Easter Sunday is the beginning of a new season of grace and a time of joy and thanksgiving for Easter is not one day or one solemnity. It is a 50 day celebration and the 50 days from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday together comprise what the General Instruction terms “the great Sunday.”
This Easter Season calendar provides quotes/reflections that celebrate the wisdom and love of Pope Francis. It was created in honor of the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day and the 5th Anniversary of Laudato Si: Our Common Home. We hope you will find the quotes meaningful, challenging, and thought-provoking for your prayer time throughout this joyous season. Pope Francis officially announced Laudato Si’ Week, set to take place from May 16-24, in which he is asking Catholics to undertake ambitious actions to address the mounting environmental perils facing the planet. Learn more by watching the Pope’s video message.
Please share the calendar, pass it on, post it on bulletin boards and in elevators; enclose it in Easter cards; insert it in parish bulletins, use it to pray with coworkers, family, and friends at the beginning of a meeting or a meal. You are encouraged to be creative. We claim no copyright as these are sources common to Pope Francis. Peace and all good be yours! Click on the images below or click here to download a PDF.
“Together in Spirit” Holy Week Series
We may not be able to gather in our liturgical communities this year, but we have technology and can use it to create a new way of connecting! Starting with Palm Sunday, the Office of Young Adults will be posting video reflections in our “Together in Spirit” Holy Week series.
Palm Sunday
Holy Thursday
Good Friday
Holy Saturday
Easter Sunday
EASTER PROCLAMATION: THE EXULTET
The “Exultet” is an ancient hymn of the church, an Easter proclamation which recounts the saving acts of God in the Old and New Testaments. Historically, the Exultet was sung only once each year at the beginning of the Paschal (Easter) Vigil Service. That service began on Saturday night in darkness and ended on Easter Sunday morning in the light. (source Catholic Church)
Rejoice, heavenly choirs of angels.
Rejoice, all creation around God’s throne.
Jesus Christ, our King, is risen!
Sound the trumpet of salvation.
Rejoice, O earth, in shining splendor,
Radiant in the brightness of your King.
Christ has conquered! Glory fills you!
Darkness vanishes for ever.
This is our Passover feast when Christ,
the true Lamb, is slain,
whose blood consecrates
the homes of all believers.
This is the night when you, Lord our God,
first saved our ancestors in the faith;
you delivered the people of Israel
from their salvery
and led them dry-shod through the sea.
This is the night when Christ broke
the chains of death
and rose triumphant from the grave.
This is the night truly blessed, when heaven is wedded to earth,
and all creation is reconciled with God.
Therefore, Father, in the joy of this night,
receive our sacrifice of praise and
thanksgiving.
Let us sing with joy,
joining the mighty chorus
of all God’s people!
Hymn: Alleluia! Alleluia!
1 Alleluia, alleluia!
Hearts to heaven and voices raise.
Sing to God a hymn of gladness,
sing to God a hymn of praise.
He who on the cross a victim
for the world’s salvation bled,
Jesus Christ, the king of glory,
now is risen from the dead.
2 Alleluia, Christ is risen!
Death at last has met defeat.
See the ancient powers of evil
in confusion and retreat.
Once he died and once was buried;
now he lives forevermore—
Jesus Christ, the world’s Redeemer,
whom we worship and adore.
3 Christ is risen, Christ and firstfruits
of the holy harvest field,
which will all its full abundance
at his second coming yield.
Then the golden ears of harvest
will their heads before him wave,
ripened by his glorious sunshine
from the furrows of the grave.
4 Alleluia, alleluia!
Glory be to God on high;
alleluia! to the Savior,
who has won the victory;
alleluia! to the Spirit,
fount of love and sanctity:
alleluia, alleluia!
to the triune Majesty.
