The document summarizes the Church's liturgical calendar, including the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost. Each season has its own colors and celebrations that mark the unfolding of Jesus' life and ministry throughout the year. Key events like Christmas, Palm Sunday, Holy Week, Easter Vigil, and Pentecost are explained in one to three sentences. The calendar also lists important saints' feast days that are observed annually.
2. The Church’s year is
a cycle of ever
repeating occasions
and celebrations.
Throughout the
year the mystery of
Jesus’ life unfolds.
The Church even
has seasons. The
first of which is
Advent. Each season
has its own color. Jubilee 2000 Candle.
4. From the diagram we can see the Church’s
Liturgical Seasons have the following colors.
ADVENT PURPLE
CHRISTMAS WHITE, GOLD
LENT PURPLE
EASTER WHITE, GOLD
PENTECOST RED
ORDINARY TIME GREEN
5. The Church’s Calendar
Here is a list of important dates which occur
during the Church’s Year.
January 1st Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.
January 6th The Epiphany.
March 19th Saint Joseph.
March 25th The Annunciation of the Lord.
1st Sunday after Pentecost: Holy Trinity.
Thursday after Holy Trinity:Corpus Christi.
2nd Sunday after Pentecost: Sacred Heart of Jesus.
6. June 24th Birth of St John the Baptist.
June 29th Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles.
August 15th The Assumption of the Blessed
Virgin Mary.
November 1st All Saints.
November 2nd The Commemoration of all the
Faithful Departed.(All
Souls)
Last Sunday Ordinary Time: Christ the King.
December 8th Immaculate Conception of the
Blessed Virgin Mary.
December 25th Christmas Day.
7. Advent
Advent marks the
beginning of the
Church’s Year and lasts
four weeks leading up
to Christmas.
It is a season during
which we prepare
ourselves spiritually
for the Lord’s coming.
8. Popular Advent customs include:
The Advent wreath. On each Sunday
during Advent a candle is lit. The four
candles represent the light of Christ.
The Advent calendar has 24 pictures.
On each day one of the pictures is
revealed.
9. Christmas Time
Christmas is when we
celebrate the birth of
Our Lord and Savior,
Jesus Christ.
It is a time of great
rejoicing, joy, peace
and goodwill.
Christmas recalls the
mystery of the
Incarnation that is
God, in the person of
Jesus, became human.
10. At Christmas we listen
again to the stories of
Jesus’ birth. Of the
journey to Bethlehem,
the lack of room in the
Inn, the birth of the
child in a stable, the
rejoicing of the Angels
and the visitation of
the Shepherds and
Magi.
11. Christmas Day is the 25th of December.
This not the actual day on which Jesus
was born but a date chosen to replace the
old pagan festival of Saturnalia.
This great feast reminds us of the new
life that Jesus brings.
The gift of Jesus’ life is symbolized by
the gifts we give to each other.
12. Lent
The word Lent
comes from an Old
English word for
springtime. Lent is a
time of preparation
for Easter and lasts
for 40 days. Lent
begins on Ash
Wednesday and
reaches its climax
during Holy Week.
13. On Ash Wednesday we
receive a cross of ash on
our foreheads. This
reminds us that we need
to renew our friendship
with God. We are also
reminded that through sin
death entered the world.
Turn Away from sin.
And be faithful to the
Gospel.
14. Lent is an opportunity for us to make an extra
special effort to grow closer to God through
prayer and personal reflection.
Traditionally people make a personal sacrifice
which may mean going without some things.
Lent is also a time when we think of those
who struggle in their day to day existence. In
many places the Church has a Lenten Appeal
which collects money for an important cause.
15. Today we recall Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem on
a donkey.
Palm Sunday
Jesus was proclaimed “king” by the crowds
who gathered by the gate waving their palm
branches.
16. On the night before he died Jesus gathered
with the apostles to celebrate the Passover
meal. Before the meal, as example of service
and humility Jesus washed their feet. Later
that evening he took bread and said “this is my
body…”then he took wine and said “this is my
blood…” By doing this Jesus gave us the
Eucharist.
Holy Thursday
17. In the Holy Thursday
Mass we remember
the institution of the
Eucharist by Jesus at
the Last Supper.
We give thanks for
the ministry of
priesthood.
Also enacted is the
washing of feet as a
reminder that we
should follow Jesus’
example to serve.
18. Good Friday
Good Friday is probably
the most solemn day of
the Church’s year.
Throughout the world
Christians gather to
recall the events leading
up to Jesus’ crucifixion.
Traditionally in the
Church it is a quiet day of
prayer and reflection. We
recall the simple truth
that Jesus died on the
cross for our sins.
19. Easter
Easter is THE great feast of the Christian
Church.
The body of the crucified Jesus lay lifeless in
the tomb, his mother and disciples mourning
this most sad and tragic death.
Christ’s tomb. Church of the
Holy Sepulcher, Jerusalem.
20. When the woman arrived at the tomb on the
Sunday morning they found the stone rolled
away. An angel announced that Jesus was
not to be found in the world of the dead.
Soon after Jesus appeared to Mary
Magdelene and later to the apostles.
The garden tomb, Jerusalem.
21. The meaning of Easter is nowhere better
expressed than in the words of the
Eucharist.
“We praise you with greater joy than ever
in this Easter season when Christ became
our pascal sacrifice.
He has made us children of the light,
rising to new and everlasting life. He has
opened the gates of heaven to receive his
faithful people. His death is our ransom
from death; his resurrection is our rising
to life.
The joy of the resurrection renews the
whole world…..”
22. Our celebration of
Easter begins at the
Vigil Mass at midnight.
In this liturgy the
symbols of light and
water are used.
The congregation
gather outside the
Parish Church with their
priest. A paschal fire is
lit. From the pascal fire
worshippers light
candles and process into
the Church.
23. During the Vigil Mass the
congregation receive a
blessing with holy water,
the Paschal Candle is lit and
dedicated.
Incense is used to bless
the altar, lectionary,
priest and people.
Baptismal vows are
renewed.
During Easter catechumens
are received into the
Church and infants
baptised.
24. The Ascension
For forty days after the
resurrection Jesus
continued to appear to the
apostles and disciples.
When the time came for
Jesus to be taken up into
heaven he gathered the
apostles on the top of a hill.
There he spoke to them of
the coming of the Holy
Spirit.
When Jesus finished
speaking he was taken up
into the clouds and
disappeared from their
sight.
The Ascension by Giotto
25. Pentecost Sunday
Fifty days after the resurrection
the disciples together with Mary
the mother of Jesus gathered in a
single room.
Suddenly the whole house was
filled with a powerful wind and
small flames of fire rested over
their heads. They were all filled
with the Holy Spirit as Jesus
promised.
From now on the disciples began to
witness to the resurrection. This is
why Pentecost is called the
birthday of the Church.
27. You are more than welcome to
use this presentation within
your school or in your parish.
Please respect the hard work
that has gone into making it by
purchasing only authorized
copies from the author.
Kevin Havell.
kevinhavell@xtra.co.nz
