Tree of Life

Glory to the Newborn King!  As Christmas is one of the holiest days of the Church Year, (second only to Easter) it is celebrated by an  octave, which is 8 days of celebrating through January 1st, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. The 8 days of the octave hold the same solemnity as the feast day itself. Within The Octave of the Nativity of the Lord, the days after  Christmas , December 26th through the 28th honor the Martyrs of the Church in a special way. These days are the 2nd-4th days of Christmas. Some legends say that the 12 days of Christmas are a secret code to teach the faith during times of Christian persecution. Varying days throughout the Christmas season celebrate different aspects of the Christmas Mystery such as January 1st (the Octave Day of the Nativity) honors Mary’s obedience to the Will of God, and Her role in the Christmas mysteries as She gives birth to Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. Then there’s the The Feast of the Epiphany honors the visit of the Ma...

Today we celebrate the patron Saint of eyesight.  The customs of her feast day are celebrated just before Christmas and echo the celebration of the light of Christ shining in the darkness. Today is also the feast of the saint of eyesight  St. Odilia . The liturgical color for today is red for the martyrdom of St. Lucy.  A plenary indulgence is given for visiting a church on the feast of its titular Saint. Any church titled St. Lucy or St. Odilia  holds a plenary indulgence under the  normal conditions  (see indulgences section) and for praying the Creed and Our Father once.    About St. Lucy The Tomb of St. Lucy Customs for St. Lucy St. Lucy’s Wheat The Tears of St. Lucy Meteor Shower St. Lucy in Art St. Lucy Cartoon In the 2023 film “The Nun II” the relics of St. Lucy play a unique role. While the film has some factual errors regarding the consecration of the Eucharist, it’s interesting to see the attention paid to today’s Saint. 

    Today we celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe. A symbol of Mexican heritage, harmony among cultures and the tender compassion of Our Lady. Today we have the great treasure of the tilma of St. Juan Diego, no relic is as wondrous as this next to the burial shroud of Christ.  “ Am I not here, who is your Mother? Are you not under my protection? Am I not your health? Are you not happily within my fold? What else do you wish? Do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything.” -Our Lady to St. Juan Diego Today's liturgical color is white or gold for Mary's purity and holiness. An indulgence can be gained today under the usual conditions * if a church named for Our Lady of Guadalupe is visit and the Apostle's Creed and Lord's Prayer are recited. For those consecrated to Mary on this feast in previous years and renew their consecration a plenary indulgence can be gained today. To make this renewal more efficacious see  here . For members of the Rosary Confraternity and Living Rosar...

  Today we celebrate the translation of the Holy House of Loreto. Today is the date set aside as it was on this date that the miraculous translation occurred. In 2023 we recall in a special way the Holy House and it’s history with Palestine and we pray in a particular way for peace with the people of Palestine and Israel, a Ceasefire is the only means of pleasing the Mother of God! Mary is the bridge to God and as a devout Jewish woman who is revered by the Muslim community as mother of Jesus as prophet and Christians as mother of Jesus as God, we know She as mother of all mankind will delight in peace and understanding! Apollo 8 had a medal of Our Lady of Loreto on board! Note that in the Holy Land lies the coordinates/geographical place where the Incarnation took place but the house in Loreto is the actual location. In 2023 Our Lady of Loreto falls on the Second Sunday of Advent .  About Our Lady of Loreto The Shrine of Loreto The Black Madonna of Loreto The Litany of Loreto...

  "O' Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee!"   Today we celebrate the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Today is the dawning of our salvation for the Mother of God is conceived. The long wait for the Messiah is drawing ever nigh with the conception of His Mother. Of the four Marian dogmas, the Immaculate Conception, the Divine Maternity, Perpetual Virginity and the Assumption, we honor Mary’s life and holiness today, that God has chosen Her from the creation of the world to be the Mother of His Son, the New Eve. Today is NOT the celebration of Christ's conception, that is the Feast of the Annunciation on March 25th and is referred to as the Virginal/ Miraculous Conception of Christ. Although Jesus also was conceived without sin (as God) He is the sole person to be conceived of a virgin. We take time during this  Advent  season to recognize the great gift God gave us in the Blessed Virgin Mary and we desire to draw close to...

  Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Nicholas, the true Santa Claus (Saint ‘Claus). Today's feast is preceded by Krampusnacht. This is because on December 5th, St. Nicholas travels with Krampus, Santa rewards the good while Krampus punishes the naughty.   The primary custom of this day is to place shoes outside the door for St. Nicholas to fill. This custom is the origin of Christmas stockings which takes root in the story of St. Nicholas throwing coins down the chimney which landed in the stockings of local children to assist their family in their financial concerns. Today's liturgical color is white for the holiness of St. Nicholas. Today is a good day to watch any of the many movies about Santa Claus. A few I would recommend that are more fantasy but enjoyable are "The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus" or "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town". A more accurate depiction is the cartoon "Nicholas, the Boy Who Became Santa". About Saint Nicholas ...

        Today we honor the Mother of God being dedicated to God at Her Presentation in the Temple. Today's feast echoes Our Lady's service to God from even a young age. Mary Herself was dedicated to God at the moment of Her Immaculate Conception , today's feast is an extension of that feast as well as the feast of the Annunciation when Mary gives Her "Yes" to become the Mother of God. Today’s feast is also when we reflect on Mary’s vow of perpetual virginity.  Today's Liturgical color is white or gold for the holiness, purity and Immaculateness of Mary. The popular color for laypeople to wear for Marian feasts is blue. Artwork of Mary's Presentation   Marian Iconography A Mystical Vision of Mary's Presentation   Another Mystical Vision (Book 2, Chapter 1) The Jerusalem Temple  (It was in this temple that Our Lady was presented and was introduced to Simeon and Anna. These are the prophets who will greet Jesus upon His presentation in the tem...

  Today we celebrate Christ the King Sunday. This is the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year and thus today's feast focuses on the Kingship of Christ as we will experience it at the Second Coming. Next Sunday begins the new Liturgical Year where Advent begins and we recall the First Coming of Christ at Christmas, His Daily Coming in the Eucharist and we await with hope His Second Coming. During persecutions of the Church in Mexico, the Catholics were known to proclaim “Viva, Cristo Rey!” which means, Long Live Christ the King!  Today's Liturgical Color is White or Gold to honor the glory of Christ the King.   Prayer for Christ the King Sunday Indulgence  Conditions to Gain Indulgences About Today's Feast Christ Crowned with Thorns (Artwork) Christ in Majesty (Artwork) A Mystical Vision of Christ Crowned with Thorns Another Mystical Vision (Book 6 Chapter 6) Christ the King Sunday for Kids A Prayer to Christ the King O Jesus Christ, I acknowledge you as universa...

  Today marks the final day of All Hallows' Tide begun on Halloween, aka All Hallows' Eve.  Today's liturgical color is white or gold, as is worn at Masses of Christian Burial to symbolize the joy and glory of Heaven, the hope of Christians.  Today is day 2 of an extraordinary octave (8 days) where plenary indulgences can be gained for the souls in purgatory. From November 1st-8th by visiting a cemetery and praying (even mentally). A plenary  indulgence can also be gained from  Noon on All Saints until Midnight on All Souls by praying an Our Father and Apostle's Creed for the Pope's intentions at Church.  These conditions must also be met to gain indulgences:   About All Souls All Saints and All Souls Customs (To honor all the faithful departed including our fellow earthlings, the animals who have gone before us substitute for vegan milk and butter as well as vegan egg substitute or applesauce which is commonly used as an egg replacer in vegan de...

  “All ye holy Saints, men and women of God, pray for us!”  -The Litany of Saints  “Blessed be God in His Angels and His Saints!”  -The Divine Praises “I believe in the communion of Saints!” -The Apostle’s Creed   November starts off with the commemoration of All Saints Day! All Saints Day also known as All Hallows' Day follows All Hallows' Eve or Halloween and is the second of the three days traditionally known as All Hallows' Tide. Today we honor all of the Saints of God, canonized and yet to be canonized, known and unknown. Today's feast is a reminder of the universal call to holiness, made known at Vatican II. As a proud vegan Catholic I also wish you a  Happy World Vegan Day!  Today is also the beginning of  Dia de Los Muertos  in Hispanic cultures. Read more about  The Ofrenda , the special altar set up to remember the dead. Today would be a good day to watch movies about Dia de Muertos, such as Disney's  "Coco". In 2025 All ...

         Today we honor the feast day of the three archangels mentioned by name in sacred scripture: Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. St. Michael is the head of the heavenly army, the angel that thrust the devil into hell and mentioned in the Book of Revelation as having a special role in Christ’s Second Coming. St. Gabriel announced to Mary the Incarnation of Christ , that She would be His mother. St. Raphael assisted the prophet Tobias in the Old Testament and Christian tradition believes him to be one of the angels who stirs the healing waters of Bethesda . Today's feast used to be called Michaelmas (pronounced mickel-miss) before Saints Gabriel and Raphael were added to the feast of St. Michael. Just as Christmas gets it's name for the Mass of Christ today is for the Mass of Michael.     In Scotland, nuts are broken on the eve of today's feast. Bread is also blessed at Mass in honor of the deceased and given to the poor.      A ple...