Give us a description of Palm Sunday at your parish as well as what is going on during Holy Week before the Triduum begins.
For my part, I will be involved with the Palm Sunday in the Extraordinary Form at Holy Innocents in Manhattan (NYC). Mass today will have Gregorian chant for the Ordinary and Proper.
Coat of Arms by D Burkart
on ROME 24/4– Day 34 (-7): The burial place of… PLATO?!?: “My baptismal anniversary. I’m mostly Scottish/Irish Catholic, birthed and educated by the Mercy Sisters during the height of the Troubles.…”
on ROME 24/4– Day 35 (-6): adventures in symmetry: “Father, it was perfect symmetry for two people. One cup handle facing one way and the other the other way.”
on ROME 24/4– Day 35 (-6): adventures in symmetry: “From a reader: “What are in the frames between the vestments?” Those are the priest’s vesting prayers. I’ll show more…”
on WDTPRS: 4th Sunday of Easter (Novus Ordo) – Mighty humble Shepherd, humble mighty flock: “Fr Z you are an inspiration in your knowledge about and love for the things of God and the church.…” on ROME 24/4– Day 32 (-9): Happy Birthday Rome!: “Holy cow that pasta. I wish we had smell-o-vision and taste-o-vision.”
on Three items of interest: a conversion, a connection, and a con job: “The German grind continues. It is in their nature.”
on Three items of interest: a conversion, a connection, and a con job: “Scary about the women. What I mean is this: it would be disheartening enough just to find out that a…” on Three items of interest: a conversion, a connection, and a con job: “I wonder what’s going on with these women. Don’t they know that the greatest example of womanhood is Our Blessed…”
on Three items of interest: a conversion, a connection, and a con job: “Fr.Z sez: It is really sad that some people still push this rock up the hill. Reminds one of Sisyphus,…”
on Three items of interest: a conversion, a connection, and a con job: “Alas, those men pushing for ordaining women. STILL trying to get women to do all the work. My mother warned…”
on Three items of interest: a conversion, a connection, and a con job: “Dear Dcn PB, I don’t see how the reality can be described differently than by saying that the one sacrament…”
on Three items of interest: a conversion, a connection, and a con job: “Most people, whether pro or con, misunderstand the history and practice of the female diaconate. The deaconess was a separate…”
on Your Sunday Sermon Notes: 3rd Sunday after Easter (N.O. 4th of Easter) 2024: “I remember only the joke at the beginning of the homily: Priests get four weeks of vacation per year. Some…”
on “you must not remember your forefathers…” Wherein Fr. Z rants.: “My children at one of the solid Chesterton Academies have been taught science and theology by an amazing young Catholic…” on Three items of interest: a conversion, a connection, and a con job: “What is it that changed about the Catholic Herald? Interesting interview by George Farmer. (If only the faithful could be…”
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A Daily Prayer for Priests
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St. Joseph’s Church
4163rd St. Troy NY
http://www.the-latinmass.com
Holy Week (Extraordinary Form):
Palm Sunday: Missa Cantata 12pm
Monday: Low Mass 12pm
Wednesday: Low Mass 12pm
Thursday: Solemn Evening Mass & night watch 630pm
Friday: Solemn Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion & Death 630pm
Saturday: Great Vigil and 1st Mass of Easter (Solemn) 8pm [Sacred Heart Church in Menands/North Albany]
Sunday: Solemn Mass of Easter 12pm
Regards to all involved with the Extraordinary-Form Masses at Holy Innocents — thanks for the memories!
St. Mary, Pine Bluff, Wis. / St. Ignatius, Mount Horeb, Wis. (Diocese of Madison)
Roman Missal of 1970
• Prelude: Hosanna filio David (English plainsong) w/Ps 117(118) (cf. Graduale Simplex)
• Chanted dialogues, acclamations, orations, and preface (English)
• Chanted ordinary (Sanctus XVIII, Agnus XVIII) & Lord’s Prayer (English)
• Chanted proper from the 1974 Graduale Romanum (Responsory, Offertory, Communion) and Lectionary for Mass (Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation)
• Two post-communion motets at the early Sunday Mass
• One post-communion hymn
• Exit in silence (introduced this year)
More comprehensive list: Music for Mass, Ordinary Form
Non nobis Dómine, non nobis, sed nómini tuo da glóriam.
What stood out for me was the homily the priest gave. He spoke about the Dutch people. Apparently before the 2nd World War the Protestants and Catholics bickered with each other. But then when they spent time together in the trenches, they realised that they were all just the same. After the war, they discussed the matter in the press and in conversations, and they realised that Europe was ruled by dictators. They then realised that the Papacy was a dictatorship, and they left the Church in droves. The priest said the leaders of the Church needed to get off their high horses, get unto their asses, and be humble in service.
That was the gist of our sermon.
By the time the Our Father arrived, what with the comments about asses and humility, I muttered something under my breath about the priest. I now need to go to confession.
My Parish has Low Mass said every week. So I just returned from Low Mass of Palm Sunday, I was surprised at how little was different, (Probably because it was low mass with little singing or the procession). 930 am is in the New Order, it will have some extra solemnity, but all the stops will be pulled for 11. A procession starting outside, All the old Chants in Latin, Plain Chant Ordinaries (We are saving the Missa Rosa Mystica for Easter Sunday) I think all of the Altar BOYS who did not serve at 4 sat 8 or 930 will be a part of the mass, so we are talking about a good dozen boys in our rather small sanctuary. I have to go to work :( at noon so I had to go to Low Mass (which I would not usually complain about, but I am a member of the Schola and am very sorry to miss the Solemn “High” Mass at 11
*sigh*
Palm Sunday: no reading of the Gospel prior to the entrance. No homily. Seated for the duration of the Passion reading (with only two people doing the Passion.) No music. The Crucifix was not covered, nor were any of the statues. Palms left in baskets at the doors of the church so you could take one when you left.
I was, however, thrilled to find in the bulletin that after the Holy Thursday Mass this year, they’re going to have adoration! I’ve missed having that. :#)
Procession today at our EF parish! This Holy Week we’re doing two days of Tenebrae in addition to the usual Tridium litugries.
Diocese of Superior in Wisconsin: Business as usual = bland and pedestrian.
St. Agnes’ in Amsterdam: Procession and Mass. I restrained myself and only took two photos after the hectic madness of last weekend.
The goings on during Holy Week are on the parish’s website. Everyone’s going to be exhausted at the end of it, I reckon.
Diocese of Lugano (Switzerland) Coldrerio,
The Crucifix was not covered… There was no Crucifix at all :-( No homily (Thank you my Lord). At the Consacration the priest told to stand (no one was on the knees) and invented a Canon.
It was a horror for me, thought after tree times of EF in Ascona.
I need confession.
Covered crucifix, statues and paintings. Confessions during Mass. If you live in Los Angeles, stop in: http://www.sppc.us. It’s a drive for most people, but always worth it. (And the normally scheduled 9:30am on-the-third-Sunday-of-the-month EF High Mass was moved to Easter Sunday-can’t wait!)
In the Zadar Archdiocese: choir sang Hosana Davidovu Sinu (Gregorian chant melody) before blessing of olive branches and the gospel reading, followed by procession to church with choir singing Zidovska su djeca (chant melody) and the hymn to Christ the King (chant). OF Mass in Croatian with Passion sung by a priest and two laymen. Two priests concelebrated and there were at least a dozen altar boys…
Skull kid. Unfortunately your pastor’s war history is a little shaky. Fighting in the trenches usually refers to WWI, which the Dutch never fought in. In WWII the Dutch were overrun by the Nazis so quickly there was little time to be in the trenches. The Dutch were mainly liberated by the Canadian and elements of the British Army.
Our best parish priest has to cover off four parishes. I obtained his schedule so the family will be traveling about a little over the Triduum. He is the only PP I am aware of in our Archdiocese that had all the crucifixes and images covered last Sunday.
The celebration I assisted at today was well…banal. The music sometimes caused me to TREMBLE……..TREMBLE…………..TREMBLE……….. the woman in front of me in the communion line threw candies at some children in a pew as she made her way to communion. Teens in front me decided they didn’t want to stand through the reading of the passion and sat and then got up and left. It was your garden variety Novus Ordo “we’ll take what we can get” Palm Sunday. I left uninspired.
This morning everyone began Mass in the narthax, Father blessed palms, then we processed into the sanctuary for the Gospel from Matthew and homily. Rest of Mass was as usual, adding that the little kids (2-6 yrs) left for Children’s Liturgy of the Word during the readings.
Holy Thursday we have footwashing, which to my chagrin is performed on 12 of the 7 year olds about to receive first communion rather than 12 adult men. Grr. After Mass we have Benediction.
Gospel and procession before Mass, but with a guitar-accompanied song based on the Hosanna Filio David text and “The King of Glory Comes,” followed by “All Glory, Laud, and Honor” (thankfully accompanied by organ, rather than guitar). Bach “Crucifixus,” and some stuff from the Gather hymnal. It will be pretty much like this the rest of the week–occasional musical high points, mixed with a lot of lows. The statues are not and will not be veiled. No confession time on Saturday, although I expect our parochial vicar would be happy to oblige if someone wanted to make an appointment.
The homily was unusually lackluster. “We enter this week, not burdened by the guilt of Christ’s pain and death, but with celebration and joy in what God has done for us.” He obviously hadn’t been meditating on St. Alphonsus Ligouri’s version of the Stations of the Cross… The deacon’s homily at the next Mass will probably be worse–he is so poorly catechized that he sometimes preaches heresy without knowing it. Pray for us.
Initial prayer and gospel outdoors then procession into the Church. Very nice. KofC in their finery. “All Glory Laud and Honor” for procession. A horn as well. We were told to sit for gospel. It was quite nice. We have a talented music director. [Though I wish more traditional music would be selected more often.] Palm Sunday is a long mass. God deserves all our time. But our PSR is after mass, so we were quite delayed getting to class. I am a teacher and my kids attend. I wish the parish would officially start class later on Palm Sunday.
My Holy week is similar to that of Maggie. Palm Sunday had the narthex to altar procession with the blessing of the palms and Gospel from Matthew, usual NO with yours truly lectoring for the 1st reading from Isaiah 50:4-7 and prayers of the faithful, and a blessing at the end of Mass and a combination of Cantor and the jr. kiddie choir for mid morning mass (not high noon or 11am). But a +1 for me was that even at the “children’s” Mass there was NO Children’s LOTW.
Holy thursday is the traditional way it goes in NO parishes, but we will have 12 laypeople getting their feet washed including 2 men of the Youth Ministry I’m in, not kids (Yep legal adult young men, one being an EMHC who holds that host in front of your face when he gives it so YOU SEE IT before he puts it in your hand). Oh yes there’s also Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the Altar of Repose till 10pm. Good Friday and Easter Vigil as usual liturgically with some help from the youth ministry holding up the cross during veneration on the Friday.
Yes it’s the Standard NO but at least is isn’t a horrendous liturgical mess and my church is a stone built edifice even inside, constructed in the 60’s just before Vatican II (albeit no Altar Rail though).
We had the gospel and procession, as well as standing for the duration of the later gospel reading. The choir broke “All Glory Laud and Honor” up into both the procession into and out of the sanctuary. I don’t remember the specifics of the homily, and the statues remain unveiled, but overall Holy Week at this parish is very solemn and well-celebrated.
Very nice today.
Our earlier Mass had simple form, opening Gospel, blessing of the palms, some good hymns, a to-the-point homily. Very encouraging that we saw the continuation of a recent trend – people coming back this spring, long slow trend of recovery from near-decimation of our numbers a couple of years ago. I’m not 100% sure, but I think more people at that Mass than any non-Christmas/Triduum Mass in that time.
Later Mass continuing annual tradition of Palm Sunday procession with a neighboring parish. This year was the turn to gather here and process through the streets to the other parish.
We share a pastor and priests with 2 other neighboring parishes. Holy Thursday will have the three parishes together at one Mass. One of the other parishes will be hosting this year.
For Palm Sunday the entrance song was sung by a group of 2nd to 5th graders accompanied by piano. For the reading of the passion, the Priest asked that the people read the part of Jesus along with him. The children returning to the sanctuary after their “children’s liturgy” came in noisily during the homily, so I missed a lot of what was said.
Holy Thursday, wear your sandals so you can get your feet washed without delay for removal of socks and shoes. Holy Saturday will be a bilingual mass with alternating English and Spanish for each reading and the homily done twice, once in English and once in Spanish. If the weather is inclimate I guess we will haul the Weber grill into the sanctuary for the first part of Holy Saturday like they did last year. How I wish we could be blessed with an EF mass closer than 100 miles away!
I belong to a brand-new parish that meets in a rented elementary school gymnasium. All things considered, things went pretty well. We started out in the school hallway and processed in with our palms. The passion was well read, and everybody stood through it. In general, our music is above average for what you find around here. Our bishop came to see us last week, and he corrected a few things we were doing wrong. I was glad to hear that our pastor wasn’t at all embarrassed to say so. We don’t have any statues that need covering, although it would be great if we could figure out a way to cover up the basketball hoops.
N Lincs (UK): EF Mass. Antiphon, Hosanna Filio David (plainsong), Blessing of Palms (all Latin). Procession: antiphons and Gloria Laus hymn; Ingrediente. Mass proper and common XVII, plainsong. Sung Passion in Latin. Statues and crosses all covered. In short, everything normal and done properly.
Palm Sunday and Holy Week at the Marian Shrine of Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, MA. It is a commute but well worth it. Hope to visit every Sunday. I saw people of every age (many children as well as older folks), ethnicity and walk of life and it was very crowded. Songs from a hymnal used at small and large parishes as well as cathedrals around the country included one contemporary hymn by a Jesuit composer which my family knows by heart. Silence in the sanctuary before, during, and after the Mass. Gospel, Passion, homily, prayers voiced with care, profound reverence and humility. People were gracious and smiling afterwards. One gentlemen still singing the recessional song to himself outside on way to car. Welcoming, cheerful and sacred, altogether.
When we were settling in I glanced at my 10 year old son who was staring at the beautiful image of Divine Mercy at the tabernacle with awe, his mouth formed into a slight smile. He followed along with the reading of the Passion and is having a pleasant afternoon, out and about.
Additionally I was privileged today to be able to read another excellent Palm Sunday homily, from a priest from afar, listened to the monastic prayers of a hopeful community of sweethearts also quite far away, and now have read the Holy Father’s beautiful homily of ascent and pilgrimage.
All told I look to the words of an “old friend” — obviously she sums it up in a way that I never could.
“When we see that Savior before us with the eyes of faith as the Scriptures portray him, then our desire to receive him in the bread of life increases. The eucharistic bread, on the other hand, awakens our desire to get to know the Lord in the written word more and more deeply and strengthens our spirit to get a better understanding.”
St. Rita’s in Arlington, VA: Blessing of palms outdoors, procession into the church set to “All Honor, Laud and Glory” accompanied by trumpets, all images veiled in purple, Gregorian chanted propers in English and Latin, everyone stood throughout the reading of the Passion, chanted canon (in English, versus populum), chanted Sanctus XVIII and Agnus Dei XVIII, post-communion hymn (something attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux), exit in silence.
We began outside, then processed in. The children’s choir led the procession and waved their palms for the whole of the Hosannah song, and then sat with their families. We sat for the second Gospel Reading. We have no statues, other than our Risen Jesus Crucifix, which was not covered. Otherwise, nice and solemn (right up until the final blessing when Father asks if there are any visitors and talks to each visitor from the altar). We left in silence.
This year, there is a morning prayer service to introduce people to the Liturgy of the Hours on Thursday and Friday, as well as the evening Mass/service.
Covered statues since Passion Sunday in my little TLM chapel. Had nice potted palms plants with purple ribbons on the altar and in front of the statues of Our Lady and the Sacred Heart. Our ‘little choir’ sang a few hymns a’capella [I screwed up on the timing a few times-sigh). The priest read the Passion of St. Matthew at the altar in Latin, along with the Epistle, then did St. Matthew’s version of the entry into Jerusalem in English, then later on for the Last Gospel in Latin.
Good Friday we will have a Holy Hour at 2:00: Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, Stations of the Cross, and Veneration of the Cross. It’ll all be done by one or two of the men in the parish-the priests won’t be coming to do it.
We’re pretty simple around here…
OF
Solemn Entrance beginning in the vestibule
Hosanna Filio David (choir & congregation)
Gospel at the Door
All Glory, Laud, & Honor
Confiteor & Sung Greek Kyrie
A capella Psalm (cantor/choir & congregation) (positively haunting)
Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ
Gospel proclaimed by Deacon
A fantastic homily
Dismissal of the Elect (a few soon-to-be Catholics!)
O Sacred Head Surrounded
Sanctus (Latin)
Chanted Lord’s Prayer
Agnus Dei (Latin)
Soul of My Savior
Were You There
We are truly blessed!
Opening Antiphon: Hosanna to the Son of David
Processional: All GloryLaud and Honor
Offertory: Miserere (Allegri)
New Plainsong Mass
Communion Antiphon from simple English propers,
Postcommunion Hymn: O Sacred Head Surrounded
Recessional: Adoramus Te Christe (Dubois)
Statuary covered in red, lots of palms, Benedictine altar arrangement, fine vestments and vested altars.
Our small mission (soon to be parish) can be proud. There were confessions before Palm Sunday Mass. Then Father processed in with six altar servers as the congregation sang “All Glory Laud and Honor.” Palms were blessed and Father sang the antiphon, Hosanna filio David. Father sang Pueri Hebraeorum, portantes and Pueri Hebraeorum vestimenta.Distribution of palms took place at the altar rail. People kissed the palm and Father’s hand as they accepted the palm. Father washed his hands in silence then sang the Gospel of the Procession with congregation answering the introduction as usual. Father and servers processed through the church as congregation sang “All Glory Laud and Honor” again. At the end of procession Father sang Ingrediente Domino and said the final pryer. He changed from red to violet vestments, went to the altar for the Introit and Mass was said, with Father reading the whole of St. Matthew’s Passion. After Mass the congregation sang “To Jesus Christ Our Sov’reign King.”
For the Triduum, some of us are gathering at 8a.m. each morning to chant Tenebrae with Father.
On Holy Thursday there will be a 7p.m. sung Mass. There will be no foot washing. Our small choir will chant the entry antiphon (Introit) as Father and servers process in and will sing Mass of the Angels, since that is what most are acquainted with. The Gloria will be accompanied by bells. After Mass the Blessed Sacrament will be taken to the altar of repose, with Pange Lingua being sung, closing with Tantum ergo. Altars will be stripped with antiphon Diviserunt sibi vestimenta mea… There will be adoration until midnight. On Good Friday – confessions followed by 2p.m. Stations of the Cross. At 3 p.m. will be the Solemn Good Friday Liturgy. Father will chant the whole of St. John’s Passion (God bless him – and he has a wonderful voice). The Solemn Prayers will be said with congregation responding. Veneration of the Cross will follow with Ecce lignum. Hymns, Ah, Holy Jesus, O Sacred Head and Stabat Mater. Holy Saturday at noon will be Blessing of Easter food/baskets, followed by Confessions. At 8p.m. will be the Easter Vigil Mass – Blessing of new fire and Pascal candle procession into Church with Lumen Christi and responses, responses to Paschal praise. 4 lessons, 1st part of Litany of Saints, Blessing Baptismal Water, Procession to font and Sicut Cervus, renewal of baptismal promises, 2nd part of Litany while Father and servers prepare for Mass, then Mass of the Easter Vigil (Lux et origo). Bells at the Gloria. After Communion – Lauds. Recessional Jesus Christ is Risen Today. Sunday morning Low Mass. For a little church of 35 some households, we take our Liturgy seriously. Father Scott Allen FSSP is a gem. May God give him length of days. I miss St. Stephen’s in Sacramento, but God has led me to a good place.
Blessing of palms in back of church. Father wore a beautiful red chasuble. Two people read the passion (the narrator was one of those slow and dramatic readers – sigh). Excellent sermon. We sang the Sanctus and Agnus Dei in Latin and also the reponsorial (Mortem Tuam).
This is a new pastor so I am looking forward to Holy Thursday. Also, he has a lovely voice and I am REALLY looking forward to hearing him sing the Exultet.
My apologies to Fr. and the readership, but I got this in the wrong thread the first time.
Alas, my cousin, Fr. Paul Nord, OSB and I were blessed to hear Palm Sunday Mass at the Mainzer Dom (Mainz Cathedral) in Mainz, Germany today. It was quite by accident that we went to this Mass, as I don’t think my cousin realized that there was a Mass at 10AM there. We just went in to hear Terce at 9:30. My German is rather poor after 20 years, but the overall experience was very positive. Started in the courtyard with blessing of the branches (olives perhaps?) with Fr. “in choro” and Palestrina’s Pueri Hebraeorum sung by 50 girls in the “Maedchenchor” and as healthy smattering of Gregorian Chant in Latin, along with some obligatory German works including congregational material, Christus Factus Est chanted before the Passion, with congregation joining in (or attempting to join in) the refrain after the verse, and the Maedchenchor and Maennerstimmen singing the Passionsgesaenge by J.S. Bach between parts of the reading of the Passion narrative. After Mass, we headed to the hotel and packed to get on a train to Baden-Baden, to fly to Rome. I’m currently at S’ant Anselmo, and had my best meal in 6 months tonight, complete with Italian wine. I’m on R&R from Afghanistan.
Sang “Vexilla regis prodeunt” as a prelude. Blessing of palms in the narthex, procession in to “All glory laud and honour”, clergy in beautiful red vestments, six people (mostly clergy but also a couple of lay readers) read the Passion Gospel very quietly and reverently, “Popule meus” at offertory, Bruckner’s “Christus factus est” at communion, recessional “To Jesus Christ our sovereign king”. Very solemn and reverent throughout. And the place was absolutely packed – standing room only and many people I have never seen before. Handbell practice afterwards for two hours . . . !
The Bruckner was particularly good. We have been rehearsing it for weeks and I think did as well with it as a small choir could. Heard from some of the congregation who were very impressed, both with the music and the tie-in to the Epistle for the day.
It is now the middle of the Sunday afternoon, and time to reflect on Palm Sunday and look forward to the entire Holy Week.
Our Palm Sunday went “by the book” as it should. Blessing of Palms was in the Crypt Church as it was too cold to do it outside this year. (We do it outside unless the weather absolutely forbids it.) Pretty well the entire congregation participated. After Father blessed the palms, he distributed them individually (kiss the palm, kiss the hand, kiss the palm, kiss the hand…) to all while the choir chanted the appropriate verses. Following that was the reading of the Gospel, then a formal Procession with people following around the block that the church sits on. As is our custom, we stop at the door of the church while a couple of men chant the “Gloria, laus et honor” back and forth with the choir and people outside the door. Once that is complete, the celebrant takes the processional cross and knocks on the church door three times. From what I understand this is an old custom representing Christ entering Jerusalem. (I’m a convert so some of these traditions, I am unable to explain, though I like this one.) Then all enter the church, followed with the closing prayer for the Procession and Mass begins.
For Palm Sunday, the Passion is chanted by the celebrant and two other men. We are blessed to have men with strong voices and willing to chant this long piece. The choir and people provide the appropriate responses. All this while standing and in all the years that I have been involved people do NOT complain about the standing. They might complain about fussy children, tired feet, etc, but no one indicates we should be allowed to sit. The rest of the Mass as usual (without the final Gospel today), a Holy Week starts.
The remaining part of Holy Week will consists of our last server practice Monday evening (for the Easter Vigil), on Wednesday evening will be Thursday’s Tenebrae chanted is possible by the schola. We usually do this Wednesday evening to allow people to come, listen to the wonderful schola and experience Matins and Lauds for the Triduum. Thursday evening will be Mass in white (all other statues and pictures are covered in purple as they have been for Passiontide), with the Mandatum (Father washed the feet of 12 MEN), then a Procession down to the Crypt Church for the Altar of Repose until midnight. (There will be buses from neighboring parishes that travel around to the churches that do Adoration.) Following this, will be the formal Stripping of the Altars (minus candlesticks) with choir and then Compline before the end of this day.
The next day, Good Friday, will start with Tenebrae in the morning – this time a bit simpler in English, but none the less still very meaningful psalms as we put the candles on the hearse out one by one. Admittedly, it is not the same and in the dark of night (we do this at 9AM), but worth making the time to attend. Then preparations for Good Friday begin.
We will do the complete Passion, chanted by the celebrant and two other men, the Prayers (complete with the revised one for the Jews), Veneration of the Cross (which will consist of Father and all the servers removing shoes, going to the back of the church, and walking up the aisle, genuflecting 3 times) to kneel and kiss the Cross. Then the people will come up and venerate the cross as well while the choir chants the appropriate versus. Following that, the cross will be placed on the altar, and the Communion Rite. Father will leave to fetch the Blessed Sacrament, the proceed from the back of the church while the choir sings a most beatiful “Adoramus te, Christe” as Our Lord is carried to the Altar. We will have Communion, repose the Blessed Sacrament, say the final prayers, and then process out of the church in silence. Later in the day, all crosses will be uncovered.
Next day, Holy Saturday, will begin with Tenebrae as well at 9AM. From what I remember, these Psalms are the ones that always tell me how really prophetic the Psalms are. Yes, I know they are, but these really speak to the coming events yet in the Triduum. Following Tenebrae the church will be made ready for the Easter Vigil.
Because we will have two services (one in the Ordinary Form and one in the Extra-ordinary Form) the statues will be uncovered in preparation for the first service. The Altar Society ladies will do some decorating in the sanctuary and I will spend some time gathering items for a fire, candles for the people, things needed at the credence tables, talking with Father about what will happen, etc. Eventually, I will go home – for a bit. We will return after the earlier service is complete, and the same Knights of Columbus that first purpled the statues, and then uncovered them, will cover them once again for the unveiling at the Extra-ordinary Form. We will light the fire just before the appointed time, gather all servers, and proceed to the fire. Father will bless the fire, then the candle, we will process into the dark church with the “Lumen Christi” said three times.
I should stop at this point since I am getting long. Father asked about “YOUR Palm Sunday and Holy Week” and I wanted to get something posted. Later in the week I will describe the expectations for the Easter Vigil.
Did I mention anything about wishing I had an apartment closer to the church? I, as well as my family, will spend a great deal of time there. I still think this is Holy Mother Church’s way of keeping us off the street and out of harm in preparation for the Easter Vigil.
Gospel, procession with palms and incense everywhere, and a good, stiff homily from Father about fasting. And no, we did not TREMBLE…..TREMBLE….TREMBLE….. There’s hope out here in the Diocese of Youngstown!
Oh yes, and Father ranted about the repentant thief asking the Lord to remember him when He enters His kingdom, and what will Our Lord think of us when we crave admittance???
EF Mass in McLean, VA..Fr. Paul Scalia, pastor…a somewhat slow start in the parish hall…beautiful chant as we walked to the Church…gorgeous singing from Choir…a young religious priest and Fr. PS helped the elderly celebrant chant the gospel…no homily…overall, extremely reverent…usual sized crowd for EF Mass. I felt very blessed to be there.
Opening: Hosanna to the Son of David
Processional: All Glory Laud and Honour with Trumpet (+ Pipe organ)
Psalm: sung and accompanied
Gospel with Acclamations including the ones within the Passion (My people…)
Offertory: Stainer: God So Loved the World
Sanctus, Amen, Agnus: Latin chant
Communion: Propers
Anthem: Mozart: Ave Verum
Recessional Hymn: Sing My Soul the Song of Triumph
All statues are covered except for the large crucifix at the front of the church.
Looking forward to a REAL DEACON proclaiming the Exultet at the Vigil!
A nice comment by the priest who is stationed at our parish for a few months that it was the best he has heard in many years (which is also a little sad).
no procession or first Gospel;
palms blessed before any of the Masses, on tables near doors;
altar decorated with palms along with weekly flowers (GIRM 305 notwithstanding)
prayer and general blessing from Missallette in lieu of penitential rite, holy water sprinkled only from first row of pews;
Gospel read by Father and 2 women; no homily;
Sanctus-Mass of Creation; childish sing-songy Agnus in 3/4 time; can’t recall entrance hymn; Offertory-2 verses of “Lord of all Hopefullness”; Communion-cantor solo “The Holy City”; Recessional-1 verse “Lift High the Cross”, followed by general eruption of social conversation
sigh.
ON the other hand, it’s about the only place I know of locally to have Confessions heard during Holy Week–4-5pm Wed thru Sat, and Sat am11-12 as well, for which I offer a prayer of gratitude for the dedication of our 2 priests.
For Palm Sunday: In the church hall, blessing of palms along with an Epistle and Gospel reading. After Matins finished, we processed into the church for the Divine Liturgy. After Liturgy, we had a parish confession service where four priests were available for confession.
For Holy Week: We have the Liturgy of the Lord’s Supper on Thursday, Good Friday Vespers and Procession on Friday, Holy Saturday Divine Liturgy and Pascha Divine Liturgy on Sunday.
Christ has Risen!
Indeed he has Risen!
As yet our crucifixes are uncovered and today the altar was surrounded by cacti. However, we did have a first Gospel and procession into the church as our palms were blessed. Everyone stood for the passion reading except for me at various points trying to keep the kids under control. No homily.
I’ve never attended an EF Palm Sunday before, and I must say I was impressed!
I was at St. Anthony’s in Calgary, AB, which has the FSSP doing the TLM. We also have an FSSP mission going on tonight and the next two nights, so we had an extra FSSP priest from the Nebraska seminary hearing
confessions before, throughout mass, after mass (he was also helping out last night too) and assisting with communion.
I was mistaken in an earlier post about our procession. We did have it during our noonish high mass. Thanks to last night’s snow storm and the continued snowing today, we had to have the procession inside. The gospel was sung, our palms we blessed and distributed to us. (I regret wearing lip gloss. *sigh*)
The Passion was sung by just the priest and we stood through it until the kneeling part.
Father’s homily was suprisingly short compared to his usual 25ish minute homilies. It was only 15 minutes or so on the signifcance of the ass and colt and about humility.
Everything was still veiled and music was done accapella. It was a little chaotic as there’s usually only a 30 minute gap between masses, so even at quarter to the other parishioners were still leaving. Mass was a little longer than the usual 80 minutes. Only around two hours (I really don’t chronically check my watch during mass), which didn’t bother me (some older women complained about it in the washroom afterwards, but really!); it makes the four hour round trip drive to and from Calgary more justifiable.
Holy Week will be, I assume, how it usually is done, including a late night Easter Vigil. Sadly I can’t afford the time nor the gas to drive in for the Triuum, but I will make it to the Easter Mass! Oh, I really don’t want to move away next week. I’m going to miss these masses. :-(
Small parish in England. Procession, Hosanna Filio David, and All Glory Laud and Honour. Sanctus and Agnus Dei in Latin, Mass XVIII. Christus Factus Est sung by yours truly. O Sacred Head Sore Wounded at the Offertory. Crux Fidelis at the Communion. Ave Regina Caelorum at the end (we’ve been doing this all Lent). Statues and crosses all veiled. We’re gradually increasing the amount of Latin and Chant. Brick by brick. To quote St Edmund Campion: “It is of God. It cannot be withstood”.
Mater Dei Community at St Lawrence Church
110 State St. Harrisburg, PA http://www.hbglatinmass.com
EF Missa Cantata. Blessing of palms then given out by priest at the rail to everyone. Procession of palms around the block while chanting” Gloria Laus et honor”…. Father wore a red cope then switch to violet baroque cut chasuble for the mass. Capuchin priest visited to help father read the Passion in latin and helped distribute communion. Actually had a couple interested non-catholics follow the procession and listened to some of the mass before the Passion was read.
We started outside,had palms blessed, heard gospel, processed in to church. All stood for 2nd gospel reading with congregation taking all non-Jesus speaking parts, father taking all Jesus’ words, and narrator finishing with the rest. We heard to-the-point homily. The rest was as usual. Our statues and crucifix remain veiled.
As for the rest of the week, on Holy Thursday we will have washing of the feet. Those getting feet washed are nominated by congregation and then chosen (by Father??? using some criteria???) as recognition for their service so it will be mixed gender foot washing (ugh). On the bright side, after this mass there will be Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at the alter of repose until midnight. Good Friday services will be at noon and include veneration of the cross, followed by confession until 2:00. Easter Vigil is beautiful and moving with the start in darkness. We have several new Catholics entering the church at the Easter Vigil.
St. Pat’s, Columbus, OH:
At the Noon Mass, we had choir, brass and solemn procession. Lots of incense. Used the gold processional cross, which was decked with palms and red ribbons. Standing for the gospel, two readers + priest, and a nice homily afterwards. A very lovely Mass.
This week we have solemn vespers on M, T, and W, with confessions after; confessions on Holy Thursday after the Eucharistic Procession (adoration until 11:45 pm), and confession from noon to 2:45 on Good Friday. We are also having three Dominican student brothers (we’re a Dominican parish) from the House of Studies in D.C. give meditations on the 7 Last Words before service at 3:00. Tenebrae that night. Vigil at 9:00 pm on Saturday, and then four Masses on Sunday–two with incense, two without. It’s a busy week at our parish!
Ushers passed out palms before 9:30 mass; I guess they blessed them at the 8:00 Mass or last night at the 5:00.
Holy Thursday Mass: Must be 8th grade male or older to have feet washed (good).
Some parishes are having meditation services Friday night, but the Good Friday liturgy is at the normal time of noon.
Easter Vigil here will start at 8:30; sunset 8:34. Daylight Savings gets in the way of trying to start Easter Vigil in the dark. Years ago it started at 7:30 so we are making progress. The newly remodeled church down the street has a nice firepit outside the church.
St. John’s, B-Town, IN:
When entering the church everyone took a palm and gathered in the attached gym. There Father, wearing a beautiful red cope, led the open service, the choir chanted the opening antiphon, and then everyone followed the procession from the gym to the sanctuary while the choir sang, “Hosanna in excelsis”. Then we sang all verses of “All Glory Laud and Honor” for the opening hymn. Plenty of incense, the statues draped in purple, the crucifixes draped in red, and potted palms decorated the altar. We all stood for the duration of the Gospel, with Fr. reading the word of Jesus, with two laymen reading the other parts (we have no deacons at our parish). For some reason Fr. didn’t change out of his cope until after the homily, but he did return wearing a matching red fiddleback, which also matches the chalice veil and burse. Mass was as reverent as usual, with the occasional screaming toddler, but that didn’t bother me. Some chant for communion, the music director is good at introducing a little chant here and there. Recessional hymn was “To Jesus Christ Our Sovereign King” . I’m looking forward to Holy Thursday since today’s Mass was done well. Unfortunately I will miss the Good Friday and Easter Vigil services since I will be visiting relatives and attending Easter Sunday Mass in a different part of the state.
Tiny (previously very rural area) church. There is only one aisle, no side aisles. Pews are on either side. To go to communion, start from the back, and go forward. Everyone exits the pew with those next to the walls going first.
Palms in a basket inside. Instructed to take a couple and go to our pews, Father starts at the back of the church and asks everyone to stand and hold up the palms. He did a blessing and sprinkled all of us and our palms with Holy Water. Then the Gospel reading before the Procession. Instead of a procession we all waved our palms. the Choir in the choir loft sang “All Glory, Laud, and Honor”
Fonts had Holy Water, but there was no Passiontide veiling. Another woman asked about it, but I did not hear the answer.
The parish is staffed by Trinitarians, and their primary mission is prison ministry (there is a large number of Maryland State prisons in Jessup) two of the three priests and a deacon did the Passion readings.
This is the parish that is geographically closest to our house, but not the one we regularly attend (on post at Ft. Meade) nor our geographical parish (“in the catholic tradition” not Catholic Parish of…)
Small, nice and not usually crowed, even on the Cultural Catholic holy days.
Yesterday, Lazarus Saturday, we had Divine Liturgy to commemorate the raising of Lazarus from the dead.
Today on Palm Sunday, or Flowery Sunday as it is called in Ukraine, we had pussy willows blessed at the beginning of liturgy and handed out, then at the end of Liturgy there were blessed palm fronds as well to take home.
Great and Holy Monday will commemorate the unproductive fig tree that the Lord curses as he walks outside Jerusalem.
Great and Holy Tuesday will commemorate the Lord’s parable of the the wise virgins.
Great and Holy Wednesday will commemorate the betrayal of the Lord by Judas, and the anointing of the Lord by Mary at Bethany.
April 21: Great and Holy Thursday
9:00 am Divine Liturgy
7:30 pm Vesper-Divine Liturgy
April 22: Great and Holy Friday
9:00 am Matins of the Passion of Our Lord
12:00 pm Royal Hours
3:00 pm Royal Hours
7:30 pm Great Vespers of Burial; Procession to the grave
April 23: Great and Holy Saturday
9:00 am Jerusalem Matins
9:00 pm Resurrection Matins and Divine Liturgy
April 24: Pascha (Easter) Divine Liturgy 9:00 am
Followed by Blessing of Baskets and Breakfast
April 25: Bright Monday Liturgy 9:00 am
We held a Palm Sunday procession through the streets surrounding St. Joseph’s Church, Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Slideshow: http://www.latinmassfitchburg.blogspot.com
Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More
Tallahassee, Florida
11:45 Mass – Began outside with the Blessing of the Palm Branches and Gospel Reading, followed by a simple procession back into the church with the choir singing only three verses of “All Glory Laud and Honor”. Choir was quite good (they usually lean heavily towards Haugen-Haas), but could not have done the Mass without the obligatory “Were You There” during Communion. Gospel reading was normal, with a good narration from our parish deacon. The priest gave a short but decent homily (he usually does, down to earth and to the point) . Rest of the Mass went as usual. There was no Recessional Hymn, though, doing a “departure in silence”.
The rest of the week will be an active one, with Tenebrae, Holy Thursday (yes, women will be participating in the foot washing), and one of the Good Friday stations will be done on the grounds of the local university by the excellent Catholic Students Union (very devout young people there). Easter Vigil will be contemporary but joyous, with many people entering the Church and receiving the Sacraments (the parish has a great RCIA program in which I participate – I am very proud of our catechumens and candidates!).
Overall, a normal Holy Week in a contemporary Post-Vatican II parish.
Both the priest and the lector spoke English with an accent that rendered them borderline – I am not exaggerating – incomprehensible. Apart from some snippets it did not even sound like English.
Sadly, my most vivid memory of this year’s palm Sunday was that our parish decided to abridge the reading of the Passion, leaving out large chunks. Even my daughter, whom I did not think sensitive to this, remarked that she noticed it and that it bothered her a great deal. Of course, as per usual, we all held hands at the Our Father. Sigh.
On a bright note, at least during lent we actually have a sung Agnus Dei. The cloud to the silver lining is that almost no one in the congregation sings it–although they sure do belt out ” on Eagles Wings” et al.
No covering of statues, etc…
We did have a lovely beginning, out in the side garden, with a reading of the Gospel, Father blessing the palms, and a procession.
Palm Sunday = Liturgical Abuses, Father Ab libbing the Mass, Pouring of the Precious Blood after the Consecration, lame homily..le sigh.