursing home. It was quite awesome to see these very old priests celebrate each liturgy reverently as if there were crowds in attendance when only a few lay people were actually there. The nuns who attend to these priests are quite orthodox (refreshing to say the least)and made sure that each of the priests and two bishops who live there were properly vested.

    Went to Easter Morning Mass at yet another parish where the priest is orthodox. Too bad each place is about 30 miles from my home.

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