This document discusses how to live out the liturgical year in a secular world dominated by consumer culture. It outlines the various seasons and feasts of the liturgical calendar, including Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time. It suggests ways for Catholics to more fully observe and celebrate these seasons at home through traditions, decorations, music, and Mass attendance in order to deepen their faith and experience of the mysteries of Christ throughout the year.

1. LIVING
THE LITURGICAL YEAR
IN A SECULAR WORLD
Joyce S. Donahue

2. WHY DO YOU KEEP A CALENDAR?

3. CALENDARS
• Mark seasons, weeks, days, events of significance
• They are reminders helping us to coordinate our
activities within our society and social groups
• Civilizations have had them for centuries

4. WHAT IS THE LITURGICAL (CHURCH) YEAR?
The annual cycle of liturgical seasons
in the Church that determines when
feast days, including celebrations of
saints, are to be observed, and which
portions of Scripture are to be read.
Notice:
The “calendar” is ROUND!

5. CONSTITUTION ON THE SACRED LITURGY
“Within the cycle of a year…
[the Church] unfolds the whole
mystery of Christ, from the
incarnation and birth until the
ascension, the day of Pentecost,
and the expectation of blessed
hope and of the coming of the
Lord.” (102)

6. SUNDAY – THE MOST IMPORTANT DAY
“By a tradition handed down from the apostles which took its
origin from the very day of Christ's resurrection, the Church
celebrates the paschal mystery every eighth day; with good reason
this, then, bears the name of the Lord's day or Sunday. For on this
day Christ's faithful are bound to come together into one place so
that; by hearing the word of God and taking part in the eucharist,
they may call to mind the passion, the resurrection and the
glorification of the Lord Jesus, and may thank God who ‘has
begotten them again, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead, unto a living hope’" (1 Pet. 1:3). (CSL 106)

7. THE LITURGICAL SEASONS – A YEAR OF GRACE
• Advent (four Sundays before Christmas)
• Christmas Time (until Baptism of the Lord)
• Ordinary Time in Winter
• Lent (40 days before Easter)
• Easter Triduum (Holy Thursday to vespers
on Easter Sunday evening)
• Easter Time (50 Days - ends with Pentecost)
• Ordinary Time (Summer and Fall –
ends with Christ the King)

10. SAINTS’ DAYS
The Sanctoral Cycle brings us closer to the
Saints, traditions and devotions of the
Church.
“…By celebrating the passage of these saints
from earth to heaven the Church proclaims
the paschal mystery achieved in the saints
who have suffered and been glorified with
Christ; she proposes them to the faithful as
examples drawing all to the Father through
Christ, and through their merits she pleads
for God's favors.” (CSL 104)

11. THREE KINDS OF CELEBRATIONS
SOLEMNITIES: Equal to Sundays. Some are obligations.
Solemnities have the same basic elements as a Sunday: three
readings, prayer of the faithful, the Creed and the Gloria.
FEASTS: honor a mystery or title of the Lord, of Our Lady,
or of saints of particular importance (such as the apostles and
Evangelists) and some of historical importance.
MEMORIALS: Usually celebrate the Saints, but may also
celebrate some aspect of the Lord or of Mary.

12. QUIZ: MEMORIAL, FEAST OR SOLEMNITY?
• All Saints
• Easter
• Presentation of the Lord
• Mary, Mother of God
• Transfiguration
• St. Francis
• Pentecost
• Immaculate Conception
• Our Lady of Guadalupe
• Christ the King of the Universe
• Exaltation of the Holy Cross
• Solemnity
• Solemnity
• Feast
• Solemnity
• Feast
• Memorial
• Solemnity
• Solemnity
• Feast
• Solemnity
• Feast

13. HOW DO PRIESTS KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN?
The Ordo
Each province of the
US has their own.
Each religious order
also has one with
their special feasts

14. WHAT’S ALL THAT GOT TO DO WITH…

15. THIS IS YOUR LIFE
Human Life in 30 Seconds https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l11HMtyiJac

16. OUR HUMAN TIMELINE

17. THE LITURGICAL YEAR AS A SPIRAL

18. TALK AMONGST YOURSELVES:
What is different
in my life today
from what it was
last year at this
time?

19. DISSONANCE: LITURGICAL YEAR VS
CONSUMER/SCHOOL-YEAR CULTURE
• The school year rules – September seen as time for “new beginnings”
• Advent is now chocolate calendars to countdown to Christmas
• Retail “Christmas” now begins before Halloween
• After-Christmas sales promote “back to normal” on Dec. 26th
• Lent – only acknowledged by serving fish on Fridays
• Easter is Sunday only – and it’s about bunnies, chicks, eggs, candy….
• Summer vacation/school-year cuts off Easter Season before Pentecost

20. LIVING THE LITURGICAL SEASONS

21. THE “ADVENT PROBLEM”
Advent Conspiracy: Enter the Story Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuvAmknqiqQ

22. NEW-CHURCH-YEAR RESOLUTIONS
• Celebrate the joy of being Catholic – live “Catholic identity”
• See the new liturgical year as an opportunity to get closer to Jesus
Christ
• Participate in a “year of grace” and see what happens!

23. HOW TO DO ADVENT AT HOME
• Savor the darkness – enjoy candlelight
• Decorate in stages - wreath, then tree
• Shop sanely and thoughtfully
• Enjoy family traditions – old and new
• Listen to Advent or “Winter Solstice” music
• Avoid hosting Christmas parties until after Dec. 24th

24. WHAT ABOUT SANTA CLAUS?
• Santa was a real person: St. Nicholas of Myra
• Santa Claus represents the boundless love of God and the
spirit of goodness and generosity that surrounds us, especially
as we prepare to celebrate Christmas.
• He shows us that good behavior is rewarded (and bad
behavior is not) - by others besides parents. This helps small
children to begin to understand good and bad choices.
• He teaches us that we are surrounded by good spirits who
watch over us. This can be a basis for children to understand
the Communion of Saints.

25. CHRISTMAS TIME AT HOME
• Make Christmas Eve and Day special – and go to
Mass as a family – or with other single friends
• Start the Wise Men on their journey toward your
Nativity scene
• Listen to and sing Christmas carols at least up to Epiphany
• Have an Epiphany (Twelfth Night) party
• Keep the Christmas tree up until at least Epiphany

26. ORDINARY TIME IN WINTER

27. HOW TO DO LENT
“The season of Lent has a twofold character:
primarily by recalling or preparing for baptism
and by penance, it disposes the faithful, who
more diligently hear the word of God and devote
themselves to prayer, to celebrate the paschal
mystery. (CSL 109)
“During Lent penance should not be only
internal and individual, but also external and
social.” (CSL 110)

28. THE PASCHAL TRIDUUM – THE 3 DAYS
DO less.
BE with Jesus…
and with the community
as it celebrates his
Paschal Mystery.
If you can’t be there all
through because of work
… be there mentally and
spiritually.
Cultivate a spiritual
mindfulness during
the 3 Days…

29. WHAT ABOUT THE EASTER BUNNY?
• The Easter Bunny is a German (Lutheran) tradition, brought
to the US in the 18th Century.
• The eggs represent new life and fertility – as does the
rabbit. Originally dyed red, to represent Jesus’ blood.
• Rabbit was originally a hare. In medieval times, hares
were believed to be able to reproduce but remain
virgins, so connection to the Virgin Mary.
• The rabbit, like Santa, judges children’s behavior.
• In our consumer culture, it’s now all about the stuff in the
basket.

30. EASTER TIME – 50 DAYS OF CELEBRATION
In parishes, we
tend to “let down”
after the big
celebration of the
Triduum is over.
The problem is how
to sustain the joy!
Celebrations of
First Communion,
Confirmation,and
Graduations are certainly
in keeping with the
season.
What else can we do?

31. ASCENSION & PENTECOST
These are NOT endings, but a new beginning!
Don’t let
these
feasts get
“lost” in
summer
vacation.
The Church
now has a
mission!
(What’s
YOUR
mission?

32. ORDINARY TIME IN SUMMER, FALL

33. SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK?