Easter Triduum celebrations will be live-streamed only because of COVID-19

By Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News

In an update to the faithful on March 31, 2020, Bishop Mark Hagemoen announced that because of directives prohibiting public gatherings as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the suspension of public Masses will continue, including during Holy Week and the Easter Triduum celebrations.

The Chrism Mass, normally celebrated on the Monday of Holy Week in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon has been postponed until a later date when public gatherings can resume.

Liturgies from a number of parishes in the diocese will continue to be live-streamed and posted at saskatoonmass.com, with the bishop’s Easter Triduum celebrations also featured on the home page of the diocesan website at rcdos.ca. The live-streamed celebrations will also be archived as video files that can be viewed after each event, at a later time.

The Triduum live-streaming schedule with Bishop Mark Hagemoen includes:

Holy Thursday, April 9, 2020 – Liturgy of the Hours with the clergy celebrated at 10:00 a.m., Mass of the Lord’s Supper celebrated at 7:00 p.m., both live-streamed from the Cathedral of the Holy Family.

Good Friday, April 10, 2020 – Liturgy of the Passion of Our Lord at 3:00 p.m., with Stations of the Cross at 7:00 p.m., both live-streamed from the Cathedral of the Holy Family.

The annual justice and peace Way of the Cross through the streets of Saskatoon on Good Friday has been cancelled. In its stead, a video version has been created: ARTICLE

Holy Saturday, April 11, 2020 – Easter Vigil at 9:00 p.m. live-streamed from the Cathedral of the Holy Family.

Easter Sunday, April 12, 2020 – Easter morning Mass at 10:00 a.m. live-streamed from St. Paul Co-Cathedral.

In his latest update on March 31, 2020, Bishop Hagemoen also reminded the faithful that the previous directives of March 17, 2020 continue to be in place, and address:

Penitential services
Other sacraments
Sacramental preparation
Funerals
Marriages
General parish gatherings
Access to churches; cleaning; removal of books, hymnals, and pamphlets
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

“Regarding Ministry to the Sick and Shut-ins: please see the guidelines attached that will assist you with fulfilling medical advisories about physical human contact vis-a-vis administering the sacraments to the sick and dying,” the bishop wrote in his March 31 update.

“I remind us all to also be vigilant about community caring,” he added. “Let us encourage our parish communities to be mindful of the need to support fellow parishioners and other community members, especially elders, the sick, and those who might be otherwise housebound. Of course, we do all of this seeking local coordination to assure compliance with the Chief Medical Officer directives.”

The bishop also called for continued prayer: “Please join with me in prayer for a rapid end to the COVID-19 virus. May God grant healing to those who are ill, and eternal rest to those who have died. May the Lord’s blessing come upon our medical professionals and civic authorities, who continue to strive with enormous effort and expertise to keep all of us safe.”