Palm Sunday edition.

Again, not a discussion thread. If a question appears and persists, I’ll pull it and make a separate post.

For us:

Liturgy begins in the school gym, where the ritual for the blessing of Palms occurs. A small group – maybe about 100 people, max, who processed to the church, where there were probably 150 waiting. Processional hymn was "All Glory, Laud and Honor," but this was an early Mass, with only an organist and cantor, and so no strategically placed singers in the procession…so that didn’t quite work, unfortunately.

Reading of the Passion was read in parts. I’d be interested to hear of parishes in which it was read, but not in parts, or was chanted. Music was fairly traditional, with the exception of of the horrible, dreadful Bernadette Farrell piece in place of the Lamb of God. Closing: "Lift High the Cross."

(BTW…if you want to see how complicated it is to plan these Masses, the choices available, and the consideration that must go into it all…take a look at the blog entry on just that from Fr. Martin Fox, pastor of two smallish parishes in Ohio.)

Update.

A question has come up about a 1988  letter containing Vatican guidelines for celebration of Holy Week. The document in question is Paschale Solemnitatis and is found here.…

For Passion Sunday:

28. Holy Week begins on Passion (or Palm) Sunday, which joins the foretelling of Christ’s regal triumph and the proclamation of the passion. The connection between both aspects of the paschal mystery should be shown and explained in the celebration and catechesis of this day. [32]

29. The commemoration of the entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem has, according to ancient custom, been celebrated with a solemn procession, in which the faithful in song and gesture imitate the Hebrew children who went to meet the Lord, singing "Hosanna." [33]

The procession may take place only once, before the Mass that has the largest attendance, even if this should be in the evening of either Saturday or Sunday. The congregation should assemble in a secondary church or chapel or in some other suitable place distinct from the church to which the procession will move.

In this procession, the faithful carry palm or other branches. The priest and the ministers, also carrying branches, precede the people. [34]

The palms or branches are blessed so that they can be carried in the procession. The palms should be taken home, where they will serve as a reminder of the victory of Christ, which they celebrated in the procession.

Pastors should make every effort to ensure that this procession in honor of Christ the King be so prepared and celebrated that it is of great spiritual significance in the life of the faithful.

The Missal, in order to commemorate the entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem, in addition to the solemn procession described above, gives two other forms, not simply for convenience, but to provide for those situations when it will not be possible to have the procession.

The second form is that of a solemn entrance, when the procession cannot take place outside of the church. The third form is a simple entrance such as is used at all Masses on this Sunday that do not have the solemn entrance. [35]

31. Where the Mass cannot be celebrated, there should be a celebration of the word of God on the theme of the Lord’s messianic entrance and passion, either on Saturday evening or on Sunday at a convenient time. [36]

32. During the procession, the choir and people should sing the chants proposed in the Roman Missal, especially Psalms 23 and 46, as well as other appropriate songs in honor of Christ the King.

33. The passion narrative occupies a special place. It should be sung or read in the traditional way, that is, by three persons who take the part of Christ, the narrator, and the people. The passion is proclaimed by deacons or priests, or by lay readers. In the latter case, the part of the Christ should be reserved to the priest.

The proclamation of the passion should be without candles and incense; the greeting and the sings of the cross are omitted; and only a deacon asks for the blessing, as he does before the Gospel. [37] For the spiritual good of the faithful, the passion should be proclaimed in its entirety, and the readings that proceed it should not be omitted.

34. After the passion has been proclaimed, a homily is to be given.