Lead Kindly Light
Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom, lead me on! The night is dark, and I am far from home - lead me on! Keep my feet; I do not ask to see the distant scene - one step enough for me. I was not ever thus, nor prayed that You should lead me on. I loved to choose and see my path; but now, lead me on! I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears. Pride ruled my will; remember not past years. So long Your power has blessed me, sure it still will lead me on, Over moor and fen, over crag and torrent, till the night is gone; And with the morn those angel faces smile which I have loved long since, and lost awhile.
Cardinal Newman
Protect and Renew Our Vocation
We thank you, Father, that you have spoken to us the Word of eternal life and have given your Son as our brother. He speaks your love to us, giving it flesh and blood in his own life and in ours. We who call ourselves Christians are sent to continue the life of Christ in our lives. This is not a time to be shallow or half-hearted, for the world needs men and women who can honestly speak your name and witness to your Son. We ask you then, Father, protect and renew our vocation so that we will be faithful to the name we bear and be appealing witnesses to your kingdom today and every day, for ever and ever. Amen.
THE LITURGICAL YEAR EXPLAINED
ADVENT The Season that includes four Sundays preceding Christmas. It marks the beginning of the Liturgical Calendar. ‘Advent’ means "coming" or "arrival." During this time we prepare for the coming of the Lord Jesus.
CHRISTMAS The season when Catholics and other Christian Churches give thanks to God the Father for the birth of His Son, Jesus Christ. This Season lasts 12 days, beginning on Christmas Eve up to the Feast of Epiphany January 6th.
THE FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY Of Jesus, Mary and Joseph - Sunday in the Christmas octave. We remember Joseph, Mary and Jesus' going up to Jerusalem for the celebration of the Passover.
THE FEAST OF MARY, THE MOTHER OF GOD New Year's Day, the octave day of Christmas, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Holy Mother of God. The divine and virginal motherhood of the Blessed Virgin.
EPIPHANY (SUNDAY) Beginning with the Epiphany of our Lord and the Sundays that follow, Christ's manifestation of Himself to the world is traced out through His public ministry and miracles. The Epiphany Season lasts until the beginning of Lent. The Epiphany Season celebrates the many ways that Christ made Himself known to the world. Previously on January 6th some countries have moved the Feast to the nearest Sunday.
THE FEAST OF THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD Closely connected with the Epiphany are the mysteries of the Baptism of the Lord and the manifestation of his glory at the marriage Feast of Cana.
ORDINARY TIME I Ordinary Time I begins with the Monday that immediately follows the Baptism of the Lord. It ends on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. During this part of the Liturgical Calendar, all the Sundays are numbered consecutively. During this time frame, the Liturgy of the word (Church readings) is devoted to the mysteries surrounding the life of Christ.
ASH WEDNESDAY The first day of Lent. It is a day of repentance and self-examination which reaches its peak in Holy Week, the commemoration of our Lord's passion and death. The act of putting on ashes symbolizes fragility and mortality, and the need to be redeemed by the mercy of God and remind us that we are dust and unto dust we shall return. The ashes are made from burned palms that were distributed during the previous year on Palm Sunday.
LENT Lent precedes and prepares for Easter. Lent is a 40 day Liturgical Season that initiates the most sacred part of the Christian year. It begins on Ash Wednesday, covers 6 Sundays and ends at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on the evening of Holy Thursday. The Season of Lent is a solemn time of penitence, reflection and prayer.
HOLY WEEK The faithful gather to relive the final week of our Lord's life.
PASSION (PALM) SUNDAY Unites the royal splendour of Christ with the proclamation of his Passion. Procession, commemorating Christ's messianic entry into Jerusalem, with palm or olive branches.
HOLY THURSAY The institution of the sacrifice of Holy Mass, The Blessed Sacrament. Jesus leaves us his Body and Blood for all ages.
GOOD FRIDAY The solemn remembrance of the redemptive death of Jesus on the Holy Cross. The only day in Liturgy when there is no Complete Mass. Via Crucis.
HOLY SATURDAY, EASTER VIGIL (The Resurrection) In the evening the Church celebrates its greatest feast day. Everything is renewed in Christ’s Resurrection: Fire (light), water, oils. On this night the Sacraments of Initiation are bestowed on those who are ready to join the Church fully. This is part of the Easter Sunday celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus.
EASTER SUNDAY The date varies from year to year but is calculated to be the Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox, the day in Spring when there is a 12-hour day and a 12-hour night.
EASTER SEASON The Easter Season begins with the celebration of the Easter Vigil on Easter Sunday and ends 50 days later with Pentecost Sunday and celebrated in joyful exultation as one Feast day, or better as one ‘‘great Sunday’’ During this season, above all other, it is a time to sing the Alleluia.
ASCENSION Celebrated on the 7th Sunday after Easter, it focuses on the entry of Jesus’ humanity into Divine glory in God’s heavenly Kingdom, 40 days after His Glorious Resurrection.
PENTECOST SUNDAY Eastertide concludes with Pentecost Sunday, the fiftieth day, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the apostles. We can consider this day as the Birthday of the Church.
ORDINARY TIME II Beginning on the Monday following Pentecost Sunday (mid-May to mid-June) until the Saturday before the 1st Sunday of Advent, Ordinary Time II is celebrated. The Sundays of this season do not celebrate any specific aspect of the mystery of Christ. Instead they are devoted to the mystery of Christ in all its aspects.
TRINITY SUNDAY On the First Sunday following Pentecost Sunday, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Trinity. On this Sunday, the Church rejoices in the revealed truth that God is triune, three-in-one, in the Father, in the Son and in the Holy Spirit.
BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ is observed on the Thursday following the solemnity of the Most Blessed Trinity. This Feast stresses the mystery of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
ORDINARY TIME II (Continues...) The months during Ordinary Time II are a time of growth for its members as the church meditates on the Bible's teachings as they apply to the daily life of each believer.
SOLEMNITY OF CHRIST THE KING The Solemnity of Christ the King commemorates the closing of the liturgical year. It reminds us that over and above being the universal King, Christ is the Head of the Body, the Church.
GENERAL INFORMATION
DAYS OF OBLIGATION Throughout the liturgical year, the Catholic Church honours certain Feasts of Mary and the Saints. During these special Feasts, we are called to remember the lives of the Saints and to ask them to pray for us. While most days of obligation fall on a Sunday, there are special Feasts in the Liturgical Calendar that fall during the week.
The number of days of obligation may vary from country to country. For example, in the United States, the following 6 days of obligation are observed: Christmas Day (December 25); Mary, the Mother of God (January 1); the Ascension (7th Sunday of Easter); the Assumption of Mary (August 15); All Saint’s Day (November 1) and the Immaculate Conception (December 8).
In Canada, only 2 days of obligation are observed, these being: Christmas Dec. 25 and Mary, the Mother of God Jan. 1.
THE LITURGICAL COLOURS
As you may have observed, during the liturgy, the colors in which the priest is dressed and the colour in which the Church is decorated varies depending on the Seasons, the Feast, funerals, etc...
The Western Catholic Church Rites have the following guideline regarding what colour should be used:
White represents purity and joy. It is used in the seasons of Easter and of Christmas; during the celebrations of Our Lord (except His Passion), Feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of the Holy Angels, and of Saints who were not martyred, on the solemnities of Trinity Sunday, All Saints (1 November), the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist (24 June), the Feasts of Saint John the Evangelist (27 December), the Chair of Saint Peter (22 February), and the Conversion of Saint Paul (25 January). It is also an optional colour for Funerals. On the more solemn days of Christmastide and Eastertide, sacred vestments of a Silver or Gold hue may also be worn in place of White.
Red represents charity. It is used on Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, Good Friday, on Pentecost Sunday, on celebrations of the Lord’s Passion, on ‘birthday’ Feasts of the Apostles and Evangelists, and on celebrations of martyred Saints.
Green represents hope. It is used in Ordinary Time.
Violet represents charity, expectation, purification, or penance. It is used in the seasons of Advent and of Lent. The Violet of Advent may be lighter than the one of Lent. It may also be worn for Funerals.
Rose (A lighter Violet) is used on the 3rd Sunday of Advent and the 4th Sunday of Lent (optional).
Black is used for Funerals (optional), Masses for the Dead and All Souls’ Day (optional). It is an option which is not resorted to nowadays.