A procession carries the bier of the Body of Christ through neighboring streets. The procession returns to the church as the Vexilla Regis is sung. The bier is placed before the high altar, where it is ritually washed and buried by the clergy, as the choir sings the psalms and the Lamentations of Jeremiah from the first nocturn of the Office of Matins of Holy Saturday.

Yesterday evening, Traditional Mass of the Lord’s Supper was offered at St. Mary Church, Norwalk, CT.

A beautiful Tenebrae was sung at St. Mary Church, Norwalk, CT yesterday evening.

Our schedule of Traditional liturgies for Holy Week can be found at this link.

The following churches will have Traditional Masses and liturgies on Holy Week. March 24-March 31.

Palm Sunday March 24

Connecticut

St. Mary Church, Norwalk, Solemn Mass 10 am; procession of palms, St. Matthew’s Passion by Victoria

Sts. Cyril and Methodius, Bridgeport, Low Mass 8:30 am; 10:15 am Blessing of Palms, Procession and Solemn Mass

St. Patrick Oratory, Waterbury, 8 am Confessions; 8:30 low Mass; 10 am Confessions; 10:30 Blessing of Palms and High Mass

Sacred Heart Oratory, Redding, 12 pm Mass with Procession

St. Martha Church, Enfield, 11 am

New York

Holy Innocents, New York, NY, 9 am; 10:30 am

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, New York, NY, 9:30 am-12 noon Confessions; 10 am Blessing of Palms, procession, Missa Cantata (the liturgy begins outdoors on 116th Street), 4:30 pm Solemn Vespers, Rosary, Benediction

St. Cecilia Church, Brooklyn, 2 pm

Our Lady of Peace, Brooklyn, 9:20 am

St. Josaphat Church, Bayside (Queens) 9:30 am

St. Rocco Church, Glen Cove, Long Island, 11:30 am Mass and blessing of palms

St. Paul, Yonkers, 2:30 pm

Annunciation Church, Crestwood, 11:00 am (note earlier time)

Immaculate Conception, Sleepy Hollow, Missa Cantata 4 pm

St. Patrick Church, Newburgh, 3 pm

St. Joseph Church, Middletown, 10:15 am

St. Mary and St. Andrew, Ellenville, 11:30 am

Sacred Heart Church, Esopus, 10:45 am Confessions; 11:30 am Mass

Holy Trinity Church, Poughkeepsie, 1:30 pm

New Jersey

Our Lady of Sorrows, Jersey City, 8:30 am Blessing of palms; procession, Missa Cantata

Our Lady of Victories, Harrington Park, 8 am

St. Anthony of Padua Oratory, 7:30 am; 9 am; 10:30 am blessing of palms, procession and High Mass

Our Lady of Fatima, Pequannock, 7 am; 9 am; 10:30 am; 1:30 pm; 5 pm

Shrine Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, Raritan, 10:30 am, Missa Cantata

St. John Church, Allentown, 12:30 pm Solemn Mass with blessing of palms and procession

St. Catherine Church, Middletown, 9:00 am

St. Gianna Beretta Molla Church, Northfield, 12 noon

St. Dominic Church, Brick, 12 noon

Holy Monday March 25

Connecticut

St. Mary Church, Norwalk, Confessions 6-8 pm.

Sts. Cyril and Methodius, Bridgeport, confessions 7:15 am; Mass 7:45 am

Sacred Heart Oratory, Redding, Mass 6 pm

New York

Holy Innocents Church, New York, 6 pm Mass

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, New York, NY, 7 am and 7;45 am Low Mass; 1-3 pm confessions; 6-9 pm confessions

St. Josaphat Church, Bayside (Queens), 7 am

St. Paul Church, Yonkers, 12 noon

New Jersey

St. Catherine Church, Middletown, 12 noon Mass

Holy Tuesday March 26

Connecticut

St. Mary Church, Norwalk, 8 am Low Mass; Confessions 11:30 am & 6-7 pm

Sts. Cyril and Methodius, Bridgeport, Confession 7:15 am; Mass 7:45 am

Sacred Heart Oratory, Redding, Mass 6 pm

New York

Holy Innocents Church, New York, NY, 6 pm

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, New York, NY, 7 and 7:45 am low Mass

St. Josaphat Church, Bayside (Queens), 7 am

Spy Wednesday March 27

Connecticut

St. Mary Church, Norwalk, 8 am Low Mass; 11:30 am Confessions, 7 pm Tenebrae of Maundy Thurday

Sts. Cyril and Methodius, Bridgeport, Confession 7:15 am; Mass 7:45 am, Tenebrae 7 pm

Sacred Heart Oratory, Redding, Mass 6 pm

New York

Holy Innocents Church, New York, NY, 6 pm Mass; 7:30 pm Tenebrae

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, New York, NY, 7 and 7:45 am Low Mass

St. Josaphat Church, Bayside (Queens), 7 am; 7 pm Tenebrae

St. Paul Church, Yonkers, 12 noon

New Jersey

Our Lady of Sorrows, Jersey City, 7 pm Tenebrae

St. John the Baptist, Allentown, 7 pm

Holy Thursday March 28

Connecticut

St. Mary Church, Norwalk, Solemn Mass 7 pm; Vespers and stripping of the altars 9 pm; Vigil before the Blessed Sacrament 9:30 pm at the Altar of Repose in the downstairs chapel

Sts. Cyril and Methodius, Bridgeport, 11 – 11:45 am confessions, 12 noon Solemn Mass followed by procession fo the Blessed Sacrament, Vespers and stripping of the altars; 6 pm Mandatum foot washing ceremony; 7 pm. Tenebrae; Church open for adoration until 10 pm.

Sacred Heart Oratory, Redding, 9 pm Mass with procession to Altar of Repose

St. Patrick Oratory, Waterbury, 3 pm Confessions; 6 pm High Mass of the Lord’s Supper, Adoration at the altar of repose until midnight

St. Martha Church, Enfield, 7:30 pm

New York

Holy Innocents Church, New York, NY, 6 pm Solemn Mass of the Lord’s Supper, All-night adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrement at the Repository. The church will close at 12 midight for those not staying all night and will reopen at 6 am on Good Friday

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, New York, NY, 9 am Tenebrae candlelight Matins and Lauds; 7 pm Solemn Mass of the Lord’s Supper; 8 pm Procession to the Altar of Repose and Adoration until Midnight

St. Josaphat Church, Bayside (Queens), 7 pm Mass; Adoration at Altar of repose until midnight

St. Mary and St. Andrew, Ellenville, 8:15 pm

New Jersey

Our Lady of Sorrows, Jersey City, 8:30 pm Mass and Solemn Procession to the Altar of Repose

Our Lady of Fatima Chapel, Pequannock, 7 pm

St. Anthony of Padua Oratory, West Orange, 7 pm

Shrine Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, Raritan, 7 pm

St. John the Bapist Church, Allentown, 8 pm Traditional Latin Holy Thursday Mass followed by adoration at the altar of repose until midnight

St. Catherine Church, Middletown, Latin Mass 12 noon

Good Friday March 29

Connecticut

St. Mary Church, Norwalk, 3 pm Mass of the Presanctified; 7 pm Porcession of the Cristo Muerto and burial of the Body of Christ

Sts. Cyril and Methodius, Bridgeport, 11-11:45 am Confessions; 12 noon Mass of the Presanctified followed by Vespers; 6 pm Stations of the Cross; 7 pm Tenebrae

Sacred Heart Oratory, Redding, 3 pm Solemn Liturgy of the Passion; 6pm Candlelit Stations of the Cross; Lenten soup and bread

St. Patrick Oratory, Waterbury, 12 noon Confessions; 2 pm Stations of the Cross; 3 pm High Mass of the Presanctified

St. Martha Church, Enfield, 3 pm

New York

Holy Innocents Church, New York, NY, Adoration fo the Blessed Sacrament until 12 noon; 12 noon 7 Last Words preached by Fr. Miara; 3 pm Solemn Afternoon liturgical services; 6 pm Stations of the cross

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, New York, NY, 9 am Tenebrae Candlelight Matins and Lauds; 12 noon-1:30 pm East Harlem Good Friday procession starting at St. Francis de Sales Church; 3 pm Mass of the Presanctified

St. Josaphat Church, Bayside (Queens), 3 pm Mass of the Presanctified; Adoration at the Lord’s grave until midnight

New Jersey

Our Lady of Sorrows, Jersey City, 3 pm Mass of the Presanctified. Street procession following the service

Our Lady of Fatima Chapel, Pequannock, 3 pm Presanctified liturgy

St Anthony of Padua Oratory, West Orange, 1 pm Confessions; 3 pm Solemn Mass of the Presanctified.

St. John the Bapist Church, Allentown, 12 noon Traditional Latin Good Friday liturgy

St. Catherine Church, Middletown, 12 noon Latin liturgy of Good Friday

Blessed Sacrament Chapel, Raritan, 3 pm

Holy Saturday March 30

Connecticut

St. Mary Church, Norwalk, 12:30 Blessing of the Easter food in gym; 7 pm Great Vigil of Easter followed by a festive reception in the school gym

Sts. Cyril and Methodius, Bridgeport, 8-8:45 am Confessions; 3 pm Easter Vigil followed by blessing of Easter baskets and Compline

Sacred Heart Oratory, Redding, 10 am blessing of the Easter foods; 8:30 pm Easter Vigil

St. Patrick Oratory, Waterbury, 10 am Confessions; 12 noon Easter Vigil, Blession of Easter baskets and reception in the hall (please note that this liturgy of Easter Vigil does not fulfill one’ s Easter Sunday obligation)

St. Martha Church, Enfield, 7 pm Easter Vigil

New York

Holy Innocents Church, New York, NY, 6 pm Easter Vigil, followed by festive reception

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, New York, NY, 9 am Tenbrae candlelight Matins and Lauds; 6 pm Confessions; 7 pm Solemn Easter Vigil; blessing of fire and paschal candle will take place at the 115th Street entrance

St. Josaphat Church, Bayside (Queens), 8 pm Easter Vigil

New Jersey

Our Lady of Sorrows, Jersey City, 10:30 pm Easter Vigil

Our Lady of Fatima Chapel, Pequannock, 8:30 pm Easter Vigil

St. Anthony of Padua Oratory, West Orange, 12 noon, High Mass of the Vigil of Easter

Shine Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, Raritan, 8 pm Easter Vigil

St. John the Bapist Church, Allentown, 3:30 pm Traditional Latin Easter Vigil

Easter Sunday March 31

Connecticut

St. Mary Church, Norwalk, 10 am Solemn Mass

Sts. Cyril and Methodius, Bridgeport, 8:30 am low Mass; 10:15 Solemn Mass; 6 pm Solemn Vespers and Benediction

St. Patrick Oratory, Waterbury, 8 am Confessions; 8:30 low Mass; 10 am Confessions; 10;30 High Mass

Sacred Heart Oratory, Redding, 7 am, 12 noon

Immaculate Conception High School Chapel, 12:30 pm

St. Martha Church, Enfield, 11:30 am

St. Augustine, North Branford, 11 am

New York

Holy Innocents Church, New York, NY, 9 am Low Mass; 10:30 am High Mass followed by festive reception

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, New York, NY, 10:30 am Missa Cantata; 4:30 pm Solemn Paschal Vespers, Rosary and Benediction

Our Lady of Peace, Brooklyn, 9:30 am

St. Cecilia Church, Brooklyn, 2 pm

St. Josaphat Church, Bayside (Queens), 9:30 am Mass

St. Rocco Church, Glen Cove, Long Island, 11:30 am, Missa Cantata

St. Paul Church, Yonkers, 1:30 pm

Immaculate Conception, Sleepy Hollow, Missa Cantata 2 pm

St. Joseph Church, Middletown, 10:15 am

St. Mary and St. Andrew, Ellenville, 11:30 am

Holy Trinity Church, Poughkeepsie, 2:00 pm

Sacred Heart Church, Esopus, 10:45 am Confessions; 11:30 am Mass

New Jersey

Our Lady of Victories, Harrington Park, 8 am

Our Lady of Fatima Chapel, Pequannock, 7 am, 9 am, 11 am, 1:30 pm, no Mass at 5 pm

St. Anthony of Padua Oratory, West Orange, 7:30 am; 9 am, 11 am High Mass

Shrine Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, Raritan, 10:30 am Missa Cantata

St. John the Bapist Church, Allentown, 12:30 pm Solemn Mass

St. Gianna Beretta Molla Church, Northfield, 12 noon

St. Dominic, Brick, 12 noon

by Fr. Richard Gennaro Cipolla

Epiphany Parish, Tampa

Rome is a city I know well and love.  It has been one of the blessings of my life to organize and lead tours of Italy for small groups from my parishes, for friends, and for the many students I have taught.  There are places and things that one must see in Rome like St Peter’s basilica and the other major basilicas, the catacombs, the Pantheon and so forth. But in addition to the must-sees, I always take my groups to the Palazzo Doria-Pamphili, one of the great and noble palazzi built by families of great wealth and power, all of whom collected great art.

The Doria-Pamphili family still lives in a small part of the palace—a mere 15 rooms.  The rest of the palace now displays the paintings and the sculptures that they collected of 300 years. The most famous of their collection of paintings is the portrait of the Pamphili family member who became Pope Innocent X, painted by the Spanish artist Velasquez.  Once you have seen in this painting the eyes of Innocent X, you never forget them. And you know that he did not suffer fools gladly.

But I always take my groups to view a painting in this palazzo that is not nearly as famous. It is by the artist Caravaggio, who became famous for his later paintings with their drama and use of chiaroscuro.  This is an early Caravaggio, and the subject is the Flight to Egypt. The scene depicts a pause of the Holy Family on their way to Egypt to escape the murderous wrath of King Herod.  To the right Mary is bending over the baby Jesus who is asleep on her lap. To the left in the foreground is the figure of Joseph holding a sheet of music for an angel who is playing a lullaby on a violin for the sleeping baby Jesus.  Joseph stands there holding the music sheet with a look of a man doing  what he knows he should be doing at this particular time and place, a look of determination and peace.  That was one of many moments in his life in which he fulfilled his singular vocation to be the guardian of his wife, Mary, and her Son. And he did this in the silence of obedience in love, and he understood as no other man has ever known the virtue of obligo.

I learned the meaning of that Italian word obligo from my father Severino.  He came to this country at age 14 from Southern Italy, a place devastated by World War I.  He cut hair in a barber shop until he became a policeman on the Providence Police Force in Rhode Island.  Often, after supper—we ate supper not dinner—he would get up from the table, and put on his coat and hat—men always wore hats in those days when they went out. My mother would ask: Sam, where are you going? The answer:  To a wake.  My mother:  Whose wake is it?  My father: My friend Mike’s cousin. My mother:  Why are you going to a wake for someone you never knew?  My father:  I have to go because Mike is my friend.  My mother would roll her eyes and go do the dishes.

Every Christmas morning my brother and I had to go with my father to make  a round of visits.  One of these was to Billy and Teresa Rao, my parents’ best man and maid of honor at their wedding.  We stayed for only 15 minutes, enough time for my father and Billy to have a shot of sweet vermouth.  When we go back into the car, I asked my father:  Daddy, why do we have to the Rao’s every Christmas morning?  His answer:  Because they stood up for me and your mother at our wedding. That phrase “stand up for” was an English translation of the phrase  in Italian for agreeing to be a best man and maid of honor.  I did not understand what all this meant.

Do you know when I finally understood that  obligo is linked to an act of love?  It was many years later after my father died, when by the grace of God I became, against all odds, a Catholic priest, and it happened that I was the celebrant of the Traditional Good Friday Liturgy that particular year. At the time for the Veneration of the Cross, as is the custom, I took off my shoes and socks to begin the threefold approach to the Cross laying at the foot of the altar.  And as I knelt to kiss the Cross in adoration, I finally understood what St. Joseph and my father understood in the silence of their hearts: that obligo is what one takes on in personal sacrifice in response to love, and not love in general but personal love based on the love of God for us in the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross, the Sacrifice of God for me. Oh, my friends, as we approach Holy Week, let us ask St. Joseph for his prayers that we may live lives that reflect the love of God in Jesus Christ, and to have the courage to undertake and put into practice