Our Church prepares to celebrate the holiest of days during the calendar. During Holy Week, we recall the events leading up to Jesus’ death by crucifixion and his Resurrection. The week includes five days of special significance. The first is Palm Sunday, which commemorates Jesus’ humble entry (on a donkey) into Jerusalem to observe Passover. According to the Gospel account, he was greeted by crowds of people who spread their cloaks and laid palm leaves in his path and proclaimed him the Son of David (Matthew 21:5). Palm Sunday is celebrated with a blessing and procession of palms. Holy Thursday marks Jesus’ institution at the Last Supper of the Eucharist, thereafter a central element of Roman Catholic worship, Holy Thursday is normally accompanied by washing of the feet of 12 humble or poor persons, in imitation of Jesus’ washing of the feet of his 12 disciples at the Last Supper. Good Friday commemorates Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross; it is traditionally a day of sorrow, penance, and fasting. Holy Saturday, also called Easter Vigil, is the traditional end of Lent. Easter Sunday is the celebration of Jesus’ Resurrection, according to the Gospels, on the third day after his crucifixion.
 Below are the specific celebrations and variations, if applicable, for each day:

The altar of repose is a temporary altar where the Communion hosts consecrated on Maundy Thursday during the Mass of the Lord's Supper are placed, or "reserved", for use on the following day, Good Friday.

As Good Friday is the day on which the death of Christ is observed, while the Resurrection of Jesus is observed on Easter Sunday and the anticipatory Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday, Mass may not be celebrated between these days. Communion hosts thus cannot be consecrated, and any hosts used on Good Friday or for viaticum for the dying must have been consecrated beforehand.

Several parishes in the archdiocese will have an Altar of Repose set up on Holy Thursday, including here at St. Joseph.  Ours will be available for adoration after the 7:00 pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper until midnight.  If you wish to make a pilgrimage to other parishes for adoration, please see below.