Divine Worship & Sacraments

Liturgy Preparation Aid 2025 (Lent/Triduum/Eastertide) from the FDLC

  • A full presider text for a celebration of the Rite of Reconciliation of Several Penitents with Individual Confession and Absolution, Readings, Sample Penances, Music Suggestions, Frequently-asked questions about Lent and the Triduum, a Liturgical Planning Calendar, Lectionary Citations, and more!

English

LPA-Lent-and-Easter-2025-Year-C-FINAL

Spanish

LPA_Cuaresma_y_Pascua_2025_C

Ash Wednesday Liturgy of the Word

Because Ash Weds is NOT a day of obligation to attend Mass, it may be pastorally useful to include not only Eucharistic liturgies but also Liturgies of the Word outside of Mass with the distribution of ashes in the schedule for Ash Weds in a Family of Parishes.  This can be led by a deacon or qualified lay minister.

Ash Weds Liturgy of the Word – Presiders Text

More Resources

Checklists for preparing Holy Week liturgies, liturgical texts, ideas for celebrating the Triduum in a pastoral region, and more!

Triduum in a Family of Parishes

Guidance for celebrating the Triduum as a Family of Parishes.

Triduum in a Family of Parishes

Pastoral Note on the Passion Narratives

The Chairmen of the Committees on Divine Worship and Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs issued a memo to the publishers of worship aids, hymnals, and missals on February 1, 2023. The memo requires the following statement to be printed before the text of the Passion narrative on Good Friday in all future publications beginning in 2024. 

In the 1990s and again in the 2000s the Committees provided guidance on the preparation of homilies and created a similar statement to be included in worship aids alongside the proclamation of the passion during Holy Week to help ensure that the proclamation of the Lord’s Passion is not misused to promote anti-Jewish sentiment. The statement is available in English and Spanish:

The passion narratives are proclaimed in full so that all see vividly the love of Christ for each person. In light of this, the crimes during the Passion of Christ cannot be attributed, in either preaching or catechesis, indiscriminately to all Jews of that time, nor to Jews today. The Jewish people should not be referred to as though rejected or cursed, as if this view followed from Scripture. The Church ever keeps in mind that Jesus, his mother Mary, and the apostles all were Jewish. As the Church has always held, Christ freely suffered his passion and death because of the sins of all, that all might be saved.

Las narraciones de la pasión se proclaman en su totalidad para que todos vean vívidamente el amor de Cristo por cada persona. A la luz de esto, los crímenes durante la Pasión de Cristo no pueden atribuirse, ni en la predicación ni en la catequesis, indiscriminadamente a todos los judíos de ese tiempo, ni a los judíos de hoy. El pueblo judío no debe ser referido como si fuera reprobado de Dios o maldito, como si este punto de vista se dedujera de las Sagradas Escrituras. La Iglesia siempre tiene en mente que Jesús, su madre María y los apóstoles eran todos judíos. Como la Iglesia siempre ha sostenido, Cristo sufrió libremente su pasión y muerte a causa de los pecados de todos, para que todos pudieran ser salvados.

Encouraging the Sacrament of Penance during Lent

Resources for parish leaders to encourage the faithful to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance, especially during Lent

Preparing the Exsultet

Ministry Monday, NPM’s weekly podcast, is featuring a series of episodes focused on the Exsultet. These episodes are perfect for a priest, deacon, or layperson proclaiming the Exsultet at the Easter Vigil, or for any pastoral musician who would like to learn more about the depth and breadth of this sacred chant.

Listen yourself or share them with someone you know who will chant this sacred text during the coming Triduum!

liturgical and devotional practices

Archbishop Casey asks that all the faithful pray for Pope Francis. 

The custom of praying the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be is encouraged, especially with children.

The deceased Pope may be prayed for in the recitation of the Rosary.

Upon the death of Pope Francis, he is not named in the Eucharistic Prayer.

  • In Eucharistic Prayer I and III, delete the words, “your servant Francis, our Pope and”
  • In Eucharistic Prayer II, delete the words, “Francis, our Pope and”
  • In Eucharistic Prayer IV, delete the words “your servant Francis, our Pope”
  • In EP MVNO-I, “…Strengthen the bond of unity between the pastors of your people, together with Robert, our Bishop, and the whole Order of Bishops…”

Archbishop Casey will celebrate Mass for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis in the coming days; more details will be forthcoming soon.

At the direction of the College of Cardinals, the novendiales (“nine days”) are customarily observed as official days of mourning in Rome and throughout the Church. These may be observed in different ways in the various Particular Churches.

A novena is available online.

In addition to the celebration of Masses for the Dead, all are encouraged to participate in the Liturgy of the Hours, Eucharistic adoration and other devotional prayer, lectures on the teaching and legacy of the Pope, activities for the relief of the poor offered for the intention of his soul, or other such initiatives.

At Mass, the naming of the deceased Pope may be done during the intercession for the dead in the Eucharistic Prayers. It may be fitting to include the Pope’s name from his death through the novendiales:


Eucharistic Prayer I (The Roman Canon)

Remember also, Lord, your servant Francis our Pope,

who has gone before us with the sign of faith

and rests in the sleep of peace.

Grant him, O Lord, we pray,

and all who sleep in Christ,

a place of refreshment, light and peace.

Eucharistic Prayer II

Remember your servant Francis our Pope,

whom you have called (today)

from this world to yourself.

Grant that he who was united with your Son in a death like his,

may also be one with him in his Resurrection.

Remember also our brothers and sisters…

Eucharistic Prayer III

Remember your servant Francis our Pope

whom you have called (today)

from this world to yourself.

Grant that he who was united with your Son in a death like his,

may also be one with him in his Resurrection,

when from the earth

he will raise up in the flesh those who have died,

and transform our lowly body

after the pattern of his own glorious body.

To our departed brothers and sisters, too,

and to all who were pleasing to you

at their passing from this life,

give kind admittance to your kingdom.

There we hope to enjoy for ever the fullness of your glory,

when you will wipe away every tear from our eyes.

For seeing you, our God, as you are,

we shall be like you for all the ages

and praise you without end,

through Christ our Lord,

through whom you bestow on the world all that is good.

Eucharistic Prayer for Various Needs I-IV

Remember your servant Francis our Pope,

who has fallen asleep in the peace of your Christ,

and all the dead, whose faith alone you have known.

Admit them to rejoice in the light of your face,

and in the resurrection give them the fullness of life.

During the Octave of Easter, no Mass for the Dead except a Funeral Mass may be celebrated. Each Family of Parishes is asked to offer Mass for the deceased Pope using the prayers from the Roman Missal “Masses for the Dead, Various Prayers for the Dead, #1, For a Pope.”  as soon as Monday, April 28th

Until then, a sample set of intentions for the Universal Prayer is available. An intention for the deceased Pontiff may be included in the Universal Prayer at any upcoming Mass, from the sample set. 

In the church sanctuary or other appropriate place, a fitting picture of the deceased Pope might be discreetly displayed, accompanied by a bouquet of flowers and a votive candle. (The paschal candle is already in the sanctuary.)

Black bunting may be hung around the main exterior doors of church buildings.  This should be removed after the Pope’s funeral. 

Church bells may be tolled immediately upon the news of the Pope’s death, at the hour of the Funeral Mass in Rome, and at other appropriate times.

With questions or concerns, please contact the Office for Divine Worship & Sacraments

Click here to print the information above.

Supplemental resources from the USCCB in English and Spanish

Upon This Rock: A Comprehensive Guide to the Liturgical Directives, Protocols, and Practices upon the Death of the Pope from the FDLC

A Prayer for Pope Francis
Taken from the Order of Christian Funerals

O God,
from whom the just receive an unfailing reward,
grant that your servant Francis, our Pope,
whom you made vicar of Peter
and shepherd of your Church,
may rejoice forever in the vision of your glory,
for he was a faithful steward here on earth
of the mysteries of your forgiveness and grace.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Effective Apr 24, 2022 (the Octave Day of Easter), distribution of the Precious Blood may again take place generally at the discretion of the pastor.

The Church teaches that “by reason of sign value, sharing in both Eucharistic species reflects more fully the sacred realities that the Liturgy signifies.” (Norms for the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion under Both Kinds)

Thus “Holy Communion has a fuller form as a sign when it takes place under both kinds.” (General Instruction of the Roman Missal)

In This Holy and Living Sacrifice, the 2016 archdiocesan policy and formation document on the ministry of Holy Communion, Archbishop Schnurr states: 

“To the best of their ability, each parish should offer both species at all Sunday celebrations of the Eucharist, and if possible, at other celebrations of the Eucharist when it can be done with reverence and dignity.”

With questions or concerns, please contact the Office for Divine Worship and Sacraments

FAMILY STYLE!

Thurs, MAY 8, 7-9pm, St. Paul (englewood – Dayton)

MON, May 12, 7-9pm, St. COlumban (Loveland – cincinnati)

Tues, may 13, 1-3pm, ONLINE

Join new, potential, and veteran members (clergy, staff, parishioners) of other parish worship commissions for this workshop on your role in promoting the sacred liturgy in our faith communities with “zeal and patience”! – FAMILY STYLE!

Topics include:

  • Why a Worship Commission is essential for your Family of Parishes 
  • How to achieve unity not just uniformity in your liturgical celebrations
  • Essential liturgical principles
  • How to evaluate your parish liturgies for improvement
  • Strategies for liturgical catechesis
  • Preparing the liturgical year
  • Equipping liturgical ministers
  • How and when to begin (if you have not already) forming a commission for your Family of Parishes.
  • And much more!

Presenters:

Ms. Mary Bellman, Director of Music, St. Columban Parish

Mr. Jeremy Helmes, Director, Office for Divine Worship & Sacraments

Cost: Free!

With Zeal & Patience

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