Easter Vigil

[kleary]

The Easter Vigil is shorter in my parish - about 2 hours to 2.5 houts, since they only do 4 readings instead of 8 - How strict a rule is it that all 7 OT readings be done, followed by the Gospel reading? For once I’d like to get the full experience of the Easter Vigil the way it’s supposed to be done.

Try an Indult parish for the Traditional Roman Rite ecclesiadei.org/masses.cfm

Or go to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Washington DC for the Novus Ordo Rite done “correctly” or watch it on EWTN.

Ken

 

[netmilsmom]

I attended last year. It was wonderful. Just in my case I would not bring children unless they are sedated LOL.

My five and seven year olds went last year to welcome Daddy into the church!!!
We are very blessed.

 

[KathleenElsie]

My five and seven year olds went last year to welcome Daddy into the church!!!
We are very blessed.

For that I would have brought mine also. God Bless you all. But last year our ranged from 2yo to 9yo and bringing six of them can be distracting to everyone. Even with four adults to keep them in hand. We bring then every week and sometimes in the week. But, for the special times that others want to see and record we try to leave them home. Our cry-room is quite crowded with the new babies. Sometimes common sense takes the precedent.

We did Midnight Mass when the littlest was 2 and it was not nice for us or the congregation LOL. Found the cutest shirt last night it read “patience tester” and she sure is.

 

[netmilsmom]

For that I would have brought mine also. God Bless you all. But last year our ranged from 2yo to 9yo and bringing six of them can be distracting to everyone. Even with four adults to keep them in hand. We bring then every week and sometimes in the week. But, for the special times that others want to see and record we try to leave them home. Our cry-room is quite crowded with the new babies. Sometimes common sense takes the precedent.

We did Midnight Mass when the littlest was 2 and it was not nice for us or the congregation LOL. Found the cutest shirt last night it read “patience tester” and she sure is.

Oh I agree with you fully!
(it was just a little Catholic brag about Daddy)

I like that shirt!!!

 

[scared]

When I went through RCIA we did Thursday night before and after mass meetings. All day Friday until Mass this was mostly for those in need of confession, for the three of us being baptized it was used for contimplation, or in my case running away I was that scared! To no avail my priest found me. Then Saturday morning two hours of contimplation of christs death. Home for rest and fasting. Arrive at the church 2 hours before service begins for prayer.

Mass starts: 7:30
15 entering already baptized
3 entering needing baptism
7 reading
7 psalms
1 espiles reading
1gospel

 

[scared]

sorry hit wrong button

At any rate the mass was finished at 11:30pm

At which point our priest offered to marry my husband and I we came very close, but my grandmothers got a hold of the poor priest, we were married on the orginal wedding day.

Now the parish we attend the vigil is just over an hour long, not very enlighting and very much like a regular mass, except for the lighting of candles.

scared

 

[Psalm45_9]

Ours is two hours long, because we have always only done half of the readings and responsorial psalms. The point of this Mass is to anticipate the dawn. In theory all should gather very early in the morning when it is still dark to celebrate this vigil, the readings are to extend the time to dawn. Ideally the Alleluia should be song when the first rays of pink our shown on the horizon, that is when the tomb was discovered. But most people aren’t for getting up at 3 in the morning for Mass. So it can be celebrated earlier, although the symbolism is not as great. We celebrate it at 7pm on Holy Saturday evening. Although that is stretch, the Catholic Bishop’s website states that the Easter fire should not be lit until twilight, when the first stars begin to become visible. Making 8 or 9 depending on when Easter falls the ideal time for the vigil to begin.

 

[mercygate]

Thanks for the heads-up. I hadn’t realized that the Easter Vigil could take so long.

My RCIA Schedule sheet has this for Holy saturday:

@@@

Holy saturday - Morning Service 7:45 - 9:00 AM. Mini retreat for all til 12 Noon. Dismissal at 12 Noon to rest and return at 6:30 PM for the Vigil.

Reception to follow in the Parish hall.

@@@

So it may well be after 9:30 PM when the Vigil ends. Going to be a long day

The Vigil goes by very fast. You don’t even feel the length of it. BEAUTIFUL!

 

[puzzleannie]

. We celebrate it at 7pm on Holy Saturday evening. Although that is stretch, the Catholic Bishop’s website states that the Easter fire should not be lit until twilight, when the first stars begin to become visible. Making 8 or 9 depending on when Easter falls the ideal time for the vigil to begin.

this would not be permitted in our diocese. The chancery publishes the earliest starting time, about 1/2 hour after sunset when it is fully dark, and no parish has the option of starting earlier, although they can start later, and some wait until midnight.

 

[puzzleannie]

Our cry-room is quite crowded with the new babies. Sometimes common sense takes the precedent.

.

everyone here knows I am a big fan of babies and children at Mass, no matter whose patience they are testing, but in very crowded Masses, my grandma instincts take over and I would be very leery of bringing newborns, even more so in bad weather. just think of the germs floating around that cryroom. The Easter Vigil and Midnight Mass are very long, very crowded, often overheated, and try the patience of even adults, for children it can be excruciating to behave for that length of time (some adults can’t manage it either). If all goes well they might fall asleep, or they might get so overexcited you can’t shut them up, and you have to deal with it all night.

The earliest Mass on Christmas day or Easter is usually a lot easier on babies and parents.

Except for families of those being received into the Church, I would hesitate to bring babies and very young children, but school age children should participate in the Easter vigil at least once because it is so rich, beautiful, and like all the Holy Week liturgies, the readings are designed to catechize those being initiated, which includes children preparing for communion and confirmation.

 

[Psalm45_9]

this would not be permitted in our diocese. The chancery publishes the earliest starting time, about 1/2 hour after sunset when it is fully dark, and no parish has the option of starting earlier, although they can start later, and some wait until midnight.

Yup, I know what you mean. Our Cathedral started their Vigil last year at 6:00pm. 2 years ago Easter fell before daylight savings so it was already dark by 7pm, the symbolism of the Easter Vigil was then perfect. I will try to talk to my pastor about extending the Vigil this year to begin at 8pm when twilight begins.

 

[fcbv]

Well, it depends on the place… and on the priest! In my parish, this fantastic Mass (I personally love it) starts at about 9 p.m. and lasts in average two hours and an half! In other parishes it may last 3 hours or more. It really depends on the priest, and specially on the duration of his homily!