The Catholic Church &

“The Liturgical Year”

Deacon Bob Kepshire

RCIA Class St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church

October 8, 2015

OBJECTIVES

Define Liturgy

Define Liturgical Year

Define Liturgical Calendar

Describe the Liturgical Colors

Gain an Understanding of the Liturgical Seasons

What is Liturgy?

In Christian Use…

Eastern Churches almost always associated with the Eucharistic Sacrifice “Divine Liturgy”

Western Churches…either the celebration of the Mass or the whole collection of official services used in public worship

What is the Origin of Our Liturgy?

The origin of Liturgy is found in the institution by Christ of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and the Sacraments, as well as in his example and precepts concerning the necessity and mode of prayer

While Christ laid down the essentials, he left the development of details to his Church, to carry out this task under the guidance of the Holy Spirit

Who Celebrates the Liturgy?

It is the whole community, the Body of Christ united with its head that celebrates

Liturgical services are not private functions but are celebrations of the Church which is ‘the sacrament of unity,’ namely, the holy people united and organized under the authority of the bishops

Therefore, liturgical services pertain to the whole Body of the Church

When is the Liturgy Celebrated?

Sunday is the pre-eminent day for the liturgical assembly, when the faithful gather “to listen to word of God and take part in the Eucharist…thus calling to mind the Passion, Resurrection, and glory of the Lord Jesus, and giving thanks to God who ‘has begotten them again, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead’ unto a living hope”

What is the Liturgical Year?

The liturgical year is the temporal structure within which the Church celebrates the holy mysteries of Christ…

…"From the Incarnation and the Nativity to the Ascension, to Pentecost and to the wait in joyful hope for the Lord's coming"

What is the Liturgical Calendar?

A tool that kindles the hearts of Catholics so that they may remember God’s plan of salvation that was accomplished through the birth, life, death and rising of Jesus Christ

Follows a three-year cycle, each represented by the letters: “A” – “B” – “C”

The Seasons of the Liturgical Calendar

There are six Seasons within the Liturgical Calendar…

Advent Christmas Lent /Triduum Easter Ordinary Time

Liturgical Colors

White: Purity, Innocence, Joy, Triumph, Glory

Red: Charity

Violet: Royalty, Suffering, Expectation, Penance

Rose: Joy Green: Hope, Growth

White (may also use Gold or Silver)

Seasons of Christmas and Easter

Feasts of the Lord (other than His Passion)

Feasts of Mary, the Angels, Apostles & Saints who were not martyrs

All Saints (November 1st) & may be used on All Souls (November 2nd)

Weddings, Baptisms, & Funerals

Red

Palm Sunday

Good Friday

Pentecost

“Birthday” Feasts of the Apostles & Evangelists

Celebrations of Saints who were martyred

Violet

Season of Lent

Season of Advent

May be used for Funerals

May be used on All Souls Day (November 2nd)

Rose

3rd Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday)

4th Sunday of Lent (Laetare Sunday)

Green

Used throughout Ordinary Time

ADVENT

The liturgical season of spiritual preparation before Christmas

The Season of Advent begins on the Sunday closest to the Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle (November 30th)

It spans four Sundays and four weeks, with the last week usually shortened according to what day of the week Christmas falls on

Advent comes from the Latin word “adventus” which means “coming”

The importance of the Advent Season is to focus on the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ

The first Sunday of Advent marks the beginning of a new liturgical year…which will be Cycle “C – II”

In 2015, Advent begins on Sunday, November 29th

Advent concludes with the start of the Christmas Season, which is on Friday, December 25, 2015

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Stresses the two-fold meaning of the “coming”…

…“When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Savior’s first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming.” (CCC 524)

The focus of the entire season is the celebration of … The birth of Jesus the Christ in his First Advent, And the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in

his Second Advent

Advent is far more than simply marking a 2,000 year old event in history

It is celebrating a truth about God, the revelation of God in Christ whereby all of creation might be reconciled to God

CHRISTMAS

Christmas is more than just a day…rather it is a season

The liturgical Season of Christmas begins with the vigil Masses on Christmas Eve and concludes with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord on January 10, 2016

While the Solemnity of the Birth of Our Savior in fact ranks after Easter and Pentecost, it remains the most popular celebration of the Church year, focused on our wonder at the sublime mystery of the Incarnation

LENT / HOLY TRIDUUM

The Season of Lent extends from Ash Wednesday (February 10, 2016) to the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday (March 24, 2016)

Lent is the penitential season set aside by the Church in order for the faithful to prepare for the celebration of the Lord’s Passion, Death and Resurrection

During this holy season, inextricably connected to the Paschal Mystery, the Catechumens prepare for Christian initiation, and current Church members prepare for Easter by a recalling of Baptism and by works of penance… Prayer Fasting Almsgiving

The two elements which are especially characteristic of Lent… Baptism (the recalling of baptism or the preparation for it) Penance

The Holy Triduum is comprised of three Sacred Days…

Holy Thursday Good Friday Holy Saturday

Holy Thursday

Holy Thursday we celebrate the events of the Last Supper

At the Last Supper that Jesus instituted the pillars of our Catholic faith… The Eucharist The Priesthood Mass

At the Last Supper, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples demonstrating that we all must be willing to serve one another

During the Mass, the clergy wash the feet of several members of the Parish

Following the Holy Thursday Mass; Adoration of the Holy Eucharist continues until midnight

This symbolizes the time Jesus spent in prayer in Garden of Gethsemane

We remember the Passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ

We have a Good Friday service but there is no Mass

During this service our Gospel reading details the events of our Lord’s Passion

We venerate the Cross honoring our Lord’s sacrifice for us

Good Friday

Holy Saturday/Easter Vigil Mass

At the Easter Vigil Mass (Saturday, March 26, 2016) we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ

At this service our catechumens and candidates will enter the Church through the Sacraments of Initiation… Baptism Confirmation Holy Eucharist

EASTER

Easter is not one day or one solemnity…it is a fifty day celebration, extending from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday

A season of solemnity and exaltation at the triumph of Jesus over sin and death

ORDINARY TIME

There is nothing ordinary about “Ordinary Time”

It is a time of spiritual growth, as we learn from the life and teachings of Jesus Christ

This is the part of the Liturgical Year in which Christ walks among us and transforms our lives

Ordinary comes from the Latin word “Ordinalis” which refers to numbers in a series

In Ordinary Time the Sundays/weeks are ordered or numbered

Following the Season of Christmas, Ordinary Time will extend to the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday

Following the Season of Easter we enter a second and longer period of Ordinary Time that will last until Advent

Holy Days of Obligation

Most days of obligation fall on a Sunday, however, 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. In the United States, the following 6 days of obligation are observed Christmas Day (December 25th)

Mary, the Mother of God (January 1st) The Ascension (7th Sunday of Easter)

The Assumption of Mary (August 15th)

All Saint’s Day (November 1st)

The Immaculate Conception (December 8th)

QUESTIONS?