It’s no secret that Holy Week looks different this year. With Masses cancelled in parishes across the United States, the most important time of the year for Catholics will be celebrated through screens instead of inside our beloved churches. But even though we’re unable to gather, reflect, and celebrate together, we’re still called to embrace the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. While nothing can replace the feeling of worshipping together with your parish community, you can still make the most of this special and sacred time at home with your family. Here are some resources and activities that might help:
Watch: Holy Week in Three Minutes (Video)
Why do Catholics wave palms on Palm Sunday, wash each other’s feet on Holy Thursday, or kiss the cross on Good Friday? In a BRAND NEW version of our classic video (with a bonus extra minute — because there’s a lot going on this week!), Busted Halo explains the significance of the final week we spend preparing for Easter.
Fatherly Advice: Celebrating Holy Week at Home (Podcast)
Because of Covid-19, this Holy Week will be one like any other. Father Dave and Team Busted Halo discuss celebrating Holy Week at home and how to make it special.
Your Essential Guide to the Triduum (Article)
The Triduum is somewhat like a three-day prayer marathon, and if you are a novice there may be some rituals that are unfamiliar to you. This guide will help you walk and pray through the liturgies of the Triduum, even if you’re watching Mass at home!
Facebook Live: Holy Week Edition (Video)
Father Dave answers your questions of faith about Holy Week.
A Catholic Guide to Holy Week Symbols (Article)
Symbolism abounds during Holy Week. Even if you can’t attend Mass this Triduum, you can still take the time to learn about the most customary symbols of this special time.
Virtual Stations of the Cross (Video)
Busted Halo has created a series of virtual stations designed for personal devotion. These stations relate to Jesus’ teachings about the Kingdom of God and the reason his vision of this Kingdom led to his death. Find a quiet place to watch these stations, and as you do the devotions be open to how God is speaking to you through the Stations of the Cross.
I Am Not Alone: Finding Comfort in Jesus’ Agony in the Garden (Essay)
“As a Catholic who has suffered from depression and anxiety, at times, I have struggled to feel like Jesus, savior of the world who can raise the dead, can understand what it’s like to be the imperfect human that is me. At least, that was what I thought until recently while reading the story of Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane …” Read on for Danielle Vaclavik, Ph.D.’s personal reflection on uniting her suffering to Christ’s passion and death.
Holy Week Around the World (Article)
The ways Catholics practice and experience their faith can vary dramatically in the cultural context in which they live. This is particularly visible during Holy Week. Read about Holy Week practices in cultures across the world to gain a deeper understanding of Catholicism as the vivid tapestry of practices and cultures that it is.
Other Resources:
Holy Week @ Home Experience (The Pastoral Center)
This interactive website coaches parents to share faith with their children through prayer experiences, crafts, recipes, multimedia content, and other engaging catechetical activities.
How to Make the Most of Holy Week at Home (Our Sunday Visitor)
So while we are unable to celebrate Holy Week in our churches, here are some ways we might bring these holiest days of the year into being in our homes.
Watch Mass Online With the Paulist Fathers
The Paulist Fathers (the community of priests behind Busted Halo) are broadcasting all Masses from their New York City motherhouse via Facebook Live broadcasts. Tune in daily at 12:10 p.m. EST, and Sundays at 10:00 a.m. EST (English), 12:30 p.m. EST (Spanish) and 5:15 p.m. EST (English).
