The Liturgical Year

Just the Facts, Ma'am - The Theotokos

December 31, 2012
Theotokos

Who: The Blessed Virgin Mary, also known as Theotokos (Greek for “God-bearer”, “the one who gives birth to the one who is God”). The title Theotokos was decreed at the Council of Ephesus in 431 to counter the Nestorians who believed that Mary was only the mother of his human nature, and not his divine [...]

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St. Thomas Becket - Defender of the Church Against Encroaching Government

December 29, 2012

  On December 29, the Catholic Church remembers St. Thomas Becket, the other Thomas who was martyred for the Catholic Faith in England by a king named Henry over matters of Church governance. Thomas was born in London on the 21st of December in either 1117 or 1118 to Gilbert Becket and Matilda Roheise. His parents were buried in Old St. Paul's Cathedral. [...]

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Christmastide Prayers

December 28, 2012
Flight into Egypt

Christmastide -- also known as the 12 Days of Christmas, or Yuletide -- runs from Vespers on Christmas Eve to the Epiphany of Our Lord. Each day is a great Feast Day, so here’s a collection of daily prayers to help you celebrate and enjoy the Christmas Season. The Nativity of the Lord (Dec 25): [...]

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Celebrating Christmas in the Eastern Catholic Church

December 28, 2012
Nativity Icon

O Christ, our Defender, taking the form of man, You have bestowed upon him the joy of becoming Godlike (St. John Damascene) Eastern-Rite Catholics (non Latin-Rite) have beautiful and ancient traditions for celebrating Christmas, which is commonly called the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord. The time before Christmas is known as the pre-Nativity [...]

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There's Something About Mary - A Primer on the Immaculate Conception

December 8, 2012

Who: The Blessed Mother, also known as Mary, Our Lady, Theotokos, the one whom "all generations will called 'blessed'", and the one who is "full of grace"   What: It was declared, pronounced and defined “that the doctrine which asserts that the Blessed Virgin Mary, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular [...]

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Five Reasons to Love St. Francis Xavier

December 3, 2012

Co-Founder of the Jesuits: St. Francis Xavier was one of the co-founders of the Jesuits (Society of Jesus), along with St. Ignatius of Loyola, Blessed Peter Favre,and four other men. The Jesuits focused on evangelization throughout the world, and also participated in the Counter-Reformation. Because of their vow of obedience and willingness to spread the Word to remote areas of [...]

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Advent Symbols and Celebrations - Part II

December 1, 2012

Advent is a time of waiting, conversion and of hope, a preparation for the coming of the Messiah. The word Advent comes from the Latin advenio,  meaning "to come to"; it refers to the coming of Christ.  As with Part I, here are three more expressions of piety to prepare the way of the Lord. [...]

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Advent Symbols and Celebrations - Part I

December 1, 2012

Advent is a time of waiting, conversion and of hope, a preparation for the coming of the Messiah. The word Advent comes from the Latin advenio,  meaning "to come to,"; it refers to the coming of Christ.  Here are three expressions of piety to help us get ready this season.  Advent Wreath The Advent Wreath [...]

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The History and Meaning of Advent

November 27, 2012

What is Advent? The word 'Advent' is from the Latin 'Adventus,' which means 'coming.' Advent is the beginning of a new liturgical year (in the Western churches), and encompasses the span of time from the fourth Sunday before Christmas, until the Nativity of Our Lord is celebrated. The first Sunday of Advent is the Sunday [...]

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What's So Great About Saint Gertrude?

November 16, 2012

The month of November is dedicated to Holy Souls in Purgatory, so it is fitting that the Feast Day of St. Gertrude the Great is honored during this month on November 16th. Saint Gertrude is the only female saint to be called Great -- so why is she? The thirteenth century is one of the greatest centuries [...]

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