How much Holy Week will you be doing WITH your kids?

[lada]

I am taking my tribe to Holy Thursday, but my oldest daughter and I are going to confession on Good Friday and then the service afterward, so I think we will leave the littles home with dad. Then I was thinking of taking her and maybe #2 to the Easter Vigil, but haven’t decided yet. I haven’t been to the vigil in years, and really would like to go, but it’s late and long and I don’t think my young ones would make it through. Well, they would make it, but it wouldn’t be very nice for me. We will all attend Mass on Easter Sunday as usual.

So, what will everyone else be doing? Coordinating with spouses so the adults can go to the longer services, or everyone going, or not going at all because you don’t have anyone to leave the kiddos with and can’t imagine taking them?

 

[Em_in_FL]

We always bring our kids along to the Easter Triduum services (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter)… we’ve never attended the Vigil itself (you’re right, it would be quite a feat for young kids!), but Easter morning Mass is beautiful!!!

But yes… we bring them along for all the services…

 

[kage_ar]

Ever since I became Catholic, DS came with me to Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Vigil. He is a grown up now, and will still go with us to all three:thumbsup:

 

[dashso40]

I’m bringing my 10 year old with us to Holy Thursday, Good Friday and than i’ll bring my 2 year old and 6 year old with all of us to Sunday Easter Mass. The vigil on Sat is not doable for the younger ones…I’m also bringing my 10 year old to confession with me this week.

 

[samovila]

I’ve got a 2yo and a 1yo. Coincidentally, the 2 yo will be 3 on Easter Sunday. So far I’m planning on taking them to the vigil mass on Saturday evening with my husband and parents and I MIGHT take them to the Holy Thursday mass if my husband is willing to come along to keep them under control. On Good Friday, I’m taking a vacation day from work and taking the kids to the babysitter as usual so that I can have a peaceful day of prayer and attend the 3 p.m. service in peace and peacefully reflect on our Lord’s sacrifice. Did I mention that I’d like some peace on that day?

This leads me to another question for all you parents… how do you coordinate Easter mass attendance with Easter dinner meal prep? Our vigil mass begins at 8 p.m. and is extra long which is sooooooo tough with the little ones, but the 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. mass on Sunday morning takes time away from my preparations for Easter dinner. I’m pretty sure we’re going to the vigil mass and we’ll just do our best to keep the kids from being disruptive, but I’m wondering how you all work with the Easter mass schedule and preparing an Easter dinner at home for extended family.

 

[Catholic90]

… how do you coordinate Easter mass attendance with Easter dinner meal prep?.. but I’m wondering how you all work with the Easter mass schedule and preparing an Easter dinner at home for extended family.

Well, the way we always did it was…go to Easter dinner at the In-Law’s!!!

Actually, we have ALWAYS had our family holiday dinners be actual DINNERS at the dinner hour - 6 pm. People gather a few hours earlier for visiting, but we always eat around 6. That allows plenty of time for church, etc.

 

[monicatholic]

we’ve done stations throughout Lent, but today and tomorrow my kids are/ will be making illustrations for family stations of the cross (to be used with reflections i wrote for a program a few years ago.)

we will do holy thursday mass.
we will do veneration of the cross on good friday at church.

we’ll do stations at home on good friday evening. we’ll hang the kids’ stations around the yard. we have a lovely grotto across the street at the Catholic church, (not our parish), with a huge (bigger than life) crucifix. we’ll finish our stations there at the grotto.

we never do the vigil mass as a family (too many small kids), though sometimes hubby and an older kid will go. instead, we watch the bonfire at the church across the street from our upstairs window.

we go to easter sunday morning mass.

 

[acadian]

We have all been to confession - my 13 year old a few weeks ago, and DH and the 14 year old, last night (waited almost 2 hours at a diocesean penance service), and me on MOnday.

Tonight (Wednesday) is our Tenebrae service. My 14 year old will be there because he was asked to serve. I will be there, too.

Thursday night, I will offer them the opportunity to come with me, but I won’t force the issue. I would like to stay afterwards for Adoration (we have it for an hour), and I know that would be asking a little much of them.

Friday, I will encourage them to do something. I found out last night at the penance service, that there is an outdoor Stations of the Cross at 10 a.m., and then our parish has the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion at 3 p.m.

They are both serving for the Easter Vigil, so that entails a practice at 10 a.m., as well as the Mass at 8 pm. DH and I will probably go to 8:30 a.m. Mass on Easter Sunday, and the teenagers will still be in a deep sleep (and after they volunteered to serve for the Easter Vigil, I will be happy to let them sleep!)

 

[Vincent1984]

We always bring our kids along to the Easter Triduum services (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter)… we’ve never attended the Vigil itself

The Triduum is Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper (Thursday), Celebration of the Lord’s Passion (Friday), and the Easter Vigil. Easter Sunday Masses are not part of the Triduum, though of course they do fulfil the obligation.

 

[cctabb]

We will be at every one that is offered - Thursday, Friday twice, Saturday, and Sunday morning. I know we do not have to go to both Saturday and Sunday, but I’m finally getting confirmed on Saturday and dd is on the schedule to alter serve at the 8 am Mass Sunday morning.

 

[lada]

This leads me to another question for all you parents… how do you coordinate Easter mass attendance with Easter dinner meal prep?

Just like with any holiday, I do a lot of prep before hand. I’ll make the deviled eggs, the rolls (just reheat in the oven), any of the casseroles that need baked I’ll go ahead and make up and then put them in the refrigerator. The only thing I should have to do on Sunday is throw the ham in the roaster, and make the asparagus and the new potatoes. We go to the 8am Mass, which is fine…I can’t get my kids to sleep in past 6 anyway, no matter how late they were up the night before.

 

[lada]

the teenagers will still be in a deep sleep (and after they volunteered to serve for the Easter Vigil, I will be happy to let them sleep!)

As well you should! My brothers and I used to serve at the Vigil. It’s a lovely thing to do but let’s be honest…for a teenager, it is definitely a sacrifice!