Join us for Holy Week - Our Journey of Faith

Dear Friends,

As we approach Holy Week, a sacred time that invites us not just to observe, but to immerse ourselves in the profound mysteries of our faith, we are presented with a unique opportunity to partake in the Last Supper, bear witness to Christ's sacrifice on the cross, and ultimately rejoice in His glorious resurrection. These pivotal moments in our Christian journey serve as poignant reminders of the boundless love and sacrifice of Jesus that define our faith. The very essence of Holy Week encapsulates a message so profound and transformative that it has the power to fill our hearts with joy, liberate our spirits, and catalyze a profound transmutation within our lives.

I am thrilled to share that due to the overwhelming response and increased attendance at our special liturgies, which have seen a remarkable 27% rise compared to previous years, we will be offering additional Easter Masses to accommodate all those who wish to partake in the celebration of Christ's resurrection with us.

I extend a heartfelt invitation on behalf of our dedicated liturgy and music team for you to join us this Holy Week. For those unable to join us in person, we warmly encourage you to experience the spiritual richness of our Holy Week services through our live stream on our YouTube channel.

The resurrection of Jesus heralded a transformative shift in the lives of His disciples -- fear was replaced by freedom, sorrow by joy, and uncertainty by purpose. It is my fervent hope that our collective observance of Holy Week will continue to deepen our connection with Christ at Saint Clement -- our spiritual home.

I invite you to consider contributing your time and talents as hospitality ministers and liturgical ministers during the upcoming Holy Week and Easter season. For those interested in serving, please reach out to Lori Howard.

As we express our gratitude for your commitment towards our future, I invite you to consider making a contribution to our Easter Appeal. Your generosity will directly support vital programs such as Theology on Tap, Wine Down Wednesdays, Speaker Series, and initiatives aimed at welcoming new members into our community.

Since assuming the role of pastor at Saint Clement, I have been deeply moved by the faith, active engagement, and commitment displayed by each one of you. Your dedication is truly inspiring, and I am humbled by the visionary leadership within our community. Join us this Holy Week and Easter as we stand united against the prevailing narrative that faith is waning -- together, we witness lives transformed and hearts filled with unwavering faith. Your presence, your testimony, and your support are invaluable not only to Saint Clement, but also to all we serve.

As we embark on this sacred journey through Holy Week, please know that you are held in our prayers.

With heartfelt blessings,

Fr. Peter Wojcik

Pastor of Saint Clement Parish

Holy Week &

Easter schedule

March 24 - Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

Regular weekend schedule.
Palms will be distributed
11:15 a.m. -Procession from school to church

March 27 - Holy Wednesday

9:00 a.m. Daily Mass (with parish school)
7:00 p.m. Tenebrae (also live-streamed)

March 28 - Holy Thursday

9:00 a.m. Spoken Morning Prayer
7:00 p.m. Mass of the Lord’s Supper (also live-streamed)
9:00 p.m. Sung Night Prayer

March 29 - Good Friday

9:00 a.m. Spoken Morning Prayer
12:15 p.m. Stations of the Cross
3:00 p.m. Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion
7:00 p.m. Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion (also live-streamed)
9:00 p.m. Spoken Night Prayer

March 30 - Holy Saturday

9:00 a.m. Spoken Morning Prayer
12:00 p.m. Easter Basket Blessing
8:00 p.m. Easter Vigil (also live-streamed); reception to follow

March 31 - Easter Sunday

8:00 a.m. - Church
9:30 a.m. - Church, Chapel, & Fireside*
11:15 a.m. - Church (also live-streamed), Chapel, & Fireside*
*Please note, Fireside is located in the school. These Masses will be shorter and geared towards young children.

Supporting our Easter Appeal

We invite you to partner with us to ensure that the message of hope that comes from the resurrection of Jesus can heal, empower, and bring community to those who struggle. Our Easter Appeal goal is to raise $50,000, which will directly support our spring and summer outreach programs—such as Theology on Tap, Wine Down Wednesdays and Speaker Series—which we hope will not only engage thousands of our own parishioners, but also welcome others to our community. Your generous contribution will help us continue to share the infinite importance of our faith and provide life-changing experiences for those on their spiritual journey.

We give thanks to God for your partnership in our mission and outreach programs. Every gift makes a profound difference. Thank you for your consideration!

Give an Easter Gift

Highlighted Services & Events

Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord

March 23/24 - Regular weekend Mass schedule

Please click the video to hear from parish staff member Lori Howard inviting you to join us for our Palm Sunday Masses. Learn more about what to expect when joining us, what makes the Palm Sunday Mass unique, as well as what Lori finds most moving about this special Mass.

We will celebrate Masses at our regular weekend times, and will distribute palms to all who join us. Please note, we also will hold a procession from the school to the church at 11:15 a.m. Join us!

Tenebrae

Wed., March 27 at 7:00 p.m.

Join us for Tenebrae, a 1,000 year-old service filled with the singing of Psalms and the proclamation of Scripture.

Tenebrae is the Latin word for shadows or darkness. Tenebrae helps to set the tone for the coming three days of the Triduum (the three most sacred days of of the Christian calendar). At the beginning of the service, seven candles are lit in the church. The candles are gradually extinguished throughout the liturgy until the church is plunged into darkness and a thunderous noise envelops the space. One candle finally returns to the church, thereby bringing peace and illumination, symbolizing the continual light of Christ.

If you love the vocal gifts from our choir members or have never been to Holy Week at Saint Clement, you will want to join us for Tenebrae. Many parishioners have expressed that this is their favorite service of the year.

Please note, we will not have our 6:00 p.m. Daily Mass on March 27.

Holy Thursday - March 28

Mass of the Lord's Supper at 7:00p.m.

The first night of the Triduum is Holy Thursday. Join us as we celebrate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7:00 p.m. We proclaim the Gospel of John, where Jesus as humble servant, washes the feet of the disciples. He give us his Mandatum (mandate) - “Love one another, as I have loved you.” At this Mass, we also recall Jesus establishing two of the sacraments; the sacrament of Eucharist and of the Holy Orders. Taking, breaking, and blessing the bread and giving us the command, “Do this in memory of me,” Jesus invited his followers to remember, celebrate and honor his presence in the Eucharist.

Another very unique element happens at the end of the Holy Thursday liturgy. There is no blessing or fanfare. Instead, the entire congregation processes with song outside the church and into the lower level chapel. We process following the presence of Christ in the Eucharistic bread symbolizing our journey with him to Gethsemane. The chapel remains open until midnight for people to pray and keep watch with our Lord at the altar of repose.

We invite you to join us for Holy Thursday Mass. Individuals, couples, and families can all take part in the washing of feet ritual, the visual reminder for us to be of service to each other.

Good Friday - March 29

Liturgy of the Passion at

3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

The second night of the Triduum is Good Friday. Join us for the Liturgy of the Passion at either 3:00 p.m. or 7:00 p.m. Good Friday is the only day that out of grief the church does not celebrate the Eucharist. The church is dark, and we begin in silence. The presider and ministers lay face down on the floor as the congregation kneels, remembering Christ’s Passion on the cross. The Passion on Good Friday is proclaimed from the Gospel of John who portrays Jesus as humble king. John helps us to remember that through the glorious cross, we are given life.

The general intercessions on Good Friday take a different form, a more profound and ancient form of intercessory prayer. We pray for specific intentions, both for the church and for the world, for unity, acceptance, and peace.

On Good Friday, we also have time for adoration of the cross. The cross is unveiled in the back of the church and processed up the aisle as we sing an acclamation remembering that it is through the cross that we are set free. Everyone is welcome to take time to kneel, say a prayer, and individually touch the cross, adoring the sacred tree on which hung the Savior of the world.

Come join us in prayer on Good Friday as we honor and remember Jesus’ suffering and death.

Holy Saturday - March 30

Easter Vigil at 8:00 p.m.

The final night of the Triduum is our Easter Vigil. We gather at 8:00 p.m. outside the church, where a fire is burning. We light our new paschal candle from this fire and process it into the church. The light spreads to the entire congregation as we light our candles, symbolizing the light of Christ carried throughout the world.

In the candlelight we proclaim the glory of God’s saving works in the Exsultet. A series of Scripture readings follow, where we recall God’s action throughout history. With fanfare and glorious music, we proclaim the resurrection of our Lord.

Following the homily, adults who have participated in our RCIA program are baptized and received into the Catholic Church. We have 19 women and men who will be joining our community at this year’s Easter Vigil (see their names here). We will all be invited to renew our baptismal promise and bless ourselves from the water in the baptismal font. This is always a joyous moment!

The liturgy culminates with a celebration of thanksgiving and our participation in the Eucharistic feast. Many parishioners find this to be the most beautiful liturgy of the entire year. From watching the light fill every corner of the church, to reflecting on the many passages from the Bible, to welcoming new members to our parish family, this is a must attend night. Please, come join us! All will be welcome to join us in congratulating our new members at the reception after Mass.

Easter Sunday - March 31

Rejoice with us at Mass!

Our final invitation is for you to join us on Easter Sunday. We need to experience belonging, hope and the power of the resurrection. We are overjoyed to invite you to join our community in prayer.

We will have Masses at 8:00 a.m. in the church; at 9:30 a.m. in the church, chapel, and Fireside; and at 11:15 a.m. in the church, chapel, and Fireside. Please note, Fireside is located in the school. These Masses will be shorter and geared towards young children.

For those who are traveling or unable to join us in person, we invite you to worship with us via our live stream of our 11:15 a.m. church Mass.

Thank you for choosing Saint Clement to be your spiritual home and we cannot wait to celebrate Triduum and the Easter season with you!

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SAINT CLEMENT PARISH

642 W. Deming Place

Chicago, IL 60614

t. 773-281-0371

f. 773-281-2509

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