Liturgical Year

“Christ yesterday and today… All time belongs to Him and all the ages.” (Easter Vigil)

Introduction

The first words of the Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year and the Calendar, drawn from the Second Vatican Coun-cil’sConstitution on the Sacred Liturgy, summarize the pro-found meaning of the liturgical celebrations of the Church and their organization:

Holy Church celebrates the saving work of Christ on pre-scribed days in the course of the year with sacred remembrance. Each week, on the day called the Lord’s Day, she commemorates the Resurrection of the Lord, which she also celebrates once a year in the great Paschal Solemnity, together with His blessed Passion. In fact, throughout the course of the year the Church unfolds the entire mystery of Christ and observes the birthdays of the Saints. (no. 1)

The liturgical year consists of a seasonal cycle and a sanctoral cycle, called the Proper of Time and the Proper of Saints, respectively. Both are organized and published in a liturgical calendar, which is also enriched by observances proper to local Churches, whether national, diocesan, parish-level, or religious community. The Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ—His suffer-ing, death, and resurrection—is continuously proclaimed and renewed through celebrating the events of His life and in the feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints.

Liturgical

The liturgical year is made up of six seasons:

Advent– four weeks of preparation before the celebration of Jesus’ birth

Christmas– recalling the Nativity of Jesus Christ and His manifestation to the peoples of the world

Lent– a six-week period of penance before Easter

Sacred Paschal Triduum – the holiest “Three Days” of the Church’s year, where the Christian people recall the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus

Easter – 50 days of joyful celebration of the Lord’s resurrection from the dead and His sending forth of the Holy Spirit

Ordinary Time – divided into two sections (one span of 4-8 weeks after Christmas Time and another lasting about six months after Easter Time), wherein the faithful consider the fullness of Jesus’ teachings and works among His people.

The mystery of Christ, unfolded through the cycle of the year, calls us to live His mystery in our own lives. This call is best illustrated in the lives of Mary and the saints, celebrated by the Church throughout the year. There is no tension between the mystery of Christ and the celebration of the saints, but rather a marvelous harmony. The Blessed Virgin Mary is joined by an inseparable bond to the saving work of her Son, and the feasts of all the saints proclaim the wonderful works of Christ in His servants and offer the faithful fitting examples for their imitation.

Each liturgical year begins on the First Sunday of Advent during the preceding year.

Dear Parishioners, on the 11th Sunday of Ordinary Time we went from the Easter Season to Ordinary Time. I thought that this gives me the opportunity to share with all of you this article (Part 1 of 2) from the Unites States Conference of Catholic Bishop’s Article teaching us what the liturgical year is and means. As we begin Summer season I pray that we may have a relaxing and enjoyable summer break. My love and prayers always, ~~Fr. Steve