Category: The Liturgical Year
Following her leadership in creating the resources for the Liturgical Year available on CatholicCulture.org, Jennifer Gregory Miller writes more about key feasts and themes.
Most Recent Posts
Liturgical Highlights: Octave Day of Easter through the Third Week of Easter
Discussion of the Easter Octave, Divine Mercy Sunday, Solar Eclipse and the Annunciation.
Liturgical Highlights: Holy Week and the Sacred Triduum
A look at Holy Week and the Sacred Triduum liturgy and celebrating at home. Family liturgical living for Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday.
Entering Lent with Child-Like Love
Entering Lent with a child-like approach: joy, wonder, love. Not looking as privation, but an opportunity for deepening our love with Jesus.
Liturgical Highlights: Carnival-Pre-Lent Edition
February 6-February 13 Liturgical Highlights: Lent begins in 1 1/2 weeks. Saints celebrated are Paul Miki, Japanese priest martyr, Jerome Emiliani, Josephine Bakhita, Scholastica, and Mardi Gras. Devotion to the Holy Face falls on the day before Ash Wednesday.
The Presentation of the Lord: A Light for the Nations
February 2, Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, also known as Candlemas, or Purification of Mary. A feast of light, with a blessing of candles, and last feast that points to Christmas.
Liturgical Highlights: January 14-27
Liturgical Calendar Highlights of January 16-27, 2024, Ordinary Time, Conversion of St. Paul, Francis de Sales, Timothy and Titus, Fabian and Sebastian, Vincent of Saragossa and Marianne Cope.
Liturgical Highlights: New Year, and Transition of the Seasons
Overview of First Week of January, last week of Christmas season, Basil and Gregory, Holy Name of Jesus, American and Canadian saints and Epiphany and Baptism of the Lord and Ordinary Time.
November: Praying for the Faithful Departed
Halloween, All Saints Day, Commemoration of the Faithful Departed or All Souls Day--all mark days for praying for the Faithful Departed or Souls in Purgatory for November, how to visit the cemetery and earn a plenary indulgence from November 1-8, with special other indulgences for All Souls Day.
Shifting my Dislike of August and September
Hate or dislike of August and September, but Our Lady's Thirty Days with 5 feasts of Mary, Assumption, Nativity of Mary, Most Holy Name of Mary, Queenship, and Our Lady of Sorrows. How to shift carrying all the burden and sharing it with Jesus and Mary.
Upcoming Calendar Highlights: Pentecost Week Edition
Pentecost marks the end of the Easter season. First week or octave is full of activity: the Ember Days, Mary, Mother of the Church, the Visitation, and the feast of the Holy Trinity.
Upcoming Calendar Highlights: Holy Week Edition
Preparing for Holy Week with a checklist, links for the Annunciation, Vernal Equinox and March sky gazing, Mary Gardens, spring and seeds, and a closer look at Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday.
Looking Ahead: March 4-20
Upcoming reminders of St. Joseph, St. Patrick, March 4-20 on Liturgical Calendar, Sundays of Lent with the Transfiguration, the Samaritan Woman at the Well and Laetare Sunday.
Upcoming Calendar Highlights: Beginning of Lent, February 22-March 3
Preparing for Lent with reading suggestions, podcast and website links, looking at saints' feast days and how they are treated in Lent, looking ahead to St. Joseph and St. Patrick, cookbook and decluttering ideas.
Upcoming Calendar Highlights: February 10-22
A preview into the Liturgical Calendar for February 10-22, including St. Scholastica, Our Lady of Lourdes, Cyril and Methodius, St. Valentine's Day, Mardi Gras / Carnival and preparing for Lent.
Upcoming Calendar Highlights: First Week of February
Information about the February feasts of Presentation of the Lord, St. Blaise, and St. Paul Miki, and beginning Black History Month.
New Year, New Podcast: The Catechism in a Year
Father Mike Schmitz's Catechism in a Year and Bible in a Year podcasts are a great new habit to begin the year. CatholicCulture.org has the Catechism of the Catholic Church online to use as a tool, and it's a good personal exercise to expand one's knowledge of the Catholic Faith and deepen one's prayer life.
Christmas Peace on Earth
Christmas greetings, a reminder of Christ coming at Christmas and Parousia or Second Coming, not to react to negative but to have the peace and joy that comes from Christ.
Establishing Intentional Liturgical Living Routines
Reflecting on family birthday traditions can be extended to living liturgically or living the Liturgical Year routines. Keep them simple and essential.
Random Thoughts on the Feast of the Archangels
September 29 is the Feast of the Archangels, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, also popularly known as Michaelmas. This is such a popular feast. Let this feast inspire prayer of gratitude, let art be the inspiration, and for us to remember to invoke the angels.
A Behind the Scenes Look
Updates to Catholic Culture's Liturgical Year section, including saints for the 2004 Roman Martyrology, formatting code, adding Station Churches, Ember Days.
Drinking with the Saints Podcast
Drinking with the Saints Podcast by Michael and Alexandra Foley is a fun and informative podcast for liturgical living in the Liturgical Year, with great stories of saints and cocktail mixing and drinking to connect to the saint or feast of the day.
Duc in Altum: Deepening our Relationships
A son to college brings both parents and child to the next steps of a relationship with Christ and relationship with family, reminded by the Gospel, "Duc in Altum"--Put out into the deep, as encouraged by Pope St. John Paul II in his Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio Ineunte.
Pondering the First Fruits of the Assumption and More
The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on August 15 brings the pondering of "first fruits" which is a term used in the Old Testament, New Testament and all through the Liturgy.
Liturgical Living: Part One, Liturgical 101
"Liturgical living” or “living the Liturgical Year” are unofficial labels of popular piety, which are ways of living the liturgy and feasts of the Liturgical calendar in ways that might be more tangible and accessible, incorporating the different senses. It's a popular trend, but becoming a little too commercial and materialistic. Why do we try to live the liturgical year in the domestic church?
Celebrating Holy Week in the Home 2022
Holy Week traditions for the home, 2022 Preparation for our home and the liturgical celebration of Holy Week.
Entering Into Holy Week—About Those Teen Years
Lent and Holy Week can look different with teens/adolescents/young adults, need to give privacy and freedom, but still a framework to help them nurture their relationship with Christ and participate in the liturgy, particularly the Triduum.
First Week of Lent Fly-Paper Thoughts
Beginning of Lent flypaper thoughts. We do not do this on our own, Ember Days, and the time is now. Seize the day.
Preparing for Lent: Seven Principles to Apply
Preparing our Lent is not just giving up or mastering self. Apply these seven principles: 1) God has a plan, 2) Don't Be Anxious, 3) Plan Time Alone with God, 5) It's Not for Show, 6) Learn Detachment, and 7) Connecting with the Body of Christ.
Candlemas: The Feast of Light and Hope
The Feast of Candlemas or Presentation of the Lord falls 40 days after Christmas. It is a feast of the Lord in the Temporal Calendar, therefore takes precedence when it falls on a Sunday. Although it does not fall in the Christmas season, it is a "Christmas" themed feast, although it also points ahead to Lent and Easter. It is a feast of light and includes blessing of candles. It is a feast of hope, for we, like Simeon, place our Hope in the Lord.
There is No Fear in Love
Mid-January New Year Resolutions. Following St. John's First Letter we need to strive for perfect love, since there is no fear in love.
Rejoice, the Lord is Near! Gaudete Sunday, Ember Days and O Antiphons
The Advent liturgy is so rich, varied and beautiful. Every time the liturgical cycle repeats, it is another opportunity to enter more deeply into the Church’s liturgy as She prepares for Christmas. This Sunday is the Third Sunday of Advent. The rose-colored vestments for the Third Sunday of Advent or Gaudete Sunday are a signal for the transition into the second part of Advent, which is provides more intense preparation for the remaining days of Advent. Besides Gaudete Sunday, the Advent Ember Days and O Antiphons are the special treasures of the second phase of the Advent liturgy.
Contemplating the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
When I ponder the Immaculate Conception, despite its being the most solemn and highest feast day during the Advent season, I realize it is one of the most intangible feasts. The Immaculate Conception sends a different message. It is a feast of something awesome but it is quiet and hidden. There are few visible and vocal reminders. But the Immaculate Conception can provide a cue of solemnity in contrast to the other feasts surrounding it. How can we model and enter into this celebration?
Permission to Drop the Catholic Christmas Guilt
It seems as Catholics we like to pile on extra guilt and stress. Some even label it as “Catholic guilt.” I just want to give you permission to put aside that guilt this Advent. There is no rule regarding decorating for Christmas. Nor is there any guideline regarding listening to...
Anticipating Christmas, Beginning with Saint Andrew and the Immaculate Conception
November 30, the Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle and is the pivotal date for the beginning of Advent, starting the Sunday closest to November 30. Also on November 30 starts the tradition to pray the Christmas Anticipation Prayer fifteen times each day before Christmas. The origins of this prayer are unknown, but it is older, at least a hundred years old. It is known as the "St. Andrew Novena" or "Christmas Novena" or just "Hail and Blessed" for the first words of the prayer.
Celebrating Advent Essentially
Happy New Year! The new Liturgical year 2021-2022 begins with the First Sunday of Advent on November 28, the second to longest possible Advent. The Advent season begins on the Sunday nearest to the Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle on November 30, and always includes four Sundays. The earliest date...
The Jesse Tree Redux
The Jesse Tree is a beautiful Advent devotion that goes deep into Old Testament typology and salvation history. This is Catholic Culture's version.
Forty Hours’ Devotion
The Forty Hours is similar to a parish renewal or retreat, but with more time for mental and personal prayer, and fewer talks. Often a visiting priest celebrates the Masses and gives the homilies and meditations. It is a time to be alone in prayer with Jesus but also for the community to come together for liturgical prayer.
Extending the extension: Praying for the dead all through November 2021
November is upon us. It is the liturgical time of the year when we are made more aware of “the Last Things” through the focus of the Communion of Saints—the Church Triumphant in heaven, the Church Suffering in Purgatory and the Church Militant (ourselves) on earth. This is the...
Prioritizing Our Allegiances and Attachments
The past two weeks have been a little hard on my family. A simple back surgery for my dad has unraveled into life-threatening situations and 3 additional surgeries. He is still in ICU, but seems to be on the right path of recovery. But this will be a long process of healing. This comes on the...
The Family Rosary: A Month for Renewal
Updated from the 2015 archives, with a few additions, including further reading at the end of the post. Both of our sons are now teenagers, which makes the Rosary praying even more tricky. As a family we still struggle to find the balance to pray together as a family but also not take away their...
The Feast of the Archangels, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, “Michaelmas” for Short
Angels truly exist, but we need to push past the cutesy and cherubic “angel on my shoulder” to recognize the dignity and higher order of these spiritual beings.
The Calling of Saint Matthew
And today, the Feast of St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist on September 21, is one of those higher feasts of September. It falls right around the Fall Equinox. St. Matthew is patron of accountants, and since my husband is a CPA, this is one of his patron saints. St. Matthew is one of our family saints.
The Week in the Shadow of the Exalted Cross
Through the intercession of Our Lady of Sorrows and these saints, may we embrace and lift high the Cross daily in our lives.
Scratch and Sniff Sainthood
“St. So-and-so helped the poor” is easily said. But that simple phrase encompasses a whole lot more if we 'scratch and sniff' the surface (just a bit).
The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Happy Birthday to Our Lady!
Celebrate by remembering the historical and humanity of Mary and Jesus, the liturgical Blessing of Seeds and Seedlings, drinking wine in honor of Our Lady of the Grape Harvest, and being inspired by depictions of the Birth of the Virgin Mary and the poem by Robert Southwell.
Our Lady’s Thirty Days for Our Summer Malaise
The Feast of the Assumption, August 15, begins the Germanic tradition of Our Lady's Thirty Days, including Queenship of Mary, Nativity or Birthday of Mary, Naming of Mary and Our Lady of Sorrows.
The Solemnity of the Assumption: Adding in Marian Wonder
This Sunday, August 15th, is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Since we are in Ordinary Time, the solemnity supercedes the Sunday liturgy. If the Assumption fell during the liturgical seasons such as Advent, Lent or Easter, those Sundays would take precedence and the...
Resetting Point: The Feast of the Transfiguration
By Jennifer Gregory Miller The Feast of the Transfiguration is a time to contemplate the heavenly glory, a little boost as we come down the mountain at the middle point of Ordinary Time.
Celebrating Holy Week in the Home
Holy Week traditions for the home, 2021 Preparation for our home and the liturgical celebration of Holy Week.
Ash Wednesday: Memento Homo
Change of Collect prayers and Ash Wednesday ash imposition.
Our Lenten Journey: What Would Saint Joseph Do?
Preparing Lenten plans by following Saint Joseph: What Would Saint Joseph Do? W.W.SJ.D. by Jennifer Gregory Miller
Helping Our Faithful Departed—A Bonus for November 2020
A positive for the COVID year. A description of the adjustments to plenary indulgences gained in November for the Poor Souls in Purgatory.
Preparing for a Shift in the Liturgical Year
Originally written for 2019, updated for 2020: The Church is nearing the end of the Easter season. Depending on where you live, the Solemnity of the Ascension will be celebrated last Thursday or Sunday, and this Sunday closes the Easter season with the Solemnity of Pentecost. The next day...
Holy Week in the Home During Quarantine
Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week. This year will be completely different for most of us who cannot attend any religious services or Masses during this time. Our reality is that as a family we generally will have more time preparing and entering into Holy Week. This is an overview of preparation and liturgical celebration of Holy Week, but also add some alternatives for supplementing at home since we cannot attend Mass or services in church.
Following a Rhythm of Prayer in the Domestic Monastery
Living in Quarantine brings us together as a domestic church or domestic monastery. Opportunities online for Mass, rosary, Stations, are now given a plenary indulgence from the Apostolic Penitentiary.
Finding the True Lenten Focus on Penance
Despite complaints that Church needs to return to stricter fasting rules, the current regulations implemented through Vatican II reflect more freedom for interior conversion and choosing penance.
Living Our Lent: Adjusting to Different Seasons of Life
With different seasons of life in the home, the Lenten journey also looks different. Jennifer Gregory Miller looks at ways of allowing one's teenager to prepare personally for Lent.
What Is Septuagesima? (And Why It’s No Longer in the Current Calendar)
The number of liturgical seasons in the 1962 and current Liturgical Calendar differ only by one season. The Extraordinary Form follows the 1962 calendar which includes a Pre-Lent season called Septuagesima. What is it? How do you pronounce it? Is it a day or a season? What does it mean? What is its history and significance? Why did this liturgical season disappear in the 1969 Calendar Reform?
A Sunday Feast: the Presentation of the Lord
February 2 is the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, also known as Candlemas or the Purification of Mary. In 2020 this feast falls on a Sunday, and is one of the rare exceptions of a feast of the Lord superseding a Sunday liturgy.
The O Antiphons: The Fullness of Time
The 'O' Antiphons or Great 'O' are prayed in the liturgy from December 17-23. The letter 'O' at each of these antiphons symbolizes richer meaning with the fullness of time and reflecting eternity. The Virgin Mary as "Madonna of the 'O' reflects this fullness perfectly. And each Antiphon reflects the unending circle by reflecting both past, present and future: Old Testament, Jesus as fulfillment and Kingdom of God fulfilled completely at Parousia.
The New Advent Feast, Our Lady of Loreto
This December 10 is the first time that Our Lady of Loreto is on the General Roman Calendar. It is very fitting for Advent. After the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, celebrating Mary’s preservation from original sin at her conception, today we are remembering Mary in her Holy House which is now in Loreto, Italy, where she was conceived without sin, and also the place of the Incarnation. These key moments brought us to the season of preparation for the birth of Jesus at Christmas.
September or Fall Ember Days
The 2022 September Ember Days begin on Wednesday, September 21. From the Archives of September 2015: Football games and pumpkin spice beverages and foods return; Autumn is upon us. Sadly, that is only what the fall season means to so many people. We have lost contact the actual natural signs...
St. Lawrence’s Universal Appeal
From the Archives: This post was originally published in 2016. August 10 marks the Feast of St. Lawrence (Laurence) of Rome, deacon and martyr, known for his charity for the sick, poor and abandoned. Under the persecution of Emperor Valerian he was grilled to death on a gridiron in 258. St....
The Solemnity of the Ascension: The Feast Who Was Thursday
Bumping up this 2014 post for the feast of the Ascension, whether it is celebrated on Thursday or Sunday. The sixth week of Easter and the Seventh Sunday of Easter is a liturgical time with a bit of an identity crisis. This week was often referred to as Rogation Week before the revision of the...
Mary, Our Mother
I think I’ve mentioned here before that my full-time day job the last few years has been the Elementary CGS catechist and assistant in a local Catholic Montessori School. Our Elementary class has 36 children ages 6-12. At different times of the year the extra activities with school and...
The Easter Octave
From the archives, originally posted March 30, 2016: This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it, alleluia! With the whole Church we rejoice at the resurrection of Christ! The Church celebrates the Easter season or Eastertide. St. Athanasius said “[t]he fifty...
Salvaging Lent by Keeping the *Holy* in Holy Week
I’m not ready for Holy Week. I admit it. It’s been a busier Lent than I prefer. We’ve been juggling sports, with ending and beginning seasons, both practices and games, extra preparation for a First Communion, a short family trip to South Carolina and Tuesday practice round at...
Catholic PSA for Palm Sunday: Treat Blessed Palms with Reverence
Originally published in 2015, I think it helps to have an annual reminder. Public Service Announcement: The palms we receive on Palm Sunday are blessed objects or sacramentals that need to be treated reverently, not as toys, mere craft material or...
Laetare, Jerusalem! Rejoice!
Easter is almost here! “With childlike joy the Church begins to count the days.” Rev. Pius Parsch describes the Fourth Sunday of Lent so perfectly! (The Church’s Year of Grace, Volume 2, p. 212). While there is not much change liturgically for the Fourth Sunday of Lent except for...
Preparing for Lent
I recently picked up a book from the library by Katrina Rodabaugh entitled Mending Matters. It’s a book on how to recycle clothes by repairing, patching, stitching, and darning but in a decorative way. She had begun a fast from fashion, trying to buy minimally and only from...
Baptism is a New Beginning
I’ve been distracted this weekend by several inches of snow. It has been a few years since Virginia has gotten measurable white stuff! The snow days gave me some extra time to test out new recording software and equipment for our multimedia interface. I’m not quite ready to unveil an...
Musing on the O Antiphons
December 23rd is the day our family affectionately calls “Christmas Adam” and the last of the ‘O’ Antiphons, “O Emmanuel” or “God with Us.” The acrostic for the Latin names of the ‘O’ Antiphons is now complete: ERO CRAS: Tomorrow I will...
Advent Feast: Our Lady of Guadalupe
This post was originally written in 2013. I’m so grateful to Our Lady marking another anniversary of my heart surgery! ========= Marian themes are predominant throughout the liturgy of Advent and Christmas; in fact the whole month of December could be dedicated to the Blessed Virgin...
Advent: Ever Ancient, Ever New
A new Liturgical Year begins on Sunday and begins with the season of Advent. The Liturgical Year repeats, again and again and again. The season of Advent holds before us the threefold focus of Jesus: contemplating Him in history at Bethlehem, receiving Him in mystery in the Eucharist and our...
The Catholic Tradition of Harvest Feasts of Thanksgiving
While many Americans are pondering what to do with the leftovers of their Thanksgiving feast, I am taking some time pondering the custom of thanksgiving to God and our Thanksgiving holiday. I’m not ready to get into Christmas preparations! I have heard some Catholics express reservations in...
Prayers of Thanksgiving for Thanksgiving Day
Originally published in November 2015. It’s been a long three days of cooking and cleaning preparing for our Thanksgiving meal. Twenty-five family members will be gathering around our table today. Only minor injuries were sustained during preparation. Thanksgiving in the United States...
All Saints’ Octave and November’s Dedication to the Holy Souls
From the archives: This post was originally published on November 1, 2013: I’m late for my annual reminder to pray for the souls in Purgatory in November. Today begins the unofficial “All Saints Octave” (traditionally this would have been the All Saints Octave) that begins...
A Year of Repentance and Ember Days
On September 10, Diocese of Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubik announced a Year of Repentance for his diocese “to fast and pray for the purification of the Church in light of the scandal of child sexual abuse.” His letter was addressed to the clerics (priests, deacons and seminarians) of...
Prioritizing the Liturgical Calendar: Part 1.5, Keeping Track of the Feasts
“How do you keep track and celebrate all those feasts and saint days?” is the most common question I receive from families who are trying to live the Liturgical Year in their domestic church. The Church Calendar has a myriad of feasts. The idea of remembering and celebrating all those...
The Protomartyrs of Rome: Remembering Our Firsts
This Saturday, June 30, is the Optional Memorial of the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome. This is a relatively newer feast, created in the 1969 reform of the General Roman Calendar. Vatican II called for a reform of the General Calendar;
Reading the Fine Print for the Liturgical Calendar (Part 1)
Was anyone else a little surprised by the celebration of the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist this past Sunday? After I mentioned how there will be six months of monotonous green Sundays, the very next Sunday was a solemnity. After Mass, members of...
Celebrating the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul
This post is from the archives. It was originally published June 29, 2016: June 29 is the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. This is a holyday of obligation in most countries (but not in the United States). This is major holiday in Rome, with schools, shops and banks closed. The day is...
Our Summer Plans and Work in Ordinary Time
Two weeks ago it was the first time since February 11 (the Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time) that the priest wore green liturgical vestments on Sunday. After Pentecost, the Church resumed the count of the weeks of Ordinary Time, picking up at the Seventh Week of Ordinary Time, but the first two...
Actiones Nostras, Direct Our Actions, Lord—Our Daily Prayer As We Exit the Upper Room
In my last post (my dear Theophilus...) the Church was concluding Lent and entering into Holy Week. I mentioned that migraines and eye problems were interfering with computer and writing time. The problems improved in time for my “busy season” at school and the atrium and the extra...
Celebrating in the Home for the Holy Triduum
I did not mean to be silent so long, but Lent came early for me, and I’ve been struggling with my eyes and migraines since January. In turn, this has hampered my computer time. With the final push of Lent and the beginning of Holy Week, I don’t have anything too original to write....
Passiontide and Veiling of Images
From the archives: This was originally posted for Passiontide 2016. Yesterday when I dropped my son off for classes at the homeschool co-op in the neighboring parish, we noticed the veiled statues around the church and chapel. Our parish doesn’t follow this tradition, so it was a...
Christmas to Candlemas: When is the Real End of the Christmas Season?
This post was originally published in January 2014. It is revised and now includes the 1962 Calendar dates for Christmas. This post contains tables which may not be easily displayed on mobile devices. The Christmas season ended on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Or did it? It seems...
Epiphany Home Blessing
In the Book of Blessings or Roman Ritual, there is a traditional home blessing usually done on Epiphany or during the Christmas season. This is a quick reference to celebrating a Home Blessing Ceremony in your home. This Home Blessing Ceremony is from the current Book of Blessings but also includes some of the prayers from the older form of the Roman Ritual.
Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will. On the first Christmas night, the angels announced these glad tidings to the poor shepherds in the fields surrounding Bethlehem. Since then, Christmastime is cited as the time of peace. It is said because the Son of God came...
The Octave of Christmas
(From the archives: This post was originally written in January 2016. It is updated to reflect the Christmas 2020-21 season.) “On the 8th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...“ Everyone is familiar with the carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” And although some...
Advent Reading: The Last Battle
Several years ago my sons and I listened quite slowly to the whole series of Narnia by C. S. Lewis on audio in our car. It was a delightful journey. We really enjoyed the British readers for the series. I’m usually hesitant to buy audio cds, but this was an excellent investment. My sons are...
Advent: Focusing on the Essential with Expectant Delight
Advent begins this Sunday. December 3 is the latest date that Advent can begin, which also makes it the shortest Advent possible. The Fourth Week of Advent is only one day. We are beginning a new Liturgical Year. Happy New Year! It is a human tendency to look forward to seasonal or time shifts...
Remembering the Poor Souls and the End
I’m a day behind on my annual reminder for the Poor Souls. November is the month dedicated to the Poor Souls in Purgatory. Although we can and should pray throughout the year for the Poor Souls, the Church provides wonderful opportunities to earn indulgences for the Poor Souls in Purgatory...
For All The Saints
I did not plan on taking such a long sabbatical from writing, but “the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” Our summer became unexpectedly busy for our family. Ever since my brother’s ALS (or Lou Gehrig’s Disease) diagnosis I mentioned at the end of May, we have...
Halloween is for Catholics
From the archives, originally written October 2015: It’s the return of the annual controversy of whether Catholics should celebrate Halloween in a secular way. As a parent trying to do the right thing, it’s a struggle to find the correct balance for their own family. I wrote a long...
Gluten-Free and Holy Communion
“Gluten-free” is a popular buzzword right now, found in the news, food packaging, recipes, menus and diets. And it seems like the Catholic Church is responding to the current trend. On July 8, the Congregation for Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments issued a Circular Letter to...
Summer or Pentecost Ember Days
The Wednesday following Pentecost traditionally begins the Summer or Pentecost Ember Days. I have written several posts on Ember Days (links at the end of this post) but never touched on the Ember Days following Pentecost, hence yet another post on Ember Days. I’m in the midst of packing for...
God’s Ways Are Not Our Ways
My youngest brother, Joe, received a grim health diagnosis of ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease) this week, and all of my family is reeling at this news. He is young (35), married and with 4 children. Trying to make sense out of this suffering is...
The Relevancy of Fatima, One Hundred Years Later
Saturday, May 13, marks the 100th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady to three children at Fatima, Portugal. Those who were born after 1989 don’t have as many memories of Fatima devotions. While the historical significance might not be as relevant, there are still some pertinent...
Holy Thursday Meal
It always seems the end of Lent and Holy Week God sends extra opportunities for penance. This year was no different. My cousin died last week. This week our elementary atrium (ages 6-12) had a three-day retreat in preparation for Easter, which was wonderfully rich, but very time-consuming. Now it...
The Oases of Lent: Celebrations of St. Patrick, St. Joseph, Annunciation and Family Days
We are now in the beginning of three feasts of March (almost always in Lent) that are not part of the Lenten Season. Two are included in the Sanctoral (saint) Calendar, and only one is integral to the Temporal Calendar (following the life of Christ). These are stand-alone feasts that provide a...
Making Our Lenten Plans
Ash Wednesday is right around the corner. This is another year with a later beginning to Lent. I should have used the extra weeks of Ordinary Time as an opportunity to be extra-prepared for Lent, but it seems the last days of Carnival or Mardi Gras are always full of extra activity, keeping me...
Our Work in Ordinary Time
Originally posted February 2017. How do we live in the present moment in this Tempus per Annum, Time of the Year or Ordinary Time? What does this time mean for one’s spiritual life? A few years ago I explained a little about what is Ordinary Time in Our Ordinary Walk of Life:...
Connected In Christ
This past Friday I visited my cousin. While a family visit is usually an everyday event, this was an important family get-together. You see, my cousin is dying from cancer. She is only fifty years old, fifteen months older than I am. Growing up we were very close. I would say we were as close...
The New Year: Redeeming the Time
I find it hard to believe that the month of January is almost halfway over. Since Advent began it has been very busy in my family, including the flu taking down various members this week. But time continues. The Church celebrated Christmas and now has entered tempus per annum or Ordinary...
The Diversity of Epiphany
From the archives, January 2015. The home blessing link is updated for 2018, and includes a printable form. For Catholics living in the United States attending mass in the Ordinary Form, January 3 is the transferred Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. Elsewhere, such as in Rome, Epiphany is...
The Jesse Tree, Part 2: Finding the Essential for the Family
I’m concluding my Jesse Tree discussion, just as Advent closes. In Part One I discussed presenting the Old Testament to children, using the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd as a guideline. The aspects I want to carry forward in my home are presenting the Old Testament in a deliberate manner,...
Beginning the O Antiphons
I’m interrupting my Jesse Tree posts because the O Antiphons begin tomorrow, December 17. This is one of my favorite parts of the Liturgical Year and so I try to not let a year pass without writing something about them. (My apologies for the delay on the Jesse Tree Part Two as family...
The Jesse Tree, Part 1: Relating the Old Testament to Children
When I was young, my family had a Jesse Tree as part of our Advent traditions. The tree itself was a simple 4-foot artificial tree. I was seven when my mother made the ornaments out of salt dough and painted with acrylic paint using designs suggested in...
Advent: Beginning the New Liturgical Year
Similar to last year, Advent 2016 begins on the Sunday right after Thanksgiving. Applying the rule from Universal Norms of the Liturgical Year and the New General Roman Calendar: Advent begins with First Vespers (Evening Prayer I) of the Sunday that falls on the closest to 30 November and it...
Feastday Highlights: 11-11, Honoring the Real St. Martin of Tours
From the 2014 archives: November 11 in the ecclesiastical calendar marks the Memorial of St. Martin of Tours. For modern American readers, this date doesn’t bring to mind too many Catholic traditions in this country. This date was formerly Armistice Day, and is now a federal holiday,...
Prepping for the Final Days
There are a few more days left in the “Poor Souls’ Octave” to gain a plenary indulgence applicable only to the Poor Souls in Purgatory. The Church is currently remembering the Poor Souls in Purgatory during November, especially the first eight days of the month. Our family is...
November Octave and Novena
Although it is not quite November, the “triduum” of All Hallows’ Eve (Halloween), All Saints Day and All Souls Day begins tomorrow. November 1 begins the traditional “All Saints’ Octave” often referred to as the “Poor Souls’ octave” during...
St. John Paul II: Top Ten Connections
In honor of the feast of St. John Paul II, this is a repost from October 2014 archives: Recently my husband and I watched The Roosevelts: An Intimate History by Ken Burns. When the film reached Franklin Delano Roosevelt dying after serving as president of the United States for 12 years, there...
Feast Day Highlights: The North American Martyrs
October 19 is the memorial of Sts. Isaac Jogues and John de Brebeuf, priests and martyrs and companions, otherwise known as the “North American Martyrs.” These saints include: Isaac Jogues, John de Brebeuf (or Jean), Gabriel Lalemant, Noel Chabanel, Charles Garnier, Anthony Daniel,...
Good King Wenceslaus
September 28 is the Optional Memorial of St. Wenceslaus (or Wenceslas) and St. Luis Ruiz and Companions. The priest has the option of choosing either saint for celebrating Mass, and lately it seems the Japanese martyrs are chosen in my parish. But our family is...
Change and the Liturgical Year
Last week I attended my very first school parent meeting as a parent. After eight years of homeschooling, our family is now taking a different path for our sons’ education. Our oldest entered 7th grade at the local Catholic junior and senior high school and we decided to send our youngest...
Our New Saint, Teresa of Kolkata (Calcutta)
Unless you live a completely “unplugged” life, it seems to be common knowledge that little Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, known as Mother Teresa of Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), will be canonized by Pope Francis on Sunday, September 4, 2016. Her feast day has been the following day, September...
I Would Rather Be a Peasant: Contemplating the Rural Life
The month of July is just a recent memory. With the change of months, I reluctantly switched my Magnificat to the August edition. I will miss the July issue and its inspiration. While I was recuperating from this summer’s foot reconstructive surgery, my father (in his role as Eucharistic...
Feastday Highlights: The Assumption and Our Lady’s Thirty Days
From the archives, originally written in August 2014. Please Note for 2016: August 15 is not a holyday obligation in the United States. The diocese of the United States celebrate only six Holydays of Obligation during the Liturgical Year. In most provinces the Solemnity of the Ascension is moved...
Restoring a Catholic Culture through Liturgical Cooking: Early August Thoughts
A repost from August 2014, with ideas for St. Dominic, St. Lawrence and St. Clare: I’m currently reading Eternity in Time: Christopher Dawson and the Catholic Idea of History edited by Stratford Caldecott and John Morrill. It is a collection of essays by various authors honoring...
The Transfiguration: August 6
The Feast of the Transfiguration carries my thoughts to grape jelly and weddings. Because the cycle of the Liturgical Year repeats annually, the seasons of the year and family life and memories become intertwined with our celebrations...
First Celebration of the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene
Today the Church celebrates for the first time the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene, July 22. Previously this was an obligatory memorial, but last month the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments elevated the...
Imitating St. Camillus: Beginning with Charity
This post was originally published in July 2015.
July 18 is in the USA the Optional Memorial of St. Camillus de Lellis. On the General Roman Calendar his feast is July 14, but in the USA that is the Obligatory Memorial of St. Kateri Tekakwitha
Celebrating for Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Due to my foot surgeries two years in a row, our family has been sidelined again this summer. We usually travel near the Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel to my husband’s hometown to participate in the Mount Carmel festival, sponsored by the Italian parish Our Lady of Mount...
Catholics Do the Strangest Things
The celebration of St. Maria Goretti’s feast on July 6 reminds me of the opportunity our family had last October to view the relics of St. Maria Goretti, which were touring the eastern United States (and perhaps returning in 2017 for the western portion). To a non-Catholic, this exhibit...
Feasting for Junípero Serra
From the 2015 archives for the feast of St. Junipero Serra: We have a brand new American saint, St. Junípero Serra; he is the first saint canonized on American soil. Our family is still enjoying celebrating this new saint. He is a new member of our Catholic Family, and we have been...
Not So Ordinary Time—Writing Our Acts
The Easter season ended rather abruptly for me with major foot surgery on May 25. Recovery has been slow and painful, with a lot of sleepless nights. The pain and lack of sleep has made it difficult for me to gather my thoughts and write as much as I would like, but in a way it’s been a...
Elevating St. Mary Magdalene's Celebration
One of the headlines this week is the Congregation of Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments has raised the memorial of St. Mary Magdalene on July 22nd now to a feast. At first glance this can be considered just a minor story; it can be considered simply an announcement on...
Celebrating Trinity Sunday at Home
Reposting this from the 2015 archives to celebrate the feast of the Trinity: As the Liturgical Year returns to the “Season of the Year” or “Ordinary Time,” the pattern does not fall completely into place. The first few Sundays are special solemnities of Our Lord, so...
Preparing for Pentecost Filled with Joy
It is difficult for me to realize that the fifty days of Easter is about to end this Sunday. This Easter season has flown by. Our family has been busy, and it seems consistent that once the spring season and Easter is upon us there are more events on our calendar. We are winding down a school year...
The Spirit of the Liturgy, Part Two: Liturgy and Popular Piety
I’m continuing my discussion on Romano Guardini’s The Spirit of the Liturgy with Leila Lawler. In Part One I considered Guardini’s discussion of our work or "mental exertion" so as to receive greater benefits...
The Spirit of the Liturgy, Part One: Mental Exertion
This Lent I joined Leila Lawler in reading of The Spirit of the Liturgy by Romano Guardini. Although I haven't been able to keep up with the discussions, I've been reading on my own, hoping to find some time to share my thoughts. I'm looking forward to reading together the next...
Contemplating Good Friday and the Annunciation
Today the world recalls the passion and death of Jesus. There is sadness and mourning in the air. This year our family has decided to spend the three hours from noon to 3 at church, attending the Seven Last Words and then Stations of the Cross, and then the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion....
Traditions of Holy Thursday
Wednesday of Holy Week is pivotal because it marks the end of Lent. Holy Thursday begins the sacred Triduum—the holiest days of the Church year. The liturgy reflects the beauty of the Paschal mystery and the Passover Feast of Christ. But how is this day spent in popular piety? What do...
Holy Week in the Home
Holy Week is aptly named because it is the holiest week of the Liturgical (and calendar) year. But it is also one of the busiest weeks of the year for our family, so I annually review my plans and revise according to our changing needs. There is more time spent in church due to the Triduum...
Celebrating St. Joseph
Every new year, I like to check the calendar for upcoming dates for the Liturgical Year. I start turning the monthly pages to see when is Ash Wednesday, whether Easter is early or late, etc. One thing I look for in particular is to see what part of Lent do the solemnities of St. Joseph and the...
A Peek into our Daily Roman Stations Walk
Two weeks ago I shared our plan for our daily Lenten journey following the Roman stations. I thought I would share our progress and what it looks like in our home. My sons are ages 8 and 12 and are at an age of transition. The daily countdown calendar to...
Lentitude Adjustment
The Church is nearing the end of the Second Week of Lent. I find the first two weeks of Lent the hardest. Once a personal plan of prayer and penance is chosen, it takes some time to adjust to the change of outlook and habits for the next six weeks. For a weak sinner like me, being only two weeks...
Lenten Ember Days
This post was originally written in 2014, updated for Lent 2020. Wednesday, March 4, 2020, within the First Week of Lent, marks the beginning of the traditional dates of the Lenten or Spring Ember Days. With the reorganization of the Liturgical Year by Vatican II, the Ember Days were retained...
Following the Roman Lenten Stations
Although I would never consider myself a Pollyanna, I try to remain positive when writing on the Church’s Liturgy and Liturgical Year. The Council of Vatican II brought many changes to the Liturgy, and although the closing of the Council occurred 51 years ago, I see the Church still...
Entering the Season of Lent
Having Ash Wednesday begin so early in February makes it difficult to me to get into gear. Every year I make some decisions on what areas to focus on during Lent, but even as I choose them, I always wait for God to send me His penance for me for Lent. He knows just what I need. And when Lent...
The End of Christmas: Dispelling the Misconceptions
Most Catholics recognize the end of the Christmas season ends with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which occurred in the Ordinary Form/current calendar on Sunday, January 10, and the Extraordinary Form on January 13th. But there are some Catholics who claim that it is still Christmas and...
January 22: Day of Prayer and Penance in the United States
January 22 marks the 43rd anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision by the Supreme Court legalizing abortion. Most of us know it as the day for the March for Life, when pro-lifers from all over the country converge to be a public witness for those innocent lives that have no voice. Not everyone...
Celebrating Epiphany and the Christmas Season
This post was originally published in 2013. The Christmas season always seems over too quickly! It's not that we're packing the days full of activity, but rather our resting and relaxing and enjoying the Christmas glow makes time fly! Our family observes the Twelve Days of Christmas...
Happy Birthday, Baby Jesus!
As I finalize the preparations for Christmas, my thoughts go back to Christmases past, both from my childhood and my own family. Through all the years at Grandma's house, or recovering from surgeries, there are two traditions for our children that have stayed constant, even if was a...
Observing the O Antiphons
December 17 begins the “O” Antiphon Days, my very favorite part of Advent. These are ancient antiphons that all begin with “O” found in the liturgy from December 17-23. They are particularly in the Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) before the Magnificat in the Evening...
Sharing the Gift of Mercy with Our Brothers and Sisters
December 12 marks the second anniversary of my open heart surgery. Such a short sentence doesn't capture all the inconvenience, pain, emotion and healing involved before and after the surgery. For me and my family, this was a pivotal moment in our lives. I have brushed the face of death but...
The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception Opens the Jubilee Year of Mercy
Today is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the patronal feast of the United States and a holyday of obligation. This day also marks the opening of the Holy Door and the beginning of the Jubilee Year of Mercy. The choice of this feast day to open the...
The Spirit of Advent: Listening to Christ
Even before the Thanksgiving leftovers are gone, the new Liturgical Year begins. The First Sunday of Advent is this Sunday, November 29. It is a little difficult to transition from Thanksgiving into Advent; I am still putting away the table decorations, restoring our downstairs and cleaning up...
Feastday Highlights: Solemnity of Christ the King
This post was originally written in 2014. This Sunday the Liturgical Year ends not in a sad or a small way, but culminates in the celebration of the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. During November the liturgy has been keeping an eschatological theme and this feast...
What Can We Do?
In 2001 we said we would never forget about 9/11. Fourteen years later a younger generation now feels the outrage of terrorist attacks on innocent people. France is not a war-torn country, but a popular place, where many people visit, and almost everyone seems to have some connection or memory...
November: Close Connection of the Communion of the Saints
This is my annual reminder that November 1 begins the special opportunity to earn plenary indulgences for the Poor Souls in Purgatory. Visit a cemetery and pray for the departed from November 1-8 and visit a church or oratory on All Souls Day, November 2, praying the Our Father and the Creed. You...
November: a Month of Poor Souls and Cemeteries
This post was originally written in November 2014. It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins (2 Mach. 12:46). Every November I like to make a “Public Service Announcement” of the Church’s opportunities at the...
Halloween: Celebrate Like a Catholic
This blog post was originally written in October 2014. Ready or not, Halloween is Saturday. This is the second highest grossing commercial holiday in America, and also one of the most controversial. Fundamental Christians believe it should be completely rejected because it has roots as a pagan...
Taking Stock: Advent Wreath and Candles
Update 2020: The Dominican Sisters in Summit, NJ are out of stock for 2020 for Advent Candles. This is not to ensue panic, but Advent begins November 29, the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend. That is in less than 6 weeks or 6 Sundays from now. Do you know where your Advent wreath is? And more...
Louis and Zélie Martin: Patron Saints for the Domestic Church
This Sunday, October 18, 2015, Pope Francis canonized Louis and Zélie Martin, the parents of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. This is the first husband and wife to be canonized together, emphasizing their cooperation with the graces of the sacrament of matrimony. The Church will...
St. Francis of Assisi—Setting the Record Straight
This post was written in October 2014. This year, 2015, October 4 falls on a Sunday, so the memorial St. Francis is not universally observed, but we still might want to honor him in small ways without overshadowing the primacy of Sunday. =================== October 4 marks the memorial of St....
America's New Saint, Junípero Serra
...[W]e declare and define Blessed Junípero Serra to be a Saint and we enroll him among the Saints, decreeing that he is to be venerated as such by the whole Church. Yesterday Pope Francis, with these words, canonized Junípero Serra. This humble Spanish Franciscan friar is one of...
Memorable Saint Stories
After just a few years of practice, following the Liturgical calendar within your Domestic Church can become second nature to the family; it can become an inseparable part of the family's organic routine. In our family, there are certain feasts and saints that we highlight annually, whether it...
Recognizing the Humanity of Our Faith
Last Saturday our family returned from a week-long beach vacation in the Outer Banks. It was an unparalleled week of perfect weather, especially considering it was the end of August and beginning of September. As I sat on the shoreline recharging my "batteries", contemplating the...
Monica and Augustine: Glimpsing into the Unity and Vastness of Marriage and Family
As we reach the end of August, two of my favorite late August feast days are of Saints Monica and Augustine. Last year I discussed the familial example these mother and son pair provide. This year I have been dwelling further on their example of marriage and family, particularly living out...
Breaking Bread throughout the Liturgical Year
See also the corresponding blog Toasting through the Liturgical Year. This upcoming Sunday concludes a series of five Sundays with the Gospel taken from John Chapter 6, the discourse on the Bread of Life. Jesus was preparing the people for his upcoming greater gift of Himself in the...
Toasting through the Liturgical Year
See the corresponding blog post Breaking Bread through the Liturgical Year. When Jesus gave us the gift of the Eucharist, He used the universal basics of life, bread and wine, to be transformed into His Body and Blood. The Mass, repeated daily all over the world, transforms the humble offerings...
On Pilgrimage with St. James the Greater
July 25 is the feast of St. James the Greater, apostle. St. James the Greater was one of the twelve Apostles, but had a special relationship with Jesus. How many times do we hear of the threesome, Peter James, John? They were present at the Transfiguration, they also were called to...
Mary and Martha and our Place in Bethany
This article was originally published in 2014. I had not planned a vacation, but the past couple of weeks became a vacation by default with health concerns and funerals and family events. I hope to be back more in the swing of writing, especially as the Church celebrates some of my favorite...
Fighting Evil? There’s a Summer Saint for That
I’ve been busy with summer traveling, pool fun, and a little minor foot surgery, but have not been immune to feeling a little disheartened by the headlines this summer. With news of Jenner transgenderism, Supreme Court redefinition of marriage, laws forcing people to go against their...
Nativity of St. John the Baptist: A Family Feast
As the day of the Solemnity of the Birth of St. John the Baptist comes to a close, our domestic church hasn’t seen too much of physical feast day celebration, as we are saving up the treats for after dinner. Following the inspiration of how St. John ate grasshoppers and honey, mint chocolate...
Witnesses for Christ: Prayer, Fasting and Bonfires!
Today is the memorial of Saints John Fisher and Thomas More, English martyrs who died defending the faith. After a week of ferial days except St. Romuald, the Church calendar unfolds several important feast days these next two weeks.
June 21st marked the beginning of the
St. Anthony’s Bread
It might come as a surprise to some who attended Mass on June 13 in 2015 that since there are two obligatory memorials that fell on this Saturday, they are treated as optional memorials for the day. The celebrant of the Mass could choose either St. Anthony of Padua which always falls on June 13,...
Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
There are only eighteen (18) total solemnities throughout the Liturgical Year, but in May and June there are no fewer than seven solemnities: Ascension, Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, Corpus Christi, and the Sacred Heart are all celebrated in less than five weeks, with two more solemnities in late...
Solemnity of Corpus Christi: Remembering
Last night my family attended Seton School’s high school graduation Mass and commencement. My oldest nephew was member of this class of 2015. My family has been part of this community since 1986, the year I graduated from the school, and continued to 2000 when my youngest brother graduated....
Summer: More Time for the Lord, Not a Vacation from Him
Periodically Pentecost Sunday falls the same weekend as Memorial Day. Although seemingly different in focus, both celebrations reflect shifts in our daily lives. Pentecost marks the close of the Easter season and the beginning of Tempus per Annum or Ordinary Time. Memorial Day is the unofficial...
Pentecost with Mary, Queen of Apostles
More often then not, the close of the Easter season with the feast of Pentecost falls during the month of May, which is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. We do not need to exclude one for the other, but in actuality honoring Our Lady directly complements our celebration of the birthday of the...
Pentecost and Confirmation
Restoring the order of the sacraments of initiation made the headlines again this week as Archbishop Aquila of Denver made an announcement that he will be implementing this change in his diocese. His pastoral letter
Celebrating First Holy Communion
First Holy Communion is fresh on my mind since our youngest son received Jesus for the very first time on May first. It is a such a privilege and joy to be a witness to our child's reception of the sacraments and to grow in his relationship with Jesus. I mentioned
St. Isidore the Farmer and Rogation Days
The traditional Rogation Days of Ascension Week begin today, May 11. This post was written in 2014, but still applicable today. Of all the saints on the calendar, St. Isidore the Farmer ranks as one of my favorite saints. (I can rarely narrow down to only one favorite, but I will say he is...
The Role of Christ and Sacramental Graces in Sacramental Catechesis
Earlier last week, Bishop Larry Silva of Honolulu, Hawaii issued a letter stating that his diocese is returning to the proper order of reception of the sacraments of initiation: If one looks at the “Catechism of the Catholic Church,” one notes that the first three sacraments...
Remembering the Sacraments: Our Family Life in Christ
During the Easter season, particularly in the month of May which is also dedicated to Mary, many children receive for the first time the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. We have a first communicant in our own family; my son receives Jesus for the first time on Friday. It is not just because of the...
Celebrating in the Easter Season
In the Passover Seder observed by many Jews there is the particular question by the youngest, "Why is this night different than any other nights?" As a Catholic, I like to shift this question around to apply to the most pivotal weeks of the Church year, Holy Week and the Octave of...
Easter: Fifty Days of Rejoicing
This post was originally written for 2014. The links have been updated for 2015. The Lord has risen from the dead, as he said; let us all exult and rejoice, for he reigns for all eternity, alleluia. (Entrance Antiphon, Monday within the Octave of Easter) After Lent’s forty...
Holy Saturday: Come and Mourn With Me Awhile
To me, Holy Saturday is the longest and the hardest of the days of the Triduum. It is a day of limbo; life is in a kind of suspension. Except for the Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) or Blessing of Easter Baskets (or Blessing of Animals on Olvera Street in Los Angeles), there is no liturgy...
Praying in Rhythm with the Feasts and Seasons: The Rural Life Prayerbook
There were two Catholic publications printed in 1946 that were ahead of their time. The National Catholic Rural Life Conference (NCRLC) published a small booklet entitled With the Blessing of the Church, translated by Most Rev. J. H. Schlarman and Father Philip T. Weller published a Latin and...
Holy Week Preparation
This post was originally written for 2014. Holy Week is one of the busiest weeks of the year for our family. Preparing for Christmas, especially when we have to plan celebrations for both sides of the family and possible travel is also busy, but it never reaches the level of planning as Holy...
The Solemnity of the Annunciation: the Moment of Incarnation in Our Lives
From the archives, March 2015. With the Church we celebrate a second solemnity in the month of March and also during the Lenten season: the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. This is such a pivotal feast in our Catholic faith, and unfortunately it seems overshadowed by all the...
Lenten Conversion and Repentance: The True Vine and the Sacrament of Reconciliation
On Ash Wednesday the Church exhorted us to “Repent and believe in the Gospel.” The ashes are the sign of conversion, or the turning of our hearts back to God. The main themes throughout Lent are 1) baptism and 2) conversion and repentance. Not all of us are catechumens preparing to...
The Great Saints of March: Patrick and Joseph
I always look forward to mid-March. My birthday falls on March 16 and it marks the beginning of a series of breaks from the Lenten focus and a little festivity. Not everyone is celebrating my birthday, but the Church honors two very popular saints, Patrick and Joseph, within three days (and...
Fasting and Mercy
The theme of conversion is a thread that runs all through Lent, but conversion takes on different aspects throughout the phases of Lent. The first two and a half weeks focused on the interior turning of hearts; the liturgy urges the faithful to reflect and examine consciences thoroughly. The...
Are Sundays Part of Lent?
I clearly recall a Lenten sermon from my childhood during which the priest shared a statistic that chocolate stores are more profitable during Lent than the rest of year. At the beginning of Lent many people make the resolutions to give up sweets resulting in slow sales. By mid-Lent these...
The Missing Element In My Lenten Penance
On Ash Wednesday my youngest son asked if the next two days were Holy Thursday and Good Friday. His question reflects my initial feelings of Lent: “We have to do this for 40 days?” I start looking for any kind of respite because I give in to “Brother Ass” (as St. Francis...
It’s About the Cross, Not the #Ashtag
I was surprised to see controversy arising from the idea of taking an Ash Wednesday selfie showing one’s ashes and posting it on social media. The USCCB had a challenge using the #ashtag as an entry. While I’m not a fan of hashtags, I did find this one rather clever. Before there was...
Carnival: Part Two, the Final Countdown
See Carnival Part One: A Season of Contrasts which illustrated how the Carnival season provided a spiritual focus but incorporated both physical and spiritual aspects. Last year my husband's co-workers planned a Mardi Gras party at the office, but a snowstorm closed down work...
Preparing for Lent: Seven Lessons the Flu Taught Me
With the beginning of Lent looming so closely, these final days are the last bastion of celebration, but also time to strategize how we will spend this holy season. Unfortunately, my planning came to a halt last week when I was struck down by the flu. Mothers usually are not allowed even one sick...
Blaising the Way to Keeping Healthy
February 3rd has the choice of an optional memorial of two different saints: St. Blaise and St. Ansgar. St. Ansgar is a newer addition to the General Roman Calendar for that date. But St. Blaise, the bishop and martyr who died in 316 A.D. has been honored on February 3rd for many centuries. His...
Receiving Holy Communion Under Special Circumstances: Continuing the Conversation
Earlier this month I wrote about how formation and catechizing our children can go beyond the simple Q&A catechism and continues, especially in special needs for receiving the Eucharist. (See Baptism Begins a Continuing Catechesis: Special Needs for Communion.) Very soon after writing my...
Carnival Part One: A Season of Contrasts
See also Part Two: Carnival: The Final Countdown Lent is a month away. The Second Sunday in Ordinary Time is exactly 31 days before Ash Wednesday. The Church has entered Tempus ad Annum, “The Season Throughout the Year,” most commonly referred to as “Ordinary Time“ and...
Fitting Resolutions
From the end of December into January, everyone is abuzz about making New Year's resolutions. Most resolutions revolve around health of the body: lose weight, exercise more, change bad eating habits. As we enter the third week of January, so many resolutions are already forgotten,...
Baptism Begins a Continuing Catechesis: Special Needs for Communion
The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord on Sunday (or Tuesday in the Extraordinary Form) marks the end of the Christmas season. The Church changes to green vestments and begins Tempus Per Annum or Ordinary Time (or Time after Epiphany in the Extraordinary Form). This feast can be a reminder of each...
Contemplating the Christmas Mysteries: He is Light and Peace
After all the Advent preparation and strife, we finally reach the climax of the solemnity of the Nativity of Christ and attend Mass for Christmas. The church decorations of evergreen, poinsettias and crèche are so beautiful and inspiring. Unfortunately, the entire time in church can be...
The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Advent
(With my apologies to author Judith Viorst.) How does your Advent grow? How does mine grow? Thanks for asking. I’d say it isn’t growing too much. Christmas still comes on the 25th, ready or not. And I’m not ready, either on the interior or exterior. The decorations are...
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