The Liturgical Year

Christ’s saving work is celebrated in sacred memory by the Church on fixed days throughout the year.

General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendarhttp://www.scborromeo.org/litcal.htm

Each week on SUNDAY, the day called the Lord’s

Day, the Church commemorates the Lord’s

resurrection.

Once a year at EASTER the church honors this resurrection and passion with the utmost solemnity.

In fact through the yearly cycle the Church unfolds the entire mystery of Christ and keeps the anniversaries of the saints.

THE LITURGICAL DAY

Each day is made holy through the liturgical celebrations of the people of God, especially through the eucharistic sacrifice and the divine office.

The liturgical day runs from midnight to midnight, but the observance of Sunday and solemnities begins with the evening of the preceding day (the “vigil”).

VigilsLauds

TerceSext

NoneVespers

Compline

Sisters of Santa Rita Abbeysinging the Liturgy of the Hours

The Liturgy of theHours

SUNDAY

"The Church celebrates the paschal mystery on the first day of the week, known as the Lord’s Day or Sunday.

This follows a tradition handed down from the apostles and having its origin from the day of Christ’s resurrection.

Thus Sunday must be ranked as the first holy day of all."

THE YEARLY CYCLE

"By means of the yearly cycle the Church celebrates the whole mystery of Christ, from His Incarnation until the day of

Pentecost and the

expectation of His

coming

again."

Each “spoke” represents one week

Sundays are along the outer circle

1st Sunday

of Advent

Colors change with each liturgical season

-- Great feasts of the Church are in capital letters

-- Memorials of saints are in upper and lowercase

ADVENT

Twofold character:

(1) as a season to prepare for Christmas when Christ’s First Coming to us is remembered

(2) as a season when that remembrance directs the minds and heart to await Christ’s Second Coming at the end of time.

Advent is thus a period for devout and joyful expectation.

Advent Calendars

AdventWreath

Advent begins with evening prayer of the Sunday vigil falling on or closest to 30 November and ends before evening prayer on the vigil of Christmas.

The weekdays from December 17 - 24 prepare us more directly for the Lord’s birth by evoking salvation history.Each Mass includes one of the “O Antiphons” . . . .

7 ancient prayers of praise and longing:

O Wisdom O Lord

O Root of Jesse O Key of David

O Daystar O Desired One

O Emmanuel

The JesseTree

CHRISTMAS SEASON:

Next to the yearly celebration of the paschal mystery (Easter), the Church holds most sacred the memorial of Christ’s birth and early manifestations.

This is the purpose of the Christmas Season.

. . .to the Sunday of The Baptism of the

Lord

The Christmas season runs from evening prayer on Christmas Eve (the Vigil) . . . . . . .through

theFeast of the Epiphany

CHRISTMAS SEASON

ChristmasCreche

LENT

is a preparation for the celebration of Easter.

Lent disposes catechumens and the faithful to celebrate the paschal mystery . . .

- through stages of Christian initiation (catechumens)- through reminders of baptism (faithful)

and through penitential practices.

Lent runs from Ash Wednesday through Palm Sunday & HOLY WEEK but excludes Sundays.

Soup & Sacrifice

Prayer

Fasting

Almsgiving

Meatless Fridays

Hot Cross Buns

Palms

Ashes

The EASTER TRIDUUM

of the Passionand Resurrection of Christ

is the culmination of the entire liturgical year.

(Triduum = “the 3 days”)

The solemnity of EASTER has the same kind of preeminence

in the liturgical year that Sunday has in the week.

HOLY THURSDAY

GOODFRIDAY

HOLY SATURDAY

EASTER SUNDAY

Passionof the

LordEaster

Vigil

EasterSunday

Mass of the Lord’s Supper

Easter Season

THE TRIDUUM

The triduum begins with the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on HOLY THURSDAY

. . . continues through GOOD FRIDAY with thecommemoration of the Lord’s Passion

. . . and reaches its high point in theTHE EASTER VIGIL

this celebration of the holy night when Christ rose from the dead, ranks as the “mother of all vigils.”

The Triduum closes with evening prayeron Easter Sunday

EASTER SEASON:

The fifty (50) days from Easter

to the Ascension to Pentecost

are celebrated in joyful exultation

as one feast day, or better as one “Great

Sunday.”

ORDINARY TIME:

Apart from those seasons having their own distinctive character, 33 or 34 weeks remain in the yearly cycle that

do not celebrate a specific aspect of

the mystery of Christ.

Rather, they are devoted to the mystery of Christ

in all its aspects.

This 2-part period is known as "Ordinary Time." The last Sunday of

the Liturgical Year is the Feast of Christ the King

TheWedding at

Cana

“I am the Vine, you are theBranches” The loaves &

the fishes

LITURGICAL COLORS

VIOLET - Expectation, Purification, or Penance. (Advent & Lent)

Optional: ROSE - Joy, Rejoicing, Praise -- in the midst of Advent & Lent Gaudete Sunday, 3rd Sunday in Advent Laetare Sunday, 4th Sunday in Lent WHITE (OR GOLD) - Joy and Triumph. (Triduum,

Easter, Christmas, as well as Holy Days and certain feast days throughout the year, e.g. feasts of Mary.) RED - Royalty, Fire, and Martyrdom. (Pentecost, Palm/Passion Sunday, Good Friday, Triumph of the Cross, feast days of martyrs) GREEN - A sign of Life and Growth. (Ordinary Time)

LITURGICAL CYCLE OF SCRIPTURE READINGS

These readings are assigned to Liturgical Years A, B, and C.

Years which are evenly divisible by 3 are assigned year C, such as 2010.

Year A (2011) follows year C, Year B (2012) follows Year A, and Year C (2013) follows Year B.

The Liturgical Years start on the first Sunday of Advent of the previous calendar year, so the first Sunday of Advent last November (Nov 29, 2009) was the start of our current Liturgical Year (2010), Year C.

For Sundays and other special days throughout the church year, there are three sets of readings assigned for the day.

We are now in Liturgical Year 2010,

Year C, Weekly Cycle IISunday Nov 28, 2010 will begin

Liturgical Year 2011: Year A, Weekly Cycle I

Each Sunday Mass has three scripture readings:

1st = Old Testament 2nd = New Testament letters or Revelation 3rd = from the Gospels

Year A: the Gospel of Matthew Year B: the Gospel of MarkYear C: the Gospel of Luke

The Gospel of John is used in all 3 Sunday Cycles

-- The Gospel Acclamation (Alleluia verse) is sung by the whole congregation before the Gospel

. . . But no Alleluia's sung during Lent & Triduum, until the Easter Vigil.

Year A

Year B

Year C

-- 1st & 3rd readings are linked in meaning or context-- 2nd is semi-continuous from Sunday to Sunday-- RESPONSORIAL PSALM sung or recited after 1st reading

All 3 Cycles

The weekday Liturgical Cycles start on the first Sunday of Advent of the previous year.

We’ve been in Weekly Cycle II (of Church Year 2010) . . . the upcoming Advent, starting Nov 28, 2010

will begin Weekly Cycle I (of Church Year 2011)

For weekdays in ordinary time and other special days throughout the church year:

There is a 2-year cycle with 1st reading, psalm, & Gospel

Liturgical Cycle I : odd yearsLiturgical Cycle II : even years

FEASTS, MEMORIALS, COMMEMORATIONS AND SOLEMNITIES

These are days which the Church has set aside as having special meaning; there are several types of celebrations.

-- events in the life of Christ-- days dedicated to a particular saint-- feasts of Mary (under her different

“titles” of praise)

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Dec 12

The AnnunciationMar 25

Our Lady of the Rosary

Oct 7

The Presentationof the Lord

Feb 2

Our Mother of Sorrows Sep 15

Holy Days of Obligation (in the United States)

Jan 1= Solemnity of Mary Mother of God

Ascension of the Lord (moveable date based on Easter)

Aug 15 = Assumption of the Blessed Virgin

Nov 1 = All Saints Day

Dec 8 = Immaculate Conception

Dec 25 = Christmas

Easter & Pentecost are always on Sundays and have moveable dates

DAYS OF FAST (Ash Wednesday & Good Friday)

ABSTINENCE (Ash Wednesday & Lenten Friday's)

Fasting is restricting eating to one full meal and two lighter meals in the course of a single day, and prohibits eating between meals.

(For all adults who have not yet reached age 60. Pregnant women & the sick are not obligated.)

Abstinence is refraining from eating meat.(for all who have completed their 14th year)

"Paschal Fast" = from Mass of Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday to Easter Vigil

To find daily readings: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops siteREADINGS AND PSALMS OF THE MONTH

•Test of Reading•Audio of Reading•Video of short reflection•Daily Podcast

http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/index.htm

To learn more about saints, feast days:

www.americancatholic.org/features/saintofday/

“Saint of the Day”

www.newadvent.org/cathen/

The Catholic Encyclopedia Online / New Advent website

To find out liturgical year information about any date, including links to the saint of the day:

http://www.easterbrooks.com/personal/calendar/

The Catholic Calendar Page

The Liturgical Year

Advent Wreath Jesse Tree (Advent) Christmas manger Epiphany Star Baptism of the Lord

Holy Thursday Holy Thursday / Mass of the Lord’s Supper Pelican ≈ Jesus Good Friday Easter Vigil“By his wounds you are healed”

Easter Triumphant Lamb Phoenix ≈ Jesus Pentecost Trinity Sunday Ordinary Time Feasts of Mary Jesus ≈ Lamb of God “Resurrection from the ashes” Chi Rho ≈ Christ Lily ≈ virgin

Ash Wednesday Pretzel (Lent) Hot cross buns (Lent) Palm Sunday The TRIDUUM