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What a month it has been. Beginning with the farewell of Pope Benedict XVI, we rode the waves of the sede vacante, the conclave and the election of Pope Francis, and various other events that added some lines to this blog. All in all, it took quite some work to keep these pages filled as things developed, so I hope that a few days of less communication is forgiven. But all the effort brought its own reward, as there was interest from across the globe in my writings. In total, I could chalk up 15,933 visits to these pages. That’s triple the number of a regular quiet month. Thank you!
On to the top 10 of most popular blog posts of March:
1: Countdown to papal Twitter launch 745
2: Meeting of the Popes 431
3: Enter the electors 329
4: The fall of Cardinal Piacenza 318
5: Continuity – Pope Francis’ coat of arms 214
6: Church teachings – the clash between authority and respect 147
7: ‘Bel Giorgio’ takes over the household 82
8: First Sunday – the Dutch cardinals in Rome 80
9: Holy Week 2013, an overview of cathedral celebrations 79
10: The seagull vigil 77
March has been crazy as far as the blog was concerned. I write these words in my free time, which is not always available in abundance. If you like what you read here, and appreciate the information I try to provide and keep as up to date as possible, think of making a donation to this blog’s upkeep. You will find a PayPal donation button in the left sidebar, and also below. Any donor can count on prayers and much appreciation from my part, and will contribute to a continued Catholic voice in new media.
It’s a bit late, but since there is an interest in it, here is the schedule for the Holy Week celebrations in the Dutch cathedrals. As ever, things may change at any time, but since this information is taken from the various diocesan websites, it should simply be accurate.
Diocese of Groningen-Leeuwarden, Cathedral of St. Joseph:
Wednesday, 19:30: Chrism Mass
Maundy Thursday, 19:00: Mass offered by Bishop Gerard de Korte
Good Friday, 14:00: Stations of the Cross for children
Good Friday, 15:00: Stations of the Cross
Good Friday, 19:00: Service of the Passion of the Lord
Holy Saturday, 22:00: Easter Vigil
Easter Sunday, 11:00: Mass
Easter Monday, 11:00: Mass
Archdiocese of Utrecht, Cathedral of St. Elisabeth:
Wednesday, 19:00: Chrism Mass (at the Church of St Mary in Apeldoorn).
Wednesday, 21:00: Tenebrae and Lauds, followed by silent prayer until 8 o’clock the next morning
Maundy Thursday, 19:30: Mass offered by Cardinal Wim Eijk
Maundy Thursday, 21:30 Tenebrae and Lauds
Good Friday, 8:00: Morning Prayers
Good Friday, 15:00: Stations of the Cross (at the church of St. Augustine)
Good Friday, 19:30: Service of the Passion of the Lord, led by Cardinal Eijk
Good Friday, 21:30: Tenebrae and Lauds
Holy Saturday, 16:00-17:00: Confession
Holy Saturday, 21:00: Easter Vigil, offered by Cardinal Eijk
Easter Sunday, 10:30: Mass offered by Cardinal Eijk
Easter Monday, 10:30: Mass
Diocese of Haarlem-Amsterdam, Cathedral Basilica of St. Bavo:
Wednesday, 19:30: Chrism Mass (for both the diocese and the Military Ordinariate).
Maundy Thursday, 19:30: Mass
Good Friday, 15:00: Stations of the Cross
Good Friday, 19:30: Service of the Passion of the Lord, led by Bishop Jos Punt
Good Friday, 21:00: Tenebrae
Holy Saturday, 21:30: Easter Vigil
Easter Sunday, 10:00: Mass offered by Bishop Punt
Easter Monday, 10:00: Mass
Diocese of Rotterdam, Cathedral of Sts. Lawrence and Elisabeth:
Wednesday, 19:30: Chrism Mass
Maundy Thursday, 19:30: Mass, followed by a prayer vigil until 7 o’clock the next morning
Good Friday, 10:30: Stations of the Cross for children
Good Friday, 15:00: Stations of the Cross
Good Friday, 19:30: Service of the Passion of the Lord
Holy Saturday: 22:30: Easter Vigil, offered by Bishop Hans van den Hende
Easter Sunday, 11:00: Mass offered by Bishop van den Hende
Easter Monday, 11:30: Mass offered by Bishop van den Hende
Diocese of Breda, Cathedral of St. Anthony:
Wednesday, 19:00: Chrism Mass (at the church of St. Gummarus in Wagenberg).
Maundy Thursday, 19:00: Mass, offered by Bishop Jan Liesen
Good Friday, 15:00: Service of the Passion of the Lord, led by Bishop Liesen
Good Friday, 19:00: Stations of the Cross, led by Bishop Liesen
Holy Saturday, 21:00: Easter Vigil, offered by Bishop Liesen
Easter Sunday, 10:30: Mass, offered by Bishop Liesen
Easter Monday, 10:30: Mass (at the Begijnhof chapel)
Diocese of ‘s Hertogenbosch, Cathedral Basilica of St. John:
Wednesday, 19:00: Chrism Mass
Maundy Thursday, 19:30: Mass
Good Friday, 15:00: Service of the Passion of the Lord
Good Friday, 19:00: Stations of the Cross
Holy Saturday, 22:00: Easter Vigil
Easter Sunday, 10:00: Mass
Easter Sunday, 11:45: Mass
Easter Monday, 11:00: Mass
Diocese of Roermond, Cathedral of St. Christopher:
Wednesday, 19:00: Chrism Mass
Maundy Thursday, 18:30: Mass, offered by Bishop Everard de Jong (at the Munster)
Good Friday, 15:00: Stations of the Cross, led by Bishop Frans Wiertz
Good Friday, 19:00: Service of the Passion of the Lord, led by Bishop Wiertz (at the Munster)
Holy Saturday, 20:30: Easter Vigil offered by Bishop Wiertz
Easter Sunday, 11:30: Mass offered by Bishop Wiertz
Easter Monday, 11:30: Mass
Although the first weeks of a new Pope’s reign are undoubtedly not standard, there are duties which assert themselves fairly soon. Especially this year, the new Pope has had to devote himself to the duties of Holy Week, but there are also other duties related to the government of the Church which are being picked up again. One of these is the regular audiences with members of the Curia, and here we may keep a watchful eye for the future plans of Pope Francis regarding that same Curia.
In the past few days, four curial prelates have met with Pope Francis: Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes, President emeritus of the Pontifical Council “Cor Unum”; Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches (and fellow Argentinean); Cardinal João Bráz de Aviz, Prefect of the Congregation for Consecrated and Apostolic Life; and Cardinal Marc Ouellet (pictured), Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
Of course, the fact that these cardinals were among the first to meet officially with the Holy Father may be the result of pure chance, but it may also indicate who Pope Francis wanted to speak with most urgently. Cardinal Cordes’ work for the Holy See’s charitable arm certainly fits with the Pope’s concern for the poor and Cardinal Bráz de Aviz could have been on the list because Pope Francis was himself a member of a religious order. Cardinal Sandri’s audience may in part have been held because of their shared nationality, but may also point towards the importance that the Holy Father attaches to the Churches of the East. Cardinal Ouellet’s visit, finally, could be the most interesting.
Shortly after his election, Pope Francis spoke privately with Cardinal Ouellet, giving him, in the cardinal’s words, very concrete instructions. What these are have not been revealed. Could they indicate a new role for the Canadian cardinal within the Curia?
On the other hand, Cardinal Ouellet and Pope Francis may have simply been discussing the work of the Congregation for Bishops and upcoming appointments and transfers of new bishops.
Photo credit: PATRICK HERTZOG/AFP/Getty Images
Holy Week i rapidly approaching, and since this time last year I received some questions about Mass times in various Dutch churches for this busiest of times of the liturgical year, below follow Mass times for all Dutch cathedrals, except the cathedral of St. Catherine in Utrecht, for which I have been unable to find a schedule online. If anyone knows more, by all means, share it in the comments.
Cathedral of SS. Joseph and Martin
Radesingel 4, Groningen
Palm Sunday (1 April)
- 9am: Holy Mass in Latin
- 11am: Holy Mass
- 5pm: Holy Mass in Polish
Maundy Thursday (5 April)
- 7pm: Holy Mass
Good Friday (6 April)
- 2pm: Stations of the Cross for children
- 3pm: Stations of the Cross
- 7pm: Service of the Passion of the Lord
Holy Saturday (7 April)
- 11:30pm: Easter Vigil
Easter Sunday (8 April)
- 9am: Holy Mass in Latin
- 11am: Holy Mass, offered by Bishop Gerard de Korte
Easter Monday (9 April)
- 11am: Holy Mass
Cathedral Basilica of St. Bavo
Leidsevaart 146, Haarlem
Palm Sunday
- 10am: Holy Mass, offered by Bishop Jos Punt
- Noon: Holy Mass for children
Maundy Thursday
- 7:30pm: Holy Mass
Good Friday
- 3pm: Stations of the Cross
- 7:30: Service of the Passion of the Lord
- 9:30pm: Dark Matins
Holy Saturday
- 10pm: Easter Vigil
Easter Sunday
- 10pm: Holy Mass, offered by Bishop Jos Punt
- Noon: Holy Mass in Indonesian
Easter Monday
- 10pm: Holy Mass
Cathedral of SS. Lawrence and Elisabeth
Mathenesserlaan 305, Rotterdam
Palm Sunday
- 11pm: Holy Mass
Maundy Thursday
- 6pm: Holy Mass
Good Friday
- 10:30am: Stations of the Cross for children
- 3pm: Stations of the Cross
- 19:30pm: Service of the Passion of the Lord
Holy Saturday
- 10:30pm: Easter Vigil, offered by Bishop Hans van den Hende
Easter Sunday
- 11am: Holy Mass, offered by Bishop Hans van den Hende
Easter Monday
- 11am: Holy Mass
Cathedral of Saint Anthony
Sint Janstraat 8, Breda
Palm Sunday
- 10:30am: Holy Mass, offered by Bishop Jan Liesen
Maundy Thursday
- 7pm: Holy Mass, offered by Bishop Jan Liesen
Good Friday
- 3pm: Service of the Passion of the Lord, presided by Bishop Jan Lisen
Holy Saturday
- 9pm: Easter Vigil, offered by Bishop Jan Liesen
Easter Sunday
- 10:30: Holy Mass, offered by Bishop Jan Liesen
Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Evangelist
Torenstraat 16, ‘s Hertogenbosch
Palm Sunday
- 11am: Holy Mass, offered by Bishop Antoon Hurkmans
Maundy Thursday
- 7:30pm: Holy Mass
Good Friday
- 3pm: Service of the Passion of the Lord
- 7pm: Stations of the Cross
Holy Saturday
- 10pm: Easter Vigil
Easter Sunday
- 10am: Holy Mass
- 11:45am: Holy Mass
Easter Monday
- 11am: Holy Mass
Cathedral of St. Christopher
Grote Kerkstraat Bij 29, Roermond
Palm Sunday
- 11:30am: Holy Mass, offered by Bishop Frans Wiertz
Good Friday
- 3pm: Stations of the Cross, offered by Bishop Frans Wiertz
Holy Saturday
- 8:30pm: Easter Vigil
Easter Sunday
- 11:30am: Holy Mass, offered by Bishop Frans Wiertz
Easter Monday:
- 11:30am: Holy Mass
All this information was collected by me from various parish and diocesan websites, and so may well be far from complete. A Google search or drop by the various cathedrals may give you more and more accurate information as Holy Week approaches.
The heart of every Mass
… the Latin translation of the words spoken by Jesus at the Last Supper. “(For) this is my Body”, He spoke, indicating the bread He had just broken and given to the Apostles. The three synoptic Gospels relate these words largely the same (Matthew 26: 26-28, Mark 14: 22-24 and Luke 22: 19-20). The identification of the traditional symbols of sacrifice, bread and wine, with the very substance and being of the Son of God has become the foundation and core of the Christian faith: the Sacrament of the Eucharist.
For such an important moment in the earthly ministry of Christ, in the entire Bible, even the entire history of humankind, the sequence of events is surprisingly simple. Embedded in the rituals of Jewish society, Jesus takes the symbols, prayers and blessings that He and the Apostles would have known very well and gives them a new meaning. In other words, He fulfilled them, just like He fulfilled the law and the prophets (cf Matt. 5: 17-18).
In identifying bread and wine with Himself and telling the Apostles to share them amongst themselves, He gives Himself to us, to share and to take into ourselves. The ultimate self-giving sacrifice of the Cross has its living core here, in Jesus Christ in the bread and wine.
And to return to the simplicity of the gestures, it is interesting to see that Jesus does not cloak His actions and words. No, very simply He says that the bread is His Body and the wine is His Blood. While we may not be able to understand how it all works, how it is possible that the living breathing Christ is somehow the same as a piece of bread or a drop of wine, it is possible to understand Christ’s intention: He did not say that He was symbolically present in bread and wine, no: the bread and wine is Him, or rather, He is the bread and wine.
Today the Church celebrates the Feast of Corpus Christi. Actually, it should have been celebrated last Thursday, to reflect the connection of this feast with Maundy Thursday, but in many countries it has been moved to the next Sunday. The events described above tended to get a bit lost in the bustle of Holy Week, so, upon the urging of St. Juliana of Liège, the solemnity of Corpus Christi was established as a feast in the entire Church in 1264 by Pope Urban IV who, like St. Juliana, also hailed from Liège. Traditionally, in those places where it is allowed, there are processions with the Eucharistic Lord carried by the local ordinary or a priest, followed by one or more moments of Adoration.
If you’re active in the Church, in whatever capacity, the coming days are the busiest of the year. I don’t expect to catch much sleep, especially around Good Friday. There have been cases where I had a full workday, an all-night vigil and another full workday, totalling over 36 hours without sleep. A minor sacrifice.
Here is my schedule:
Maundy Thursday
19:00: Mass. The last Mass before Easter, commemorating the Last Supper. It also includes the Washing of the Feet. The Blessed Sacrament is relocated to the Altar of Repose, as Jesus goes to Gethsemane and ultimately His death and resurrection.
20:30: Start of the vigil. With a friend I’ve organised this all-night vigil for the third time. We watch and pray with Christ in Gethsemane. The cathedral will be open until midnight, although anyone is welcome at any time.
Good Friday
07:00: End of the vigil with Lauds.
15:00: Stations of the Cross. In fourteen stages we relive the journey of Christ to the Cross, from His conviction by Pontius Pilate to His burial. It’s always an emotional experience.
19:00: Serving at the Service of the Passion of the Lord at St. Francis. Not a Mass, since the Lord is not there anymore. We venerate the Cross, tool of our salvation, during this service.
The Easter Vigil starts in darkness. The Paschal candle, carried here by my parish priest, Fr. Rolf Wagenaar, signifies the light of Christ, and slowly illuminates the entire cathedral.
Holy Saturday
20:30: Serving at Easter Vigil at St. Francis. The early vigil where several catechumens will be baptised and/or confirmed. Always special to be a part of that.
23:00: Easter Vigil at the cathedral. A long Mass, the high point of not just our liturgical year, but our entire existence: Christ is risen! The rituals and music are always fantastic.
Easter Sunday
11:00: High Mass, offered by Bishop de Korte. Easter continues unabated and we still celebrate.
18:00: Mass for students. Which will be interesting because of a distinct lack of volunteers… But we’ll manage.
Easter Monday
11:00: Serving at High Mass.
I spent my Palm Sunday weekend with the youth platform of my diocese, Groningen-Leeuwarden. For 25 years now, Palm Sunday is also World Youth Day, so the youth platform hosts a weekend of fun and games, but also catechesis, for young people between 16 and 30.
Notes left on a flipover, after youth worker Hao Tran spoke about the nature of God's love for His people
It was not only a chance to be away from the relentless media assault on the Church, but also an opportunity to meet people I hadn’t seen in too long. I was sorry that it only last one and a half days, to be honest.
Local hermit Brother Hugo visited
On Sunday afternoon, there was the opportunity to go canoeing
On Sunday afternoon, Bishop de Korte visited to celebrate Mass together with Fathers Arjen and Victor. I had the honour of serving at that Mass, and almost nothing went wrong… 
Before Mass, we processed to the church, carrying buxus branches in lieu of palm fronds.
The church in Wehe Den Hoorn, the small village where we stayed, is small but rather nice. Aspects of the sanctuary, though , are mirrored to what I used to: the credence table is at the other side, which totally turns one’s orientation to the altar around.
The interior of the St. Boniface church
An impromptu welcome sign for Bishop de Korte
The weekend reminded me that the Church and the faith are so much bigger than what the media presents it as. It truly transcends it.
I am thankful for these past two days. Let’s remember the things to be thankful for in this Holy Week. It grounds us in and elevates us to Easter, less than a week away.
