A Guide to Holy Week on Campus

Holy Week has come to Notre Dame. Whether you plan to spend the weekend on campus or at home, this week is an important time to pray and prepare for the death and resurrection of Christ.

Holy Week at ND is definitely something that students should try immerse themselves in at some point during their time here. The choirs rehearse all week, creating truly awesome music. The Basilica itself is a beautiful place to pray and reflect. There are few places you can have such a rich Holy Week experience as you can here, so take advantage of it in any way you can.

If you plan to stay on campus this year, here are a few tips to help you navigate the various Basilica liturgies.

1-    Come Early- like really early. No matter who you ask, you will always hear the same thing- getting to the Basilica early is necessary for getting a seat. The estimated times are: Holy Thursday Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper- 1 to 2 hours early; Tenebrae- At least 1 hour early; Good Friday Celebration of the Lord’s Passion - 1 to 2 hours early; Good Friday Stations of the Cross- 45 minutes early; Saturday Easter Vigil- 2 to 3 hours early[K1] . Make it your priority to get to each service early or you may risk missing it all together. If you have a large group, make sure to come even earlier to make sure you have enough seats. As a general rule, saving seats is frowned upon.

2-    Know the Schedule. With so many events going on for Holy Week, it is important to know when each event starts. The Campus Ministry website has a convenient schedule for the week[K2] . You might want to consider printing it off, deciding what services you want to go to and how early you wish to arrive for them.

3-    Confession Time. As Catholics, it’s recommended that you go to Confession once a year, usually before Easter. Luckily, Notre Dame makes it really easy to get that confession in this week as they offer reconciliation several times a day. See the website for a full schedule [K3] or check out the cards available in dorms that include an  Examination of Conscious along with confession times.

4-    Eat. One recommendation I received from several people was to definitely enjoy the food this weekend. The Dining Hall offers an Easter Buffet, which is very delicious. For a full menu, see the food service website[K4] . There is also an unofficial student tradition of going to Steak and Shake with friends after the Easter Vigil (and drinking a shake if you gave up sweets for Lent)/

5-    Enjoy the Experience. Notre Dame’s Holy Week gives you so many opportunities to really make the most of this important time of the liturgical year. In addition to the masses, there are morning prayer services (Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 9 a.m.) and Sunday Night Vespers (at 7:15 p.m.). There are also several opportunities unique for students, such as the Campus Wide Stations of the Cross (Tuesday night 8 p.m. at the Grotto) and Student Easter Mass (Sunday 9p.m. Basilica).