“Learn what family life is, its communion of love, its austere and simple beauty, and its sacred and inviolable character.” ~ Pope Paul VI. In 1921, Pope Benedict XV instituted the Sunday after Christmas as the feast of the Holy Family. We celebrate Christ’s Nativity...
James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom He surnamed Boanerges, which is, Sons of Thunder.” ~ Mark 3:17. December 27th is the feast of St. John the Apostle. He is referred throughout the Gospel as the “Beloved Disciple” or “One Whom Jesus Loved.”...
“Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute?” ~ Acts of the Apostles 7:53. Being persecuted has always been part of the Christian journey. On December 26 we celebrate the feast of St. Stephen. Stephen is not only the first recorded martyr, but was also a...
“No one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord” ~ Pope Paul VI. Christmas is a season of joy! We have a sign in our house this time of year that says, "JOY." It’s kept in the kitchen where our kids see it whenever they wash their hands. My son loves looking at...
The feast of St. Lucy is celebrated today, December 13th. In 2006 we discovered that we were pregnant with our first child. We began praying about what name we’d like to give this beautiful gift that God had given to us. We had chosen a girl’s name and a boy’s name...
"Son behold your mother!" As He died on the cross, Jesus spoke these words to John the Apostle. Not only did Jesus give Mary to John’s care, but he gave His mother to mankind, giving her dominion over us all. Over the centuries, Mary has reached to every corner of the...
“I am the Immaculate Conception” ~ Our Lady to Bernadette Soubirous. In 1858, in a small town in France, Our Lady appeared to a young girl named Bernadette Soubirous. After months of seeing “the lady” at the grotto, Bernadette dared ask her name. Thus, the Heavenly...
“The stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.” December 6th is the feast of St. Nicholas. We all know him as Santa Claus, but do we know him as the Bishop of Myra? Nicholas is far from a fictitious character from...
Advent: the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event. December is here and that means it’s Christmas season, but first...Advent! Advent can be celebrated with warm cookies, bright trees, beautiful stockings…However, for many Catholics, the Advent wreath on the...
“Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John has said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was run to his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah.’ And he brought him to Jesus” ~John 1: 40-42. November 30th is...
"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. With rejoicing hearts, give thanks! In 1789, President George Washington declared November 26th as a national day of...
In 1925, Pope Pius XI instituted the feast of Christ the King. Celebrated on the last Sunday before Advent, this feast concludes our liturgical year. Pius explained his reasoning for this feast in his encyclical Quas Primas “In the first”. He must reign in our minds,...