As the Church celebrates Holy Week again this year, Sister Ruth Gehres still remembers clearly her experience of this celebration just a year ago. When this most solemn week began on March 20, 2016, she was in the midst of a full month’s stay in Chillán, Chile. A surprise gift from good friends provided for her joyful reunion with Sister Mimi Ballard and the women of Casa Ursulina — and the added joy of celebrating Holy Week with them.

The parish that includes Casa Ursulina is made up of three church communities. The church of St. John of God, the parish seat, serves the chapels of St. Ann and of Christ, the Divine Teacher, in which Casa Ursulina is located. Each congregation normally worships separately. The three communities come together for the observance of Good Friday. The celebrations are both reverent and enthusiastic.

Here are a few of Sister Ruth’s treasured photos of the celebration of Palm Sunday by the people of the chapel of Christ, the Divine Teacher.