March 29, 2026

Today, we enter into the holiest of weeks for us Christians. We walk with Jesus “in real-time” as He is welcomed into Jerusalem with songs and palm branches, only to be hunted down and crucified. It would truly be a horrible story if it ended there. But, we, as true believers, know that is not the end. With the dawning of Easter Sunday, our salvation was sealed, and joy rises with the Son!

I urge you to join us each day for this profound statement of our faith. On Holy Thursday, we recall the Last Supper, when Jesus gave us the Eucharist in the breaking of the bread. He washes the feet of the disciples, a sign of service and the institution of the priesthood. Then He is betrayed with a kiss and dragged away to be tossed from Pilate to Herod and back to Pilate. The sentence is death and
it is carried out on Good Friday. There is a solemn silence on Holy Saturday. The disciples are trapped in fear, and no one could blame them. But with sundown comes the beginning of God’s plan. And all of creation shouts He is Risen on Easter.

Please see the schedule of Masses and prayer times over these holy days. Each one is different. Each one has its own place in our story of salvation. A couple interesting notes that could get by you. On Holy Thursday, you’ll notice there is adoration of the Blessed Sacrament but there is no final blessing. In other words, it isn’t over. Good Friday does not begin with the Sign of the Cross. Even the words, “Let us pray” are not spoken before the opening prayer. At the end of this service (there is no Mass offered on Good Friday, the only day of the year), we simply walk away, each to our own home, as they did all those years ago. The greatest of all liturgies of the Church is on Saturday at the Easter Vigil. Again, it does not begin with the Sign of the Cross. The Mass has been going on since Thursday night. It is a lengthy liturgy, but think of what we do —
we welcome new people into the Church, through Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist, because we have welcomed the Risen Christ into the world! Easter Sunday continues our celebration and it will go on for fifty days until Pentecost! These are amazing days. Don’t miss them! Please join us as much as possible.

On Friday, we were blest to have Bishop Robert Lombardo, one of our auxiliary bishops of Chicago, join us to offer the blessing of Confirmation on our young people. Please pray for them, that they may be blest deeply in the Holy Spirit. Remember the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit? Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Fortitude, Piety, Counsel, and Fear of the Lord. And the Fruits of the Holy Spirit? Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. Pretty good stuff we can all use!