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320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
Ph: 410.547.8496
Web: www.nbccongress.org
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May the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ fill your heart with hope and purpose this Easter season. | |
What is the Easter Triduum?
From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Website
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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.
The single celebration of the Triduum marks the end of the Lenten season, and leads to the Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord at the Easter Vigil.
The liturgical services that take place during the Triduum are:
- Mass of the Lord's Supper
- Good Friday of the Lord's Passion
- Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord
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Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory
of me.”
-- Luke 22:19
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Holy Thursday / The Last Supper
From CatholicOnline.com
Holy Thursday is the commemoration of the Last Supper of Jesus Christ, when he established the sacrament of Holy Communion prior to his arrest and crucifixion. It also commemorates His institution of the priesthood. The holy day falls on the Thursday before Easter and is part of Holy Week. Jesus celebrated the dinner as a Passover feast. Christ would fulfill His role as the Christian victim of the Passover for all to be saved by His final sacrifice.
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Seven Churches Visitation Allows Pilgrims to ‘Keep Watch’ with Jesus on Holy Thursday | |
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At the end of the Holy Thursday Mass, the Eucharist is placed on a temporary “altar of repose” away from the sanctuary. It is customary for the faithful to process together to this altar and spend time in quiet prayer and adoration. In the Roman Missal, it states: “The faithful are invited to continue adoration before the Blessed Sacrament for a suitable length of time during the night, according to circumstance.”
The Seven Churches Visitation is a tradition that grew out of this time of prayer and adoration. The devotion recalls the time in the Garden of Gethsemane immediately before Jesus’
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passion when He asked His disciples to stay and give watch with Him as He awaited His fate. Today, the practice of visiting seven nearby churches and their altars of repose evokes this mindful watching with Christ on the eve of His condemnation, torture, and death on Good Friday. Each of the seven churches visited on Holy Thursday evening represents a “station” of Christ’s passion that falls between the Last Supper in the Upper Room to His crucifixion. | |
The significance of Good Friday
From Catholic News Agency
On Good Friday, the entire Church fixes her gaze on the Cross at Calvary. Each member of the Church tries to understand at what cost Christ has won our redemption. In the solemn ceremonies of Good Friday, in the Adoration of the Cross, in the chanting of the 'Reproaches', in the reading of the Passion, and in receiving the pre-consecrated Host, we unite ourselves to our Savior, and we contemplate our own death to sin in the Death of our Lord.
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“‘It is finished’; and he bowed his head and handed over his spirit.” | |
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Alleluia!
All faith flows from faith in the resurrection:
"If Christ has not been raised, then empty is our preaching; empty, too, is your faith."
-- 1 Cor 15:14
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What is Easter?
From the USCCB
The word "Easter" comes from Old English, meaning simply the "East." The sun which rises in the East, bringing light, warmth, and hope, is a symbol for the Christian of the rising Christ, who is the true Light of the world. The Paschal Candle used during the Easter Vigil is a central symbol of this divine light, which is Christ. It is kept near the ambo throughout Easter Time and lit for all liturgical celebrations.
The Easter Vigil is the "Mother of All Vigils" and Easter Sunday is the greatest of all Sundays. The season of Easter is the most important of all liturgical times, which Catholics celebrate as the Lord's resurrection from the dead, culminating in his Ascension to the Father and sending of the Holy Spirit upon the Church. The octave of Easter comprises the eight days which stretch from the first to the second Sunday. It is a way of prolonging the joy of the initial day. There are 50 days of Easter from the first Sunday to Pentecost. It is characterized, above all, by the joy of glorified life and the victory over death expressed most fully in the great resounding cry of the Christian: Alleluia! All faith flows from faith in the resurrection: "If Christ has not been raised, then empty is our preaching; empty, too, is your faith." (1 Cor 15:14)
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How to obtain a plenary indulgence during Holy Week 2024
From Catholic News Agency
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A plenary indulgence is a grace granted by the Catholic Church through the merits of Jesus Christ to remove the temporal punishment due to sin.
The indulgence applies to sins already forgiven. A plenary indulgence cleanses the soul as if the person had just been baptized.
A plenary indulgence can be obtained during Holy Week for oneself or for a deceased person if one of the following works established by the Church is performed.
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[A] pack of evildoers closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and my feet.
I can count all my bones. They stare at me and gloat; they divide my garments among them; for my clothing they cast lots.
-- Psalm 22:17-19
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The Paschal Candle
The Paschal candle represents Christ, the Light of the World.
The pure beeswax of which the candle is made represents the sinless Christ who was formed in the womb of His Mother. The wick signifies His humanity, the flame, His Divine Nature, both soul and body.
Five grains of incense inserted into the candle in the form of a cross recall the aromatic spices with which His Sacred Body was prepared for the tomb, and of the five wounds in His hands, feet, and side.
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7 Reasons to Return to Confession in Easter
By Brother Joseph Martin Hagan, O.P. | Catholic Exchange
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Lent is a great time for Catholics to return to Confession, but it would be wrong to think that Easter is not. In fact, with a little reflection, we can find many reasons why Easter is a particularly graced time to go to Confession, even after a lackluster Lent. As a start, I propose seven reasons. | |
How to Go to Confession: The Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation
By Stephen Spiewak | Hallow
If you’re nervous or uneasy about going to confession, remember these three things:
- It doesn’t matter if it’s been a long time (or a short time), God is still happy you’re there.
- Our God is a God of mercy. God wants to forgive us.
- God, not the priest present in the confessional, is the one doing actually absolving your sins.
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Need more help?
Try this video by Fr. Mike Schmitz
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The Merton Prayer
By Thomas Merton
My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you
does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though
I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
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About Thomas Merton
Merton (1915-1968) is arguably the most influential American Catholic author of the twentieth century. He wrote over sixty books and hundreds of poems and articles on topics ranging from monastic spirituality to civil rights, nonviolence, and the nuclear arms race.
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Praying the Seven Penitential Psalms
Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143
From 'Come into the Word' with Sarah Christmyer
The seven penitential psalms have for centuries provided Christians with a powerful source of prayer and reflection during Lent. Together they invite us to recognize our sin; express our sorrow to God and ask His forgiveness; and experience the healing touch of His merciful love. The traditional practice is to pray all of these Psalms together, either daily or on Fridays. Another practice, because there are seven of them, is to pray one each Friday (or one daily each week leading up to Holy Week). It's also possible to pray them for intentions related to the seven capital ("deadly") sins.
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My soul also is sorely troubled. But thou, O LORD—how long?
-- Psalm 6:3
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The Divine Mercy Image
Veneration of the Image on Divine Mercy Sunday
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The Image of Jesus, The Divine Mercy, is to be venerated* on Divine Mercy Sunday. It is to be given a place of honor in our churches and homes on this Sunday. Our Lord appeared to St. Faustina and then directed her to have this appearance of Himself as the Merciful Savior painted and then venerated publicly. He told her, I want the Image to be solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter, and I want it to be venerated publicly so that every soul may know about it (Diary of St. Faustina, 341).
Read more by clicking here.
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Divine Mercy Sunday
April 7, 2024
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What is Divine Mercy Sunday?
In a series of revelations to St. Maria Faustina Kowalska in the 1930s, our Lord called for a special feast day to be celebrated on the Sunday after Easter. Today, we know that feast as Divine Mercy Sunday, named by Pope St. John Paul II at the canonization of St. Faustina on April 30, 2000.
The Lord expressed His will with regard to this feast in His very first revelation to St. Faustina.
Read more by clicking here.
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Extraordinary Graces
What graces are available and how do we receive them?
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In her Diary, St. Faustina records a special promise given to her by Jesus. He told her to communicate it to the whole world:
My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy (699).
Read more by clicking here.
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How to Recite the Divine Mercy Chaplet
The Divine Mercy is an intercessory prayer that extends the offering of the Eucharist, so it is especially appropriate to use it after receiving Holy Communion at Mass.
The Chaplet may be prayed at any time, but our Lord specifically told St. Faustina to recite it as a novena during the nine days before the Feast of Mercy (the first Sunday after Easter). He then added: “By this Novena, [of Chaplets] I will grant every possible grace to souls.” (St. Faustina’s Diary, 796)
The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is recited using ordinary Rosary beads of five decades. The Chaplet is preceded by two opening prayers from the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska and followed by a closing prayer.
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Nine Day Divine Mercy Novena
From Catholic News Agency
Our Blessed Lord gave Sr. Faustina (for herself only initially) a Novena to His Mercy. She was to start it on Good Friday, that wonderful day when Christ first revealed how merciful and loving He was, by dying for us.
Sr. Faustina wrote in her diary that she began the Novena for the conversion of the whole world that all may recognize God's Mercy and that all souls may speak of His Goodness.
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Jesus said: "I desire the confidence of My people. Let not even the weak and very sinful fear to approach Me, even if their sins be as numerous as all the sands of the earth they will be forgiven in the fathomless pit of My Mercy." | |
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When Does Lent Really End?
From CatholicAnswers.com
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Question:
When does Lent end, and can we "rest" from our Lenten penances on the Sundays of Lent, as those Sundays are not part of Lent?
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Answer:
Lent ends when the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday begins, because the Mass of the Lord’s Supper ushers in the Holy Triduum, a liturgical season in its own right and the shortest of the liturgical year. As for the Lenten penances, those are voluntary practices that people take up as personal devotions in addition to the penances required by the Church on the Fridays of Lent. As voluntary penances can be voluntarily set aside, taking a break from them on Sundays in honor of the Lord’s Day is perfectly fine. That said, the Sundays of Lent are indeed part of the Lenten season.
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The Veil Removed -- Film
The Veil Removed is a short film that reveals the coming together of heaven and earth at Mass, as seen by saints and mystics, revealed by scripture and in the catechism of the Catholic Church.
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"Welcome to Our Church"
Published by the Paulist National Catholic Evangelization Association
PEM Revised Edition (2005). This 24-page brochure about church buildings and the furnishings in them will help visitors and newcomers feel welcome and become familiar with our Catholic churches. The brochure can be used as the basis for inviting people to tour the church’s facility. It’s good for newcomers and as a refresher for Catholics too. Pack of 25 brochures.
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"Frequently Asked Questions About the Mass"
Published by the Our Sunday Visitor
The pamphlet Frequently Asked Questions About the Mass presents answers to very practical questions like:
- What are the parts of Mass?
- What do the words "Eucharist" and "Liturgy" mean?
- Why do we stand for the Creed? Why do we genuflect or bow?
Providing straightforward answers to questions, some of which may go unasked, is one key step parishes can take to meet people where they are on their faith journey, and connect them more closely with the Faith.
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Perpetual Adoration Chapels in the United States
Eucharistic adoration chapel information includes street address, phone and parish Mass times
Text Link
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