Lenten Holy Hour: On Monday evening at 7pm, we will gather for prayer before the Blessed Sacrament to help us prepare for this journey. Please note that confessions will not be offered this week as the priests are all at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark for the Chrism Mass, where they renew their priestly commitment and the Cardinal blesses the holy oils to be used for this year.
Morning Prayer: Daily Masses are not held during on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. On those days we will gather at 9am in the church to celebrate Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours. This consists of a hymn, communal recitation of psalms, a reading and reflection.
Mass of the Lord’s Supper: On Holy Thursday evening at 7pm, we gather to celebrate the institution of the Priesthood and also the Eucharist. At the conclusion of the Mass, we process to the Altar of Repose to symbolize Christ’s moving from the Last Supper to the Garden of Gethsemane.
Prayer Vigil: Beginning immediately after the Mass, everyone is invited to come and spend some time with Jesus during this remembrance of the Agony in the Garden when He asked disciples: “Couldn’t you spend just one hour with Me?” The Altar of Repose (in the school auditorium) will be open all night until 9am on Friday morning.
Solemn Service of the Lord’s Passion: Good Friday is marked not only by fasting and abstinence from eating Meat, but it is also the only day on which no Mass is celebrated. At 3pm, however, we do have a liturgy that focuses on the Passion of Christ. After the homily, there is time for the Veneration of the Cross.
Living Stations of the Cross: The youth here at Our Lady of the Lake continue the tradition of presenting the Station of the Cross at 7pm. These 14 stations mark various points along the Via Dolorosa (Way of Sorrow) that Jesus walked from His condemnation by Pilate to His burial in the Holy Sepulcher.
Blessing of Easter Food: The blessing of Easter food is a tradition rooted in Eastern Europe which involves blessing a basket of symbolic foods on Holy Saturday which signifies an end of Lent and the joy of the Resurrection. This takes place immediately after morning prayer.
Easter Vigil: It is stipulated that this Mass cannot begin until 30 minutes after sunset on Holy Saturday. We begin this greatest of all celebrations in our liturgical year at 830pm outside with the blessing of the new fire as the Paschal candle is light and processed into the darkened Church. This is followed by 9 readings from Sacred Scripture telling the story of salvation history. Please note that this generally lasts at least 2 hours.
Easter Sunday: Our Sunday Masses in celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord follow the regular weekend schedule of 7:30, 9:00, 10:30 and noon.
Our Lady of the Lake, 22 Lakeside Ave., Verona, NJ 07044
