St. Margaret of Scotland Parish
Liturgical Year
The liturgical year is divided into seasons:
The first Sunday of Advent, November 29, 2009 begins a new liturgical year.
The word advent is a Latin word meaning the coming.
Advent is a time of preparation for the whole Christmas season and the whole
of salvation history. During the season of Advent, Christians prepare
to celebrate the birth of Jesus our Savior.
Advent is also a time of penance because we must be ready to receive
the great gift of His coming. Violet vestments, altar cloth, and sashes
are used during Advent to
represent expectation and penance.
Read more about Advent on the Advent/Christmas Seasons page.
Holy Days and Feast Days During Advent
- Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (December 8)
- On this day we honor Mary as the sinless Mother of Christ, who gives us the perfect example of humility and holiness.
The dogma of the Immaculate Conception as proclaimed by Pope Pius IX:
The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment
of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty
God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the
human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.
The Immaculate Conception is a Holy Day of obligation.
During the Christmas season, we celebrate God's greatest gift to us,
Jesus Christ. This season is second in significance only to the
Easter season. The Christmas season begins with the celebration of the birth of
Jesus on December 25 and continues for 12 days.
White (or gold) vestments are used during the Christmas season to
represent joy and triumph. White (or gold) vestments are also used
on certain Holy Days and Feast Days throughout the year.
Holy Days and Feast Days During the Christmas Season
- Christmas (December 25)
- We celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day. Christmas Day
is a Holy Day of obligation.
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- Feast of the Holy Family (December 27, 2009)
- The Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph is
celebrated on the first Sunday of Christmas.
-
- Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (January 1)
- On the Feast of Mary, Mother of God we celebrate our Lady's divine maternity. The Feast of Mary,
Mother of God is a Holy Day of obligation.
- Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord (January
3, 2010)
- On Epiphany, we celebrate the Lord's manifestation to the world
through the visit of the magi. We call to mind the story in the
Gospel of Matthew of how the wise men, or magi, were led by a star to
worship the child Jesus. The word epiphany means revelation.
- The miracle of epiphany occurs each and every time we gather to
give praise to God. Rather than getting caught up in the
folklore that has developed about the Gospel story, focus on how
the Lord is manifested to you today. Take the epiphany challenge
and find ways that you can share Christ with others, creating an
endless circle of epiphanies.
- Solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord
(January 10, 2010)
- On this day we celebrate the baptism of the Lord by John at the
Jordan River.
After the baptism, the sky opened and "he saw the Spirit of
God descend like a dove and alighting on him" (Matthew 3:16).
Jesus wanted to be baptized to set an example to others.
This event marked the beginning of Jesus' ministry.
- The Baptism of our Lord is celebrated on the second Sunday of January.
The Christmas season is followed by two periods of Ordinary Time
celebrating the fullness of our faith. The first period of Ordinary time
begins the Monday after the Baptism of our Lord
and continues until Ash Wednesday.
Green vestments are used during Ordinary Time as a sign of life and growth.
- Presentation of the Lord (February 2)
- The Presentation marks the occasion when Jesus was presented in
the temple to fulfill the prescripts of the Law of Moses which
stated that, on the 40th day of his life, the first-born male should
be consecrated to the Lord to recall the blessing showed to the
Israelites by the sparing of their first-born before they were
liberated as slaves in Egypt.
White vestments are used for the feast of the Presentation of the Lord.
Lent is a 40-day period of preparation for Easter. During Lent,
catechumens continue their preparation of Baptism, Confirmation, and
Eucharist. For those already baptized, Lent is a time to reaffirm
the role of Baptism in their lives through penitence. We all focus
on changing our lives to become more like Christ. Lent is a time
of renewal.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent which
continues to the Paschal Triduum. The Triduum is the three days before
Easter, beginning with the evening Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy
Thursday and concluding with Evening Prayer on Easter Sunday. It
celebrates the heart of the Christian faith--Jesus' redemptive death and
resurrection. These three days are the most important time of the Church year.
In order to renew everyone's appreciation for the precious gift of
salvation, we follow the ancient practice of the Church and do not
baptize during the Lenten season.
During Lent, violet vestments are used to represent penance. White (or gold)
is used during the Paschal Triduum and Easter to represent joy and triumph.
Easter Duty. Catholics are required
to receive Holly Communion worthily at least once between the period of the
First Sunday of Lent until the celebration of Trinity Sunday. The Church
encourages Catholics to receive the Eucharist regularly rather than just being
satisfied with the making of one's "Easter Duty." If a
Catholic is in serious state of sin, they are also required to make a worthy
confession before receiving Holy Communion, in order to fulfill their Easter
Duty.
Visit the Lenten Season Page for more information on Lent.
Feast Days of the Lenten Season
- Ash Wednesday (February 17, 2010)
- When ashes are placed on your forehead on Ash Wednesday, one of the following
statements is said by the minister:
"Turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel."
or
"Remember that you are dust and to dust you will return."
The wearing of ashes is a sign of public penance--a recognition of the need for a
deeper conversion in our lives.
- The ashes distributed come from the branches blessed on Palm Sunday.
Ash Wednesday
is a day of fast and abstinence.
- St. Patrick Day (March 17)
- Legend says that St. Patrick used a shamrock
to explain the Trinity.
- Solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of Mary (March 19)
- White or gold vestments are used on the Solemnity of St. Joseph.
- Annunciation of the Lord (March 25)
- Palm Sunday (March 28, 2010) Passion Sunday
- On Palm Sunday, we commemorate Jesus'
triumphal entry into Jerusalem, waving palm branches and singing
Hosanna. The palms blessed are symbols of Christ's victory over
death. Red vestments are used on Palm Sunday.
- Holy Thursday (April 1, 2010) Maundy Thursday
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- Chrism Mass
-
At the chrism Mass in the morning, the bishop of each diocese
celebrates with the priests from the diocese and blesses the oils
and consecrates the chrism is used for the celebration of the
sacraments during the coming year.
- The Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper
- The mass on Holy Thursday is called The Evening Mass of the Lord's
Supper. We remember the Last Supper and that Jesus gave himself
in the Eucharist. Jesus chose his apostles to serve and lead
the church. During this Mass, there will be the washing of the
feet ceremony in fulfillment of Christ's directions to the Apostles at the
Last Supper. This ritual reminds us that our baptismal commitment is
to be servants of one another. Following Mass, the church
remains open until 11:00 p.m. for personal prayer and adoration of
the Eucharist.
- Plain white vestments are used on Holy Thursday.
- Good Friday (April 2, 2010)
- The mass on Good Friday is called The Celebration of the Lord's
Passion. We remember the death of Jesus. On Good Friday, the candles
in the church are extinguished to show that Jesus' light has gone out.
According to custom, Mass is not celebrated on Good Friday.
- Red vestments are used on Good Friday.
-
Good Friday is a day of fast and abstinence.
- Holy Saturday (April 3, 2010)
- We meditate on the suffering and death of Jesus until Easter Vigil.
- Easter Vigil and the Rite of Initiation
- The Easter Vigil is the most important liturgical event of the Church year.
There are four parts in the Easter Vigil:
-
- The liturgy begins in total darkness. During The Service of Light,
the Paschal candle is lit from a blessed fire and is carried into the dark
church as a sign of Christ, the Light of the World, who has overcome
the darkness of sin and death. Members of the congregation light small candles
from the flame of the Paschal candle, passing the flame from person
to person until everyone is holding a lighted candle.
- During The Liturgy of the Word, we proclaim the story of
God's great love for us. The readings recall the events of salvation.
- The Baptism of the elect is during The Liturgy of Baptism.
The catechumens--those who are taking instructions to enter the
Catholic faith--are baptized and received into the church. We are called to
renew our own baptismal promises.
- The Easter Vigil concludes with The Liturgy of the Eucharist,
a joyous sharing in the sacrificial meal of our Lord and Risen Savior.
- For Easter Vigil, white signifies the joy of Christ's resurrection.
Easter Sunday marks the start of the Easter Season, which continues
as a time of celebration until Pentecost Sunday. The Easter Season
is the celebration of resurrection from the death of sin to life of grace.
White (or gold) vestments are worn during the Easter season to signify the joy
and triumph of Christ's resurrection.
- Easter Sunday (April 4, 2010) The Resurrection of the Lord.
- During Easter, we celebrate Christ's resurrection.
- Solemnity of Easter Monday (April 5, 2010)
- Mother's Day (May 9, 2010)
- Ascension of the Lord (May 16, 2010)
- Ascension Thursday unfolds the promise that Jesus will return.
- Pentecost Sunday (May 23, 2010)
-
The Solemnity of Pentecost celebrates the day when the Holy Spirit
descended upon the first Christians in the Upper Room in the form of
tongues of fire. It is also the day we traditionally celebrate
as the founding of the Church.
- Red vestments are used on Pentecost to represent royalty and fire.
The second period of Ordinary Time begins after Pentecost Sunday and continues
until the Advent season begins the start of another year. Green vestments are
used during Ordinary Time as a sign of life and growth.
Holy Days and Feast Days
- Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (May 31)
- This special feast recalls Mary's visit to her cousin, Elizabeth,
after Mary first learned that she would be the mother of Jesus.
White vestments are used for the feast of the Visitation.
- Corpus Christi (June 6, 2010)
- This special feast honors the Blessed Sacrament.
- Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
- This celebration reminds us that Jesus is indeed fully human and
that God forgives those who repent. Devotion to the Sacred Heart
reminds us that repentance is the proper response to sin.
- Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (August 15)
- The church teaches that at the end of her earthy life, the Virgin Mary
was taken up body and soul into heaven, a forestate of the resurrection
for all of us who hope for salvation at the end of time. On this solemnity, the faithful are urged to meditate on the unique role
of Mary in the history of salvation.
- Solemnity of All Saints Day (November 1)
- All Saints Day is a day to commemorate all those in heaven forever
with Jesus and to ask for their prayers.
- All Souls Day (November 2)
- All Souls Days is the commemoration of all the faithful
departed. It is a special day to remember and, through prayer,
to share in God's love and mercy for all who have gone before us in death.
- Christ the King (November 21, 2010)
- The last Sunday of the Church year. White vestments are used
on the Solemnity of Christ the King.
- Thanksgiving Day (November 25, 2010)
- Thankfulness puts us in the right relationship to God, helping us
to receive and what He has given to us.
Holy Days of obligation are special
feasts on which Catholics are required to attend Mass.
In 1992, the national Conference of Catholic Bishops
received permission from the Holy See to eliminate the requirements to attend
Mass on the Assumption and other feasts--Mary, Mother o God (Jan. 1) and the
solemnity of All Saints (Nov. 1)--when they fall on a Saturday or a
Monday.
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Lenten Season
