CATHEDRAL OF OUR LADY OF WALSINGHAM

HOLY WEEK

LIVESTREAM SCHEDULE

Palm Sunday Mass: 8:00 a.m.

Maundy Thursday Mass: 6:30 p.m.

Good Friday Liturgy: 3:00 p.m.

Easter Vigil Mass: 8:00 p.m.

Easter Sunday Mass: 8:00 a.m.

PRIOR TO HOLY WEEK

CREATE A “HOME ALTAR”

It is fitting that each household prepare a home altar in the room where the livestreamed liturgies of Holy Week will be watched.

“A little oratory of this kind, though it may remain hidden from the eyes of men, is what turns a dwelling of any Christian into a ‘domestic church’! Like a pinch of salt, which seems to disappear in the world, it actually flavours and seasons it.” (Fr. Gabriel Byrne, Earthen Vessels)

The home altar should be covered with a cloth of white, or of the liturgical season. A cross, crucifix, or an image of our Lord should be the focal point placed upright upon it in the center. It is fitting to have candles flanking the cross or image. A Bible and prayerbooks may be placed there, as well as collected holy cards, perhaps in a small decorative box. An image of Our Lady or other patron saint might be placed to the side, along with a small bowl of holy water, a censer, a place for rosaries, or other sacramentals. Finally, a journal or box for prayer

PRIOR TO HOLY WEEK

CREATE A “HOME ALTAR”

It is fitting that each household prepare a home altar in the room where the livestreamed liturgies of Holy Week will be watched.

“A little oratory of this kind, though it may remain hidden from the eyes of men, is what turns a dwelling of any Christian into a ‘domestic church’! Like a pinch of salt, which seems to disappear in the world, it actually flavours and seasons it.” (Fr. Gabriel Byrne, Earthen Vessels)

The home altar should be covered with a cloth of white, or of the liturgical season. A cross, crucifix, or an image of our Lord should be the focal point placed upright upon it in the center. It is fitting to have candles flanking the cross or image. A Bible may be placed there, as well as a prayerbook and collected holy cards. An image of Our Lady or other patron saint might be placed to the side, along with a small bowl of holy water, a small censer, a place for rosaries, or other sacramentals. Finally, a journal or box for prayer intentions may also be placed on the altar. Whatever your home prayer altar accomodates, it should be “a lovely space in the home that is both a space set apart, church-like, and a space that apotheosizes the beauty that we try to express in the rest of the home.” (Clayton & Lawler, The Little Oratory)

The Palm Sunday Mass will be livestreamed at 8:00 a.m. Palm branches will be blessed at the beginning of Mass, as is usually done. Parishioners are invited to stop by the church beginning at 9:30 a.m to receive blessed palms. They will be outdoors, under the port cochere. After picking up your blessed palm branches from the church, gather in the driveway or outside the front door of your home for the following prayer: Leader: When the people heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem they took branches of palm trees and went forth to meet him: and the children cried saying: This is he that should come for the salvation of the people. This is our salvation and the redemption of Israel. How great is he whom Thrones and Dominations go forth to meet! Hail! O King, Creator of the world, who art come to redeem us.

With angels and archangels may we be found faithful, crying unto the Vanquisher of death, Hosanna in the highest!

V. Glory and honour and praise be to thee, our King and Redeemer Christ, to whom the children of the Hebrews cried Hosanna! R. Glory and honour be to thee our King and Redeemer. V. Israel’s Monarch art thou, and glorious Offspring of David; thou, O King, who dost come in the Name of the Lord.

R. Glory and honour be to thee our King and Redeemer.

Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God, who didst ordain that our Lord Jesus Christ should ride upon the foal of an ass, and didst inspire the multitude to straw in his way both their raiment, and branches of trees, and to sing Hosanna in his praise: grant, we beseech thee, that we may be enabled to follow their innocency, and be partakers of their merit; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. After the prayer, each person, carrying the blessed branches, takes them into the home and puts them in a vase on their home altar or they adorn the crosses, crucifixes, and other religious pictures in their homes with the blessed branches.

PALM SUNDAY: APRIL 5TH

The Mass of the Lord’s Supper will be livestreamed at 6:30 p.m. It is fitting that a special evening meal be prepared and eaten together as a family on Holy Thursday. Things to prepare: •The dinner table might be adorned with tablecloth, candles, flowers. •A pitcher of water, a basin, and towels for the washing of the feet. •The home altar is prepared with a white cloth, cross, candles, and flowers.

Before the Meal Leader: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Let us listen to the words of the holy Gospel according to Mark.

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover Lamb, the disciples of Jesus said to him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” He sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him. Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The teacher says, “Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there.”

V. The eyes of all wait upon thee, O Lord. R. And thou givest them their meat in due season.

V. Thou openest thine hand. R. And fillest all things living with plenteousness.

Bless +us, O Lord, and these thy gifts which, of thy bounty we are about to receive; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The family eats their meal together.

Washing of the Feet after the Meal At the conclusion of the meal, the leader says: After the Lord had risen from supper he put water in a basin, and began to wash his disciples’ feet: this example left he unto you.

The leader washes the feet of each family member or they share the task of washing each other’s feet.

Let us pray. Lord Jesus Christ, who when thou wast able to institute thy Holy Sacrament at the Last Supper, didst wash the feet of the Apostles, teaching us thereby the grace of humility: cleanse us, we beseech thee, from all stain of sin, that we may be worthy partakers of thy Holy Mysteries; who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, God for ever and ever. Amen.

MAUNDY THURSDAY: APRIL 9TH

The Celebration of the Passion and Death of Our Lord will be livestreamed at 3:00 p.m.

The home altar should be prepared with a black, red (or white) cloth. Palm branches and flowers have been removed. The crucifix and any images of saints should be veiled. Families might make and eat hot cross buns for breakfast; be sure to kiss the cross before only eating one or two!

The time between 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. are traditionally kept in quiet remembrance of the time that Jesus hung on the Cross. Stations of the Cross, or other devotions found in the St. Gregory Prayerbook, might be prayed as a family.

Just before the liturgy starts, the candles on the home altar should be lit. During the Good Friday liturgy, when the priest lifts the Holy Cross in church, the covering is removed from the cross at home. Everyone genuflects to the cross at each invocation:

Priest: Behold the wood of the Cross, whereon was hung the world’s Salvation. All: O come, let us adore.

For the veneration of the cross, the family crucifix may be passed around to each family member to hold, embrace, or kiss. Then it is returned to the home altar. V. O my people, what have I done unto thee or wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against me. Because I brought thee forth from the land of Egypt, thou hast prepared a cross for thy Saviour. R. Holy God, Holy and Immortal, have mercy upon us. V. Because I led thee through the desert forty years, and fed thee with manna, and brought thee into a land exceeding good, thou hast prepared a cross for thy Saviour.

R. Holy God, Holy and Immortal, have mercy upon us. V. I indeed did plant thee, O my vineyard, with exceeding fair fruit, and thou art become very bitter unto me: for vinegar mingled with gall, thou gavest me when thirsty, and hast pierced with a spear the side of thy Saviour.

R. Holy God, Holy and Immortal, have mercy upon us. V. But it behoveth us to glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ: in whom is our life and resurrection; by whom we are saved and set free. Amen.

GOOD FRIDAY: APRIL 10TH

The Solemn Vigil of Easter will be livestreamed at 8:00 p.m.

In the quiet of this day, the church remembers our Lord’s descent among the dead and the Harrowing of Hell. It should be marked by silence as we contemplate with sorrow the agony of the previous day, and with awe the victory of the coming dawn. Consider such elements as refraining from use of technology and social media, and keeping the lights off in the house.

Prior to the Easter Vigil, a homemade Easter Candle can be prepared. Usually a pillar candle is used. It may be decorated as ornately or as simply as desired. Family members might gather their baptismal candles or other small candles to use during the liturgy. Also, flowers might be prepared for the liturgy and bells might be set near the altar.

May Almighty God bless us, and of his mercy vouchsafe to defend us from all wickedness. Amen.

And may he, who willed to enlighten this most holy night by the Resurrection of our Redeemer, cleanse our minds from the darkness of our sins, and make them to glisten with abundant virtues. Amen.

To the end that, striving to imitate the innocence of the newly-baptized, we may be enabled like the Wise Virgins, to enter with the shining lights of good works into the chamber of the Bridegroom whose Resurrection we are about to celebrate. Amen.

V. My flesh shall rest in hope. R. Neither shalt thou suffer thy Holy One to see corruption.

Let us pray. O GOD, whose loving-kindness is infinite, mercifully hear our prayers: that as in this life we are united in the Mystical Body of the Church, and in death are laid in holy ground with the sure hope of resurrection, so at the last day, we may rise again with all thy blessed saints; through him who died and rose again, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. For the Vigil, the home altar is prepared with a white cloth, crucifix, unlit candles, and the homemade Easter Candle. All images should be unveiled. It is appropriate to be in a darkened room.

The Blessing of the Fire & Lighting of the Easter Candle When the Celebrant lights the Easter Candle, the home Easter Candle is lit. Each family member lights his/her own candle from it.

The Gloria During the singing of the Gloria, the candles on the home altar are lit, the lights in the room are turned on, flowers are placed on the home altar, and the bells are rung.

HOLY SATURDAY: APRIL 11TH

EASTER SUNDAY: APRIL 12TH

The Easter Sunday Mass will be livestreamed at 8:00 a.m. The new Easter Water that was blessed at the Easter Vigil will be available for parishioners to pick up from the church beginning at 9:30 a.m. When picking up your bottle of Easter Water, please spend a moment in church to mark the Resurrection and to offer your prayer of praise.

After picking up your Easter Water from the church, you are invited to use it for the traditional blessing of your home during Eastertide. The family should gather in the main room of the house.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. V. Peace be to this house. R. And to all that dwell in it.

Let us listen to the words of the holy Gospel according to John On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.”

V. O Lord, show thy mercy upon us, alleluia. R. And grant us thy salvation, alleluia.

V. O Lord, hear our prayer, alleluia. R. And let our cry come unto thee, alleluia..

Let us pray. GRACIOUSLY hear us, O Lord holy, Father Almighty, everlasting God; and as at the going out from Egypt thou didst protect the houses of the Hebrews from the destroying Angel through the sprinkling of the blood of a lamb, figuring thereby our Passover in which Christ is sacrificed; so vouchsafe to send thy holy Angel from heaven to guard, cherish, protect, visit, and defend all who dwell in this habitation; through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let this water call to mind our baptism in Christ, who by his death and Resurrection has redeemed us.

The leader sprinkles the members of the family with the Easter Water and then sprinkles the rooms of the home.