Holy Week 2021
For Christians, Holy Week is the most important week of the year. Holy Week lasts
from Palm Sunday until Easter Sunday and reaches its highpoint in what we call the
Easter Triduum those three great days from the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper to
Evening Prayer on Easter Sunday. Reflecting on the Scriptures and turning to ritual
and symbols, Christians throughout the world, journey with Jesus through those final
days of his life, his passion, his death and resurrection. In the process, we experience
God’s redemptive presence, our faith is deepened, our hope is renewed and our
commitment to living a life of love of God and one another is strengthened.
Opportunities in Holy Week 2021
Once again, our celebration of Holy Week and Easter this year will be very different
due to the restrictions in place because of the Covid-19 Pandemic. As a Christian
Community we cannot gather together for our usual religious services. This should
not prevent us from uniting spiritually and taking time to pray, to reflect and to make
this Holy Week a truly enriching experience of the presence of God in our lives.
• Join in the Holy Week Ceremonies by means of the internet or television and
radio broadcasts.
• Download from our Diocesan Website www.ardaghdiocese.ie from the links below
These will assist us in walking the journey of Holy Week 2021 together, even if we
must be apart. It is designed as a companion to broadcast services and to
support prayer at home.
• Visit your local church on Palm Sunday to collect safely palm and a Prayer
Card, which can be used at home.
• Visit your local church on Good Friday to pray privately the Stations of the
Cross.
• Visit your local church on Easter Sunday to collect safely perhaps some Holy
Water and a Prayer Card, which can be used at home.
Remember that when we celebrate the liturgy in these difficult times, it is good to
remember that even if we are alone in our homes we are celebrating in communion
with the whole Church, for the whole Church, and indeed with the whole world
Making a Spiritual Communion
When we cannot receive communion– there has been a long tradition in the church
of what is called making a spiritual communion by ask Jesus to come spiritually into
our lives.
My Jesus,
I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love you above all things, and I desire to receive you into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace you as if you were already there and unite myself wholly to you.
Never permit me to be separated from you. (St Alphonsus de Liguori)
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