Palm Sunday Masses begin Holy Week services at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church

The increasing solemnity of the week will culminate with joyous Masses celebrating Christ's resurrection on Easter, April 16.

The Holy Week schedule is:

Saturday, April 8: Palm Sunday Vigil Mass, 4:30 p.m. All Masses this weekend will begin with a procession reenacting the triumphant entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem just days before His crucifixion.

Palm Sunday, April 9: Masses at 8:00, 9:30 and 11:15 a.m., and 6:00 p.m. All Masses will begin with a procession reenacting the triumphant entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem just days before His crucifixion.

Monday, April 10 - Wednesday, April 12: Communion services at 6:30 a.m. in the chapel; Masses at 8:30 a.m. in the chapel.

Monday, April 10: Taize Holy Week prayer service, 7:30 p.m. in the Lighthouse room in the church. Taize prayer is characterized by a calming, meditative atmosphere, simple sung refrains, Scripture readings, ritual action, and vocal and silent prayer. A Protestant spiritual center committed to religious unity founded in Taize, France, in 1940 originated the prayer style; the style quickly spread throughout the world.

Holy Thursday, April 13: Mass of the Lord's Supper, 7:30 p.m. In addition to commemorating the Last Supper, this liturgy recalls Jesus' mandate to serve others when those in attendance have one foot washed. Those participating are reminded to bring a towel for the foot washing. Each household also is invited to bring a loaf of bread and a bottle of wine to be blessed and gifted to another household at the conclusion of the liturgy. Eucharistic adoration until midnight follows Mass.

Good Friday, April 14: The Way of the Cross, 3:00 p.m., presented by the junior high and high school youth of St. Thomas. In various narrated tableaux, the youth offer a prayerful reflection on Christ's journey to his crucifixion, a program in which everyone unites in prayer and worship. Individual veneration of the Cross will follow the service.

Good Friday, April 14: Celebration of the Lord's Passion, 7:30 p.m., presenting the Gospel story of the crucifixion in spoken word and sung prayer. The service includes individual veneration of the Cross and reception of Communion.

Holy Saturday, April 15: Blessing of Easter Baskets at 12:00 p.m. in the auditorium of the church building. Families are encouraged to bring baskets of foods they plan to serve on Easter. (There will be no 8:30 a.m. or 4:30 p.m. Masses today.)

Holy Saturday, April 15: Easter Vigil Mass, 8:00 p.m. All are invited to bring bells to ring during the liturgy in joyful celebration of Christ's resurrection. Also, remember to bring a small container to take home Easter water blessed during the service. (There will be no 8:30 a.m. or 4:30 p.m. Masses today.)

Easter Sunday, April 16: Masses at 7:30, 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. in the church. Masses also at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m.in the auditorium in the church building. (There will be no 6:00 p.m. Mass today.)

Easter Monday, April 17: 8:30 a.m. Mass. (There will be no 6:30 a.m. Communion service today.)

Beginning Tuesday, April 18, St. Thomas the Apostle will resume its regular schedule of services. On weekdays, these include Communion services at 6:30 a.m. Monday through Friday; and Masses at 8:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. Mass also is celebrated at 8:30 a.m. Saturday.

The Saturday Vigil Mass is at 4:30 p.m. The Sunday Mass schedule is: 8:00, 9:30 and 11:15 a.m., and 6:00 p.m.

For more information about Holy Week services, contact Scott Knisley, director of liturgy and music ministries at St. Thomas the Apostle, at (630) 355-8980, ext. 111, or at sknisley@stapostle.org.

For more information about the 3:00 p.m. Good Friday service presented by the youth of the parish, contact Peggy Goralski, director of middle school faith formation, at (630) 355-8980, ext. 123 or at pgoralski@stapostle.org.

St. Thomas the Apostle, a parish of the Diocese of Joliet, strives to bear the Good News of God's unconditional love to all generations through worship, faith formation, witness and service. Organized in 1984, the St. Thomas faith community numbers more than 3,450 households of more than 10,800 people. Complete news and information on parish events, guest speakers and special programs is available at www.stapostle.org. For general parish information please call (630) 355-8980.