Prepare your Home for Holy Week

Prepare your Home for Holy Week

Although we cannot gather together as a community, we encourage you to participate in our online liturgies as if you were physically there. We have put together some great ideas and suggestions of how you can prepare your home to celebrate each of these liturgies to enrich your experience.

Palm Sunday

Here’s what you can do to prepare your home for the celebration of Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion.

Prepare a Prayer Table

  • Use a red tablecloth and layout palms from last year.
  • If you don’t have any palms, simply go outside and use any palm fronds or greenery you can find.
  • Set candles and a crucifix on the table.
  • Open your Bible to Matthew 21:1-11.
  • You can even symbolically place wine and bread on the table.

Watch Our Live Mass

  • Reflect on Fr. George’s blog about participating more fully during Holy Week here.
  • Plan to watch our Online Mass live on Facebook here.
  • Or watch at a time that is most convenient to you here.
  • Dress liturgically  – wear red!
  • Invite all family members to use our usual gestures: standing, sitting, and kneeling when applicable.
  • Respond to all Mass parts, especially the “Crowd” part of the Passion. You can find the entry gospel and the OT and NT readings.  And you can find the Passion Reading here.
  • Sing! The hymns are available on a downloadable worship aid that can be found here.
  • During the reception of Holy Communion by the priest, make a spiritual Communion by praying the following prayer:

My Jesus, I believe that You are in the Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I long for You in my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. As though You have already come, I embrace You and unite myself entirely to You, never permit me to be separated from You.  

  • After Mass is over, display the palms or branches on your door or window.

Holy Thursday

Here’s what you can do to prepare your home for the celebration of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper.

Gather together for a family meal celebration remembering, that Jesus gathered with his friends for a meal.

Have a foot washing ceremony

  • Read John 13:1-15.
  • Parents, wash your children’s feet. Roommates, wash each other’s hands.
  • Share a time when someone showed you an act of service and what that meant to you.

Prepare a Prayer Table

  • Use a white tablecloth.
  • Set candles and a white potted plant on the table.
  • Open your Bible to John 13:1-15.
  • You can even symbolically place wine and bread on the table.

Watch Our Live Mass

  • Reflect on Fr. George’s blog about participating more fully during Holy Week here.
  • Plan to watch our Online Mass live on Facebook here.
  • Or watch at a time that is most convenient to you here.
  • Invite all family members to use our usual gestures: standing, sitting, and kneeling when applicable.
  • Respond to all Mass parts. You can find the readings here.
  • Sing! The hymns are available on a downloadable worship aid that can be found here.
  • During the reception of Holy Communion by the priest, make a spiritual Communion by praying the following prayer:

My Jesus, I believe that You are in the Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I long for You in my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. As though You have already come, I embrace You and unite myself entirely to You, never permit me to be separated from You.  

  • Watch the slideshow of Sacred Heart’s Eucharistic Process from last year here. (Note: you might need to adjust your YouTube control on the video (the little cog where in lower right to play in HD)
  • After Mass is over, move the white cloth, candles, and plant then add a statue of our Lord for your at Home “altar of repose”.  Use this time to pray individually or as a family. If older youth and adults, make it a holy hour. “Could you not stay awake with me for 1 hour?”  Matthew 26:40 
Good Friday

Enter Complete silence in the home from 12:00 – 3:00 pm

  • No electronics or cell phone
  • Place a family crucifix or cross in a prominent place of the home, taking time to reverence the cross or crucifix. This should be done as close to the 3:00 p.m. hour as possible, the time of Jesus’ death.
  • While are not live streaming the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday, we have recorded a celebration of the Stations of the Cross led by Deacon Ray Ferreris.  You can download the booklet here and the pray the Stations while viewing the video here .

Prepare a Prayer Table

  • Use a red tablecloth.
  • Set candles and a crucifix on the table.
  • Open your Bible to John 18:1-19:42.

Watch Our Live Mass

  • Reflect on Fr. George’s blog about participating more fully during Holy Week here.
  • Plan to watch our Online liturgy live on Facebook here.
  • Or watch at a time that is most convenient to you here.
  • Invite all family members to use our usual gestures: standing, sitting, and kneeling when applicable.
  • Respond to all Mass parts. You can find the readings here.
  • Sing! The hymns are available on a downloadable worship aid that can be found here.
  • During the reception of Holy Communion by the priest, make a spiritual Communion by praying the following prayer:

My Jesus, I believe that You are in the Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I long for You in my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. As though You have already come, I embrace You and unite myself entirely to You, never permit me to be separated from You.  

Families with children 

Stations of the Cross coloring sheets: http://www.thecatholickid.com/stations-of-the-cross-coloring-pages/

Bake Hot Cross Buns: Hot cross buns are traditionally eaten during Lent, especially during Holy Week and Good Friday. These sweet, doughy rolls are marked with an icing or dough cross on top.

There are many legends about the origin of hot cross buns, one going back to a 12th century monk who is said to have baked them on Good Friday in preparation for the Easter celebration. They gained popularity across England.

In 1592, Queen Elizabeth I declared that hot cross buns could only be sold on Good Friday, Christmas, or for burials because they were so special. After this decree, people began baking more of their own hot cross buns. It is still a tradition in many cultures to bake and enjoy these during Holy Week as Christians mark Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection.

Start a family tradition of baking your own  https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/7073/hot-cross-buns-i/

Easter Vigil

Here’s what you can do to prepare your home for the celebration of the Easter Vigil

Prepare a Prayer Table

  • Use a white tablecloth.
  • Set a large candle on the table and have smaller candles for each family member
  • Place a bowl of water on the table.
  • Open your Bible to Mt 28:1-10.
  • Have bells – any kinds
  • You can even symbolically place wine and bread on the table.

Watch Our Live Mass

  • Dress up in your Sunday best – it is Easter!
  • Take a selfie and send to family, friends and your parish family here.
  • Plan to watch our Online Mass live on Facebook here.
  • Or watch at a time that is most convenient to you here.
  • Light the large candle on the table and have each family member light their candle from it. The candles stay lit until the readings begin.
  • Dim the lights in your room during the first part of the Mass when the church is dimly lit.
  • Invite all family members to use our usual gestures: standing, sitting, and kneeling when applicable.
  • Respond to all Mass parts. You can find the readings here.
  • Sing! The hymns are available on a downloadable worship aid that can be found here.
  • During the Gloria, turn on the room lights and ring your bells!
  • During the renewal of Baptismal promises, use the water to bless yourself.
  • During the reception of Holy Communion by the priest, make a spiritual Communion by praying the following prayer:

My Jesus, I believe that You are in the Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I long for You in my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. As though You have already come, I embrace You and unite myself entirely to You, never permit me to be separated from You.  

Easter

Here’s what you can do to prepare your home for the celebration of the Easter Sunday

Dress up in your Easter Clothing

  • take a selfie and send to family, friends and your parish family here.

Watch the Easter liturgy outside if possible and enjoy the beauty of God’s creation 

Prepare a Prayer Table

  • Use a white tablecloth.
  • Set a large candle and a bowl of water on the table.
  • Open your Bible to Jn 20:1-9.
  • You can even symbolically place wine and bread on the table.
  • Add a spring flower- a visible reminder that God has transformed the meaning of even suffering and death.

Watch Our Live Mass

  • Plan to watch our Online Mass live on Facebook here.
  • Or watch at a time that is most convenient to you here.
  • Invite all family members to use our usual gestures: standing, sitting, and kneeling when applicable.
  • Respond to all Mass parts. You can find the readings here.
  • Sing! The hymns are available on a downloadable worship aid that can be found here.
  • During the renewal of Baptismal promises, use the water to bless yourself.
  • During the reception of Holy Communion by the priest, make a spiritual Communion by praying the following prayer:

My Jesus, I believe that You are in the Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I long for You in my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. As though You have already come, I embrace You and unite myself entirely to You, never permit me to be separated from You.  

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