Holy Week is rich with meaning, emotion, and spiritual depth. For Catholic evangelizers, it offers some of the most natural and powerful opportunities of the year to walk alongside others—not with pressure or programs, but with prayer, presence, and personal witness.
Holy Week isn’t just a sacred time for personal renewal—it’s a built-in opportunity for mission. For parish leaders and evangelizers seeking to move from maintenance to mission, this week offers countless ways to accompany others through the real-life thresholds of conversion.
Whether you're a parish leader, catechist, or simply someone seeking to live as a missionary disciple, these seven ideas will help you share the Gospel during Holy Week. Consider sharing these suggestions with volunteers, small group leaders, parents, family members, or others you serve. Better yet: choose one and practice it together.
1. Pray the Good Friday Solemn Intercessions—By Name
The Good Friday Solemn Intercessions (included in the afternoon Celebration of The Lord's Passion) are profound: they cover every stage of spiritual searching—from those preparing for baptism to those who do not believe in God. They beautifully reflect every stage of the journey:
- Those who are already Catholic & Church leaders
- Those preparing for baptism
- Those who believe in Jesus but are not Catholic
- Those who do not believe in Jesus
- Those who do not believe in God
- Those in public office
- Those in tribulation
Use the Solemn Intercessions as a personal prayer guide for the people you're accompanying. Pray each intercession with a name in mind. You might even send a message to the people you've prayed for letting them know you had them in your mind and/or prayers in a particular way on Good Friday.
Intercessory love is one of the simplest, most powerful ways of sharing the Gospel.
2. Share Your Holy Week “Why”
Invite someone for a walk or coffee and say something like: “This week’s a big deal in my faith—it’s kind of like the Super Bowl of Christianity. I’d love to tell you why.”
No agenda. Just share your story, and ask about theirs.
Or post a short personal reflection on social media sharing a moment during Holy Week that touches your heart in a particular way:
“Every year, I cry during the washing of the feet on Holy Thursday. It reminds me that Jesus doesn’t just save me—He serves me. That kind of love changes everything.”
“One Holy Saturday years ago, I sat in total silence for an hour… and it was the first time I realized I wasn’t alone in my struggles.”
After sharing your experience, ask about theirs: "Have you ever had a moment like that?"
This kind of story-driven sharing opens doors for authentic spiritual conversation and gently invites others into the Gospel story.
3. Invite Them Into the Silence of Holy Saturday
Holy Saturday is often overlooked—but the quiet of the tomb can be a powerful space for reflection, even for those still exploring faith.
Encourage someone you're walking with to join you in a pause on Holy Saturday—no emails, no socials, no streaming. Depending on where they are in their journey, you can frame it as curiosity, not necessarily commitment.
“I’m trying something new this week—30 minutes of silence on Holy Saturday, just to see what happens. Want to try it too and compare notes?”
Consider sharing some reflection questions you both can use to focus your time:
- What part of my life feels like I'm in a season of waiting?
- What kind of hope are you most longing for right now?
- What silence do I avoid that could actually help me hear God more clearly?
Even small invitations into stillness—offering space to encounter the God who speaks in silence—can be a powerful form of sharing the Gospel.
4. Attend a Holy Week Experience With Them
If someone is open to joining you, don’t just invite them—go with them. Sit together. Whisper helpful explanations. When I was in youth ministry, I used to take a group of teens to the Holy Thursday Evening Mass. We'd sit in the otherwise empty cry room together so they could ask questions and I could answer them without disturbing others in the pews.
Especially if it's their first time attending, be sure to debrief afterward. Questions like these can invite reflection without pressure, help them to make the connections to what Jesus was doing in their hearts during the service, and can be used with people anwhere along the thresholds of conversion:
- What stood out to you most?
- Was anything surprising, confusing, or unexpected?
- What questions came up for you while we were there?
- Did anything feel particularly meaningful–even if you're not sure why?
If they’re not quite ready for Mass, consider attending a Holy Week service or experience that might be more approachable. Adoration, Tenebrae, or Stations of the Cross are often more accessible and less intimidating than Mass. They offer profound, embodied ways of sharing the Gospel story.
5. Share a Song or Video That Moves You
Letting someone into the art and emotion that moves your heart can be an incredibly effective way of sharing the Gospel without preaching. Send a short message with a simple note: “This song always gets me during Holy Week. Thought you might like it too—it’s not super ‘churchy,’ just honest.”
Some thoughtful options:
- Audrey Assad – I Shall Not Want
- The Vigil Project – Lord, Have Mercy
- Matt Maher – You Were on the Cross
- Chant of the Mystics – Exsultet (Easter Night Chant)
- Holy Saturday – Spoken Word by Katie Davies
- Good Friday: The Meaning of the Cross – Fr. Mike Schmitz
- Holy Week | Restore – Sr. Miriam James Heidland, SOLT
- Holy Thursday | Consoling Jesus – Ken and Janelle Yasinksi
Being willing to share what moves us also models healthy vulnerability that builds trust and opens space for them to explore their own response—without pressure or expectation. When we share what genuinely moves us, we invite others to encounter beauty, truth, and grace in a deeply human way.
6. Bring Them Food with Meaning
Drop off a simple Holy Week meal—bread, soup, or a dish from your tradition—and include a handwritten note: “I always bake bread on Holy Thursday. It reminds me of how Jesus shared meals with His friends. Praying for peace in your life this week.”
Some common foods connected to Holy Week that you might consider sharing:
- Unleavened Bread can bring home the meaning of the Jewish Passover and what happened at the Last Supper.
- Hot Cross Buns are a traditional Good Friday food marked with a cross to remember Christ’s crucifixion. Their sweet, spiced flavor offers a simple, tangible way to reflect on the sorrow and hope of the Passion.
- Soft pretzels are a traditional Lenten Food: When early Christians would pray, they would cross their arms and touch each shoulder with the opposite hand. They also fasted very strictly during Lent, making their bread with only water, flour, and salt. A monk shaped this in the form of praying arms for children, and the pretzel was born!
- Resurrection Rolls are made by wrapping marshmallows in dough. As they bake, the rolls become empty, representing Jesus' tomb at Easter.
Quiet generosity like this communicates love and witness without the need for words. Sometimes, the Gospel is best shared through a meal.
7. Invite Them Into a Holy Week Tradition You Already Love
Think about what you already do during Holy Week, and bring someone along. For example:
- Dying Easter eggs with Scripture symbols or blessings
- Hosting a Holy Thursday potluck or Seder-style meal
- Joining a Good Friday neighborhood prayer walk
- Setting up an “empty tomb” decoration or crafting Easter candles
Don’t overthink it. Simply invite someone into the meaningful moments you’re already living. These traditions become bridges for sharing the Gospel in authentic and meaningful ways.
Let Holy Week Be a Starting Point
Sharing the Gospel doesn't require a microphone or a theology degree. Often, it starts with a question, a quiet gesture, or a simple act of presence. You don’t need to overthink or perfectly craft the moment—just be authentic to who you are and how God is working in your life.
This Holy Week, let your life tell the story. Let your relationships reflect the love you're celebrating. And let your invitations, however small, be seeds that the Holy Spirit can grow.
Ready to take the next step in building a culture of evangelization in your parish or school?
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