Online for Holy Week

Holy Week is the most intense and dramatic week of the Church year. The liturgies are rich and meaningful.  The week begins triumphantly with Palm Sunday and for the next three days before the Triduum begins there are additional opportunities for confessions at every parish. It is very busy.

Holy Week services and the story of Christ’s death and resurrection get special coverage in the media during this week. Even those most removed from church or Christianity are not immune from the message. This is a special week.

It is important in the midst of all that is going on to be sure that we tend to our online presence and do our own part to tell the story of this week: the passion, death and resurrection of Christ. It is also important that we extend a welcome online to those who are seeking to participate and to give them the times of our services and other information needed.

This is the week that seekers are online, the inactive are thinking about coming back to Church, and when the urgencies of the world are making people seek a loving, merciful God to bring healing and hope.

Celebrate this week online on your websites and your social media sites. Make sure that the times of your services are posted and easy to find. Add the word “Welcome” to your postings. Be sure that your physical address is easy to find.

If you are still having confessions, post some How to Go To Confession help such as found on this link: http://www.catholic.org/prayers/confession.php along with the times.

For each of the days from Holy Thursday through Easter, post a scripture quote, a link to the homilies Pope Francis gives or other inspirational content along with an invitation to celebrate at your parish—always include the time of the services.

Think about the visuals on your website and Facebook page. Be sure that when visitors come to your site, it will be obvious that this is truly a special week in the Church and in your parish and that “all are welcome”.

If you have other ideas to suggest, please add them in the comments below.  Thank you.

I wish each of you and all those you serve a very blessed Holy Week and a Happy Easter! May these days lead each of us to know in a new way the love and mercy of our good and gracious God. And on Easter, may alleluias ring out from our hearts and may the joy we feel reach to the ends of the earth.

My next blog will be posted on April 14, 2015.