The Liturgical Year

Exaltation of the Holy Cross

September 14, 2012
St. Helen - finder of the True Cross

“For the Jews, the cross was a tree of shame and for the Romans, it was an instrument of execution. But for the Christians the cross became the symbol of victory and salvation, an object of special veneration. The Primitive Church provides us with sufficient and definite evidence of the veneration of the Holy Cross. [...]

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5 Degrees of Mother Teresa

September 4, 2012
Blessed Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa was Catholic in the truest sense of the word -- universal. "By blood, I am Albanian. By citizenship, an Indian. By faith, I am a Catholic nun. As to my calling, I belong to the world. As to my heart, I belong entirely to the Heart of Jesus." As her Feast Day is [...]

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10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About the Easter Vigil

April 7, 2012

"Rejoice heavenly powers! Sing, choirs of angels! Exult, all creation around God's throne! Jesus Christ, our King, is risen!" - from the Easter Vigil Exultet We are now at the Easter Vigil - the night Mass where the catechumens are welcomed into the Church. Here are some historical and traditional bits of trivia to share [...]

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8 Things You May Not Know About Good Friday

April 6, 2012

"...and hereafter ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the power of God, and coming in the clouds of heaven." St. Mark 14:62 It is Good Friday. The day of the Crucifixion. If you haven't seen the movie The Passion of Christ, we recommend it as a solemn preparation [...]

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10 Things You Probably Didn't Know about Holy Thursday

April 5, 2012

Holy Thursday marks the start of the Triduum - the most solemn time of the liturgical year which culminates in the Easter Vigil. The Matins and Lauds of the last three days of Holy Week used to be known as Tenebrae. A 15-candle candelabra was set near the altar holding yellow candles like those traditionally [...]

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The Liturgical Year - Saturday in Ember Week

December 17, 2011

Prope est jam Dominus; venite adoremus. The Lord is now nigh: come, let us adore. The lessons from the prophet Isaias are interrupted to-day also; and a homily on the Gospel of the Mass is read in their place. As this Gospel is repeated to-morrow, in the Mass of the fourth Sunday of Advent, we [...]

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The Liturgical Year - Friday in Ember Week

December 16, 2011

Prope est jam Dominus; venite, adoremus. The Lord is now nigh; come let us adore. The Church does not read anything from the prophet Isaias to-day; she merely gives, in the Office of Matins, a sentence of that chapter of St. Luke's Gospel, which relates the mystery of our Lady's Visitation: and to this she [...]

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The Liturgical Year - Ember Wednesday of Advent

December 14, 2011

What are Ember Days? Prope est jam Dominus; venite, adoremus. The Lord is now nigh; come, let us adore. To-day the Church begins the fast of Quatuor Tempora, or, as we call it, of Ember days: it includes also the Friday and Saturday of this same week. This observance is not peculiar to the Advent [...]

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The Liturgical Year - Third Monday of Advent

December 12, 2011

MONDAY Of the Third Week of Advent Prope est jam Dominus: venite, adoremus. De Isaia Propheta. Cap. xxviii. Haec dicit Dominus Dens: Ecce ego mittam in fundamentis Sion lapidem, lapidem probatum, angularem, pretiosum, in fundamento fundatum. Qui crediderit, non festinet. Et ponam in pondere judicium, et justitiam in mensura, et subvertet grando spem mendacii, et [...]

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The Liturgical Year - Second Friday of Advent

December 9, 2011

Read more parts here Regem venturum Donalnum, venite, adoremus. Do Isaia Prophets. Cap. xxiv. Ecce Dominus dissipabit terram, et nudabit eam; et affliget faciem ejus et disperget habitatores ejus. Et erit sicut populus, sic sacerdos; et sicut servus, sic dominus ejus; sicut ancilla, sic domina ejus; sicut omens, sic ille qui vendit; sicut foenerator, sic [...]

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