Every day of the Christmas octave is filled with meaning that reflects back on the Nativity, not just the birth of Christ but the impact, the reality of the birth. Octaves can be traced back to the Old Testament, Each of these feast days within the octave continues the joys of Christmas Day and helps us in our attempt to understand the mystery of the Incarnation. Read all about the octaves online.
Six family traditions for Epiphany
Epiphany is an ancient feast celebrating the appearance or manifestation of God to the whole world. Traditionally celebrated on January 6 (still the practice in some places around the world), the liturgical reforms of 1970 moved Epiphany to the second Sunday of January. Online you’ll find six ways you can celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord with your kids.
Mary, Mother of God
Today, Jan. 1, the octave of Christmas ends with the celebration of the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. It is a holy day of obligation, except the […]
How long Is the Christmas season?
While retail stores may be discounting Christmas decorations and putting up Valentine’s Day displays by December 31, Catholics and many other Christian denominations are just getting started on their Christmas […]
Feast of the Holy Family
The feast of the Holy Family, which is situated appropriately between Christmas and New Year’s Day, serves as a context for the events it bridges: the birth of Christ and the octave of Mary. Living in a loving manner sometimes can be most difficult within the family (the domestic Church), where intimate conflicts yield deep wounds, and where routine and familiarity can breed contempt and complacency. So we look to the Holy Family as models of fraternal love in a world of fractured family life and institutions. You’ll find the entire reflection online.