Catholic Apostolate Center Resources

Holy Week is the most important week in all of the Catholic Church year. It commemorates the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus as well as the betrayal of Judas and Peter. This blogcast explores “Anticipation, Forgiveness, and Love" from the Ad Infinitum blog, written by Krissy Pierno. and read by Meghan Abando.Holy Week is one of my favorite weeks of the year; each of the days builds with anticipation and I get excited just by the thought of Easter Sunday. Lent is almost through and it’s almost time to be joyful in the Risen Lord. When I was little, I felt this anticipation and excitement too. I would spend Holy Week letting people know that Easter was only a couple short days away—it felt like spring would officially be here as soon as we woke up on Easter Sunday! “The very best holiday of the year” was coming, and I had to get ready for it! Did I fully understand it was Christ that I was waiting for or did I just want to wear my new white shoes for church? Looking back, although it could have been the new Easter shoes, I think my 10 year-old-self would have agreed that I really was waiting for Holy Week as the final stretch to the finish line on a journey that began on Ash Wednesday.In today’s Gospel reading, we read about moments of betrayal and loyalty. Judas leaves the Last Supper to betray Jesus while Peter in his humanity says that he will never deny him. I find it to be one of the most powerful Gospels of Holy Week. Here’s why: Like Peter, we are called to be disciples whose repentance leads to an experience of God’s forgiveness. Jesus knows that his friends will betray him and that he has limited time left on Earth. On one hand, Judas tries not to be obvious about his deception as he leaves the table, and on the other hand, Peter publicly tells Christ that he will stand by him and never fail him. Ultimately, both men betray Jesus, but it’s Peter who seeks forgiveness and allows himself a second chance. Judas, on the other hand, is overcome with guilt and despairs that his sin is beyond the reach of God’s mercy-- eventually taking his own life.We are like Peter in so many ways! We say we love Christ and that we could never deny him, but at the first sign of pressure we sin and turn our backs on him. How often have we chosen to do something that pulls our hearts from Jesus? It is during Lent—especially during Holy Week—that we recall the pain we’ve caused Christ. This week and each day, Jesus gives us another chance to say to him, “Forgive me; I have sinned.” When Christ meets his disciples after his Resurrection, he asks Peter, “Do you love me?” Let us respond with Peter this Easter, “Yes Lord, you know that I love you!” As Easter approaches, we remember how much we are loved by Christ in his Passion, death on the Cross, and soon to be Resurrection. In these next few days, I challenge you not to say, “Lord I could never deny you!” but instead, “Forgive me Lord, for I have sinned.”Last year on Good Friday, Pope Francis said, “Lord Jesus, always grant us the grace of holy repentance...the spark of hope is lit in the darkness of our despair, because we know that your only measure for loving us is to love us without measure.” This Holy Week, in this time for “holy repentance,” let us make sure to spend these last days in Lent with our hearts preparing for Easter. May we use these remaining days in the desert as a time for forgiveness and allow our hearts to be loved by Christ. May all of our hearts gleam with anticipation for Holy Week and better knowledge of the Risen Lord! Author:​Krissy Pierno is a teacher for the Archdiocese of Washington. Resources:Listen to On Mission: Journeying Through Holy WeekRead and learn about Lent and EasterRead the Ad Infinitum blog Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

Co-responsibility is the understanding that the baptized uniquely and collectively share in Christ’s mission to share the Good News. Listen to Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C share more in this segment of the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio, about sharing collectively in Christ’s mission with those we are in ministry with. "At the same time, in the life of the Church, mission is closely linked to communion. While the mystery of Christmas celebrates the mission of the Son of God among us, it also contemplates its purpose, namely that God has reconciled the world to himself through Christ (cf. 2 Cor 5:19) and in him made us his children. Christmas reminds us that Jesus came to reveal the true face of God as Father, so that we might all become his children and therefore brothers and sisters to one another. The Father’s love, embodied and revealed by Jesus in his liberating actions and preaching, enables us, in the Holy Spirit, to be a sign of a new humanity — no longer founded on selfishness and individualism, but on mutual love and solidarity. This task is urgent both ad intra and ad extra. It is urgent ad intra, because communion in the Church always remains a challenge that calls us to conversion. At times, beneath an apparent calm, forces of division may be at play. We can fall into the temptation of swinging between two opposite extremes: uniformity that fails to value differences, or the exacerbation of differences and viewpoints instead of seeking communion. Thus, in interpersonal relationships, in internal office dynamics, or in addressing questions of faith, liturgy, morality and more besides, there is a risk of falling into rigidity or ideology, with their consequent conflicts. Yet we are the Church of Christ, his members, his body. We are brothers and sisters in him. And in Christ, though many and diverse, we are one: In Illo uno unum. We are called, especially here in the Curia, to be builders of Christ’s communion, which is to take shape in a synodal Church where all cooperate in the same mission, each according to his or her charism and role. This communion is built not so much through words and documents as through concrete gestures and attitudes that ought to appear in our daily lives, including in our work." ~ quote from Pope Leo XIV: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/speeches/2025/december/documents/20251222-curia-romana.html There are seven keys to effective Christ-centered collaboration in the Church: 1) Christ—we must recognize that Christ is the center of all that we do, 2) Cenacle—referring to how the Apostles and the Blessed Mother Mary gathered in prayer, discernment, and action, 3) Communio—communion is the core of collaboration and provides the sense of togetherness, 4) Cooperation—we must work together to understand perspectives and care for those in need, 5) Communication—effective communication ensures that collaboration moves efficiently and effectively to achieve the ministerial goals, 6) Compassion—when things don’t go according to plan, ensure that those involved in the work of the ministry are cared for with charity as well, 7) Co-responsibility—we all share in the mission of Christ and his church, it is each of our roles to preach the Gospel. Notes: Access Collaboration in Ministry resources On Mission: Collaboration and Co-Responsibility More episodes about Living as Missionary Disciples From the Ad Infinitum blog: Laborers in the Vineyard Collaboration and Co-Responsibility More blogs about Collaboration Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.