Supplies

1. Everyone 14 years of age or over is bound to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and all the Fridays of Lent.

2. Everyone 18 years of age and under 59 years of age is bound to fast and to abstain on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

3. On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, only one full meatless meal is allowed. Two other meatless meals, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken according to each one's needs, but together they should not equal another full meal. Eating between meals is not permitted on these two days, but liquids, including milk and fruit juices are allowed. When health or ability to work would be seriously affected, the law does not oblige.

4. To disregard completely the law of fast and abstinence is seriously sinful.

5. Lent is the principal season of penance in the Christian year; all, in addition to following the Lenten regulations, are strongly urged to develop and follow a program of voluntary self-denial, serious prayer, and a performance of works of charity and mercy.

General Liturgical Principles of the Lenten Season

The Lenten Season begins on Ash Wednesday and concludes when the Triduum Fast begins with the Church's celebration of the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday.

Lenten weekdays are not commemorated on solemnities and feasts. All memorials of saints occurring during Lent are observed as optional.

Alleluia is not sung or said from the beginning of Lent until the Easter Vigil. Musical instruments may be used during Lent and the Paschal Triduum to give necessary support to the singing.

The worship space should not be decorated with flowers during Lent. Flowers may be used on solemnities and feasts.

When the Sacrament of Marriage is celebrated during Lent, the couple should be reminded that their wedding plans should respect the special nature of this liturgical season.

Sacrament of Penance

Ever more attentive to the word of God and prayer, the faithful are encouraged to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance. Pastoral considerations should be given to the celebration of Rite II (Rite for Reconciliation of Several Penitents with Individual Confession and Absolution) more than once during Lent. Catechesis should be given to the faithful explaining Rite II and careful preparation of music and preaching need to be done in order to lead the faithful in an enriching and spiritually filling celebration. As a means of adequately providing time for the celebration of Penance, neighboring parishes are encouraged to consider joint celebrations as well as publishing area Reconciliation schedules in their bulletins.

Sacraments of Initiation During Lent

"All the resources of Lent should be brought to bear as a more intense preparation of the elect and the Easter Vigil should be regarded as the proper time for the sacraments of initiation" (RCIA par. 8).

All three Lenten Scrutinies are to be used for the unbaptized catechumens.

The Parish celebration for Sending Catechumens for Election and Candidates for Recognition by the Bishop (RCIA #530-546) is completed before the Rite of Election is celebrated at the Cathedral.

The celebration of the sacraments of initiation for adults and children of catechetical age takes place at the Easter Vigil.

The baptism of infants and Confirmation would also be more appropriate during the Easter Season.

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is a day of universal fast and abstinence.

During Mass, ashes are blessed and imposed after the homily. When distributed outside of Mass, a Liturgy of the Word is celebrated, the rite of blessing is performed and after the imposition of ashes the celebration concludes with the general intercessions, the Lord's Prayer and a hymn (Book of Blessings pages 703-711).

The ordinary minister for the blessing of ashes is a priest or deacon. Eucharistic Ministers may assist with the imposition of ashes where there is genuine need, especially for the sick and shut-ins.

One of the following formulas is used:

Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.
Remember, you are dust, and to dust you will return.

This day we celebrate the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem in order to accomplish his paschal mystery. In preparing for this celebration, presiders, musicians and liturgists should study the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, the ritual notes in the text of the Sacramentary and remember that the liturgy of Palm Sunday is not an attempt to recreate the events of Christ's procession into Jerusalem.

The blessing and procession of palms has a long history and is a venerable pastoral practice with three forms provided in the Sacramentary. Note that the first form is a "pre-liturgy" with its own proclamation of the Gospel; thus this form should take place in a separate location. The second and third forms are designed as opening rites with no proclamation of the Gospel. The penitential rite is omitted in the first and second form.

This is an appropriate day to remind the people that the paschal fast should be observed on Good Friday and continue, where possible, on Holy Saturday.

Mass of Chrism

The Mass of Chrism is celebrated in the Diocese of Joliet on Monday evening in Holy Week

The oils blessed and consecrated at this Eucharist should be received by the presider at the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord's Supper in each parish. A ritual will be sent to each parish for the reception of the Holy Oils along with the letter concerning parish representation at the Chrism Mass.

The newly blessed oils are to be placed in appropriate vessels and the oils from the previous year are burnt or buried (Oils should not be preserved from year to year). Diluting of oils merely to fill oil stocks for display is prohibited. Adding unblessed oil is permitted only in cases of true necessity. Additional oils may be obtained throughout the year at the Cathedral.

The Easter Triduum

During this time of the Easter Triduum (from the Mass of the Lord's Supper until the Easter Vigil) the Church strongly urges that all, especially all Catechumens, keep the paschal fast. "The elect are to be advised that on Holy Saturday they should refrain from their usual activities, spend their time in prayer and reflection, and as far as they can, observe a fast" (RCIA,n.185.1).

The rites for Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil are found in the Sacramentary, Lectionary and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. These rites are to be used in all parishes and institutions in the Diocese of Joliet.

Presiders, liturgical ministers, musicians and liturgists should study these texts and rubrics carefully. This planning of the Triduum should give first attention to the liturgy of the Easter Vigil then Holy Thursday, Good Friday and finally the other liturgical services such as the Liturgy of the Hours and the blessing of Easter food (found in the Book of Blessings).

On Holy Thursday morning and throughout the Easter Triduum, a Funeral Mass may not be celebrated. On these days, the body of the deceased may be brought to the church for the Funeral Liturgy Outside of Mass. (Order of Christian Funerals, Part I No.4) At the request of the family; this rite may be celebrated at the funeral home. The memorial Mass for the deceased should be offered as soon as possible after Easter Sunday.

Eucharist may only be distributed during the liturgical celebrations on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil. The Eucharist may be brought to the sick at any convenient hour except on Holy Saturday when it is only given as viaticum before the Easter Vigil celebration.

Holy Thursday

The Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper

This liturgy is to be celebrated at an evening hour most suitable for the participation of the majority of the parishioners. A morning Eucharist may be celebrated because of a genuine necessity and for those unable to participate in the evening (permission from the Bishop needs to be granted to those parishes with a genuine need to celebrate a morning Eucharist). A single evening Eucharist on Holy Thursday is the norm.

Before the beginning of the Mass of the Lord's Supper the Tabernacle is emptied. All Holy Water is removed from the church until it is replaced with Easter Water after the Easter Vigil. Enough bread should be consecrated for distribution at today's Eucharist and Good Friday's Liturgical Service.

The most distinctive element of this Eucharist is the Washing of the Feet or mandatum. "The element of humble service has accentuated the celebration of the foot washing rite in the United States. In this regard, it has become customary in many places to invite both men and women to be participants in this rite in recognition of the service that should be given by all the faithful to the church and to the world. The liturgy is always an act of ecclesial unity and Christian charity of which the Holy Thursday foot - washing rite is an eminent sign" (BCL, Secretariat, 1987).

Following the Prayer After Communion, the Holy Eucharist is transferred in a ciborium to a place of reposition. The Holy Eucharist should not be placed in a monstrance for adoration, or left exposed.

The faithful should be encouraged to adore the Holy Eucharist for a suitable period of time during the night, but "there should be no solemn adoration after midnight" (Sacramentary). The Eucharist remains at the place of repose without adoration & ornamentation until the Communion Rite of the Celebration of the Lord's Passion.

Good Friday

The celebration of the Lord's Passion takes place about three o'clock, unless pastoral reasons suggest a later hour would enable the participation of a majority of the faithful.

One of the distinctive elements of the liturgy of the Lord's Passion is the Veneration of the Cross. What is to be venerated is the WOOD of the cross, not a corpus on a crucifix. It is preferable that only one cross be used for the veneration.

The use of the Reproaches is discouraged. The Improperia or "Reproaches" of the Good Friday liturgy are particularly susceptible to mishandling and poor interpretation. Thus, it should be kept in mind that the Sacramentary offers the rubric: "that another suitable song be used during the Veneration of the Cross" (Good Friday, no. 18). If the Reproaches are indeed used, suitable catechesis should be offered the people to indicate that the Reproaches form a dialogue between God and the Church today, rather than an historical or theological indictment of Israel and Jews by God. Such an interpretation is repudiated by the Church, and does not form the best tradition in the interpretation of liturgical texts. (BCL Newsletter, March 1980)

Other devotional services may be celebrated during the day and evening of Good Friday, but care should be taken that the Celebration of the Lord's Passion is the primary celebration of the day.

Holy Communion is only distributed during the Celebration of the Lord's Passion. Eucharistic Bread is brought from the place of reposition and after Communion is taken to a place outside the church. Holy Communion may be taken to the sick at any time during the day.

Easter Vigil

Holy Communion may be given on this day only as viaticum.

The Celebration of Marriage is prohibited on this day.

For those parishes in which Easter Food is blessed today, follow the ritual provided in Book of Blessings, Chapter 54.) Remember that Holy Water is not used until after the Easter Vigil.

The Easter Vigil leads into the final stage of the Paschal Triduum. The Easter Vigil should not begin until approximately one half hour after sunset. (The time of sunset will be published in the February JOB).

"The entire celebration of the Vigil should take place at night, that is, it should begin after nightfall and end before the dawn of Sunday" (General Norms, 21). This Rule is to be taken according to the strictest sense. "The Easter Vigil is not to be celebrated at the time of day that is customary to celebrate anticipated Sunday Masses" (Ordo).

The Easter Vigil is the only liturgy that may be celebrated this night.

As on Thursday and Friday, a second Vigil liturgy (not celebrated simultaneously) in a second language of a parish is permitted but strong consideration should be given to a bilingual Vigil.

A new Paschal Candle should be used to be a worthy sign of the person and mystery it signifies. The use of last year's Paschal Candle is not a worthy liturgical symbol to be used throughout the Easter Season and at the celebration of baptism and the Funeral Masses throughout the year.

The extended Liturgy of the Word is a basic element of the Vigil. Nine readings are assigned to the Vigil: seven from the Hebrew Scriptures and two from the New Testament. Only for serious pastoral reasons should the number of the Hebrew Scriptures Readings be reduced to three (always including the Exodus 14 Reading).

To attain its liturgical fullness, adults and children of catechetical age are to be baptized at the Easter Vigil. The baptismal liturgy should be celebrated with dignity and grace and include the full participation of the assembly. Liturgical ministers should carefully study the Sacramentary and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.

The fullness of the Rite of Baptism comes when immersion is possible or at least the pouring of water over the entire body. When temporary pools are used, care should be taken that they have a dignified appearance and are worthy of the sacrament.

On this night, all three Sacraments of Initiation are received by the catechumens (adults and children of catechetical age).

All bread for Holy Communion is consecrated at the vigil, as is the norm for all Eucharistic celebrations. Communion under both species is strongly encouraged for the entire assembly.

Easter Sunday

The celebration of Easter continues for fifty days and every effort should be made to emphasize this through the Church decorations and continued celebrations.

The first eight days of the Easter Season make up the Octave of Easter and are celebrated as solemnities of the Lord. At Mass, Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer throughout the octave, a double Alleluia is added to the dismissal and its response.

The Paschal Candle remains in the sanctuary near the altar or ambo through Evening Prayer on Pentecost Sunday and it is lit at all liturgical celebrations. After Evening Prayer on Pentecost Sunday, the Paschal Candle is placed near the Baptismal Font.

The Easter Season is the most appropriate time for the Baptism of infants and the reception of First Eucharist by children previously baptized as infants as well as the reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Fast & Abstinence Regulations