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 SPECIAL DEVOTIONS & FEAST DAYS + HOLY RELICS The Christmas season extends from the celebration of the birth of JESUS (December 25) through the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord (Epiphany). Catholic Christmas Traditions - "Catholic Home and Garden presents our favorite Christmas links. We hope that in your Catholic home, you will incorporate some of them so that they will become treasured traditions for your family as well." The Real Meaning of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" (From Catholic.Net) - "Much more than a haunting melody with nonsensical lyrics, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was written by the English Jesuits during the 16th century as a catechetical device."
The True Meaning of Christmas - This website tells the story of Christmas in a very simple manner that is fit for young children. However, I found it to be a very peaceful presentation that offers information that many adults will also find interesting. Although it shows British traditions, as you are aware, many of them have spread to the USA and other countries. (More information is provided at the bottom of their Home page). Epiphany, or the Manifestation of the Lord (From CatholicCulture.org) - "The feast of manifestation, or Epiphany, is traditionally celebrated the 12th day after Christmas, January 6th. In the dioceses of the United States this feast has been moved to the Sunday between January 2 and January 8... The Epiphany is the high point of Christmas and the fulfillment of Advent. It is the ancient Feast of Christ the King. Its dignity in the liturgy is superior to that of Christmas. Because the feast commemorates the baptism of Jesus, its vigil has long been a day for solemn Baptism. In the present division of the Church year, the baptism of our Lord in the Jordan is commemorated on the octave day of the Epiphany."
 Ash Wednesday- "Although Ash Wednesday is not a Catholic holy day of obligation, it is an important part of the season of Lent. The first clear evidence of Ash Wednesday is around 960, and in the 12th century people began using palm branches from the previous Palm Sunday for ashes." "Holy Week History, Information, Prayers, Resources, Traditions... Holy Week is the last week of Lent before Easter, beginning on Palm Sunday and ending on Holy Saturday. In an older nomenclature, Holy Week is the second Sunday of Passiontide (Passiontide begins on the fifth Sunday of Lent). Holy Week is the part of the Church Year where Jesus' final moments are commemorated. The final three days of Holy week are part of the Paschal Triduum. Holy Week consists of the following events, which have their own pages on ChurchYear.Net. To get more details, click on the specific links."  DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY - "The Feast of Mercy is an annual celebration, (weekend after Easter) which, as Jesus revealed, also has the promise of the total forgiveness of sins and punishment. Our Lord Jesus said, 'The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain the complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which graces flow are opened.'"THE DIVINE MERCY - "This message and devotion to Jesus as The Divine Mercy is based on the writings of Saint Faustina Kowalska, an uneducated Polish nun who, in obedience to her spiritual director, wrote a diary of about 600 pages recording the revelations she received about God's Mercy." DIVINE MERCY NOVENA - "Jesus further asked that this Feast of the Divine Mercy be preceded by a Novena of Chaplets to the Divine Mercy which would begin on Good Friday. Say one chaplet each day following the novena intention. In her diary, St. Faustina wrote that Jesus told her:"
"On each day of the novena you will bring to My Heart a different group of souls and you will immerse them in this ocean of My mercy... On each day you will beg My Father, on the strength of My passion, for the graces for these souls. By this novena I will grant every possible grace to souls." (Diary 1209, 796)
 FIRST FRIDAY DEVOTION TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS - "The First Friday of each month was designated by our Savior Himself as a day to be consecrated to honoring His Sacred Heart…. As the object of this devotion is to make our Savior Jesus Christ ardently and perfectly loved, and to make reparation for the outrages offered to Him in the past, as well as for those which he daily receives in the Blessed Eucharist."  THE SACRED HEART - Explanation of the Holy Mass, prayers, saints, music, religious artwork. Very inspiring - includes Act of Consecration to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and other beautiful devotions.  HOLY FACE ASSOCIATION - Contains the Eight Promises Our Lord made to those devoted to His Holy Face. "This is not just another devotion - it is a plea from God...These are the days of Divine Love and Divine Mercy. We have been given a remedy for these days in which there is such a great lack of faith." Saint by Date - Monthly listing - "Most saints and holy people have specially designated feast days. On those days we remember these holy men and women in a special way." The Feast of the Ascension of the Lord - "This Holy day of Obligation, 40th day of Easter, commemorates Christ's Ascension into Heaven from Mount Olivet 40 days after He rose from the dead (Mark 16:14-20). After the Gospel is sung, the Paschal Candle, lit from the New Fire of the Easter Vigil, is extinguished to symbolize the departure of Christ (if you use a Paschal candle at home, it should be put away today, too)."  THE SHROUD OF TURIN - I believe the Shroud of Turin to be authentic, and a very holy relic which is left to us as a remembrance of the sufferings Our Savior experienced in His Passion - but for many, continued study is recommended: "This website will keep you abreast of current research, provide you with accurate data from the previous research and let you interact with the researchers themselves. We believe that if you have access to the facts, you can make up your own mind about the Shroud."  FIRST SATURDAY DEVOTION TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY - "The observance of the first Saturday in honor of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is intended to make reparation to it for the sins of mankind. This devotion was revealed by the Blessed Virgin to three children, Francisco, Jacinta and Lucia to whom she appeared at Fatima, Portugal, in 1917. On June 13, 1917, Our Lady specifically stated in speaking to Lucia: "Jesus wants to make use of you to make me known and loved. He wants to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart."  THE MARIAN MOVEMENT OF PRIESTS - "It is my work, which I myself am now carrying out, in order to gather from all sides the little remnant which will remain faithful to Jesus and to His Gospel, to the Pope and to the Church united with Him...If indeed His return is close at hand, then my motherly action becomes more concerned and vigorous, in order to assist all my children to remain ever in the truth of the faith. This is why I have asked you to consecrate yourselves to my Immaculate Heart. This is why, in these times of yours, I have spread everywhere my Marian Movement of Priests." - Messages to Fr. Gobbi from our Blessed Mother. HOLY RELICS |
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