Welcome to Holy Week 2021! 

It has been over 2000 years of this pilgrimage experience. We too have been in a time of crisis, just as the world has experienced over the centuries. Let's make this pilgrimage our own in our homes. Journey with us this Holy Week!

Liturgy is the work of the people: in order to celebrate the death and Resurrection of Christ in the Liturgy, everyone has a role to play. This week we celebrate the holiest days of our Church year: Triduum [Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday (The Easter Vigil) and Easter Sunday].

Enter into these days celebrating Liturgy with St. Monica, while celebrating the Liturgy of your house church -- like the early Christians. We will rise from this experience and God will bless us. We are Easter people - join on the journey with Christ!

In order to participate in the Liturgy in your home while viewing the Mass on Livestream, you'll need to gather some items to help. Feel free to use these links as a guide or a starting point to add to your already existing traditions and rituals.

So, we invite you to gather these items, and work individually or as a family to experience the liturgical movement of Church in your home. Let our journey begin to transform your lives!

Monday, Mar. 29

John 12:1-11 - Fabric Color: Purple

Ritual 1:

Prepare your prayer space with purple fabric, rocks, candles, a cross, etc. 

Ritual 2:

Bake Pretzels

Guided Prayer

Holy Week in 3 Minutes

Tuesday, Mar. 30

John 13:31-38 - Fabric Color: Purple

Ritual 1:

Prayer and Meditation

Ritual 2;

Begin to prepare your house for the resurrection of Jesus. Clean out/detach from all your stuff and clutter

Guided Prayer

Wednesday, Mar. 31

Matthew 26: 14-25 - Fabric Color: Purple

Ritual 1:

Prayer and Meditation

Ritual 2:

Spy Wednesday - Take 30 pieces of silver and scatter them around.

Guided Prayer

Holy Thursday, Apr. 1

John 13:1-15 - Fabric Color: White

Ritual for Day:

Spring Cleaning and preparing for Easter!

Ritual for Evening:

1.) Gather a basin, a pitcher of water, and some towels. Wash each other's feet, as a reminder of our baptismal call to be Christ for others. 

2.) Gather gifts for the poor.

3.) Cover your prayer space with a cloth and spend time in quiet.

Washing each other's feet in your family (or washing your own feet) serves the other, and exemplifies the acts of kindness for another that Jesus us called us to fulfill. There will be time during the Liturgy on Livestream for you to do as Jesus did. You will need a candle for the procession with the Blessed Sacrament at the conclusion of the Liturgy. Light the candle to illumine the path for Christ to enter your heart. There will be an hour of Adoration of Christ in the Eucharist at the end of the Liturgy. Plan to join our community around the city, and around the world to pray together on this Holy Thursday night.

Children’s Bulletin               Children’s Video                  Younger Children’s Video

Good Friday, Apr. 2

John 19:16-42 - Fabric Color: Red

Ritual 1:

Walk the Stations of the Cross in your house, yard or neighborhood

Make a cross or use a cross you already have; walk around your house or yard, stopping at each "station" as if you were walking the Stations of the Cross at Church.

Venerate and reverence the Cross like you would in the Good Friday Liturgy:

Venerating the cross means to allow for a prayerful and reverent gesture, such as kissing or bowing at the Cross. Perhaps you have one over every door in your home, or you have one in every room of the house. Bring one to your prayer space; look at the other ones in your house. Meditate on the Stations of the  Cross. When it is time to venerate the Cross during the Liturgy, take a moment to venerate your cross/crucifix and acknowledge that Sign of Life which governs  and guards your home and yourself/family.

Ritual 2:

Spend time in quiet prayer from 12 noon-3:00 p.m.: Children’s/Family Video on doing the Stations of the Cross

Holy Saturday, Apr. 3

Matthew 29:1-10  - Fabric Color: White

Ritual in the Day: 

Color Easter Eggs & Make Resurrection Rolls

Ritual in the Evening: 

 Find a candle, one for the home, or one for each person. The candle represents the new fire will be blessed during the liturgy. You'll need a small bowl for water that will be blessed and you are invited to use it as your Easter Blessed water until we are back together physically in the church. 

It is time to prepare for the Easter Vigil. During the Liturgy, Msgr. Torgerson will bless the new Paschal Candle in our Church. By intention, he will also bless all of the candles in your homes, symbolic of the Light of Christ reigning over your home, and guiding you with his peace. Have a small bowl with water ready for   the blessing of the waters of the baptismal font. By intention, He will also bless your bowl of water, so that all of our homes will have new Easter Holy Water for you to bless yourselves and your family. 

Video: The Tale of Three Trees

 Children's Bulletin

Easter Sunday: Celebrate Easter with Flowers, Signs of New Life, Apr. 4

Fabric Color: White

Ritual 1:

Open Easter Treats or Baskets

Ritual 2: 

Prepare to Watch Easter Mass. Find a small bowl of water with you, so you can have it blessed to be your Easter Water of Life.  

Celebrate in gratitude at the conclusion of the Easter Vigil. This tradition dates to the early days of the Church, when Christians would fast (eat and drink less) during Lent, and then celebrate with a variety of special Easter foods (e.g. hot cross buns).

Children's Bulletin                   Children's Video

Holy Week Video

More Free Resources for Download:

Holy Week at Home from Faith & Family Collective 

 Holy Week at Home Success Kit from Catholic Family Crate