Holy Week at Home 2020

“God’s first language is silence. Everything else is a translation.” “Faith is opening and surrendering to God. The spiritual Journey does not

require going anywhere because God is already with us and in us.”Fr. Thomas Keating

Who could have ever imagined when we started Lent that we would find ourselves unable to celebrate Holy Week together? For many of us this will be difficult and we might experience some sadness at the loss of these beautiful services. Those of us whose life it is to prepare and provide these liturgies are heartbroken.

Still, Holy Week will be celebrated and Easter will happen though in new and uncharted ways. We have tried to re-imagine Holy Week using modern technology as well as ancient ways of being church. You can read more about the thoughts behind our vision here: https://www.mary.org/blog/202004/extraordinary-times-call-extraordinary-measures.

Combining what you can do at home with what we can bring to you via live-stream we hope to make this Holy Week memorable and not only due to the predicament we find ourselves in.

We hope that the tools we are providing with be helpful to you. Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any questions or suggestions.

The Basilicaof Saint Mary

In Preparation of Holy Week

■ Create a Prayer Area: this can be as simple as a rug or a small table with a family bible. Add your favorite religious images and the cross you will venerate as a family on Good Friday. You may also want to bring out the candles that were blessed during Candlemas or any other candles. Your prayer area can be the place where you pray during Holy week. It can even be the place where you participate in virtual liturgies.

■ Attach a palm branch or another green branch to you door: though we are social distancing from one another, we are looking for signs to that unite us and affirm we are one as a community.

■ Prepare for the upcoming liturgies: Make sure you have all you need to celebrate the liturgies from your home as indicated for each day of Holy Week. It is spelled out below but you will need candles, water, oil, etc.

■ Easter Baskets: If this is possible and safe, shop for the necessary items to create Easter Baskets for members of your household and neighbors.

■ Easter Food: Many of us grew up with special Easter Foods such as Hot Cross Buns, Easter breads, Easter eggs, etc. Go over the recipes and check your cupboards. You may also want to share recipes with family and friends. Cooking together, either in person with the members of your household or virtually with others is a great way to connect with one another.

■ Easter Gift: Knowing that these are challenging times, if you are able please help sustain our operations and empower our mission.  Now more than ever your donation ensures we can continue to provide our ministries, services and pastoral care for our community.  You can make your Easter gift to The Basilica at mary.org/eastergift.  If you are in financial need please do not hesitate to contact our St. Vincent de Paul ministry (612.333.1381).

Photo by Mike Jensen

During Holy Week

■ Participate in the Archdiocesan Retreat: Archbishop Hebda and his staff prepared a virtual retreat for the members of our archdiocese. For more information go to: https://www.archspm.org/virtual-holy-week-retreat-announced/

■ Rekindle your fast: even if you haven’t done this yet, it’s not too late! Decide on one or two things to fast from during Holy Week. Perhaps you could give up eating certain foods like dessert. Or you could give up watching television or using electronic devices for a certain period each day. Encourage family and friends to join you. 

Pray Without Ceasing

◆ Centering Prayer: as taught by Father Thomas Keating, this type of Contemplative Prayer is the opening of mind and heart—our whole being—to God, the Ultimate Mystery, beyond thoughts, words and emotions.  It is the prayer of silence.  Holy Week is the prefect time for silent contemplation.

˓ Contemplative Outreach: https://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/

˓ Minnesota Contemplative Outreach: https://www.minnesotacontemplativeoutreach.org/

˓ The Basilica Centering Prayer Group:  https://www.mary.org/ministries-education/spirituality/centering-prayer

◆ Pray in person or as a household: Liturgical Press has made several of their resources available for free on-line

˓ First, you can access their daily prayers resource: Give Us This Day.

˓ Second, you can pray at home using: Holy Week at Home.

Photo by Mike Jensen

◆ Pray the Stations of the Cross: you can find a narrated slideshow of our Scriptural Stations of at https://vimeo.com/403088034. These stations were commissioned by The Basilica from local artist Lucinda Naylor to mark the second millennium of Christianity. The Meditations were inspired by the art.

˓ Stations of the Cross with younger children: draw your own stations or print some out (https://www.catholicicing.com/printable-stations-of-cross-for/). Your children can color them. Place them around the house. Each evening after dinner, visit some of the stations with your children. The following resources may be helpful for children: https://www.loyolapress.com/~/media/Images/Loyola%20Press/ocf-articles/Lent/lent-assets/stations-of-the-cross-for-children.ashx or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0qv7c4PsrA&list=TLPQMDIwNDIwMjCaZNc4fArsBg&index=2

◆ Pray the Rosary together either in person or virtually: we have made a virtual Rosary available on our website. This is the schedule for the recitation of the different mysteries of the Holy Rosary

˓ Palm Sunday: Sorrowful Mysteries  https://vimeo.com/403120059 or Glorious Mysteries https://vimeo.com/403117616

˓ Monday of Holy Week: Joyful Mysteries https://vimeo.com/403124458 ˓ Tuesday of Holy Week: Sorrowful Mysteries https://vimeo.com/403120059 ˓ Wednesday of Holy Week: Glorious Mysteries https://vimeo.com/403117616 ˓ Holy Thursday: Luminous Mysteries  https://vimeo.com/403122056 ˓ Good Friday: Sorrowful Mysteries  https://vimeo.com/403120059 ˓ Holy Saturday: Joyful Mysteries https://vimeo.com/403124458 ˓ Easter Sunday: Glorious Mysteries https://vimeo.com/403117616

◆ Be mindful and pray during your walks: while you are on your walk be attentive to your surroundings. Be sure to observe social distancing. As you go on your walk pray for those who are made to walk the streets because they have no place to call home. When you walk by a mailbox pray for all those working for our postal and delivery services. When walking by a fire station, pray for all first responders. While you walk the city streets pray for those who have no homes and have no choice but to live outdoors. As you enjoy the good weather outside pray for all those who are imprisoned, either in body, soul or mind. When passing a retirement home pray for those who are unable to see their loved ones, especially those who are dying. When you pass a lake or walk through nature pray for the good earth God has given us and for all creatures that live in it.

◆ Lectio Divina: if you would like to go through a guided meditation on the Scriptures for Holy Week please visit: https://www.mary.org/sites/default/files/assets/files/3357-3379-lectio-divina.pdf

Engage in Service  Keep Holy Week free of superfluous commitments. Instead, spend part of each day working on a service project.

◆ Be a Simon of Cyrene for someone. Put the names of your family or friends into a bag. Each day of Holy Week, draw a name and keep it a secret. Try to do something kind for that person, without letting them know who did it. If you do this as a family, at the end of the day, you might try to guess who your “Simon of Cyrene” was.  

◆ Go through your closet and drawers to find good, unused clothing to donate to those in need. As you go through your clothes, pray for those who may wear these after you. Consider drop off at the following:

˓ Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners: https://www.iocp.org/

˓ Sharing and Caring Hands: https://sharingandcaringhands.org/

˓ Community Emergency Assistance Program: https://www.ceap.org/

˓ Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People: https://veap.org/

◆ Organize a food drive with your neighbors. Through phone calls and email, contact neighbors and invite them to leave food outside their doors for you to pick up. Collect then and save for your neighborhood food shelf. To learn where your local food shelf network is: https://thefoodgroupmn.org/

◆ Make Easter baskets that you can leave at your neighbor’s door. Be sure that everything is duly disinfected.

◆ Order delivery of Easter dinner from a restaurant for an elderly family member or a neighbor in need

◆ Families could make simple fleece tie blankets that could be donated to Saint Vincent de Paul Outreach guests

◆ Give Blood: As Christ poured out his very blood for us on the cross, we know that this act has deep sacrificial and theological meaning to us. Blood is a sign of life, the lifeblood that courses through our very being. Our blood banks are in need always, now more than ever. Contact Memorial Blood Center: https://www.mbcherohub.club/

Boy with Persimmon Background © 2004 Wayne Forte | Eyekons

Act with Justice

◆ Themes of betrayal and denial play a large part in the Triduum, especially in the characters of Peter and Judas. As we look at our modern world today:

˓ Where is Christ being denied? Betrayed?

˓ How can we advocate for those on the margins, those most vulnerable, those that society seems to deny and betray?

˓ Choose an issue to lobby your legislators and take time to e-mail, write or call your elected officials for an issue near to your heart and in line with Catholic Social Thought: racial justice, for adequate housing, for mental health funding, for the unborn, for health insurance for all, for the undocumented, to speak out against the death penalty, for opioid addiction, to break cycles of poverty, or to reduce gun violence.

◆ Nicodemus came to Jesus in the dark of the night, because he was afraid of how his actions would be judged by his peers: the other Pharisees. Having embraced the truth of Jesus’s teachings in the end he brought a mix of myrrh and aloes weighing about a hundred pounds to help embalm Jesus’ body. ( Jn. 3:1-21, J. 7:50-51, and Jn. 19:39-42).

˓ Are there truths we know, but stay silent about?

˓ Do we witness things in our family or peer groups that need to be called out: racial slurs or sexual harassment, but we have yet to find courage to speak out about?

◆ Mary of Magdala, the Apostle to the Apostles, is named in all four Gospels as the first witness to the Resurrection. The truth of our faith—Jesus’ triumph over death— rests on the word of this woman’s testimony.

˓ How can we pray with Mary of Magdala, our ancestor in faith, claim the power we each have in our circles of influence, and realize that no voice is too small?

Photo by Mike Jensen

Holy Week Liturgies

Palm Sunday

What you will need in your prayer area for today:

◆ Please remember to wear red, the color of the day.

◆ Palms or some other branch of greenery such as boxwood or ever greens.

Prayer at home:

◆ You can find prayer resources here: Holy Week at Home and Give Us This Day

◆ Pray the Stations of the Cross: https://vimeo.com/403088034

◆ Pray the Sorrowful Mysteries   https://vimeo.com/403120059 or Glorious Mysteries of the Holy Rosary https://vimeo.com/403117616

Prayer with our Basilica Community:

◆ 9:30am: We will livestream the Celebration of Palm Sunday of Our Lord’s Passion on www.mary.org and on www.facebook.com/BasilicaMpls. We will start livestreaming at 9:15am so you can get organized and invite family and friends to virtually join you.

˓ We invite you to leave your coffee in the kitchen, go to your prayer area, turn off your phone, and set this time aside for prayer.

˓ You will find the music and prayers for this liturgy on your screen. Please stand, sit, kneel when we do and join us in prayer and song.

˓ We invite you to hold up your palm/branches for the blessing at the beginning of the service.

˓ While the celebrant processes to the altar you may want to process around your home waving your branches.

˓ You will find the music and prayers for this liturgy on your screen. Please join us in prayer and song.

˓ Feel free to comment, ask for prayers, send images during and after the service.

Palm Sunday Procession © 2014, Raj Solomon | Eyekons

Monday of Holy Week

Prayer at home:

◆ You can find prayer resources here: Holy Week at Home and Give Us This Day

◆ Pray the Stations of the Cross: https://vimeo.com/403088034

◆ Pray the Joyful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary: https://vimeo.com/403124458

Prayer with our Basilica Community:

◆ 9:15am: Join us for Morning Prayer on www.facebook.com/BasilicaMpls

◆ Noon: Join us for daily Eucharist on www.facebook.com/BasilicaMpls

Photo by Mike Jensen

Wednesday of Holy Week

Prayer at home:

◆ You can find prayer resources here: Holy Week at Home and Give Us This Day

◆ Pray the Stations of the Cross: https://vimeo.com/403088034

◆ Pray the Glorious Mysteries of the Holy Rosary: https://vimeo.com/403117616

Join our Basilica Community:

◆ 9:15am: Join us for Morning Prayer on www.facebook.com/BasilicaMpls

◆ Noon: Join us for daily Eucharist on www.facebook.com/BasilicaMpls

Tuesday of Holy Week

Prayer at home:

◆ You can find prayer resources here: Holy Week at Home and Give Us This Day

◆ Pray the Stations of the Cross: https://vimeo.com/403088034

◆ Pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary: https://vimeo.com/403120059

Prayer with our Basilica Community:

◆ 9:15am: Join us for Morning Prayer on www.facebook.com/BasilicaMpls

◆ Noon: Join us for daily Eucharist on www.facebook.com/BasilicaMpls

◆ 5:30pm: Join us for Taizé Prayer on www.facebook.com/BasilicaMpls. This comforting form of prayer around the cross was developed by the monks from the Taizé monastic community in France. It is meditative and quieting.

Photo by Mike Jensen

© Lucinda Naylor

Holy Thursday What you will need in your prayer area for today:

◆ Bowl, pitcher with water and a towel

Prayer at home:

◆ You can find prayer resources here: Holy Week at Home and Give Us This Day

◆ Pray the Stations of the Cross: https://vimeo.com/403088034

◆ Pray the Luminous Mysteries of the Holy Rosary: https://vimeo.com/403122056

Join our Basilica Community:

◆ 9:15am: Join us for Morning Prayer on www.facebook.com/BasilicaMpls

◆ Noon: Join us for Midday Prayer on www.facebook.com/BasilicaMpls

◆ 7:00pm: We will livestream The Celebration of the Lord’s Supper on www.mary.org and on www.facebook.com/BasilicaMpls. We will start livestreaming at 6:45pm so you can get organized and invite family and friends to virtually join you.

Washing of the Feet © 2012 John August Swanson | Eyekons

Photo by Mike Jensen

˓ We invite you to leave your tea in the kitchen, go to your prayer area, turn off your phone, and set this time aside for prayer.

˓ You will find the music and prayers for this liturgy on your screen. Please stand, sit, kneel when we do and join us in prayer and song.

˓ If you are watching this with your family we invite you to wash one another’s feet at the time of the Washing of the Feet.

˓ Feel free to comment, ask for prayers, or send images during and after the service.

˓ We will end the service with some music and time for silent prayer.

Good Friday

What you will need in your prayer area for today:

◆ Cross

◆ Several candles

◆ Some (aromatic) oil

Prayer at home:

◆ You can find prayer resources here: Holy Week at Home and Give Us This Day

◆ Pray the Stations of the Cross: https://vimeo.com/403088034

◆ Pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary: https://vimeo.com/403120059

Prayer with our Basilica Community:

◆ 9:00am: Join us for Morning Prayer on www.facebook.com/BasilicaMpls

◆ Noon: We will livestream Stations of the Cross on www.mary.org and on www.facebook.com/BasilicaMpls. We will start livestreaming at 11:45am so you can get organized and invite family and friends to virtually join you.

◆ 3:00pm: We will livestream The Celebration of the Lord’s Passion on www.mary.org and on www.facebook.com/BasilicaMpls. We will start livestreaming at 2:45pm so you can get organized and invite family and friends to virtually join you.

˓ We invite you to leave your tea in the kitchen, go to your prayer area, turn off your phone, and set this time aside for prayer.

˓ You will find the music and prayers for this liturgy on your screen. Please stand, sit, kneel when we do and join us in prayer and song.

˓ At the time of the Veneration of the Cross we invite you to venerate the cross you have in your prayer area.

˓ We will end the service with some music while focusing on our Basilica Cross to allow for some quiet prayer.

˓ Feel free to comment, ask for prayers, or send images during and after the service.

Photo by Mike Jensen

◆ 7:00pm: We will livestream Tenebrae on www.mary.org and on www.facebook.com/BasilicaMpls. We will start livestreaming at 6:45pm so you can get organized and invite family and friends to virtually join you.

˓ We invite you to leave your tea in the kitchen, go to your prayer area, turn off your phone, and set this time aside for prayer.

˓ You will find the music and prayers for this liturgy on your screen. Please stand, sit, kneel when we do and join us in prayer and song.

˓ Make sure you have your candles lit so you may extinguish them when they are extinguished during the service.

˓ At the time of the Veneration of the Cross we invite you to venerate the cross you have in your prayer corner.

˓ If you are participating with your household, we invite you to anoint one another’s hands at the time of the anointing of the hands.

˓ We invite you to some silent prayer at the end of the service.

˓ Feel free to comment, ask for prayers, or send images during and after the service.

Photo by Mike Jensen

Holy Saturday

What you will need in your prayer area for today:

◆ Candles

◆ Water and a brush for sprinkling one another

Prayer at home:

◆ You can find prayer resources here: Holy Week at Home and Give Us This Day

◆ Pray the Stations of the Cross: https://vimeo.com/403088034

◆ Pray the Joyful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary: https://vimeo.com/403124458

Prayer with our Basilica Community:

◆ 9:00am: Join us for Morning Prayer on www.facebook.com/BasilicaMpls

◆ Noon: Join us for Midday Prayer on www.facebook.com/BasilicaMpls

◆ 7:00pm: We will livestream The Great Easter Vigil on www.mary.org and on www.facebook.com/BasilicaMpls. We will start livestreaming at 6:45pm so you can get organized and invite family and friends to virtually join you.

˓ We invite you to leave your tea in the kitchen, go to your prayer area, turn off your phone, and set this time aside for prayer.

˓ You will find the music and prayers for this liturgy on your screen. Please stand, sit, kneel when we do and join us in prayer and song.

˓ Make sure you have your candle ready to be lit at the beginning of the service. Keep it lit through the singing of the exulted.

˓ Please sing the Easter Alleluia with great vigor. We have been fasting from it for 40 days.

˓ Please respond with vigor during the renewal of the Baptismal promises.

˓ During the sprinkling rite feel free to bless yourself and/or sprinkle others. You may also want to bless you home.

˓ Feel free to comment, ask for prayers, or send images during and after the service.

Other activities:

◆ Prepare Easter Baskets

◆ Enjoy a festive meal after the Easter Vigil

Easter Sunday

What you will need in your prayer area for today:

◆ Candles

◆ Water and a brush for sprinkling one another

Pray at Home:

◆ You can find prayer resources here: Holy Week at Home and Give Us This Day

◆ Pray the Glorious Mysteries of the Holy Rosary: https://vimeo.com/403117616

Pray with our Basilica Community:

◆ 9:30am: We will livestream Easter Sunday Mass with Archbishop Hebda on www.mary.org and on www.facebook.com/BasilicaMpls. We will start livestreaming at 9:15am so you can get organized and invite family and friends to virtually join you.

˓ We invite you to leave your tea in the kitchen, go to your prayer area, turn off your phone, and set this time aside for prayer.

˓ We invite you to wear festive Easter attire.

˓ You will find the music and prayers for this liturgy on your screen. Please stand, sit, kneel when we do and join us in prayer and song.

˓ Please sing the Easter Alleluia with great vigor. We have been fasting from it for 40 days.

˓ Please respond with vigor during the renewal of the Baptismal promises.

˓ During the sprinkling rite feel free to bless yourself and/or sprinkle others. You may also want to bless you home.

˓ Feel free to comment, ask for prayers, or send images during and after the service.

Photo by Mike Jensen

This or That © 2008 James Fissel | Eyekons

Photo by Mike Jensen

Other activities:

◆ Enjoy a festive meal

◆ Contact families and friends to wish them a blessed Easter

◆ Go for a walk while observing social distancing