April 7, 2020
Dear Friends,
Moments of joy, grace, and peace. Moments of loneliness, isolation, and abandonment. This was the experience of Jesus Christ during Holy Week 2,000 years ago, and no doubt it will be our experience as well during this year’s Holy Week. We pray that these days will be blessed as all of us re-live the suffering, death, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior. Don’t be afraid to ask for some big graces this week in prayer! Know that you are never alone, that you are deeply loved, and that we are here for you always if you need anything.
Holy Week at Home. Please see the Holy Week at Home section on our website, with resources for how to celebrate Holy Week in a different, but still special way. Some of the resources include:
- Link to Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Vigil Liturgies that will be either televised or livestreamed online from the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist with Archbishop Listecki presiding. By participating in this way, you will be in solidarity with thousands of Catholics from around the Archdiocese and beyond.
- A Day by Day, at Home Guide for Holy Week. This was created by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, as part of their Courageous Communion initiative, and provides wonderful suggestions for each day of Holy Week! It has everything from links to the Mass readings, activities for children, recipes for a Holy Thursday Passover Meal, and much more.
Easter Sunday Video Mass. Here is the recorded Mass celebrated by Fr. Tim and Fr. John for Easter Sunday. We are again so grateful to our liturgists Mary Robertson and Brian Eggers, and cantor Amy Sobczak, for the beautiful music of the liturgy! A worship aid is provided to help you better enter into the prayer of the Mass.
When the doors were locked – peace be with you! An Easter Blessing. Finally, we would like to leave you with a special Easter blessing that was inspired by the beautiful words of Jesus to His disciples after the resurrection: “…when the doors were locked, where the disciples were […] Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’” (Jn 20:19).
When it seems that the doors of our homes are locked – peace be with you! May the peace of the risen Christ fill you with the knowledge that you are never alone, that you are deeply loved and care for by so many.
When it seems that the doors of my own health could be at risk – peace be with you! May the peace of the risen Christ give you the strength to surrender even that fear to Him and to trust in the goodness of all those workers and medical personnel.
When it seems that the doors of the world are cut off from God’s apparent action – peace be with you! May the peace of the risen Christ fill you with the knowledge that even when it seems like God is “sleeping” or not present, that He will always provide in His own way and in His own time.
When it seems that the doors of the comfort of our usual routine are locked – peace be with you! May the peace of the risen Christ fill you with the knowledge that none of us are perfect and to have patience with even ourselves.
Loving God, in these tender and tenuous times, bless and keep all of your beloved sons and daughters. They are such an amazing gift to you and we ask that you keep them especially close to your most sacred Heart and that the Immaculate Heart of Mary our Mother be constantly interceding for all of us. May the peace of the risen Christ fill the corners of even our locked rooms, and may almighty God bless you, + the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sincerely, with love,
Fr. Tim Kitzke and Fr. John Baumgardner
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