Church of the Holy Rosary

Easter Tridium

The summit of the Liturgical Year is the Easter Triduum—from the evening of Holy Thursday to the evening of Easter Sunday. Though chronologically three days, they are liturgically one day unfolding for us the unity of Christ’s Paschal Mystery.

The single celebration of the Triduum marks the end of the Lenten season, and leads to the Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord at the Easter Vigil.

The liturgical services that take place during the Triduum are:

  • Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday
  • Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion
  • Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord

HOLY THURSDAY

The evening Mass on Holy Thursday is referred to as The Mass of the Lord’s Supper. This is where the Church re-lives the institution of the Eucharist and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass at the Last Supper, as well as the institution of the priesthood, which took place the evening before Jesus was crucified.

After the homily there is a “washing of the feet” ceremony, where the priest washes the feet of others to signify his role as servant—just as Jesus did with His disciples. Extra hosts are consecrated at this Mass to be used on Good Friday on which no Mass will be celebrated anywhere.

The Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday concludes with a procession of the Blessed Sacrament to the “altar of repose,” a place where the consecrated Host is kept, away from the main altar where Mass is normally celebrated, remembering Jesus’ request in the Garden of Gethsemane for someone to “watch and pray” with Him.

GOOD FRIDAY

Good Friday is a mandatory day of fasting and abstinence. This is the day of the crucifixion—the day Jesus died for the sins of the world.

The parish altar looks very different on Good Friday: it is plain and bare. There is no consecrated Host in the tabernacle at the main altar of the church; It was carried away on Holy Thursday night to the “altar of repose” to signify Jesus’ death. The candle by the tabernacle is blown out, and the tabernacle doors are left open to show that it is empty. Jesus is gone. This is quite dramatic. It reminds us that Good Friday is a solemn day of mourning and prayer.

The ceremony on Good Friday is not a Mass—it is a Communion Service using the consecrated hosts from Holy Thursday. Good Friday is the only day of the year on which no Masses are offered.

These Good Friday services often take place at 3 PM, the hour that Jesus breathed His last on the cross. Often the priest will begin the service by prostrating himself in front of the altar. Veneration of the Cross usually takes place at this service, in which the priest and the faithful kneel before a cross and kiss it.

HOLY SATURDAY

On this day Christ is in the tomb.

There is no daytime Mass on Holy Saturday. It is still a day of fasting and sorrow before the Easter Vigil begins that evening. We recall, with Mary and the disciples, that Jesus died and was separated from them for the first time as He lay in the tomb. The faithful often continue their Good Friday fast through Holy Saturday.

In the Apostles Creed we pray “He descended into hell” (translated hades, that is, the temporary abode of the dead—not the eternal lake of fire) which describes what Jesus did in the time between his burial and Resurrection. Jesus descended to the realm of the dead on Holy Saturday to save the righteous souls—the Old Testament patriarchs, for example—who died before his crucifixion.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church calls Jesus’ descent into the realm of the dead “the last phase of Jesus’ messianic mission,” during which he “opened heaven’s gates for the just who had gone before him.” Before Holy Saturday, there were no souls enjoying the beatific vision of God in heaven!

A vigil Mass is held after nightfall on Holy Saturday, in celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. This is called the Easter Vigil: the most glorious, beautiful, and dramatic liturgy for the Church.

The vigil is divided into four parts: 1) the Service of Light, 2) the Liturgy of the Word, 3) the Liturgy of Baptism, and 4) the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

This is also the Mass in which many OCIA catechumens are brought into full communion with the Catholic Church.
–GoodCatholic.com

Message from Fr. Baker about Holy Week

Dear Holy Rosary Parishioners,

Next Sunday is Palm Sunday, and we begin Holy Week. It is indeed the holiest week of the year, and yet it can be easily lost in the busyness of life. The meaning of the victory of Easter is wrapped up in the defeat of Holy Week. Please make every effort to observe Holy Week both exteriorly by participating in the liturgies of the week as much as possible and interiorly by accompanying Jesus in your hearts through prayer and recollection. It is truly hard to believe that our God would die for us. He did. How does this happen? It happens in Holy Week. Come and see!

The very center of Holy Week is the Easter Vigil. There is no anticipated Mass at 5 p.m. on Holy Saturday. Instead, at 7:30 p.m. there is the heart of the Church’s year: the Easter Vigil. It has to begin in the dark so that accounts for the later time. This one liturgy really contains the entire Mystery of Faith. OK — it is long, but it is so powerful that new Christians and Catholics are born from the Church’s mysteries on this night.

Good Friday is the only day on which Mass is not celebrated. Instead, at 3 p.m. we share in the Passion of Jesus and venerate the Cross of Christ, receiving Holy Communion from the Eucharist which was instituted at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, celebrated the night before, prefiguring the bloody sacrifice of Calvary. In the Holy Thursday Mass at 7 p.m., the new commandment of charity is portrayed in the washing of the feet. We are also invited to watch with Jesus for one hour during his agony later in the night.

Earlier in the week is the Chrism Mass, which commemorates the institution of the priesthood. It is celebrated by the bishop in union with almost all the priests of the diocese. It will be at Sagrado Corazon on Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. All of this begins with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday which so soon leads to His death on Good Friday. After a week like Holy Week, Easter makes so much more sense!

Faithfully,
Fr. Baker

Easter Egg Hunt

Join us for an Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday, March 31st, immediately following the 8:30 am Mass. Meet by the gym doors in the back parking lot.

Don’t forget your basket!

In order to help the Easter Bunny, we are asking for donations of individually wrapped candy to fill the eggs. Please leave candy donations in a labeled collection container in the Narthex by Wednesday, March 27th, at 3 pm.

Join Us for A Special Lenten Experience with Rare Relics of the Passion

Join us at The Church of the Holy Rosary for an encounter with nine rare Relics of Christ’s Passion as a unique element in your Lenten devotions this year. Having the opportunity to be in the presence of these holy relics is sure to be an experience that will help you connect with the very roots of your faith.

Take advantage of what is likely to be a once in a lifetime opportunity to engage in a meditative walk to Calvary and venerate these rare and holy relics. This powerful program is a 90-minute meditational experience supported with Eucharistic Exposition, music and prayer, culminating in relic veneration.

A collection such as this is generally seen
only in Rome or the Holy Land. This presentation is being brought to us in collaboration with the Apostolate for Holy Relics.

The Relics of the Passion collection includes:

  • A piece of the True Cross which was discovered by St.
  • Helena
  • A piece of the Holy Table from the room where the Last
  • Supper took place
  • A piece of the Column of Flagellation A piece of the Crown of Thorns
  • A replica of the Holy Nail, fashioned using filings from the true nails
  • A relic (bone) of St. Longinus, the centurion who pierced the side of Christ
  • A picture of (the effigy of) the Veil of Veronica touched to the original with a Vatican seal attesting to the fact.
  • A piece of the exterior wrapping for the Shroud of Turin
  • Relics of the Holy Apostles

Where:
Holy Rosary Church
192 Graylynn Drive
Nashville, TN 37214

When:
Tuesday, March 5, 2024
7:00 PM

Sunday Social

We have renamed Coffee and Donuts to Sunday Social as we want this to be a time for our parishioners to gather for fellowship and faith sharing as the primary focus.
But of course, there will be coffee and donuts too, and even a craft activity for the kids!

Please make plans to attend after either Sunday mass every 2nd Sunday of the month in the HRA library.

If you would like to help host this event one month or host a wine and cheese or appetizer event after 5:30 mass on Saturday, please reach out to Lisa at lisalink14@gmail.com.

Women’s Circle Prayer Journal

All women of the parish are invited to join the HR Women’s Circle for 8 am mass on March 9 followed by fellowship, food, and a chance to create your own prayer journal. We will gather in the HRA library.

A blank journal, stickers, prompts and markers will be provided. Please RSVP to lisalink14@gmail.com so we can have enough supplies on hand!

A $5 donation would be appreciated to help cover the cost of the materials.

Extra Confession Times for Lent Added

Confession times have been added on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning for the rest of Lent. These are times when many will already be coming to church so I hope that will help. Please plan to come to confession at the beginning of these time periods. At the end of the announced times, I have to leave the confessional 15 minutes before Mass in order to prepare. I ask for your consideration. There is only one of me!

Confession is a time of mercy and of conversion. Please prepare with this in mind. The emphasis is on what God is doing, not on what you have done. There are examinations of conscience available in the rack by the confessional at all times. Please take and keep one in order to prepare yourself for this wonderful sacrament.
Faithfully, Fr Baker