Dear Families and Students,
As our classroom teachers work hard to continue providing quality academics for our students, we in Campus Ministry have been finding ways to provide spiritual nourishment for students, faculty, and staff. For Holy Week, we want to offer prayer resources for our wider community of families, alumnae and friends, as well.
Since most churches are unable to have public gatherings at this time, all are invited and welcome to participate from home in a virtual Good Friday liturgy that our Spiritual Life Council students have created. We look forward to joining our hearts with yours in prayer during these uncertain, yet holiest of days.
Reflections for Holy Week
Holy Week is coming, but we have nowhere to go. All parishes, big and small, have suspended liturgies.
This year, we will not gather in our churches waving palms as we remember how Jesus entered Jerusalem before his suffering and death on Palm Sunday (April 5). We won’t wash one another’s feet as Jesus did for his disciples at the Last Supper on Holy Thursday (April 9). We cannot gather to mourn Jesus’ tremendous suffering and death, or to venerate the cross on Good Friday (April 10). And we cannot assemble to keep watch, waiting for the Resurrection on Holy Saturday (April 11). We will not be able to host an Easter dinner with our extended families and watch the children hunt for Easter eggs on Sunday.
These few days, called Triduum, are the holiest days of the year for Christians. This is when we explore most deeply the entire mystery of our faith - that suffering and death binds us all, yet leads to new life when we open our hearts to God’s love.
So, how do we honor this sacred time in these circumstances?
We do it from home, with our families.
Credit: Art courtesy of St. James Cathedral (Washington), and artist Joan Brand-Landkamer.Join us in Observing Holy Week
We invite you to join us in prayer for Holy Week. We will provide simple prayers for Holy Thursday and Holy Saturday, as well as a full virtual liturgy with Stations of the Cross on Good Friday. The online liturgy is planned by students, primarily for students, and all are welcome and invited to participate, including families, alumnae, and friends of Carondelet. The liturgy will be livestreamed April 10 at Noon. You can watch this and the other prayers on our Holy Week webpage.
We also encourage you to access other virtual prayer and liturgy experiences offered by local parishes during Holy Week by checking parish websites. We also recommend these articles and exercises to commemorate this important time in our church’s year.
- Palm Sunday and Holy Thursday Prayer Services for the Family to Celebrate at Home
- Holy Week at Home: Family Practices for the Triduum
- Make a Special Meal to Celebrate the Last Supper on Holy Thursday
- Quick Devotions and 3-minute Holy Week “Retreats”
- Live Streamed Holy Week Services with Pope Francis
Serving our Dear Neighbor
Our foundation in the spirituality of the Sisters of St. Joseph calls us to remain ever-mindful of the needs of our dear neighbor as we continue to journey through this season of transformation. If you are looking for ways to serve the community, take a few minutes to visit our Community Service webpage for opportunities.
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We move into Holy Week confident that our community remains one in spirit and look forward to the time when we can gather together once again. May the promise of Resurrection instill hope and joy in our hearts during this challenging time.
Blessings,
Edie Payne, Natalie Terry, Rick Grand-Lejano
Campus Ministry