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Today is the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows, also known as Our Mother of Sorrows. This feast honors the Blessed Virgin Mary in her role as the sorrowful mother who shared in the suffering of her Son, Jesus Christ, as recalled through the Seven Sorrows (or Dolors) of Mary: The prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:34-35). The flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15). The loss of the child Jesus in Jerusalem (Luke 2:41-50). Mary meeting Jesus on the way to the Cross (John 19:17). The Crucifixion and death of Jesus (John 19:25-30). The taking down of Jesus’ body from the Cross (John 19:38-40). The burial of Jesus (John 19:41-42). Th liturgical focus of today, observed the day after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14), emphasizes Mary’s intimate connection to Christ’s Passion. It originated in the Middle Ages, with roots in the 13th century through the Servite Order, who promoted devotion to Mary’s sorrows. Our Lady of Sorrows was officially added to the Roman Calendar in 1814 by Pope Pius VII and extended to the universal Church in 1913 by Pope St. Pius X. On this day, Catholics reflect on Our Lady’s suffering through prayers such as the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows. The liturgy of today invites believers to unite their own sufferings with Mary’s and Christ’s, finding hope and redemption in shared sacrifice.

Holy Week is the most solemn and central period in our Catholic liturgical calendar. It commemorates the final week of Our Lord Jesus Christ’s earthly life, from His triumphal entry into Jerusalem through His Passion, Death, and leading into His glorious Resurrection. The observance of Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday and concludes on Holy Saturday, forming the immediate preparation for Easter. Palm Sunday recalls Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, where crowds welcomed Him with palm branches. During the liturgy, the faithful receive blessed palms, which serve as sacramentals for the year ahead, as a remembrance of the Kingship of Jesus Christ and our duty to proclaim it in our daily living. The days of Holy Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, the latter sometimes called Spy Wednesday, focus on the events immediately preceding the Passion. These include the anointing at Bethany and the plotting of Judas’ betrayal. On one of these days, or sometimes on Holy Thursday morning, the bishop celebrates the Chrism Mass, during which the holy oils used in the celebration of the sacraments throughout the year are blessed. Holy Thursday, also known as Maundy Thursday, commemorates the Last Supper. It marks the institution of the Holy Eucharist and the Sacred Priesthood. The principal liturgy is the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, which includes the ritual washing of feet. Following the offering of Holy Mass, the Blessed Sacrament is transferred to a place of repose, and the altars are stripped bare, signifying Christ’s abandonment and suffering. Good Friday is dedicated to the solemn commemoration of Christ’s Passion and Crucifixion. No Mass is celebrated on this day. Instead, the liturgy consists of a service of the Word, the veneration of the Cross, and the distribution of Holy Communion from hosts consecrated the previous day. It is observed as a day of strict fasting and abstinence. Holy Saturday is a day of quiet waiting and reflection, recalling Christ’s descent among the dead. The Church remains in a state of mourning, with no celebration of Mass until the Easter Vigil, which takes place after nightfall. The heart of Holy Week is the Easter Triduum, a single continuous liturgical celebration extending from the evening of Holy Thursday through the evening of Easter Sunday. This encompasses the Paschal Mystery of Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection. The Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night stands as the liturgical high point of the year. It includes the blessing of the new fire, the proclamation of the Exsultet, extensive readings from the history of salvation, the celebration of baptisms and the reception of converts, with their sacramental initiation. Throughout Holy Week the faithful are invited to participate deeply in these sacred mysteries of our Catholic faith through attentive prayer, fasting, and full engagement with the Church’s liturgies.