ARCHBISHOP GOMEZ CALLS FOR NATIONAL MOMENT OF PRAYER ON GOOD FRIDAY
April 8, 2020  |  By:   |  Press Releases  |  

On Good Friday (April 10) at 9 a.m. PST Archbishop José H. Gomez will lead a National Prayer of the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus for an end of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, on behalf of the bishops in the United States. Archbishop Gomez invites Catholics nationwide to participate in Friday’s moment of prayer in a video on https://lacatholics.org/sacred-heart/. The prayer will be livestreamed from the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels on https://lacatholics.org/sacred-heart/ and https://www.facebook.com/usccb.

Praying together as a nation, the Archbishop asks that our community of faith seek healing for all who are unwell, wisdom for those whose work is halting the spread of coronavirus, and strength for all God’s children. With special permission received from the Apostolic Penitentiary of the Holy See, a plenary indulgence is available for those who join Archbishop Gomez in praying the Litany of the Sacred Heart on Good Friday.

“Future generations will look back on this as the long Lent of 2020, a time when disease and death suddenly darkened the whole earth. As we enter into Holy Week, these most sacred days of the year, Catholics here in Los Angeles and across the United States and the world are living under quarantine, our societies shut down by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic,” said Archbishop Gomez.

“This Holy Week will be different. Our churches may be closed, but Christ is not quarantined and his Gospel is not in chains. Our Lord’s heart remains open to every man and woman. Even though we cannot worship together, each of us can seek him in the tabernacles of our own hearts,” added the Archbishop.

Good Friday is a day when Christians around the world solemnly commemorate the day when Jesus suffered and died on the cross. Catholics traditionally mark the day with fasting, penance, and reflection on Jesus’ loving sacrifice. This opportunity to pray together during the coronavirus pandemic offers a special moment of unity for the faithful during a time when communities throughout the United States and worldwide are physically unable to congregate for Holy Week and Easter because of COVID-19.

Along with celebrating Mass online, Catholics can celebrate daily through the following ways and sharing photos and post with the hashtag #LACatholicsEnterIn during Holy Week and #LACatholicsBelieve on Easter:

  • Monday: Draw a picture or write a note to those preparing to come into the Church
  • Tuesday: (Holy) #GivingTuesday; Make a donation to your parish
    Wednesday: Make an act of perfect contrition
  • Holy Thursday: Set your family dinner table
  • Good Friday: Venerate a cross
  • Holy Saturday: (Holy) #SilentSaturday, Light a candle and spend time in silence
  • Easter: Renew your baptismal promises

To download the prayer visit: Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus or Letanía del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, and to share Archbishop’s Gomez message visit: National Prayer on Good Friday.

In addition to liturgical celebrations, noted Catholic author Mike Aquilina is providing original spiritual reflections for every day of Holy Week. For his reflections, for a schedule of Holy Week Masses, and more information, please visit https://lacatholics.org/holyweek/ or https://lacatholics.org/semanasanta/. For updates on the Archdiocese’s efforts to help prevent COVID-19, visit https://lacatholics.org/emergency/.

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Due to gathering and social distancing restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, there is will be no media access at the Cathedral. A feed of all services and events from the Cathedral will be provided via livestream on the LA Catholics Facebook page and https://lacatholics.org/mass-for-the-homebound/. Masses are streamed live Monday through Friday at 7 a.m. in Spanish and 8 a.m. in English; and Sunday at 7 a.m. in Spanish and 10 a.m. in English. Latest video footage and photographs are available on Archdiocese social channels @lacatholics on Facebook, Instagram , Twitter and upon request.