As we approach Holy Week, we have spiritually moved through Lent, seeking to empty ourselves of egoism, complacency, distraction, and self-seeking, so that the Lord finds greater space and capacity within us to receive His divine grace.
Tag: Holy Week
‘It is finished’
Jesus’ final words from the Cross were: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46) and “It is finished.” (John 19:30) With this, Christ dies, handing His life over to the Father.
Jason Studnicka continues a family and Holy Week tradition
Many families have Holy Week and Easter traditions.
Some of them have been passed down from generation to generation.
Such is the case for Jason Studnicka of Muscoda.
Be defenseless like Jesus was in His Passion
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| This column is the bishop’s communication with the faithful of the Diocese of Madison. Any wider circulation reaches beyond the intention of the bishop. |
Dear Friends,
This past Sunday was Palm Sunday, and by the time you read this it will likely be in the midst of the Sacred Triduum or even in the glorious season of Easter.
Now, I don’t know about you, but I feel as if this Lenten journey sped by unbelievably fast. And so (it seems to me) that all of a sudden here we are, in the midst of Holy Week.
If you read this in time, I do want to make a pitch for you — insofar as it is possible — to make an effort to attend the most important liturgy in the Church calendar, which occurs on Holy Saturday night.
The Easter Vigil is the pinnacle of our liturgical year, as we walk through salvation history and proclaim once again the glorious news that we have a Savior!
Help preserve the places where Jesus lived
Easter is early this year (Sunday, April 1), so we will soon be starting Holy Week on Palm Sunday, March 25.
At this time, our thoughts and prayers turn to what happened in Jerusalem during Our Lord’s passion, death, and resurrection.
Holy Week is gift from Holy Spirit for our salvation
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| This column is the bishop’s communication with the faithful of the Diocese of Madison. Any wider circulation reaches beyond the intention of the bishop. |
Dear Friends,
It is hard for me to believe that this coming Sunday is Palm Sunday, and yet, here we are!
I bring this up because I want to remind you that the most important liturgies of the Church, culminating in the great Easter Vigil, begin this coming Sunday. It is the most important time in the Church year, and I encourage you to be actively engaged in it.
Holy Week begins
We begin, of course, with Palm Sunday (or Passion Sunday), which is the official start of Holy Week. And Holy Week builds from there.
Recognizing the ‘glance’ of Jesus
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| This column is the bishop’s communication with the faithful of the Diocese of Madison. Any wider circulation reaches beyond the intention of the bishop. |
Dear Friends,
As I write down a few thoughts here, we are entering — with heavy hearts — into the great and holy week during which we accompany Jesus in His terrible suffering and death.
As we go through Holy Week we shall hear a great many words — from the beautiful language of the sacred liturgies, to the readings themselves — including the telling of the Passion story, and of course, the many readings of the Easter Vigil.
From “Hosanna” to “Alleluia,” we will hear told, and even witness represented, the story of our own salvation.
Help support places where Jesus walked
As we prepare to begin Holy Week, our thoughts and prayers turn to what happened in Jerusalem during Our Lord’s passion, death, and resurrection.
We will be reliving the events of that week during the liturgies of Holy Week in our churches. It is a special time for us as Christians, and hopefully we will attend as many services as we can.
Reliving Holy Week
During Holy Week, we may envision what happened in Jerusalem: Jesus’ triumphal arrival with palms waving, his last supper with his apostles, his suffering and death on a cross. We may see these events as part of history, viewing them almost with a sense of nostalgia.
However, our faith makes us realize that these events are not only in the past. We reenact them every year — and every day of our lives — as we journey with Jesus in the triumphs, crosses, deaths, and resurrections we face.
All time belongs to Him
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| This column is the bishop’s communication with the faithful of the Diocese of Madison. Any wider circulation reaches beyond the intention of the bishop. |
Dear Friends,
It is always strange to prepare a column for this issue of the Catholic Herald.
As I write, it is Monday and we’ve just entered into Holy Week. When this issue arrives at your homes, it will most likely be Holy Thursday, and yet this will also serve as the “Easter issue.”
We’ve just experienced Palm Sunday, when we rejoiced and sang “Hosanna!” as Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem.
So should I reflect upon those moments of worldly glory? Should I rejoice with all the gusto of Easter, knowing that you may read this in the glow of those days? Or, should I consider the darkness of Christ’s passion and death, bearing in mind that you may read this column on Holy Thursday or Good Friday?
Of course it wouldn’t be the end of the world to do any of this, and the point is not really the tension of writing this column.
We live in a world of tension
I reflect upon it though, because it’s actually the tension in which we live day-in and day-out.
For us, Christ’s life, His passion, His death, and His raising to new life all are present at once.
Chrism Mass unites bishop, priests, people
The sounds of trumpets, timpani, and harp and the smell of incense enhanced the prayers of the faithful of the Diocese of Madison as they united with their bishop and priests at the Chrism Mass celebrated on Tuesday of Holy Week, March 26, at St. Maria Goretti Church.