Now that we are officially in Holy Week, The Great Week of the Church, and a week and time period I doubt that any of us will ever forget, I wanted to provide you some articles that I have written over the years as well as liturgical resources for you to enjoy this Holy Week as best as you can while still being quarantined and social distancing.
Personally, I love Holy Week! It is my favorite time in the Catholic Church’s liturgical cycle. The entire week is just amazing. Between the Chrism Mass and then the Sacred Triduum, and of course Easter Sunday, this week does not get any better. These days are truly the High Holy Days of Catholicism.
Although this is a very unorthodox Holy Week, as Fr. Will Schmid of San Francisco de Asis in Flagstaff, AZ said today in his Palm Sunday homily, this good could the best Holy Week you will ever have. This week could allow you to focus on your spiritual life and engage this week like we have never before because of the current situation we find ourselves in.
The live-streaming of Masses, Stations of the Cross, and other prayer services for all of us is difficult, but I will say that it has allowed my family and me to increase our prayer life and allowed us to focus on Christ more during this Lent, although we are not receiving Our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament, which has been really difficult. In addition to our nightly prayers, which we have been praying consistently since the beginning of Advent, we have added watching Daily Mass with the Northern Fathers, praying a Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 3:00pm, and praying the Surrender Novena. We hope to add the Angelus and Regina Caeli (Easter) this week.
Please continue to do what our civil authorities have encouraged us to slow the spread. Remember to Stay Safe, Stay Healthy, and most importantly, Stay Holy.
Below are 10 articles that I have written on Holy Week. If you have not read them already, I hope you will take the time to read them this week. Below my articles are liturgical resources for Holy Week.
My articles:
4. The Chrism Mass and Sacramental Oils Explained
5. Quick Lessons from the Catechism: The Last Supper and the agony at Gethsemani
6. Was Jesus’ Last Supper Actually a Passover Meal or was it Something Completely New?
7. The Four Cups, the Last Supper, and the Cup of Consummation
8. The Crucifixion of Our Lord
9. “Mondays with Mary” – Holy Week with the Mater Dolorosa
10. “Mondays with Mary” – Reflecting on the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Cross
Holy Week Liturgies:
1. Saint Mary Magdalene Catholic Church (Gilbert, AZ)
2. Holy Week from the Diocese of Phoenix
3. Live Stream – Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist
4. The Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter
5. Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (Latin Mass)
6. Liturgies from the Holy Spirit Friary (Franciscan University of Steubenville)
7. EWTN
8. Word on Fire
9. Live Liturgy (Eastern Catholic North America)
10. Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles
Our Lady of Monte Berico…Pray for Us
Saint Joseph…Pray for Us
Saint Rocco…Pray for Us
St. Charles Borromeo…Pray for Us
All Holy Men and Women…Pray for Us
Like what you read today? Sign up here to receive emails sent directly to your inbox
Categories: Holy Week
TOM PERNA 
Hi Tom,
I so enjoy your posts. This is a strange time for us, but like you and Megan, Lorraine and I are growing in our prayer life together and our marriage is becoming so much stronger.
Today, a neighbor behind us was trying to cut some palm fronds but didn’t have the right tool. I went to the back fence and ask if he would like to use a special tool I have. As he took I asked him if he would cut a small piece for me. He did and then he asked if I would like to come over a noon as a Priest was coming over to give a blessing.
Lorraine and I went there a noon and a few minutes later, Father Joe from Saint Anne’s drove up, stepped out of his car with the Blessed Sacrament in a monstrance, said a couple prayers, and then blessed us with the Blessed Sacrament. He then got back in his car and drove to his next. Three Priests from Saint Anne’s we’re driving to 500 homes today. Certainly a Palm Sunday I’ll never forget.
While thanking these neighbors we’d never met, I found out the young man that invited us over “Joe” is discerning the Priesthood. Please add Joe to your prayer intentions.
Lorraine and I are keeping you, Megan, and your young son in our prayers.
After this time passes, I’d love to get together with you.
God bless and be safe.
Mike R