Holy Week, the final week of Lent, begins on Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter. These are the most profound and holy days for Catholic Christians around the world, days during which we journey with Jesus on his way of the cross and anticipate his Resurrection on Easter.

It is a time when Catholics gather to remember and participate in the Passion of Jesus Christ, the final period of Christ’s life in Jerusalem. It spans from when He arrived in Jerusalem to when He was crucified.

Four special ceremonies commemorate the events of Christ’s Passion from His entrance into Jerusalem, when palm branches were placed in His path, through His arrest on Holy Thursday and Crucifixion on Good Friday, to Holy Saturday, the day that Christ’s body lay in the tomb.

The summit of the Liturgical Year is the Easter Triduum—from the evening of Holy Thursday to the evening of Easter Sunday. Though chronologically three days, they are liturgically one day unfolding for us the unity of Christ’s Paschal Mystery.

We invite you to sign up for Holy Week Masses and Services at St. Theresa and Most Precious Blood by clicking here.

For our youngest parishioners, the Sunday Children’s Liturgy of the Word can be found here.

Click here for a complete list of programming for Holy Week on Catholic TV.

I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit, was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.  For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.  He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.  He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.  

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.  I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

This is Jesus’ triumphant entrance into Jerusalem.  It is the beginning of the road to Calvary, the last thing He does on the way to the cross. 

The people waved palm branches for Jesus. At that time in Israel, palm branches were used as a symbol of ‘future glory’ or ‘better days ahead.’ You would think after Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, the days ahead would be great. However, Jesus’ mission was not to make people comfortable, but to speak the truth of God. This made many people very upset; so upset that they would rather silence the truth than face their own sin. This meant that the following days for Jesus turned into days of pain and sadness instead of celebration. Today’s Gospel walks us through the Passion of our Lord. We are entering into the holiest week of the year. Let us listen to the story of what happened after Jesus entered Jerusalem and let it move our hearts closer to our Savior (from Growing Up Catholic).

In John’s gospel for Holy Thursday, Jesus gathered his disciples together to share the Passover meal with them, knowing that it marked his own Passover.  We hear that “Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end.”  In commentary about this Gospel, it said that this phrase used by the evangelist, “to the end” (Eis telos), has a double meaning.  “Eis telos can have a temporal meaning, meaning that Jesus loves his own until the very last moment. It also means ‘to the uttermost;’ Jesus loved to the greatest degree possible.”  These men were not just Jesus’ disciples, they were his friends.  Jesus knew the events to come were going to leave them sad and confused, anxious and afraid.  In the intimate act of washing their feet, he showed them what to do after he left them, how to love others by serving them, to allow themselves to be broken, to be motivated by love “in remembrance of me.” 

Good Friday is the day on which we focus on the cross to solemnly commemorate the saving passion, crucifixion and death of Jesus. On this day, the altar is bare, the tabernacle is empty, and the Church mourns. In the silence and contemplation of this day, we remember once more what was given for us as we reflect on and relive our Lord’s Passion.  

“Behold the wood of the Cross,

on which hung the salvation of the world.

Come, let us adore.”   

As we find our quiet place of prayer this Good Friday...listen for the sound of the nails being hammered into the cross, hear Jesus speak His last words as He hands over His spirit to the Father, feel the depth of Jesus’ unconditional love for us…and whisper “thank you” to Him from the silence of your heart.

May the light of Christ, rising in glory,

dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds.

Easter is the greatest and the most important feast in the Church…a day of celebration representing the fulfillment of our Catholic faith.  It is the day of the Resurrection and Jesus’ triumphant victory over sin and death.  Easter celebrations begin on the third day of the Triduum with the Easter Vigil, which takes place after sundown on Holy Saturday, and continues into Easter Sunday.  The entire liturgical year culminates in the Easter Vigil.  The church is shrouded in darkness as a fire is lit outside the church and the Easter candle is then lit from it. The candle represents Jesus Christ, the light of the world...our hope.  This Easter, let us all join together with the chorus of the faithful as we proclaim, “Jesus Christ is truly Risen! ALLELUIA!”

“Rejoice heavenly powers! Sing, choirs of angels! 

Exult, all creation around God's throne! Jesus Christ, our King, is risen!” 

– from the Easter Vigil Exultet