Holy Week Was Awesome!

I'm learning new things and having new experiences since we started attending Mass at St. Pius X. We had only attended the Latin Mass there until Holy Thursday, so I was eager to see how the Novus Ordo compared.

I very much like the priest there, and loved the procession for reposing the Blessed Sacrament. I have a question about that. The priest changed his vestment, then, carrying the Blessed Sacrament, he walked under a canopy carried by four men. Is there a name for the canopy? (It's not an umbrella/ombrellino). I have never seen this done before except on EWTN (our regular parish is quite liberal—read irreverent). I still have so much to learn about Catholicism!

The choir at St. Pius is in a loft, and they have a beautiful pipe organ. They sing some songs in Latin, even during the Novus Ordo. And there are statues of saints everywhere! Once during the TLM I looked up at the choir loft, and there was a monk in a brown robe playing the organ. It made me smile.

At the end of the Mass on Thursday, the priest and altar servers stripped the altar. Mom and I went back on Good Friday at 3 PM. The Good Friday readings are heart wrenching, and Veneration of the Cross is so beautiful.

That night at 11 PM, I went to the Tenebrae prayer service at our regular parish. I have gone to it every year since we were confirmed, and find it so moving. Tenebrae is an ancient prayer service, and many Catholics today may not know about it. Our parish administrator started it in our parish, and has continued the tradition. Rather than me describing it, read about it here.

Celebrating Tenebrae on Holy Thursday makes it feel as if you are with Christ in the Garden, waiting and watching with Him.

On Saturday, we went to the Easter Vigil Mass at 8 PM at St. Pius. Oh how lovely! There is so much symbolism packed into the Easter Vigil that it's hard to know where to begin. Read about it here.

We sat in the dark church while the priest blessed the fire outside, then lit and blessed the Easter Candle. The candle was carried into the darkened church, one of our candles (everyone in the congregation is holding a candle) was lit from the Easter candle. Then the flame was passed to each person until the whole church was glowing with candlelight.

The readings are long, and I was disappointed that not all of them were read. One man was baptized and eighteen people confirmed. Their faces were so happy! It is wonderful to see the Church grow, and to add them to our Catholic family.

Easter Sunday we had eight for dinner. It was a lovely, relaxed day. We had a mesquite smoked, glazed, spiral cut ham, potato casserole, glazed carrots, green beans, salad, yeast rolls and carrot cake for dessert, made by my sweet daughter. Our little grandson liked his Easter baskets and being the center of attention. I missed our oldest son and his family, but they were with us earlier this month.

And now begins the 50 day celebration of Easter. I love being Catholic! The Catholic season of Easter begins on Easter Sunday and ends at Pentecost, May 11 this year. Happy Easter!