Holy Thursday Ritual

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Gertabelle

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When I was in college, some of my friends and I had a prayerful tradition of attending Mass followed by a “pilgrimage” to seven churches to pray. We lived in the Los Angeles area, so there were many, many Catholic churches to go to. This was supposed to represent the seven “somethings” or following Jesus’s admonition to watch and pray.

Has anyone ever heard of anything like this? It was presented to us as a “tradition”, not just something we thought up ourselves.

As and aside, when I was in the convent, we kept watch in the chapel until midnight, when the blessed sacrament was removed. I don’t know why we didn’t just do that in college – perhaps our church was locked after mass?

Gertie
 
This was done in New Orleans when I was a child back in the 50s but it was done on Good Friday. Not sure how many do this today.
 
Visiting seven churches on Maundy Thursday evening is an old European tradition, very common in Spain, Italy and France. It hearkens back to pre-1950s days, when the Blessed Sacrament was kept at the altar of repose throughout the night, until the morning of Good Friday.

The 1955 Holy Week revisions by Pius XII moved the Mass into the evening and ended the adoration at the altar of repose at midnight. This effectively ended the seven church tradition, since there no longer was sufficient time in which to do so. There are a few places that still offer all-night adoration, presumably with permission, but that is about it.
 
My parish still has the Blessed Sacrament at the altar of repose following the Holy Thursday liturgy. It remains there until midnight.

The seven “somethings” were the seven last words of Christ – and visiting parishes to pray was one way people remembered them.

Deacon Ed
 
Gertabelle said:
When I was in college, some of my friends and I had a prayerful tradition of attending Mass followed by a “pilgrimage” to seven churches to pray. We lived in the Los Angeles area, so there were many, many Catholic churches to go to. This was supposed to represent the seven “somethings” or following Jesus’s admonition to watch and pray.

Has anyone ever heard of anything like this? It was presented to us as a “tradition”, not just something we thought up ourselves.

As and aside, when I was in the convent, we kept watch in the chapel until midnight, when the blessed sacrament was removed. I don’t know why we didn’t just do that in college – perhaps our church was locked after mass?

Gertie
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Yes, we used to do this. Two years ago we decided to take the RCIA group to a few other local Parishes just to highlight the “Catholic” in Catholic Church. at one we found the doors locked within 15 minutes of Mass ending, at another most of the people were gone by 30 minutes after Mass, the church was dark and most people were over in the social hall.
 
At our parish, us 4th degree Knights of Columbus stand honor guard for the Holy Euchrist until midnight when the priest comes and puts it away. I have noticed that there are several families, they appear Hispanic and are not from our parish, come in and spend about 15 or 20 minutes then leave all together. We also have a group of priest who do the same thing. I assume they are doing the 7 churches thing.
 
I discovered this beautiful tradition a few years ago when our family moved to northeastern Pennsylvania. There are about a dozen Catholic churches in town, and each one beautifully decorates the altar of repose. People attend the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at their own parish, then travel around town to several neighboring churches for short visits to the Blessed Sacrament — perhaps just a few minutes at each one. A few of the churches have special prayer devotions, music, etc., while most have silent adoration. Our parish ends with Night Prayer from Liturgy of the Hours just before the Blessed Sacrament is reposed. It’s like a mini Eucharistic pilgrimage!
 
PhilotheaZ said:
I discovered this beautiful tradition a few years ago when our family moved to northeastern Pennsylvania. There are about a dozen Catholic churches in town, and each one beautifully decorates the altar of repose. People attend the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at their own parish, then travel around town to several neighboring churches for short visits to the Blessed Sacrament — perhaps just a few minutes at each one. A few of the churches have special prayer devotions, music, etc., while most have silent adoration. Our parish ends with Night Prayer from Liturgy of the Hours just before the Blessed Sacrament is reposed. It’s like a mini Eucharistic pilgrimage!
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That’s really beautiful!

I’d never heard of anyone else doing this, certainly not here in Colorado, so I’m glad to know it is more widespread than just my long ago college circle. Maybe I’ll renew the tradition here this year. I wonder how many of our area churches have adoration or even leave their doors unlocked after Mass…

Gertie
 
I just got home from visiting Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament at seven different churches. I had never done seven before, so I wondered how I would spend the time at each — I let the Holy Spirit guide me and brought along a copy of Fr. Groeschel’s Praying in the Presence of Our Lord with the Saints just in case I needed a “prayer starter.”
  • After Mass at my own parish, I started at St. Joseph’s Church. When I arrived they were praying the Sorrowful Mysteries, and the pastor began each decade with a very moving meditation on the Passion of Christ. I stayed for a couple of decades.
  • At Most Precious Blood Church, the youth group was arriving and getting ready to do some worship with song.
  • At St. Stanislaus Church (Polish), the Blessed Sacrament was exposed in a monstrance near a large Divine Mercy image (St. Faustina, who received the Divine Mercy messages, is a favorite Polish saint). I prayed the Divine Mercy chaplet silently for conversions of several loved ones.
  • At the Sacred Heart Shrine, I found in my book a Eucharistic prayer by St. Margaret Mary, to whom Jesus revealed His Heart.
  • At St. Mary’s Church, I spent a few minutes adoring Jesus in the company of His Blessed Mother.
  • When I arrived at Holy Trinity Church, they were praying a litany (I think it was the Holy Name of Jesus litany). The Blessed Sacrament was in a little alcove in the back of the church, and I knelt there for a few moments.
  • I returned to my own parish, St. Gabriel, in time for Night Prayer (Liturgy of the Hours).
Anyway, I loved my little pilgrimage. And I was delighted to see two of my 6th grade CCD students along the way; it does my heart good to see children in adoration. I hope you had a blessed day too!
 
I know a group of students at Duquesne always go to seven churches on Holy Thursday. I’ve never been able to go because I’m always home during that time, but everyone who I’ve talked to about it says that it’s a very good experience.
 
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