Pastor’s Letter: March 29, 2026 – Palm Sunday

Pastor’s Letter: March 29, 2026 – Palm Sunday

27 Mar 2026 | Posted by: chadmin

Dear St. Philomena Parish Family,

Blessed and grace-filled Holy Week to you all! May these special days help draw all our hearts closer to the Savior! To help us enter into this Week of Salvation, I thought we would review some highlights/spiritual notes:

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, also called Passion Sunday

• Celebrates the Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem and recognition as Messiah
• Carrying palm branches invites us to participate in a unique way, adding our voices to the reading of the Passion (the Gospel of Jesus’ suffering and death)

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday help us prepare for the rest of Holy Week

• Mass readings focus on the suffering servant passages from the Book of Isaiah
• Gospels focus on the time before and the first part of the Last Supper
• In our Diocese, we celebrate the Chrism Mass on Tuesday of Holy Week
  • Holy Oils used for the sacraments are blessed by the Bishop
  • All the priests renew the promises made at ordination

Beginning on Holy Thursday, we celebrate what is called the Triduum

• A Latin word that means “three days” (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday)
  • These three days are three parts of one extended liturgy that help us journey with Jesus through his suffering, death, and resurrection

Holy Thursday, we celebrate the Liturgy of the Lord’s Supper

• We celebrate the institution of the Priesthood and the Holy Eucharist—Mass
  • Also the mandate to serve one another—this day is sometimes called Maundy Thursday from Jesus’ mandate to serve one another
• After the homily, the priest will wash the feet of those representing the apostles
• There is a procession of the Holy Eucharist around the Church, ending at what we call the Altar of Repose
  • Prayer with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament continues into the night as we keep vigil with Him

Good Friday, we celebrate the Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion

• The focus of this day is on the suffering of Jesus and His death on the cross
  • A “Liturgy” (not Mass), since there is no Eucharistic Prayer/Consecration
• Similar to Palm Sunday, we have the reading of the Passion from St. John
  • After the homily, we pray together the grand intercessions
  • We then have solemn veneration of the cross
  • Followed by the reception of Holy Communion for those who are able
• To honor the solemn nature of this day, we leave the church in silence

Holy Saturday is a day of quiet prayer and fasting, focused on Christ in the tomb

• During the night, after sunset, the celebration of Our Lord’s resurrection begins!
• This special Mass (Easter Vigil) contains four distinct parts:
  • 1^st we have the blessing of the fire and lighting of the new Paschal Candle
  • 2^nd is an extended Liturgy of the Word through salvation history
  • 3^rd we have the Sacraments of Initiation for those joining the Church
  • 4^th is the liturgy of the Eucharist like a typical Sunday
• Easter Masses end with a special dismissal that includes a “double Alleluia”
  • We are ready to sing together the gift of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ!

I invite you to consider joining for these special days—knowing that each of the days will invite us to participate more fully in the life of Christ. Know of my prayers and blessing for you all to enjoy a fruitful Holy Week!

In Christ,
Father Luke