The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-03-23

| Good Friday.
Some may talk of Lent, Holy
Week, and Easter, but he only knows
their meaning who learns beneath
the shadow of the cross. And he
will not be satisfied until he sees the
bruised and mangled body of his
Saviour laid in the tomb by the tender
hands of His Blessed Mother. He
will then kneel beside that dead body
and devoutly worship it as the body
of our God.
In conducting the services of Good
Friday, the priest begins same by
prostrating himself at the foot of the
altar, where he appears in black vest
ments, after which the altar is stripped
of all it's linen, ornaments and candles.
Then standing at the epistle side the
priest reads some prophecies and
symbolical passages from the Old
Law and the history of the passion
according to St. John. Thereafter
the priest recites some of the
Church's most beautiful prayers, nine
in number; in the first place for the
Church, then for the bishops, the
| clergy and laity, for the state, for
the neophytes, for all sufferers, for
all hcretics, Jews and pagans.
Now follows the touching ceremony
of the unVeiling of the black covered
crucifix which the priest holds in his
hands and gradually uncovers as he
ascends the altar-steps and thrice,
each time in higher pitch of voice,
sings the words: Behold the wood
of the cross, on which hangs the sal
vation of the world, the choir re-
spending: Come, let us adore.
Whereupon the priest places the un-
veiled crucifix at the foot of the altar
and having made triple alteration
by kneeling three times at different
distances, lastly kisses the sacred
wounds of the feet.
The morning services of Good Fri
day terminate with the so-called Mass
of the PreSanctified, that is, no Mass
is said, but the Host that had been
consecrated the day before and car
i red to the repository is now brought
back to the high altar, incensed, and
after the recitation of the Pater Nos
ter it is elevated for alteration by
all present and finally consumed by
the priest who after a short prayer
hurriedly leaves the altar. All atten-
ton is on this day centered upon
the crucifix which is placed at the
foot of the sanctuary steps to receive
the reverent salutation of the faith
full.
1t is certainly most gratifying to
note that the beautiful and touching
devotion of the Three Hours Agony
of our Saviour is taking hold on our
Catholic people in very many places
Indeed, respect for Good Friday can
not but have a wholesome effect on
all concerned. The devotional exer-
cises consist, as a rule, of the Way
of the Cross, sermon, singing of sa-
cred hymns, and silent meditation
If at all possible, dear reader, attend
these three hours services from 12
to o'clock; you will never rue it!
Holy Saturday.
The ceremonies of this day are
many and rather lengthy. After the
blessing of new fire at the church
door and the procession with the
triple candle through the main aisle
of the church, the Paschal Candle is
| blessed amidst the glad and glorious
tones of the Incompatible "Exultet."
Then follows the reading of the
twelve prophecies selected from the
Old Testament, after which the bless
| ing of Easter and baptismal water
takes place, and the chanting of the
| Litany of the Saints. Now the Mass
begins, and as the celebrant intones
the Gloria in Excelsis'' the church
bells ring out again, the organ peals
| forth it's glad music and feeling of
| Joy fills the hearts of all present
Easter Sunday.
The Resurrection of the God-Man
having transpired on Sunday, it's an.
nual commemoration is always OBJ
served on a Sunday God arose from
the dead on the first day of the week
Four thousand years before He had
/ commenced the work of creation in
4 calling light from the bosom of chaos
and in separating it from darkness
He inaugurated the first day in the
annals of time, viz: Sunday. In His
Resurrection our Divine Saviour, con
socrates Sunday a second time
OF all the seasons of the Iiturgica
year, paSchal time is undoubtedly thu
eliminating point. Whoever has thu
happiness to enter with mind aIlC
heart into the paschal mystery, ha:
reached the very center of supernat
ural life. All that precedes is but /
preparation for it: the pious expecta
| ton of Advent, the sweet joys O
Christmas, the grave and solemn
| thoughts of Septuagesima, the com
junction and penance of Lent, tn,
dolorous spectacle of the Passion ar,
only the preludes of the sublime pas
chal term.
: Alleluja! Easter! Resurrection
Joyful words that greet our ears Of
Easter morning. The Church take
! the lead in the rejoicing ON Easte
| n n. n.