Traditions – Shane Lore

This list is mostly a copy-and-paste job from several websites and books: namely, Catholic Culture, Wikipedia, and The Catholic All Year Compendium by Kendra Tierney. I have brought everything into a certain “voice,” but the content is not my work, except for the more personal family-specific celebrations you will find (I leave these in here as a pattern for you to follow—adapt and insert your family’s story and favorite saints as you see fit). Not every saint is represented below. I tried to capture all of the major public celebrations from the medieval era, focusing mainly on the British Isles (England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland) and Germany. I sometimes branch out to Scandinavia and Southern Europe, and rarely to regions beyond—this book will only be totally applicable to your family’s “place” in the great Catholic constellation if you’re an old stock American family of mostly Northwestern European extraction. If that doesn’t describe your family, then feel free to add or remove other traditions from other parts of the world as you see fit. American national and regional holidays are included as well.

The point is to “fill in the gaps” where American Catholic life has forgotten many of the faith-deepening traditions that sustained Christian culture for centuries. This culture is deeply sacramental, which means it may look superstitious to Protestants and even to Catholics who have lost the “sacramental imagination.” Catholicism demands the “sacralization” of both time and place, and you will find that very thing in the venerable traditions of our ancestors. To resurrect them is not to “LARP,” but rather to reclaim a birthright.

I can send you the word document version of this booklet as well. You can edit that and then re-print the page you edited and insert that into your binder rather than reprint the whole document (it will result in some blank spaces on the new page). Let me know if you find traditions I missed.

Preliminaries and Guidelines:

Abstinence: required of all age 7 and above; forbids the eating of flesh meat and of broth made of meat, but does not exclude the use of eggs, dairy products, or seasonings made from the fat of animals.

Partial Abstinence:permits meat and soup or gravy made from meat, to be eaten only once a day, at the principal meal.

Fasting: required of all age 18 through 59; only one full meal a day is taken with two smaller meals that does not equal the main one. As to the kind of food and the amount that might be taken, the approved customs of the place are to be observed. It is not forbidden to eat both flesh meat and fish at the same meal, nor to interchange the midday and evening meals.

Abstinence is obligatory on all Fridays, except on Holy Days of Obligation outside of Lent.

Fasting and Complete Abstinence are obligatory on the following days:

Ash Wednesday
Fridays and Saturdays in Lent
Good Friday
Holy Saturday (until the end of the Easter Vigil Mass)
Ember day Friday (Wednesday and Saturday require fasting and partial abstinence)
Day before Pentecost
Day before the Assumption
Halloween
Christmas Eve

Fasting and Partial Abstinence are obligatory on all other weekdays of Lent (i.e., Monday through Thursday. Friday was always complete abstinence). This meant that meat could be eaten at the principal meal on these days. As well as

Ember days Wednesday and Saturday

Ember Days: the purpose of their introduction was to thank God for the gifts of nature, to teach men to make use of them in moderation, and to assist the needy. They occur on the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after certain feast days at four points in the year, around the changing of the seasons. The significance of the days of the week is that Wednesday was the day Christ was betrayed, Friday was the day He was crucified, and Saturday was the day He was entombed. Their timing:

Fasting days and Emberings be

Lent, Whitsun, Holyrood, and Lucie

Ember day weather is held to predict the weather of the rest of the year in two ways:

Wind-based: The season after the ember days will have as a prevailing wind the prevailing one during the ember days (some just consider the wind at midnight). That wind usually has an associated weather. Hence, if the southern wind brings dry air and clear skies, a southern wind during the winter embers forecasts a dry winter. And,

Considering each day separately: The Wednesday weather predicts the weather for the first month following; the Friday weather for the second month and the Saturday weather for the third month.

Major Moveable Days (a date range has been given for all moveable days):

George Washington’s Birthday (Presidents Day)

Columbus Day

Memorial Day

Ember Days

Holy Face of Jesus

Ash Wednesday

Maundy Thursday

Good Friday

Holy Saturday

Easter Vigil

Easter

Pentecost

Solemnity of the Sacred Heart

Thanksgiving

Holy Day Calendar

The Religious Significance of Each Month:

January: The Holy Name of Jesus

February: The Holy Family

March: St. Joseph

April: The Blessed Sacrament

May: Mary

June: The Sacred Heart of Jesus

July: The Precious Blood

August Immaculate Heart of Mary

September: The Seven Sorrows of Mary

October: The Holy Rosary

November: The Poor Souls in Purgatory

December: The Immaculate Conception

December 31^st: New Year’s Eve

The last day of the year is called “Sylvester” in Europe. This word is derived from the liturgical feast, celebrated on December 31, of St. Sylvester, pope and confessor, who died in the fourth century. He ruled the Church during the reign of Constantine when the Arian heresy and the Donatist schism had provoked great discord. He convoked the first Ecumenical Council of Nicaea.

Saints celebrated during the Christmastide are called Comites Christi, or “Companions of Christ.” St. Sylvestser baptized Constantine the Great, thereby bringing about the dawning not only of the New Year but of a new era; for this reason, the night before the New Year is called Sylvesterabend (Eve of St. Sylvester). The main item of Sylvester drinking is the punch bowl. Today there are quite a variety of punches. The modern form of punch originated in England in the early seventeenth century. It consists of alcohol, water, spice, sugar, fruit essence. The word seems to be an abbreviation of “puncheon,” which was the name of the cask from which grog used to be served on English ships. For your celebration, make a bowl of your favorite punch, with alcohol or not, to share with your family and friends.

Sylvester Punch

Ingredients:

Red burgundy (count one bottle for six people) (or red grape juice for a non-alcoholic alternative)
Equal amount of hot tea
12 cloves
Rind of 1 lemon
2 Tablespoons sugar to each bottle of wine
2 cinnamon sticks to each bottle of wine

Directions:

Pour the liquid into an enamel pot, add the cloves, the thinly pared rind of 1 lemon, the sugar, and the cinnamon. Heat over a low flame but do not allow to boil. At the last moment add the tea. Serve hot.

Recipe Source: Around the Year with the Trapp Family by Maria Augusta Trapp, Pantheon Books Inc., New York, New York, 1955

Festive hats and merrymaking objects should be on hand to contribute to the spirit of the night. At the stroke of midnight, the front and back doors are opened and much noise and commotion is made—cheering, banging of pots and pans, and the ringing of bells. This alerts evil spirits that they are to depart from the house, leaving it clean of their influence in the new year. Occupants should also enter through the front door and leave through the back to signify the passing of the year.

Fireworks can also scare off all the evil spirits from the year past who may be trying to hang around too long. A clean home represents a fresh start for the new year. In the South, some people even get out and put a fresh coat of paint on the house if it’s warm enough. But there’s a catch: make sure you get everything clean before Jan. 1 or the day after. Nothing should leave the house on the first day of the New Year – certainly not Christmas trees — to signify not losing anything important to you. Make sure the cupboard is full. A bare cupboard could mean a similarly barren year.

Many people play cards or other games of chance on this evening, as the night is linked with chance and fortune.

January 1: Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (Circumcision of Christ)

Note: Christmas runs from Christmas Day until January 5, which is also called Twelfth Night. January 6 is called Epiphany.

The twelve days leading to Epiphany (Twelvetide) are then the time for all the merry making and party throwing and frolicking about in fancy clothes. Each morning the family should sing that day’s portion of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” song around the Christmas tree. Gifts can be given each day of Twelvetide corresponding to the day’s gift in the song.

The circumcision of Jesus has traditionally been seen, as explained in the popular 14th-century work the Golden Legend, as the first time the blood of Christ was shed, and thus the beginning of the process of the redemption of man, and a demonstration that Christ was fully human, and of his obedience to Biblical law. A plenary indulgence may be gained by reciting or singing the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus on the first day of the year. This hymn is traditionally sung for beginnings of things, calling on the Holy Spirit before endeavoring something new.

Prayer to be said on New Year’s Day

O God, Heavenly Father of Mercy, God of all Consolation! we thank Thee that from our birth to this day, Thou hast so well preserved us, and hast protected us in so many dangers; we beseech Thee, through the merits of Thy beloved Son, and by His sacred blood which He shed for us on this day in His circumcision, to forgive all the sins which, during the past year, we have committed against Thy commandments, by which we have aroused Thy indignation and wrath against ourselves. Preserve us in the coming year from all sins, and misfortunes of body and soul. Grant that from this day to the end of our lives, all our senses, thoughts, words, and works, which we here dedicate to Thee for all time, may be directed in accordance with Thy will, and that we may finally die in the true Catholic Faith, and enjoy with Thee in Thy kingdom a joyful new year, that shall know no end. Amen.

First footing: The first-foot doesn’t enter the house empty-handed – any first-footers who do arrive empty-handed will bring bad luck with them. Instead, the first-foot should bring a selection of gifts for the household, which can include; a silver coin; shortbread or a black bun; salt; coal; and a drink, usually whisky. They represent prosperity, food, flavor, warmth for the house, and good cheer – the whisky is used to toast the new year. Generally, the first-foot should be a tall dark-haired male who is not already in the house when midnight strikes. A boy with dark hair was considered to be lucky for the household and he was given the best food and drink the inhabitants had to share (a blond first-footer betokened Viking invaders and was bad luck).

This blessing from the Isle of Man should be given:

A merry Christmas on ye, and a very good year,
Long life and health to the whole household.
Your life and mirth living together,
Peace and love between women and men.
Goods and wealth, stock and store,
Plenty potatoes and enough herring.
Bread and cheese, butter and beef,
Death, like a mouse, in the stackyard of the barn.
Sleeping safely when you lie,
and the flea’s tooth, may it not be well.

Eating of black-eyed peas in the South started during the War: Union General Sherman and his troops raided the Confederate food supplies but left the black-eyed peas and salted pork, thinking they were animal foods. The Confederate soldiers considered this good fortune since they still had food left to eat. Some New Year’s Eve traditions involve cooking the black-eyed peas with a dime or coin. And the person who receives the coin is then “extra lucky” the next year. Collard greens: Besides being a healthy food, which brings good luck in the form of good health, collard greens are said to bring in the cash for the new year.But there’s also a pretty good reason Southerners eat greens around New Year: they’re still in season! Rounding out the New Year’s trifecta of traditional foods, an excellent steaming pan (or skillet) of cornbread represents golden opportunities and pocket money (wealth) in the New Year. Pork: people consider pigs to be an animal of “progress.” Hog jowls — the meaty, tough pig cheek — often make their way to New Year’s Day tables in the South. Hog jowls are cured, kind of like bacon. They kept for a long time, and one pig often fed an entire family for months.

This blessing of beer to be drunk this day may be said (this prayer attributes the power of brewing to God and asks Him to make the beverage beneficial to man. The father sprinkles beer with holy water and prays):

Bless, O Lord, this created thing, beer, which by Thy power has been made from kernels of grain. May it be a healthful beverage for men; and grant that by invoking Thy holy Name all who drink thereof may find it a help for the body and protection for the soul. Amen.

The hymn “Veni Creator Spiritus ” (“Come, Holy Spirit, Creator Blest”) carries a plenary indulgence on this day and should be sung.

January 2: Saint Basil the Great

St. Basil was a brilliant student born of a Christian family in Caesarea, Cappadocia (Turkey). For some years, he followed the monastic way of life. He vigorously fought the Arian heresy. He became Bishop of Caesarea in 370. The monks of the Eastern Church today still follow the monastic rules which he set down.

During a time of famine, the emperor demanded an excessive tax from the people of Caesarea, so each family had to give up all their valuables – money and/or jewelry. Upon finding out this injustice, St. Basil fearlessly defended his people, calling the emperor to repentance. The emperor was moved by St. Basil’s speech, canceled the tax and returned all the valuables to the Saint. The Saint was faced with a daunting task: out of a large amount of items, he had to return each one to its rightful owner. He prayed, then prepared a huge cake and baked the treasures inside of it. After calling his flock to prayer, he blessed and cut the cake, offering a piece to each person. Miraculously, each owner received his own valuables in his piece of the cake. Vasilopitas have been baked on St. Basil’s feast day every year since his repose, to commemorate this miracle.

Vasilopita Cake Recipe from Orthodox Pebbles

Ingredients

1 cup softened butter
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
2 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
grated zest from one orange and one lemon, both unwaxed
1 tsp vanilla
powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wrap the coin in a small piece of aluminum foil.
Generously butter a 9-inch springform pan and dust all over with flour.
Beat all the ingredients together using a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until very light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Pour mixture into pan and bake for about 45 minutes, or until wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. You can either mix the coin in the raw dough after you pour the dough in the pan, or insert the coin at the bottom of the cake after it is baked.
Let the cake cool and dust with powdered sugar. It is customary to write the number of the year in a decorative fashion on the cake’s surface.

** The above can be made with a 8-inch springform pan, which must cook for 10 additional minutes (55 minutes) until the skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Decorate it by printing the numbers out on paper, cutting them out, laying them on the cake and then sprinkling the entire cake with powdered sugar. Next carefully lift the letters up to reveal “2021” on the cake.

St. Basil’s Bread is blessed on his feast day. The family gathers at the table where the bread is placed along with an icon of St. Basil. The parts marked leader are done by the father.

Prayer:

Leader: Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us!

All: Amen.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (three times) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever. Amen.

Most holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us of our sins. Master, forgive our transgressions. Holy One, come to us and heal our infirmities for Your Name’s sake.

Lord, have mercy. (three times)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever. Amen.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Leader: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever.

All: Amen.

Troparion – Tone 1 Your voice resounds throughout the world * which has excepted the lessons so well taught by you. * You have given explanation of divine truths. * You have clarified the nature of created things. * You have made a rule of life for men. * By your royal priesthood, O venerable father Basil, * intercede with Christ to save our souls.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever. Amen.

Kondakion – Tone 4 O venerable and heavenly inspired Basil, * you were a firm foundation of the Church * by giving to all treasure * and impressing them with your teachings.

Leader: Let us pray to the Lord.

All: Lord, have mercy.

Prayer of Blessing

Leader: O Lord, King of the Ages and Creator of all things; You are abounding in mercy and plenteous in goodness! You accepted the gifts of the Wise Men in Bethlehem. You are the Bread of Life Who came down from heaven. You put times and years under Your authority and hold our lives in Your hands. Hear us on this auspicious day of the beginning of this New Year of (name the year) and bless + this sweet bread which is offered for Your glory and honor and in memory of our Father among the Saints Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappodocia. O Generous One, look down from heaven and send down Your heavenly gifts upon us, those who prepared this bread and all who shall partake of it, because we have placed our hope in You, the Eternal Living God! Bless our coming and going, enrich our lives with Your abundant blessings and direct our steps in the working of Your Divine commandments, because we shall not live by bread alone. Through the intercessions of Your all-pure and holy Mother, of our Father amoung the Saints, Basil the Great, and of all Your Saints, who have pleased You over the ages.

All: Amen.

The leader takes a knife and incises the sign of the Cross in the bottom of the loaf. It is then cut. It is eaten after the prayers are complete.

Closing Prayers

All: Lord, have mercy. (three times)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever. Amen.

More honorable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, who, a virgin, gave birth to God the Word, true Birth-giver of God, we magnify you!

Leader: Lord Jesus Christ, our true God, circumcised in the flesh, through the prayers of His most pure Mother, of Saint Basil the Great, whom we honor this day and of all the saints, have mercy on us and save us.

All: Amen.

“Consider yourself, who you are, what resources have been entrusted to you, from whom you have received them, and why you have received more than others. You have been made a minister of God’s goodness, a steward of your fellow servants… Resolve to treat the things in your possession as though belonging to others.” – St Basil the Great

Pack lunches to distribute to the homeless this day in the spirit of St. Basil.

January 3: Most Holy Name of Jesus

From Apostolic times, the Church has professed that “at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:10). Through the particular efforts of St. Bernardine of Siena, devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus was promoted through the inscription of the monogram of the Holy Name (IHS) and the addition of the name Jesus to the Hail Mary. In 1597, Pope Sixtus V first granted an indulgence for the uttering of the phrase used so often by the present Holy Father and included among the pious invocations of the current Enchiridion Indulgentiarum: “Praised be Jesus Christ!” Catholics should bow their heads discreetly whenever the Sacred Name is uttered at any time.

Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus

The Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus is one of the three main litanies in honor
of our Lord, the other two being the Litany of the Sacred Heart and the
Litany of the Precious Blood.

This Litany carries a partial indulgence.

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy. Jesus, hear us.

Jesus, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of Heaven,

have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world,

have mercy on us.

God, the Holy Spirit,

have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, Son of the living God,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, Splendor of the Father,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, Brightness of eternal Light,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, King of Glory,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, Sun of Justice,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, most amiable,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, most admirable,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, the mighty God,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, Father of the world to come,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, Angel of great counsel,
have mercy on us.

Jesus, most powerful,
have mercy on us.

Jesus, most patient,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, most obedient,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, meek and humble of heart,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, Lover of Chastity,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, our Lover,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, God of Peace,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, Author of Life,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, Model of Virtues,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, zealous for souls,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, our God,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, our Refuge,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, Father of the Poor,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, Treasure of the Faithful,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, good Shepherd,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, true Light,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, eternal Wisdom,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, infinite Goodness,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, our Way and our Life,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, joy of the Angels,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, King of the Patriarchs,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, Master of the Apostles,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, Teacher of the Evangelists,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, Strength of Martyrs,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, Light of Confessors,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, Purity of Virgins,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, Crown of all Saints,

have mercy on us.

Be merciful, spare us, O Jesus!

Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Jesus!

From all evil,

deliver us, O Jesus.

From all sin, etc.

From Thy wrath,

From the snares of the devil,

From the spirit of fornication,

From everlasting death,

From the neglect of Thine inspirations,

Through the mystery of Thy holy Incarnation,
deliver us, O Jesus.

Through Thine Nativity, etc.

Through Thy Infancy,

Through Thy most Divine Life,

Through your Labors,

Through Thine Agony and Passion,

Through Thine Cross and Dereliction,

Through Thine Sufferings,

Through Thy Death and Burial,

Through Thine Resurrection,

Through Thine Ascension,

Through Thine Institution of the Most Holy Eucharist,

Through Thy Joys,

Through Thy Glory,

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,

spare us, O Jesus!

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,

graciously hear us, O Jesus!

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,

have mercy on us, O Jesus!

Jesus, hear us.

Jesus, graciously hear us.

Let Us Pray.
O Lord Jesus Christ, Thou has said, “Ask and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:” mercifully attend to our supplications, and grant us the grace of Thy divine charity, that we may ever love Thee with our whole heart, and with all our words and deeds, and may never cease from praising Thee.

Make us, O Lord, to have a perpetual fear and love of Thy Holy Name, for Thou dost never fail to govern those whom Thou solidly establishest in Thy love. Thou, Who livest and reignest forever and ever. R. Amen.

Psalm 8 should be recited in honor of the Holy Name this night as well.

The devotion to the Holy Name became so popular in Italy that the IHS trigram was often inscribed over the doorways of houses. IHS accordingly should be pasted or painted over the front door of the home on this day.

The “Little Gospel”, or the Gospel of the Holy Name of Jesus, is a devotion that according to tradition, was mystically revealed by Jesus Christ to Marie of St Peter in 1847, in a monastery in Tours, France. It consists of a tiny leaflet on which are printed the short Gospel of the Circumcision, consisting of Luke 2:21 which mentions the giving of the name “Jesus“; a picture of Christ; the initials IHS representing the Holy Name of Jesus; and some invocation together with the lines, “When Jesus was named — Satan was disarmed.” This leaflet is folded into a small square, enclosed in a small pouch, and distributed to the faithful, who are encouraged to frequently say: “Blessed be the Most Holy Name of Jesus without end” while wearing it.

In the Latin-speaking Christianity of medieval Western Europe, the most common Christogram became “IHS” or “IHC”, denoting the first three letters of the Greek name of Jesus, ΙΗΣΟΥΣ, iota–eta–sigma, or ΙΗΣ. The Greek letter iota is represented by I, and the eta by H, while the Greek letter sigma is either in its lunate form, represented by C, or its final form, represented by S.

Get in the habit of praying silently, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do,” when someone is heard using the Lord’s name in vain.

January 5 or January 1 to 7: Epiphany Eve (see Epiphany entry)

January 6 (but usually transferred to the Sunday after January 1—January 2 to 8): Epiphany

Christmas runs from Christmas Day until January 5, which is also called Twelfth Night. January 6 is called Epiphany. In many places Epiphany is transferred to the first Sunday after January 1. If that’s the case, Christmas should still be celebrated for all twelve days, but it may make more sense to celebrate Epiphany on its “eve,” which would be the Saturday night preceding Epiphany Sunday.

Epiphany is the day in which the arrival of the Magi (or Wise Men) is celebrated.. Their arrival marked the moment that Christ’s identity as the Son of God was revealed to Gentiles (i.e., us). Take three statues of the wise men and slowly move them closer to the home nativity scene each night, starting Christmas Day. They should arrive by January 6^th, Feast of the Epiphany.

The twelve days leading to Epiphany are the time for all the merry making and party throwing and frolicking about in one’s finest. Each morning the family should sing that day’s portion of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” song around the Christmas tree.

A large Twelfth Night party should be held to mark the end of the season on the night of January 5th (or on the Saturday night preceding the transferred solemnity), sometimes even with a reversal of rolls – the servants of the wealthy would be served by their employers, parents should listen to children (within limits and as a game), and all should celebrate together. January 6 is then the day when the tree should come down and the decorations should go back into storage (or decorations can stay up until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, if Epiphany has come early because of being transferred).

Sing Twelve days of Christmas, since Epiphany eve was traditionally the twelfth day of Christmas. Listen to Christmas carols and watch Christmas movies through January 6th.

On the twelfth night (or on the Saturday night before Epiphany if it’s been transferred), have a White Elephant party. Have international cuisine (as a nod to the wise men coming from different countries—Melchior from Europe, Caspar from Asia, and Balthasar from Africa) and play the white elephant gift-giving game. Each person shops and selects the most ugly, outrageously horrible thing he can find. He keeps this carefully hidden until he wraps it for the Epiphany Party on the eve of Epiphany.

The first person who has been selected to open a gift chooses one and opens it. The second person to open a gift has a choice: he can either “steal” the gift of the first person, or open a new one from the table. If the second person “steals” the gift, he takes it from the first person and then the now present-less first person goes back to the table and gets to open a new gift. Then the third person gets to make the same choice: “steal” or open a gift. You can’t steal the gift just stolen from you. Once a gift is stolen for the third time, it’s frozen to that person. The same procedure goes for the fourth person, fifth, etc, until all the gifts have been opened. At the end, the first person can choose to steal an unfrozen present and so on, until someone decides to stop. Then the game is over.

The last good presents should be given on Epiphany (the Wise Men are still roaming the earth, and they bring presents by on this day as they did for the Child Jesus all those years ago). To entice them to come bearing gifts to your house, bake a New Orleans-style King Cake for Twelfth Night.

New Orleans King Cake

INGREDIENTS

Cake:

2 packages dry yeast

1/3 cup warm water

1/2 cup sugar (divided, 1/3 cup plus remaining amount, 2 Tbsp., see reason below)

1 stick butter

2/3 cup evaporated milk

2 teaspoons salt

4 eggs

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind

2 tablespoons finely grated orange rind

5 cups flour plus 1 cup for kneading surface

Filling:

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

1 stick butter, melted

Topping:

Either 1 egg beaten or Confectioner’s Sugar Icing (see below)

Then 1/3 cup each colored sugar of purple, yellow and green

2 plastic babies (3/4 inch) or 2 red beans

Confectioners’ Sugar Icing

1 cup powdered (Confectioners’) sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1-2 Tablespoons milk

DIRECTIONS

Cake Melt 1 stick butter, milk, 1/3 cup sugar and salt in a saucepan. Cool to lukewarm. Combine 2 tablespoons sugar, yeast and water in a large mixing bowl. Let stand until it foams (5-10 minutes). Beat eggs into yeast mixture, then add milk mixture and lemon and orange rinds. Stir in flour, 1/2 cup at a time, reserving 1 cup for the kneading surface. Knead dough until smooth (about 5-10 minutes). Place in large mixing bowl that has been greased. Turn dough once to grease top; cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

For filling, mix pecans, brown sugar, granulated sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

For topping, tint sugar by mixing in food coloring until desired shade is reached. For purple, use equal amounts of blue and red. (Use just a drop or two at a time).

When dough has doubled, punch down and divide in half. On a floured surface, roll half into a rectangle 30 x 15 inches (this can take a long time, and the dough gets to be very thin). Brush with half of the melted butter and cut into 3 lengthwise strips. Sprinkle half of sugar mixture and pecans on strips, leaving a 1-inch lengthwise strip free for sealing. Fold each strip lengthwise toward the center, sealing the seam. You will now have three 30-inch strips with sugar and nut mixture enclosed in each. Braid the 3 strips and make a circle by joining the ends. Repeat with the other half of the dough.

Place each cake on a 10″ x 15″ baking sheet, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Brush each egg and (optional) sprinkle top with colored sugars, in sequence.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 20 minutes or until cake tests done. Remove from baking sheet immediately so that sugar will not harden. While still warm, place 1 plastic baby or bean in each from underneath the cake.

At this point make Confectioner’s Sugar Icing (Mix powdered sugar, vanilla and milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until spreadable (mixture will thicken slightly as it sets) and then sprinkle colored sugar in different sections of the cakes over the icing.

To freeze, wrap cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap. Before serving, remove plastic and thaw. The cake is best if heated slightly before serving.

Stick a little plastic baby Jesus into the bottom of the already-cooked cake. Whoever finds it is the King of Epiphany, crowned with a paper crown. The king or queen gets to assign others his chores and choose the meals for the day.

The gifts from the Wise Men are found early morning on the doorstep (usually candy or smaller gifts). Shoes and hay/grass/lettuce should’ve been left outside the front door the night before. Kids get to wear crowns all day to impersonate the magi, with the “High King” being the one who got the Baby Jesus in his king cake piece. Gold-covered chocolate coins are appropriate treats to trade around. An epiphany mystery play can be performed if there are enough participants (or it can be performed jointly with another family; it should mostly consist of children playing the parts of the magi).

The house blessing occurs during the week after Epiphany. If it’s the first blessing of a new house, have a priest do it. If not, use blessed chalk and write “20 + C + M + B + 22” (if the year were 2022, for instance) above the home’s entrance. Blessed chalk can be disposed of by burying it in the yard.

House Blessing Prayer:

On entering the home,

Leader: (Priest, if present, or father of the family) : Peace be to this house.
All: And to all who dwell herein.

All: From the east came the Magi to Bethlehem to adore the Lord; and opening their treasures they offered precious gifts: gold for the great King, incense for the true God, and myrrh in symbol of His burial.

All Pray the Magnificat. During the Magnificat, the room is sprinkled with holy water and incensed. After this is completed,

Leader: Our Father. . .
And lead us not into temptation

All: But deliver us from evil.
Leader: All they from Saba shall come
All: Bringing gold and frankincense.
Leader: O Lord, hear my prayer.
All: And let my cry come to You.

Leader: Let us pray. O God, who by the guidance of a star didst on this day manifest Thine only-begotten Son to the Gentiles, mercifully grant that we who know Thee by faith may also attain the vision of Thy glorious majesty. Through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Leader: Be enlightened, be enlightened, O Jerusalem, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee—Jesus Christ born of the Virgin Mary.

All: And the Gentiles shall walk in thy light and kings in the splendor of thy rising, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon thee.

Leader: Let us pray.
Bless, + O Lord God almighty, this home, that in it there may be health, purity, the strength of victory, humility, goodness and mercy, the fulfillment of Thy law, the thanksgiving to God the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. And may this blessing remain upon this home and upon all who dwell herein. Through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

After the prayers of the blessing are recited, each room of the home is sprinkled with Epiphany water and incensed. The initials of the Magi are inscribed upon the doors with the blessed chalk. (The initials, C, M, B, can also be interpreted as the Latin phrase “Christus mansionem benedicat” which means “Christ bless this house”.)

During the chalking, the following prayer can be said:

“The three Wise Men, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, followed the star of God’s Son, who became man two thousand nineteen years ago (or whatever the current year). May Christ bless our home and remain with us throughout the new year. Amen.

Visit, O blessed Lord, this home with the gladness of your presence. Bless all who live or visit here with the gift of your love; and grant that we may manifest your love to each other and to all whose lives we touch. May we grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of you; guide, comfort, and strengthen us in peace, O Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen.”

Nativity sets stay out to Candlemas (February 2)

January 7 to 13: Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (First Sunday or Monday after Epiphany)

Baptism of the Lord is celebrated on the Sunday after the observation of Epiphany, unless Epiphany falls on January 8, in which case the Baptism of the Lord is observed on Monday, January 9^th. The next day is the end of Christmastide, and Ordinary Time begins.

All men should plunge into icy waters to commemorate this feast. We honor the Baptism of the Lord by offering up the discomfort of jumping into the cold water of a nearby lake or river. This is a good test of manliness and strength for boys. Godparents of the children should be invited over for a meal today and to witness the renewal of baptismal vows. In the evening of this day everyone renews their baptismal promises and is sprinkled with holy water.

Dear brethren,
through the paschal mystery
we have been buried with Christ in baptism,
so that we may walk with him in newness of life.
And so, now that our Nativity observance is concluded,
let us renew the promises of Holy Baptism,
by which we once renounced Satan and his works
and promised to serve God in the holy Catholic Church.

And so I ask you:

V. Do you renounce sin,
so as to live in the freedom of the children of God?

R. I do.

V. Do you reject the lure of evil,
so that sin may have no mastery over you?

R. I do.

V. Do you reject Satan,
the author and prince of sin?

R. I do.

V. Do you believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth?

R. I do.

V. Do you believe in Jesus Christ,
his only Son, our Lord,
who was born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered death and was buried,
rose again from the dead,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father?

R. I do.

V. Do you believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Holy Catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting?

R. I do.

V. And may almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
who has given us new birth
by water and the Holy Spirit,
and bestowed on us forgiveness of our sins,
keep us by his grace,
in Christ Jesus our Lord,
for eternal life.

R. Amen.

January 17: Saint Anthony of Egypt

Saint Antony, called the Great, lived in Egypt between A.D. 251 and 356. At age 18, the Gospel text “If you wish to be perfect, go and sell all that you have and then follow me” so moved him that he left everything behind and retired to an inaccessible place in the wilderness where he dedicated his life to God in manual work and continual prayer. In his old age, he imparted wisdom to his disciples and encouraged them to lead a monastic life. Because he was the first Christian to retire to a monastic life, he is considered to be the first monk and also the father of all monks. During his periods of prayer and fasting in the desert, his only companions many times were the animals. Falling as it does in mid-January, the Feast of St. Anthony is a propitious time for regeneration of the cosmos. The blessing of domestic animals on this feast day is considered auspicious, keeping away harmful forces from the home and land, bringing fertility and fecundity.

Blessings of Farm Animals (from the Rural Life Prayerbook)

A Blessing for All Domestic Animals

V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.

R. Who has made heaven and earth.

V. The Lord be with you.

R. And with your spirit.

Let us pray: Lord God, You are King of heaven and earth. You are the Word of the Father, and through You He has given us all created things for our support. We beg You now to consider our lowly position. Just as You have given us help in our labors and needs, so, in Your most kind mercy, bless these cattle and beasts of burden with a heavenly blessing, and guard and preserve them.

Be so kind, too, as to give us, Your servants, along with benefits that do not last, Your unfailing grace, so that we may gratefully praise and glorify Your holy name, who live and are King and God with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit for ever and ever.

R. Amen.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

R. Amen.

(Sprinkle animals with holy water.)

This simple soup can be made in honor of the thin gruel St. Anthony subsisted on in the desert:

St. Anthony of the Desert Soup:

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons oil of choice

1 cup barley

1 carrot, finely grated

2 leeks, sliced

1 bay leaf

1/3 cup fresh parsley, minced

salt to taste

7 cups water

1 bouillon cube, if desired

chopped mushrooms, if desired

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a soup pot and add the barley, stirring continuously for one minute. Immediately add the carrot, leeks, bay leaf, parsley, salt, and water.

2. Cook the soup over low to medium heat, covered, for 40 to 45 minutes, until the barley is tender. Add more water if needed. For extra taste, add the bouillon and the mushrooms during the last 20 minutes of simmering. Remove the bay leaf. Serve hot.

Recipe Source: From a Monastery Kitchen: The Classic Natural Foods Cookbook by Brother Victor-Antoine d’Avila-Latourrette, Gramercy Books, 1997

January 20: Saint Agnes’ Eve (see Saint Agnes entry)

January 21: Saint Agnes

St. Agnes was a beautiful young Christian girl of good family who lived in Rome in the early 4th century. The son of a Roman prefect wanted to marry her but she refused him, as she had decided to devote herself to Christ. St. Agnes knew her vocation from a young age. She said, “I will have none other spouse but Him, I will seek none other. In no manner may I leave Him, with Him am I firm and fastened in love, which is more noble, more puissant and fairer than any other, Whose love is much sweet and gracious, of Whom the chamber is now for to receive me where the virgins sing merrily.” Angered by her refusal, the snubbed suitor denounced her to the authorities as a Christian. Agnes’ punishment was to be thrown into a public brothel.

She was however spared this terrible ordeal. All the men who attempted to rape her were immediately struck blind or paralyzed. Her virginity was also preserved by thunder and lightning from Heaven.

Now condemned as a witch and sentenced to be burnt to death, the young martyr was tied to the stake but the wood would not burn; one of the guards then beheaded her with his sword. Agnes was only 12 or 13 years old when she died on 21st January 304.

When her parents visited her tomb eight days later, they were met by a chorus of angels, including Agnes with a white lamb by her side. The lamb, a symbol of purity, is one of the symbols associated with St Agnes. St Agnes is the patron saint of chastity, girls, engaged couples, rape victims, and virgins.

St. Agnes intercedes to find maids their future vocations. Young women who desire to be married should ask for her intercession regarding their future husbands (and possible clues to who that might be) on the eve of her feast in a few ways. The most important is to fast from sundown until the next morning and stay silent. A litany of Our Fathers should also be said for each needle pulled out of a pincushion stuffed with them. Walking backwards and falling into bed also demonstrates trust in the will of God in the matter. Sometimes after midnight the girl who prays in this way may be given a dream of her future husband.

The Eve of St. Agnes by John Keats can be read on the eve of the feast if time permits.

January 22 or 23: Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of the Unborn

The Bishops of the United States have decreed: “In all the Dioceses of the United States of America, January 22 (or January 23, when January 22 falls on a Sunday) shall be observed as a particular day of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life and of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person [man] committed through acts of abortion.” January 22nd is the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that struck down restrictions against the murder of unborn children and forced abortion on all fifty states. Since 2022, that decision has mercifully been struck down. The scourge of legalized child-murder has been (at this time) eliminated from the State of Tennessee. However, many states in this country still permit and even encourage such barbaric evil. This day should continue to be observed as a day of prayer and penance therefore. Abstinence and fasting should accompany prayers, particularly the Rosary.

January 25: Conversion of Saint Paul the Apostle

St. Paul, named Saul at his circumcision, a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, was born at Tarsus, the capitol of Cilicia. He was a Roman citizen. He was brought up as a strict Jew, and later became a violent persecutor of the Christians. While on his way to Damascus to make new arrests of Christians, he was suddenly converted by a miraculous apparition of Our Lord. From a fierce persecutor he became the great Apostle of the Gentiles. He made three missionary journeys which brought him to the great centers of Asia Minor and southern Europe and made many converts. Fourteen of his Epistles are found in the New Testament. He was beheaded in Rome in 66, and his body is kept in the Basilica of St. Paul near the Ostian Way.

Listen to a rendering of Mendelssohn’s “Saint Paul.” Upon January 25 depends the weather of the entire coming year: the Shepherd’s Almanack for 1676 states that sun on St. Paul’s means a good year; rain or snow foretells indifferent weather; a mist means want, and thunder twelve months of wind and death. Another prediction is that:

If Saint Paul’s day be faire and cleare

If doth betide a happy yeare;

But if by chance it then should rain

It will make deare all kinds of graine;

And if ye clouds make dark ye skie,

Then neats and fowls this yeare shall die;

If blustering winds do blow aloff,

Then wars shall trouble ye realm full oft.

January 28: Saint Thomas Aquinas

St. Thomas Aquinas is the Dominican order’s greatest glory. He taught philosophy and theology with such genius that he is considered one of the leading Christian thinkers. His innocence, on a par with his genius, earned for him the title of “Angelic Doctor.”

St. Thomas’ feast is celebrated on March 7 in the 1962 Missal. Today a visit should be made to a Eucharistic Adoration chapel if possible and one of the many Eucharistic hymns St. Thomas composed should be sung or recited before the Blessed Sacrament. In the evening, pray the Litany of St. Thomas. This interesting litany, with a number of unusual invocations, is found among other places in The Angel of Aquino, translated from the German, published by the Sisters of St. Dominic, Racine, Wisc. 1924, with Archbishops Messmer’s imprimatur.

Prayer:

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of heaven, Have mercy on us. God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us. God, the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on us. Holy Trinity, one God, Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Pray for us. Glorious Mother of the King of kings, Pray for us. Saint Thomas of Aquin, Pray for us. Worthy child of the Queen of Virgins, Pray for us. St. Thomas most chaste, Pray for us. St. Thomas most patient, Pray for us. Prodigy of science, Pray for us. Silently eloquent, Pray for us. Reproach of the ambitious, Pray for us. Lover of that life which is hidden with Christ in God, Pray for us. Fragrant flower in the parterre of Saint Dominic, Pray for us. Glory of the Friars Preachers, Pray for us. Illumined from on high, Pray for us. Angel of the Schools, Pray for us. Oracle of the Church, Pray for us. Incomparable scribe of the Man-God, Pray for us. Satiated with the odor of His perfumes, Pray for us. Perfect in the school of His Cross, Pray for us. Intoxicated with the strong wine of His charity, Pray for us. Glittering gem in the cabinet of the Lord, Pray for us. Model of perfect obedience, Pray for us. Endowed with the true spirit of holy poverty, Pray for us.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world: Spare us, O Lord. Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world: Graciously hear us, O Lord. Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world: Have mercy on us.

Antiphon: Oh, how beautiful is the chaste generation with glory, for the memory thereof is immortal, because it is known with God and man, and it triumpheth crowned forever.

V. What have I in heaven, or what do I desire on earth! R. Thou art the God of my heart, and my portion forever.

Let us pray. O God, Who hast ordained that blessed Thomas should enlighten Thy Church, grant that through his prayers we may practice what he taught. Through Christ Our Lord. R. Amen.

Prayer Source: Kyrie Eleison — Two Hundred Litanies by Benjamin Francis Musser O.F.M., The Magnificat Press, 1944

January 29 to February 4: First of Seven Sundays to Honor the Joys and Sorrows of Saint Joseph

Beginning at the end of January, on each of the seven Sundays preceding the feast of St. Joseph, receive Communion in his honor and remember one of the seven joys and sorrows of St. Joseph, found in Scripture. Also pray the Litany of St. Joseph, in which he is remembered as the “Terror of Demons,” among other things. The Seven Sorrows and Seven Joys of St. Joseph are (from Devotions – Year of St. Joseph (yearofstjoseph.org):

Joseph’s Seven Sorrows:

1. The doubt of St. Joseph

(Matt. 1:19)

2. The poverty of Jesus’ birth

(Luke 2:7)

3. The Circumcision

(Luke 2:21)

4. The prophecy of Simeon

(Luke 2:34)

5. The flight into Egypt

(Matt. 2:14)

6. The return from Egypt

(Matt. 2:22)

7. The loss of the Child Jesus

(Luke 2:45)

Joseph’s Seven Joys:

1. The message of the Angel

(Matt. 1:20)

2. The birth of the Savior

(Luke 2:10-11)

3. The Holy Name of Jesus

(Matt. 1:25)

4. The effects of the Redemption

(Luke 2:38)

5. The overthrow of the idols of Egypt

(Is. 19:1)

6. Life with Jesus and Mary at Nazareth

(Luke 2:39)

7. The finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple

(Luke 2:46)

January 31: Eve of Saint Bridget

Weave a St. Brigid’s Cross of straw or rushes and place it inside the house over the door and leave a piece of clothing or strip of cloth outside for Brigid to bless (see next entry).

February 1: Saint Bridget of Kildare

Saint Bridget, known lovingly in her own land as “Mary of the Gael”: according to the scholars the name is rightly Brigit, but the common spelling is Bridget, and hers is the name borne by more girls in Ireland than any save one, that of Mary. She is associated with Saint Patrick, who baptized her and who had her help in converting Ireland; when he died it was she who stitched his shroud. Born about 450, she founded the nunnery of Kildare, the first on Irish soil.

In Celtic lands the dandelion is called “Saint Brigit”s flame,” so every time you see this flower think of that bright flame of faith, Saint Bridget, who carried on the work of Saint Patrick and whose watchword was “mercy.” In the hearts of the Irish, Bridget stands for all that is sweetest and best and most human in women. An old story tells that she was born of a slave mother and taken from her at birth, but when she was older she set out to rejoin the lonely old woman and found her “at a mountain dairy having twelve cows with her, and she collecting butter.”

Baskets filled with apples and fragrant bread are “Brigit alms,” and it is said she left to her countrywomen her gift of simple healing — for most Irish women have some elementary knowledge of medicine and herbal remedies.

The distinctive St. Brigid’s Cross design, made from woven rushes, is hand created from rushes and is thought to keep evil, fire, and hunger from the homes in which it is displayed. There was an old pagan Chieftain who lay delirious on his deathbed in Kildare (some believe this was her father) and his servants summoned Brigid to his bedside in the hope that the saintly woman might calm his restless spirit. Brigid is said to have sat by his bed, consoling and calming him and it is here that she picked up the rushes from the floor and began weaving them into the distinctive cross pattern. Whilst she weaved, she explained the meaning of the cross to the sick Chieftain, and her calming words brought peace to his soul. He was so enamoured by her words that the old Chieftain requested he be baptized as a Christian just before his passing.

Since that day, and for the centuries that followed, it has been customary on the eve of her Feast Day (1st February) for the Irish people to fashion a St. Brigid’s Cross of straw or rushes and place it inside the house over the door. This should be done by all the faithful on her feast day if not completed the day before.

Brigid is said to do good on Earth on the eve of her feast. Before going to bed, each member of the household should leave a piece of clothing or strip of cloth outside for Brigid to bless. In the morning, there may be some sort of sign that Brigid has passed that way in the night or morning. The clothes or strips of cloth are brought inside and should now have healing and protecting effects, especially for headaches and sore throats. The blessed clothing is called Bratog Bride.

Also on her feast special cakes are served with ale, called barinbreac, and sometimes barmbrack or barnbreak. Make the barmbrack below and serve with beer.

Barmbrack:

INGREDIENTS

4 ounces butter

1-1/2 pounds flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 Tablespoons currants

1 Tablespoon caraway seeds

sugar

buttermilk

DETAILS

Prep Time: 2 1/2 hours

DIRECTIONS

Rub the butter into the flour which has been sifted with the soda. Add the currants and the caraway seeds and a very little sugar. Add sufficient buttermilk to make a wet dough — one that will drop into the pan. Bake at 300° F. for two hours.

Recipe Source: Feast Day Cookbook by Katherine Burton and Helmut Ripperger, David McKay Company, Inc., New York, 1951

February 2: Candlemas, or the Purification of the Virgin Mary (Presentation of the Lord)

In Jewish tradition, new mothers were not allowed to enter the temple until they had been purified by an offering forty days after the birth. As Mary entered the temple for her purification, the family was greeted by an old man, Simeon, whom God had promised would not die until he had seen the Lord. When he saw the baby Jesus, he took him from his mother’s arms and held him up declaring that he could now die because that promise was fulfilled that day. He called Him “a light for revelation to the Gentiles,” and so began the association of this day with light.

Candlemas should feature a penitential procession with the people carrying candles through the church yard, past the graves and into the church. The choir should sing the Nunc Dimittis – Now may I depart in peace O Lord – the words of Simeon on seeing the Incarnation of God. The candles should be decorated and kept throughout the year to be burned as protection against storms and sickness. An extra donation to the church should be given this day.

Crepes are a traditional food for this day, along with the lighting of blessed candles (beeswax if possible) around the home. The year’s supply of candles should be bought and brought to Mass this day and blessed by the priest. Only blessed candles (no electric lights) should be used to light the evening meal of crepes. A blessed candle should light evening prayer that night (a Joyful Rosary is appropriate).

This is the day any remaining Christmas decorations should be put away (special dishes, or nativity sets). Today is also Groundhog Day, a tradition begun by the Pennsylvania Dutch. The belief is that if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day and sees its shadow due to clear weather, it will retreat to its den, and winter will go on for six more weeks; if it does not see its shadow because of cloudiness, spring will arrive early. “If Candlemas Day is clear and bright, winter will have another bite. If Candlemas Day brings cloud and rain, winter is gone and will not come again.” Also, if a lark is heard singing, that is a sign of an early spring.

Crepe recipe:

Crack 7 eggs into a blender

Fill blender with whole milk to 5 cup line

Add 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour to the blender, adding 1/2 cup of it at a time, blending in between additions

Blend until thoroughly mixed and bubbly

Ladle about 1/2 cup of batter onto a hot, buttered or sprayed, griddle

Wait for crepe to look bubbled, then loosen all the way around with a metal spatula, and flip

Cook on second side until lightly browned, then remove onto plate

To serve, fill with whipped cream, nutella, jam, and/or fresh fruit

For savory crepes, use whole wheat flour, and serve filled with meat and cheese

Makes about twelve 12-inch crepes

Candle traditions to observe this day:

A bright spark in the wick is sometimes said to indicate that a stranger is coming or that a letter will arrive for the person nearest to the candle. A wavering flame where there is no draft is a harbinger of windy weather. A candle that doesn’t light easily foretells rain, and a bluish flame means frost.

It is very ill-omened to leave a candle burning in an empty room. The only exception is the Christmas candle which should be left to burn all through the night of Christmas Eve to light the way for the Holy Family and also to ensure light, warmth and plenty in the coming year. This can be accomplished with an electric candle for safety reasons.

To snuff out a candle by accident is a sign of a wedding; and no candle should ever be allowed to burn down to the socket of the candlestick. It should be blown out before that. Otherwise, misfortune may come to someone in the house, and in certain coastal areas, a sailor or fisherman may drown at sea.

It is very unlucky to light three candles with a single taper. This is similar to the avoidance of lighting three cigarettes with one match, which should not be done. It is also asking for misfortune to burn only three candles at the same time.

It is ill-omened to light a candle from the fire on the hearth. There are those who believe that if a person does this, they will become impoverished.

February 3: Saint Blaise

St. Blaise was an Armenian physician before he became a priest and then a bishop, and he was martyred in the fourth century. He once miraculously cured a boy on the verge of death with a bone stuck in his throat. A special sacramental — the blessing of throats — takes place on this day, and the aid of St. Blaise is asked in delivering the faithful from throat ailments and other evils. The family should attend Mass on this day to receive this special blessing. St. Blaise is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.

February 5: Saint Agatha

St. Agatha died in defense of her purity, in Catania, Sicily, where she was born. After Quintanus, the governor of Sicily, tried in vain to force her to consent to sin, she was imprisoned for a month with an evil woman. He then turned from sensuality to cruelty and had her breasts cut off; but that night Agatha was healed by St. Peter. She was then rolled over sharp stones and burning coals, and finally taken to prison where she died while praying. Her name appears in the Roman Canon, and she is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. Take time this day also to invoke her intercession for those suffering from breast cancer, of whom she is the patroness.

She is associated with fertility: pray this day to St. Agatha for a greater openness to the transmission of new life in our culture, and actively affirm and support young couples with children in some way. St. Agatha is also the patron saint against fire. Take this day to establish a fire escape plan for the family and to practice a family fire drill. Also check the smoke detectors, fire alarms, and carbon monoxide detectors to see if they are all working.

In iconography, Saint Agatha is often shown carrying her breasts on a platter, though later artists thought the breasts to be either bells or loaves of bread, leading to the custom of blessing bread on Saint Agatha’s feast day and her patronage of bell makers.

Saint Agatha Rolls:

Ingredients

1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

1/2 cup warm milk

1 egg

1/3 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

1/4 cup butter, softened

Directions

Place water, milk, egg, 1/3 cup butter, sugar, salt, flour and yeast in mixer and knead for 7 minutes.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 12 inch circle, spread 1/4 cup softened butter over entire round. Cut each circle into 8 wedges. Roll wedges starting at wide end; roll gently but tightly. Place point side down on ungreased cookie sheet. Cover with clean kitchen towel and put in a warm place, let rise 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden.

The loaves should be taken to a priest for blessing along with a small holy card of St. Agatha and written prayers of protection against fire. The prayers should then be hung above the main door of the home to invoke St. Agatha’s guardianship, and a piece of a loaf should be preserved in the home to ward off poor harvest or famine.

February 6: Saint Paul Miki and Companions (the Japanese Martyrs)

Paul Miki, a Japanese Jesuit, and his twenty-five companions were martyred in Nagasaki, Japan. They were the first martyrs of East Asia to be canonized. They were taken to a hill outside the city where they saw crosses lying on the ground waiting for them. They sang a Te Deum, the traditional song of thanksgiving, when they saw how they were to die. Then they allowed the executioners to tie them onto the crosses and fasten metal bands around their necks so they would keep their heads erect. The crosses were lifted up and dropped into holes in the ground. The people heard Paul Miki preach inviting them to conversion. Finally soldiers pierced each prisoner’s chest with a lance. Their executioners were astounded upon seeing their joy at being conformed the Passion of Christ. The hill on which they died became known as “the Holy Mountain.”

A Te Deum should be sung today in honor of these saints and in thanksgiving for all of our crosses.

February 11: Our Lady of Lourdes

Today marks the first apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1858 to fourteen-year-old Marie Bernade (St. Bernadette) Soubirous. Between February 11 and July 16, 1858, the Blessed Virgin appeared eighteen times, and showed herself to St. Bernadette in the hollow of the rock at Lourdes. On March 25 she said to the little shepherdess who was only fourteen years of age: “I am the Immaculate Conception.” Since then Lourdes has become a place of pilgrimage and many cures and conversions have taken place.

Things to do this day: watch The Song of Bernadette, a masterpiece filmed in 1943; bring flowers (roses would be appropriate) to the statue of Our Lady at the home altar; obtain some Lourdes holy water and give the parental blessing to the children; and give extra care to the sick in the community.

Parental Blessing Prayer:

[Parents place their hands on the head of the kneeling child and say] I bless you, my child, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. [Then they make the Sign of the Cross upon the forehead with the thumb of the right hand. If all of the children are blessed at the same time, the parent simply traces a cross over them while the words are pronounced. Appropriate words to the occasion may also be used.]

A letter to an absent son or daughter might include a “God bless you, my child.” Also, the parents, when they are at the point of death, should give their last blessing to their children.

February 12: Abraham Lincoln Day

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation through the American Civil War and succeeded in preserving the Union, abolishing slavery, bolstering the federal government, and modernizing the U.S. economy. February 12 is his birthday. The Gettysburg Address should be read, and the pledge of allegiance said. Road trips to various sites associated with his life are also encouraged.

February 14: Saint Valentine’s Day (and sobriety anniversary)

St. Valentine of Rome lived and ministered as a priest during the reign of the Roman Emperor Claudius, in the early 200s. Claudius began to understand that single soldiers fought more vigorously and valiantly than married soldiers, that is, they were willing to die more readily for the Empire. So, he made it illegal for young men to get married. In direct violation of the Emperor’s edict, Valentine performed clandestine marriage rites for the young couples. For this, St. Valentine was martyred in about the year A.D. 269. Birds are also thought to begin looking for their mates on February 14, around the time when the sounds of the first songbirds after winter are heard. For men, the day is an occasion to seek the affections of women and give out handwritten messages of admiration that include St. Valentine’s name. Couples should also write letters to one another and eat a special meal together. Some believe that a young lady will eventually marry the first male that she meets on St. Valentine’s Day.

In thanksgiving for sobriety, sing a Te Deum this evening.

February 15 to 21 (the Third Monday in February): Birthday of George Washington, or Presidents’ Day

Originally established in 1885 in recognition of President George Washington, the holiday became popularly known as Presidents’ Day after it was moved as part of 1971’s Uniform Monday Holiday Act, an attempt to create more three-day weekends for the nation’s workers. The story of Presidents’ Day’s date begins in 1800. Following the death of George Washington in 1799, his February 22 birthday became a perennial day of remembrance. While Washington’s Birthday was an unofficial observance for most of the 1800s, it was not until the late 1870s that it became a federal holiday. Senator Stephen Wallace Dorsey of Arkansas was the first to propose the measure, and in 1879 President Rutherford B. Hayes signed it into law. The Uniform Monday Holiday Act (passed 1968, effective 1971) also included a provision to combine the celebration of Washington’s birthday with that of Abraham Lincoln, which fell on February 12. Lincoln’s Birthday had long been a state holiday in places like Illinois, and many supported joining the two days as a way of giving equal recognition to two of America’s most famous statesmen.

This day a cherry pie should be made, based on the episode from Washington’s youth of chopping down a cherry tree. Since 1862 there has been a tradition of reading George Washington’s Farewell Address on his birthday and/or Presidents’ Day. Citizens asked that this be done in light of the ongoing Civil War, and it is a pious practice to do this aloud in the home today.

Southern Cherry Pie (from Paula Deen; makes one 9-inch pie):

Ingredients

3 pounds pitted fresh cherries

¼ cup almond liqueur

¼ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon salt

1 (14.1-ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°.

In a large saucepan, cook cherries, liqueur, and granulated sugar over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt until smooth; stir cornstarch mixture into cherry mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is very thick, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.

On a lightly floured surface, roll pie crust to a 12-inch circle. Press into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Pour cherry mixture into prepared crust.

Unroll remaining piecrust onto a lightly floured surface. Using a pastry wheel or knife, cut into 1-inch-wide strips. Weave strips in a lattice onto cherry mixture. Trim pastry strips even with pie plate, and press edges of crusts together. Fold edges under, and crimp as desired. Brush lattice with cream, and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.

Bake until filling is hot and bubbly and crust is browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for at least 1 hour before serving.

February 3 to March 9 (Tuesday before Ash Wednesday): Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras) and Feast of the Holy Face of Jesus

Shrove comes from the English word for being shriven of sins in Confession. Confession should be attended this day. Carne Vale, from whence “carnival,” means “a farwell to meat,” which is what occurs this day in dramatic fashion before the penances of Lent.

Pancakes are prepared and enjoyed, because in so doing a family can deplete their eggs, milk, butter, and fat which used to be required parts of the Lenten fast. In former times, some areas of the Church abstained from all forms of meat and animal products, while others made exceptions for food like fish. For this day, make [insert surname] Family pancakes for Shrove Tuesday. Pancake races form an important part of the Shrove Tuesday celebrations – an opportunity for large numbers of people, often in fancy dress, to race down streets tossing pancakes. The object of the race is to get to the finishing line first, wearing an apron and a headscarf and carrying a frying pan with a cooked pancake in it and flipping the pancake as you run. Organize a contest for the children to run a race flipping pancakes as they go.

All the candy and sweets on hand should be eaten this day to rid the house of temptation during Lent. A king cake may also be made if there are not enough desserts on hand already:

New Orleans King Cake

INGREDIENTS

Cake:

2 packages dry yeast

1/3 cup warm water

1/2 cup sugar (divided, 1/3 cup plus remaining amount, 2 Tbsp., see reason below)

1 stick butter

2/3 cup evaporated milk

2 teaspoons salt

4 eggs

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind

2 tablespoons finely grated orange rind

5 cups flour plus 1 cup for kneading surface

Filling:

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

1 stick butter, melted

Topping:

Either 1 egg beaten or Confectioner’s Sugar Icing (see below)

Then 1/3 cup each colored sugar of purple, yellow and green

2 plastic babies (3/4 inch) or 2 red beans

Confectioners’ Sugar Icing

1 cup powdered (Confectioners’) sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1-2 Tablespoons milk

DIRECTIONS

For filling, mix pecans, brown sugar, granulated sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

For topping, tint sugar by mixing in food coloring until desired shade is reached. For purple, use equal amounts of blue and red. (Use just a drop or two at a time).

Place each cake on a 10″ x 15″ baking sheet, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Brush each egg and (optional) sprinkle top with colored sugars, in sequence.

To freeze, wrap cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap. Before serving, remove plastic and thaw. The cake is best if heated slightly before serving.

In 1748, Pope Benedict XIV instituted the “Forty Hours of Carnival,” whereby prayers were offered and the Blessed Sacrament was exposed in churches during the three days preceding Ash Wednesday. In a letter entitled, “Super Bacchanalibus,” he granted a plenary indulgence to anyone who adored the exposed Blessed Sacrament by offering prayers and making atonement for sins. Eucharistic adoration should therefore be done if at all possible on Mardi Gras. Because today is also the traditional honoring of the Holy Face of Jesus, the Holy Face Chaplet should be said. Devotion to the Holy Face was revealed by Jesus to Sr. Marie of St. Peter (1816-1848), a Carmelite nun of Tours in France.

February 4 to March 10 (the Wednesday 46 days before Easter): Ash Wednesday

The time has now come in the Church year for the solemn observance of the great central act of history, the redemption of the human race by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In the Roman Rite, the beginning of the forty days of penance is marked with the austere symbol of ashes which is used in today’s liturgy. The use of ashes is a survival from an ancient rite according to which converted sinners submitted themselves to canonical penance. Psalm 51 (Miserere) should be recited in the evening along with the Commination Office against sinners from the Book of Common Prayer (taken from the ancient English Sarum Rite). A soup is an appropriate evening meal.

This prayer should be said as a family from Ash Wednesday to the first Saturday of Lent before a Crucifix:

Prayer:

Mother or a child: From the words of St. John the Evangelist (14:1-6): Let not your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many mansions. Were it not so, I would have told you, because I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again, and I will take you to myself, that where I am, there you also may be. And where I go, you know, and the way you know.

Father: We ought to glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ

Family: in whom is our salvation, life and resurrection.

Father: Let us pray. Grant to your faithful, Lord, a spirit generous enough to begin these solemn fasts with proper fervor and to pursue them with steadfast devotion. This we ask of you through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son.

Family: Amen. Favor this dwelling, Lord, with your presence. Far from it repulse all the wiles of Satan. Your holy angels—let them live here, to keep us in peace. And may your blessing remain always upon us. This we ask of you through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son.

Father: Let us bless the Lord.

Family: Thanks be to God.

Father: May the almighty and merciful Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless and keep us.

Family: Amen.

Prayer Source: Holy Lent by Eileen O’Callaghan, The Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota, 1975

During Lent, Stations of the Cross should be attended at a local parish every Friday or said in the home, with candles and the singing of the Stabat Mater. The Friday fast can be ended with a Southern fish fry in the evening using traditional recipes. The home should be appropriately decorated to reflect a somber atmosphere. “Memento Mori” can be emblazoned on things; skulls can adorn tables and mantles. Only Sundays and solemnities are fast-free; Catholics should endeavor to perform partial abstinence on all other days. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday ideally should be “black fasts”: only one meal per day of bread, water, and herbs, after sunset. At the very least, extra pious practices should be taken up during Lent. It can be helpful to write reminders and post them in the home of individual or collective penances to encourage follow-through.

The ashes received this day are made from the burned remains of the palms from Palm Sunday of the preceding year. On or before this day, all blessed palms in the house should be taken to the yard and burned. They can be sprinkled on a garden or plant as a blessing.

The Alleluia is not said during Lent; an appropriate “farewell” should be given it the night before Ash Wednesday. The word should be written or carved fancily on paper or wood and solemnly buried in the back yard, with this poem said (from a farewell service of the Mozarabic liturgy of Spain from the ninth or tenth century):

Stay with us today, Alleluia,

And tomorrow thou shalt part.

When the morning rises,

Thou shalt go thy way.

Alleluia, alleluia.

The mountains and hills shall rejoice, Alleluia,

While they await thy glory.

Thou goest, Alleluia; may thy way be blessed,

Until thou shalt return with joy.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Thus the Alleluia is sung for the last time and not heard again until it suddenly bursts into glory during the Mass of the Easter Vigil when the celebrant intones this sacred word after the Epistle, repeating it three times, as a jubilant herald of the Resurrection of Christ.

Today a “Jack o’Lent” is made out of old clothes and straw (usually not life-size). Its meaning is manifold: partly an effigy of Judas Iscariot, partly a symbol of passing winter, and partly a representation of the “old man” of sin and the flesh that we hope to put off during Lent. It should be stoned and thrown about today, and then imprisoned until Palm Sunday, when it is burned.

March 6: Remember the Alamo Day

The Battle of the Alamo’s finale is commemorated on Alamo Day, which takes place on March 6 every year. The Battle of the Alamo came to a brutal conclusion on March 6, 1836, 13 days after a sporadic battle, rounding off a critical milestone in the Texas Revolution. That morning, just before daybreak, the last onslaught occurred. The north wall was broken, and Mexican forces surged into the enclosure, rousing many of the Texans within. The fight spanned 90 minutes, with considerable hand-to-hand action involved. The fort was retaken by Mexican soldiers and virtually all of the Texan defenders, including Tennessean frontiersman Davy Crockett, were killed.

From March through May, Mexican soldiers controlled the fort; however, on April 21, Sam Houston and his men overcame Santa Anna’s army at San Jacinto. They screamed “Remember the Alamo” as they stormed, and Houston’s triumph ensured Texas independence. Texas was annexed by the United States almost a decade after in 1845.

The U.S. Army stationed troops and supplies in the fort for many years after that. The state of Texas purchased the Alamo in 1883 and eventually acquired the property rights to the surrounding lands, which totaled about four acres. The Alamo attracts roughly 2.5 million visitors each year and remains a national symbol of perseverance and resistance.

This day is celebrated by listening to Johnny Cash’s “Remember the Alamo,” watching one of the movie renditions of the event, discussing the Texas Revolution and our ancestor’s role as a Texas Ranger at the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836, and praying the Office of the Dead for the gallant defenders who gave their lives that day. A Texas flag should be displayed in the home.

March 11, 13, 14 to April 17, 19, 20: Spring Ember Days, or the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after the First Sunday of Lent (offer flowers to give thanks for the rebirth of nature and for the gift of light)

Four times a year, approximately three months apart, near the beginning of each season of the solar cycle (winter, spring, summer, and autumn), the Church sets three days aside (a total of twelve days in a year) to ask for blessings upon mankind, and to pray in gratitude for the blessings of nature, particularly those used by the Church in her Liturgy, such as olives, grapes, and wheat. This is also a time set apart to thank God for the sacraments and pray for priests, particularly those who were being ordained. These days are marked with prayer, fasting, and abstinence and stress spiritual renewal; Ember Days could be regarded as quarterly spiritual check-ups.

Spring seems to be a misnomer, as the Vernal Equinox is almost four weeks away. But the word Lent comes from the Anglo-Saxon word lencten, which means Spring. Although the Northern Hemisphere might currently be experiencing wintry conditions, there are unmistakable signs that spring is near. The other Ember Days mark thanksgiving for different harvests, but the Lent Ember Days do not. Instead, this is a time of consecrating the new spring to God and asking blessing on the upcoming growing season. This is also a time of thanksgiving for the gift of light. Instead of harvest offerings on Ember Wednesday, flowers are presented and blessed. Attend mass during one of the Ember days, have spring flowers blessed by the priest, and place them in a prominent place within the house.

March 14: Saint Matilda of Ringelheim

This princess was daughter of Theodoric, a powerful Saxon count. Her parents placed her very young in the monastery of Erford, of which her grandmother Maud was then abbess. Our Saint remained in that house, an accomplished model of all virtues, till her parents married her to Henry, son of Otho, Duke of Saxony, in 913, who was afterwards chosen king of Germany. He was a pious and victorious prince, and very tender to his subjects.

Whilst by his arms he checked the insolence of the Hungarians and Danes, and enlarged his dominions by adding to them Bavaria, Maud gained domestic victories over her spiritual enemies more worthy of a Christian and far greater in the eyes of Heaven. She nourished the precious seeds of devotion and humility in her heart by assiduous prayer and meditation. It was her delight to visit, comfort, and exhort the sick and the afflicted; to serve and instruct the poor, and to afford her charitable succor to prisoners. Her husband, edified by her example, concurred with her in every pious undertaking which she projected.

She was betrayed by Otto after Henry’s death when he falsely accused her of financial mismanagement. She was acquitted and redoubled her efforts at distributing alms.

For this day, we say this prayer before an image of St. Matilda:

All good and holy God, we come to You this day asking for particular graces. Through the intercession of Your beloved daughter, St. Matilda, we ask that You hear and answer our prayer. May her example of steadfast faith and ceaseless charity be an encouragement for us to lead a holy life. By imitating her virtues, may we also come to share in her reward and behold the vision of Your radiant and lovely face in Heaven. We ask all these things through Your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.

March 15: Andrew Jackson Day

Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. He was born in the colonial Carolinas before the American Revolutionary War and eventually built a plantation called The Hermitage outside Nashville. Each year on March 15, the President of the United States sends a beautiful wreath to commemorate Andrew Jackson’s birthday. If possible, visit the Hermitage of Andrew Jackson today and participate in the festivities there. Listen to “The Battle of New Orleans,” a folk song sung by either Johnny Horton or Johnny Cash, and discuss his military and political exploits. A “hickory pole,” symbol of Jacksonian Democracy, should be displayed prominently in the home today.

March 17: Saint Patrick

St. Patrick was born about 385 in the British Isles, was carried off while still very young during a raid on Roman Britain by the Irish and sold as a slave. At the end of six years he contrived to escape to Europe, became a monk and was ordained; he then returned to Ireland to preach the Gospel. During the thirty years that his missionary labors continued he covered the Island with churches and monasteries; in 444 he founded the metropolitan see of Armagh. St. Patrick died in 461.

Although a small country, Ireland has played a large role in saving and spreading Christianity throughout the world. During the early Dark Ages, the Irish monasteries preserved Western writings while Europe remained in darkness. But as the Catholic country remained solidly Catholic, the Irish spread the faith to all corners of the world. To learn more on this subject, read Thomas Cahill’s How the Irish Saved Civilization.

Green should be worn this day–Ireland is known for its lush, green scenery, and is called “The Emerald Isle” because of it. The first association of the color green with Ireland is from the 11th century Lebor Gabála Érenn (The Book of the Taking of Ireland). It tells of Goídel Glas (Goídel the green), the eponymous ancestor of the Gaels and creator of the Goidelic languages (Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Manx). Goídel is bitten by a venomous snake but saved from death by Moses placing his staff on the snakebite, leaving him with a green mark. His descendants settle in Ireland, a land that would one day be free of snakes (St Patrick drove them out with his bishop’s crozier like Moses parted the Red Sea with his staff). Green also symbolizes the Gaelic, Catholic order of old Ireland. Alternatively or in addition, wear a bunch of shamrocks pinned on the right breast. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City should be viewed on television if possible (or an actual march attended if nearby). The New York Parade is now the longest running civilian parade in the world with as many as three Million spectators watching the Parade of over 150,000 participants.

After the evening Rosary, say together St. Patrick’s Breastplate:

I arise today, through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the threeness, through confession of the oneness, of the Creator of Creation.

I arise today, through the strength of Christ’s birth with his baptism, through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial, through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension, through the strength of his descent for the judgment of Doom.

I arise today, through the strength of the love of the Cherubim, in obedience of angels, in the service of archangels, in the hope of the resurrection to meet with reward, in the prayers of patriarchs, in prediction of prophets, in preaching of apostles, in faith of confessors, in innocence of holy virgins, in deeds of righteous men.

I arise today, through the strength of heaven; light of sun, radiance of moon, splendor of fire, speed of lightning, swiftness of wind, depth of sea, stability of earth, firmness of rock.

I arise today, through God’s strength to pilot me: God’s might to uphold me, God’s wisdom to guide me, God’s eye to look before me, God’s ear to hear me, God’s word to speak to me, God’s hand to guard me, God’s way to lie before me, God’s shield to protect me, God’s host to save me, from the snares of devils, from temptations of vices, from every one who shall wish me ill, afar and anear, alone and in a multitude.

I summon today, all these powers between me and those evils, against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul, against incantations of false prophets, against black laws of pagandom, against false laws of heretics, against craft of idolatry, against spells of women and smiths and wizards, against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul.

Christ to shield me today, against poisoning, against burning, against drowning, against wounding, so there come to me abundance of reward. Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of every one who speaks of me, Christ in the eye of every one that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today, through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the threeness, through confession of the oneness, of the Creator of Creation.

This prayer should be said in the morning:

The grace of God and the blessing of Patrick, On all I see and all I undertake, From the time I arise in the morning Till I go to sleep at night. Amen.

This prayer should be said before meals today in lieu of the normal one:

May the blessing of five loaves and two fishes which God divided amongst the five thousand men, be ours; and may the King who made the division put luck on our food and on our portion. Amen.

And this prayer before bed:

May I lie down with God and may God lie down with me, May I not lie with evil, nor evil lie with me. Brigid’s girdle around me, Mary’s mantle beneath me; O Blessed Michael, hold my hand, And make my peace with the Son of Grace. If any evil thing pursue me, May the Son of God protect me For a year from this night, And this night itself, and ever, And always. Amen.

Traditional Irish music should be played and dances performed; at an Irish pub if possible. Traditional Irish food, such as corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie, potatoes, soda bread, or Scotch eggs, should be consumed. Alcohol should be drunk, and one can “wet the shamrock”: a shamrock is put into the bottom of a cup, which is then filled with whiskey, beer, or cider. It is then drunk as a toast to Saint Patrick. The shamrock can either be swallowed with the drink or taken out and tossed over the shoulder for good luck.

Traditionally on this day, the Taoiseach of Ireland presents the U.S. President a Waterford Crystal bowl filled with shamrocks. This tradition began when in 1952, Irish Ambassador to the U.S. John Hearne sent a box of shamrocks to President Harry S. Truman.

March 19: Solemnity of Saint Joseph

Pope Leo XIII in his encyclical Quamquam Pluries (On the Devotion to St. Joseph) in 1889 explains why we place so much trust in this saint: “Thus in giving Joseph the Blessed Virgin as spouse, God appointed him to be not only her life’s companion, the witness of her maidenhood, the protector of her honor, but also, by virtue of the conjugal tie, a participator in her sublime dignity. And Joseph shines among all mankind by the most august dignity, since by divine will, he was the guardian of the Son of God and reputed as His father among men. Hence it came about that the Word of God was humbly subject to Joseph, that He obeyed him, and that He rendered to him all those offices that children are bound to render to their parents. From this two-fold dignity flowed the obligation which nature lays upon the head of families, so that Joseph became the guardian, the administrator, and the legal defender of the divine house whose chief he was. And during the whole course of his life he fulfilled those charges and those duties. …It is, then, natural and worthy that as the Blessed Joseph ministered to all the needs of the family at Nazareth and girt it about with his protection, he should now cover with the cloak of his heavenly patronage and defend the Church of Jesus Christ.”

Up to the fifteenth century our Lord’s foster father was not honored by a special feast of the Church, and people did not generally venerate him, although many ancient Fathers and writers mentioned him with reverence and high regard. It was only at the time of the Crusades that a practice of private devotion to Saint Joseph spread from the Eastern Churches into Europe. This devotion was greatly encouraged by some saints of the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth centuries, especially Saint Bernard (1153), Saint Thomas Aquinas (1274), and Saint Gertrude (1310).

St. Joseph is the patron of the Universal Church and also of the Diocese of Nashville. For that reason, a holy image (statue or icon) of St. Joseph should be displayed prominently in every Catholic Middle Tennessean’s home. This day too should be celebrated with the utmost joyfulness. The popular patronage of Saint Joseph is universal in scope. The words of the Egyptian Pharaoh, “Go to Joseph” (Gen. 41, 55), should be applied to him. Filled with affection, love, and confidence, the faithful turn to him in all their temporal and spiritual needs. Every detail of his life gives rise to a special patronage. He is the patron of tradesmen and workers, of travelers and refugees, of the persecuted, of Christian families and homes, of purity and interior life, of engaged couples, of people in temporal distress (food, home, clothing, sickness, etc.), of the poor, aged, and dying. Red should be worn this day, and mass attended, if possible, at a church under his patronage (St. Joseph’s in Madison, TN, for example)

This day should be celebrated as the beginning of spring. Light candles in honor of the Saint, put little shrines with his picture in gardens, orchards, and lawns, and have the land blessed by the priest (or sprinkle with holy water if no priest is available).

Joseph’s Seven Sorrows:

1. The doubt of St. Joseph

(Matt. 1:19)

2. The poverty of Jesus’ birth

(Luke 2:7)

3. The Circumcision

(Luke 2:21)

4. The prophecy of Simeon

(Luke 2:34)

5. The flight into Egypt

(Matt. 2:14)

6. The return from Egypt

(Matt. 2:22)

7. The loss of the Child Jesus

(Luke 2:45)

Joseph’s Seven Joys:

1. The message of the Angel

(Matt. 1:20)

2. The birth of the Savior

(Luke 2:10-11)

3. The Holy Name of Jesus

(Matt. 1:25)

4. The effects of the Redemption

(Luke 2:38)

5. The overthrow of the idols of Egypt

(Is. 19:1)

6. Life with Jesus and Mary at Nazareth

(Luke 2:39)

7. The finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple

(Luke 2:46)

A table overflowing with good Italian food honoring St. Joseph is a traditional Sicilian custom. The feast of San Giuseppe began in the Middle Ages when Sicily was suffering from a severe drought and the desperate people begged St. Joseph for rain. When they received rainy weather in response, they held a huge “feste” in Saint Joseph’s honor. Mass should be attended this day, and the evening meal should be elaborate, with the table decked out in flowers, breads, and all sorts of Italian foods. The priest or head of household blesses the food, and everyone shouts “Viva la tavola di San Giuse!” (or “Long live the table of St. Joseph!”). After the meal is done, everyone present takes a little extra away with them. Some recipes are Italian Sausage, Minestrone, and St. Joseph’s cream puffs (sfinge):

Minestrone:

Ingredients

1/2 pound salt pork
2 quarts water
1 clove garlic
2 sprigs parsley
2 carrots
2 stalks celery
2 Tablespoons butter
1 cup dried beans (soaked overnight)
salt and pepper
rice
1/2 cup peas
1/2 small head of cabbage

Although all kinds of lentils and dried beans are eaten on Saint Joseph’s feast, the cheese, usually so popular a part of the Italian diet, is not served, and instead of the usual grated Parmesan the minestrone would be served with dry toasted bread crumbs.

Directions

Cut the rind from the pork and set it to boil in cold water. Cut off a small piece of the pork and pound it in a mortar, with the garlic and the parsley. Slice the carrots, the celery, the cabbage leaves (remove ribs), and add with the butter, the dried beans, salt and pepper to the boiling water. Then add the rest of the pork and allow to simmer for two and one-half hours. Then add a handful of rice for each person to be served together with the peas. Cook until rice is done.

Recipe Source: Feast Day Cookbook by Katherine Burton and Helmut Ripperger, David McKay Company, Inc., New York, 1951

St. Joseph’s Cream Puffs (Sfinge):

Ingredients

1 cup water
1/4 pound butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sifted flour
4 eggs
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon grated orange peel

Filling:

1 pound cottage cheese
2 Tablespoons grated chocolate
1 Tablespoon grated orange rind
2 teaspoons almond extract
3 Tablespoons milk
Sugar to taste
18 maraschino cherries
1/2 cup glazed orange peel

Directions:

Boil water and butter. Add flour and salt. Keep stirring until mixture leaves side of pan or forms a ball in the center. Cool. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add sugar and grated peel. Drop tablespoonfuls of dough every three inches on a greased cookie sheet, or fill muffin tins half full. Bake in a hot oven (400°) for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°, and continue baking until light brown. Remove from oven. Open puff in the center of top to let steam escape. Cool and fill with cream filling:

Filling: Mix cottage cheese with chocolate and orange rind. Add flavoring, milk and sugar to taste. Beat until smooth and custard-like. Fill puffs. Chill until ready to use. Before serving, top with cherry and orange peel. This recipe makes about 18 cream puffs.

Recipe Source: Cooking for Christ by Florence Berger, National Catholic Rural Life Conference, 4625 Beaver Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50310, 1949, 1999

A tradition that developed in New Orleans is to set up a St. Joseph altar for the day. These also honor the relief St. Joseph provided during a famine in Sicily. The tradition began in the late 1800s when Sicilian immigrants settled in New Orleans. Erecting the altar should be done on the eve of the feast. St. Joseph altars, representing the Holy Trinity, are divided into three sections with a statue of St. Joseph at the head. Place candles, figurines, flowers, medals, and other items around the altar creating a beautiful, lush, and overflowing effect. Because the altars thank St. Joseph for relieving hunger, offerings of food are added to the cornucopia that anyone is welcome to feast on during the holiday. Cookies, cakes, and breads, often in the form of shellfish, are common decorations for altars. Fava beans, or “lucky beans,” are particularly associated with St. Joseph because they sustained the Sicilians throughout famine. The beans impart good luck. Fava beans play a large role in the Sicilian tradition of the St. Joseph Table or St. Joseph Altar. They may be served in a frittata or in garlic sauce. When dried, roasted and blessed, it becomes the very popular “lucky bean.” Legend has it that you will never be broke as long as you carry one. Some people believe that if you keep one in the pantry, there will always be food in the kitchen. This all began during the famine in Sicily, where the bean was used as fodder for cattle. To survive, the farmers prepared them for the table. Hence, they considered themselves lucky to have them. The bean is also a symbol of fertility since it grows well even in poor, rocky soil. Italians would carry a bean from a good crop to ensure a good crop the following year. The blessed dried beans are distributed on the altars along with a piece of blessed bread.

Part of the celebration of St. Joseph’s Table or Altar is the Holy Family knocking door-to-door for food and shelter before finding the Table. The custom of the Holy Family’s search for food and shelter is an integral part of the St. Joseph’s Altar celebration. Players are first selected to represent Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the angels.

The ritual begins with St. Joseph knocking on three doors, looking for food and shelter for his family. At each of the first two closed doors they try, someone inside asks, “Who is there?”

The response: “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.”

“What do you want?”

“We seek food and shelter.”

The response comes: “There is no room for you here.”

When the Holy Family arrives at the third door, where the Altar is set, St. Joseph again knocks, and the dialog is repeated. But this time, when St. Joseph says, “We seek food and shelter,” the joyful response is: “Welcome to this house. The table is set. The food is prepared. Come in and honor us with your presence.”

After going inside, the Saints are treated to a meal that traditionally includes a taste of each item on the Altar. Each of the Saints is accompanied by a family member, who serves his food. The atmosphere during the meal is quiet and reverent, and visitors must wait until the Saints have eaten before viewing the Altar.

After the Saints have finished their meal, each guest is welcomed and served with love and warm hospitality in imitation of St. Joseph.

Activity Source: Viva San Giuseppe by St. Joseph Guild, St. Joseph Guild, 1200 Mirabeau Ave, New Orleans, Louisiana 70122

As tradition has it, the altar is broken up on St. Joseph’s Day with a ceremony of costumed children, pretending to look for shelter, finding sustenance at the altar. This should be done in the evening after the litany to St. Joseph is said. Any leftovers can be given to the poor if they will keep.

Young girls ought to pray to St. Joseph for their future spouse on this day.

March 25: Lady Day (Annunciation of the Lord)

Lady Day is celebrated in honor of the Virgin Mary as this day, nine months before Christmas, is the day of the Annunciation from the Archangel Gabriel that she would bear Christ. On this day St. Luke’s account of the Annunciation should be read at prayer time.

This is Våffeldagen in Swedish, or Waffle Day. The name Vaffla, meaning waffle, originated from Var Fru, Our Lady, and in time the two words became slurred and corrupted, first into Vaffer, then to Vaffla. The waffles are served with whipped cream and lingonberries (or cloudberries).

Swedish Waffles:

Light and crisp, these make excellent dessert waffles. They are traditionally eaten with whipped cream and cloudberry preserves. Cloudberries are first cousins to our raspberries, which may be substituted.

-1 3/4 cups heavy cream, well-chilled

-1 1/3 cups flour

-1-2 tablespoons sugar

-Pinch of salt

-1/2 cup cold water

-3 tablespoons melted sweet butter

Whip the cream until stiff.

Mix the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Stir in the water to make a smooth batter. Fold the whipped cream into the batter. Stir in the melted butter.

Heat the waffle iron. (If it is well seasoned, it will not need to be greased.) Fill the grid surface about two-thirds full of batter. Bake until golden brown.

Place on a rack to keep crisp while you make the rest of the waffles.

Yield: about 8 waffles

This is the Day of the Incarnation. In order to count the Lord’s life on earth an exact number of years, even down to the day, and because Jewish tradition held that a great man would die on the same day as his conception, an early tradition claimed that it was also the date of the crucifixion. This fact is mentioned in many ancient martyrologies (calendars of feasts) and in the sermons of various Fathers of the Church. In some calendars of the Middle Ages (such as the sixth-century Martyrologium Hieronymianum) the following anniversaries are also listed for this momentous day (each being a beginning or ending that forever affected mankind):

The Creation of the World

The Fall of Adam and Eve

The Sacrifice of Isaac

The Exodus of the Jews from Egypt (the Parting of the Red Sea)

The Incarnation

The Crucifixion and Death of Christ

The Last Judgment

In J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings saga, March 25^th is also the day on which Frodo Baggins casts the one ring into the fiery depths of Mount Doom. It was an ancient custom of the papal Curia to start the year on March 25th in all their communications and documents, thus calling it the “Year of the Incarnation.” This practice was also adopted by most civil governments for the legal dating of documents. In fact, the Feast of the Annunciation, called “Lady Day,” marked the beginning of the legal year in England even after the Reformation, up to 1752. Up until England changed to the Gregorian calendar in 1752, Lady Day was considered to be New Year’s Day, because the year’s measuring system, A.D. (Anno Domini, year of our Lord), is supposed to be measured from the day Christ was first incarnated inside Mary. Recalling the year as a circle of days, reminders of eternity, and the cycle of the Year of Our Lord means it is fitting to serve waffles that are round in shape.

As a year-end and quarter-day that conveniently did not fall within or between the seasons for ploughing and harvesting, Lady Day was a traditional day on which year-long contracts between landowners and tenant farmers would begin and end in England and Ireland (although there were regional variations). Farmers’ time of “entry” into new farms and onto new fields was often this day. As a result, farming families who were changing farms would travel from the old farm to the new one on Lady Day. If the day also happens to be Good Friday, as it is occasionally because the date of Good Friday varies, it is considered bad luck. There’s a saying, “If Our Lord falls in Our Lady’s lap, England will meet with a great mishap.” Consequently, observance of the day is then moved to the Monday after the Sunday after Easter Sunday (aka “Low Monday”.) New business deals should be scheduled for Lady Day or around it if possible.

The Angelus prayer (dating from at least the thirteenth century) should be said at 6:00 a.m., noon, and 6:00 p.m. today. Bells can be rung in the house as well.

March 1 to April 4: Laetare Sunday (The Fourth Sunday of Lent)

It is traditional on this day to make a pilgrimage to the church of your baptism; if that’s not possible, go to the local Cathedral. Visiting one’s mother church can inspire also a visit to your earthly mother. The lessening of restrictions in fasting and the (muted) rejoicing give the chance for adults to go home and visit their mothers. Simnel Cake is one of the traditional baked goods to bring home to honor mothers. It was the custom to “go a-mothering” with a gift of simnel cake, a custom that is still observed in many parts of England.

Ingredients:

Yellow cake, baked (mix is fine)

Almond flavored butter cream frosting

Fluffy white frosting (mix is fine)

Pastel tinted frosting

Directions:

Bake yellow cake mix in two deep 8-inch layer cake pans. When the layers are cool, split them crosswise to make four layers. Now put the layers together with an almond-flavored butter cream frosting. Cover top and sides with a fluffy white frosting made with a packaged mix, keeping it smooth. Then, with the pastel tinted frostings that come in pressurized cans equipped with 4 interchangeable tips, decorate the top and sides with flowers, leaves, and ribbons in a pattern of your own making.

Recipe Source: Cook’s Blessings, The by Demetria Taylor, Random House, New York, 1965

March 8 to April 11: Passion Sunday (The Fifth Sunday of Lent)

All prominent religious statues and images should be veiled this day in line with John 8:59, “but Jesus hid himself.” Because of the custom of veiling crucifixes and statues in the church before Mass on the fifth Sunday of Lent, this Sunday is called Black Sunday in Germany, where the veils, which elsewhere were generally violet, were of black color. In Scotland it is known as Care Sunday

Peas or carlings are traditionally consumed on Passion Sunday particularly in northern England and Scotland, so it is also known as Carling Sunday (or Car-Sunday in Scotland). Recipes vary according to region, including Pease Porridge, or split pea soup. A famine in Newcastle, England, was relieved when on Passion Sunday, there came into the harbor a ship with a cargo of peas, commonly known as carlings. The name “split pea” comes from the penitential Lenten practice of wearing hard peas within the shoe.

Pease porridge hot,

Pease porridge cold,

Pease porridge in the pot

Nine days old.

Split Pea Soup (serves 8-10)

-1 pound dried split peas

-1 ham bone, 2 ham hocks, or 2 cups diced ham (If you don’t have a large ham bone or lots of ham, in the last step of adding the wine, add chopped kielbasa into the soup.)

-3 quarts chicken broth and water (or use 2 quarts broth, 1 quart water)

-1 cup chopped celery

-1 cup chopped onion

-1 cup coarsely chopped carrots

-1 clove garlic, pressed

-1 teaspoon ground thyme

-2 bay leaves

-salt and black pepper to taste

-a few dashes Tabasco sauce

-1 cup sherry or dry white wine

Put all ingredients (except wine/sherry) into a large soup pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 2 hours. Add white wine or sherry (and sausage) and cook for another 20 minutes. Remove bay leaves and serve.

Serve with crusty French bread, Southern biscuits, or cornbread, and perhaps a salad to round it all off.

March 15 to April 18: Palm Sunday (The Sixth Sunday of Lent)

Wear red to Mass to commemorate the Pasion of Christ, which will be read at the Gospel for today. Display in the home “Entry of Christ into Jerusalem” (1320) by Pietro Lorenzetti on the main home altar.

In the days preceding Palm Sunday, locally growing evergreen branches of various types should be gathered up and made into a bouquet decorated with colorful ribbons. These should be blessed by the priest either with the palms to be used in procession or after Mass separately. They, along with the blessed palm fronds which should be folded into cross shapes, are to be kept as sacred objects in the home. The bouquet should be placed in a vase and can ward off evil and protect the home from lightning and stormy weather. Dried pieces can be crushed and mixed with animal feed to protect from epidemics.

Blessed palms received and used in the liturgy at Mass should be folded into crosses and hung over doors in the home.

Palm Sunday is also known as Fig Sunday because Our Lord ate figs after his entry into Jerusalem and cursed the withered fig tree on this day. Fresh or dried figs should be consumed as a snack or dessert.

Today the “Jack o’Lent” made out of old clothes and straw (usually not life-size; partly an effigy of Judas Iscariot, partly a symbol of passing winter, and partly a representation of the “old man” of sin and the flesh that we hope to have put off during Lent) is burned.

In southern Wales and nearby portions of England, Sul y Blodau or Flowering Sunday is a grave decoration tradition commonly observed on Palm Sunday, when graves of loved ones should be whitewashed and decorated with flowers. The Appalachian Decoration Day tradition which descended from this practice involves gravesite cleaning, placing of flowers, and a picnic with prayers and hymns. A picnic in a cemetery and some appropriate cleaning and new decoration of family gravesites should be done this day after Mass.

March 16 to April 19: Monday of Holy Week

Begin compiling Easter baskets. A large pot of soup should be made to be eaten Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday so that most of the days can be spent cleaning and rearranging. This is “spring cleaning” and a good preparation for Easter.

March 18 to April 21: Spy Wednesday

This is the day Judas Iscariot betrayed Christ (read the Gospel accounts in the evening), and also the last day of the Marian Antiphon Ave, Regina Caelorum until Easter (at which point it changes to the Regina Caeli). Sing this antiphon together at evening prayer. Tenebrae service should be attended this night or recreated in the home with candles and a loud noise called the strepitus after all the candles are extinguished. This day is sometimes called Crooked or Black Wednesday, and chimneys or other sooty fixtures are swept. General cleaning is advisable this day or on Maundy Thursday if it hasn’t been finished already.

The Triduum begins on the eve of Maundy Thursday, and are known as “the still days” for the lack of church bells that won’t sound again until the Easter Vigil.

March 19 to April 22: Maundy (or Green) Thursday

This is the day of the Last Supper in the Upper Room, when Jesus observed the feast of Passover with his apostles, washed their feet, and instituted the Eucharist and the sacramental priesthood. John 13:34, “a new commandment,” Latin: mandatum, is where the name “maundy” comes from. After the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, the seven churches visitation is undertaken. This is a visit to each of the historic churches of Nashville to pray before the Altar of Repose in each one, where the Blessed Sacrament is removed to after the Mass of the Last Supper.

Upon entering each church, pilgrims visit the altar of repose, kneel, make the sign of the cross, read the appropriate scripture for each station and engage in private prayer and adoration. The seven stations consist of: Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22: 39-46), Jesus bound and taken before Annas (John 18:19-22), Jesus taken before the High Priest, Caiaphas (Matthew 26: 63-65), Jesus taken before Pilate (John 18:35-37), Jesus taken before Herod (Luke 23:8-9, 11), Jesus taken before Pilate again (Matthew 27:22-26), and Jesus given the crown of thorns and led to his crucifixion (Matthew 27:27-31). At the seventh station, time and circumstances permitting, a holy hour can be observed.

The first station is said at St Mary of the Seven Sorrows, where the pilgrimage begins. Next is Assumption Church, in Germantown. Third is St Vincent De Paul, in North Nashville. Fourth is the St Cecilia motherhouse if open and St Ann if not. Fifth is the Cathedral of the Incarnation, in Midtown. Sixth is St Patrick south of downtown. Seventh is Holy Name in East Nashville, where the pilgrimage ends.

Green Thursday refers to the old custom of admitting penitents, who bore green branches as a sign of their joy, back into church on this day. Green foods are eaten, such as kale, spinach, cress, leeks, chives, and herbs (turnip or collard greens are appropriate in the South). This tradition brings a blessing upon the coming year.

Tantum Ergo, composed by St. Thomas Aquinas, is associated with this day and should be sung in the home if it isn’t sung at Mass. If there are young children in the home, watch The Prince of Egypt animated film. Mutual washing of feet can be done this day. Particularly poignant is the father of the household washing the feet of everyone else to show Christlike servant leadership.

House cleaning in preparation for Easter is finished either this day or the preceding Spy Wednesday.

April 23: Saint George

One of the fourteen Holy Helpers (whose feast days should be celebrated to ensure special help from Heaven). Saint George was a soldier of Cappadocian Greek origin and member of the Praetorian Guard for Roman emperor Diocletian. He was sentenced to death for refusing to recant his Christian faith. He became one of the most venerated saints and megalomartyrs in Christianity, and he has been especially venerated as a military saint since the Crusades. Saint George came to be called on by Christians to aid them in battle and in time of great need, and upon victory, churches were built to honor him. He is the patron saint of England. Blue can be worn in honor of him, and roses should be displayed in the home. English fare like roasted lamb, bangers and mash and bread pudding is appropriate. Traditional dances are held in England this day (Morris dancing), but any type of folk or country dance would be fitting (the folk music of America having derived from the British Isles).

St. George is most widely known for slaying a dragon. The only well in the town of Silene was guarded by a dragon. In order to get water, the inhabitants of the town had to offer a human sacrifice every day to the dragon. The person to be sacrificed was chosen by lots. On the day that St. George was visiting, a princess had been selected to be sacrificed. However, he killed the dragon, saved the princess, and gave the people of Silene access to water. In gratitude, they converted to Christianity. It is likely that the dragon was a demonic pagan god who demanded human sacrifice, though some sort of holdout prehistoric reptile is not impossible.

The invocation of Saint George as a protector during the Middle Ages is well exemplified by the conduct of the soldiers participating in the Battle of Iconium in 1190, during the Third Crusade. As Frederick I Barbarossa marched through Anatolia, his troops were involved in group prayer and the bishops would hold camp-wide religious rites for them to strengthen their faith and morale. Priests would celebrate special votive Masses with the troops to pray for divine support. These Masses focused on Saint George and the soldiers always invoked him for he was said to appear whenever the crusaders were in their greatest need for help. In a letter sent to his son in November 1189, Fredrick stated that despite having superb troops, it was necessary for him to place his trust in prayers for divine assistance, for: “A King is saved by the Grace of the Eternal King which exceeds the merits of any individual”.

The Prayer for the Intercession of St. George should be said this day:

Faithful servant of God and invincible martyr, Saint George; favored by God with the gift of faith, and inflamed with an ardent love of Christ, thou didst fight valiantly against the dragon of pride, falsehood, and deceit. Neither pain nor torture, sword nor death could part thee from the love of Christ. I fervently implore thee for the sake of this love to help me by thy intercession to overcome the temptations that surround me, and to bear bravely the trials that oppress me, so that I may patiently carry the cross which is placed upon me; and let neither distress nor difficulties separate me from the love of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Valiant champion of the Faith, assist me in the combat against evil, that I may win the crown promised to them that persevere unto the end.

St. George’s flag (the English national flag) can be flown today in honor of the saint and English heritage; It is customary for the hymn “Jerusalem” to be sung in cathedrals, churches and chapels on St. George’s Day.

March 20 to April 23: Good Friday

The day of the Crucifixion of the Savior. From noon to three, silence and minimal movement should be observed. The lights should be turned out. No electronic media should be used. No candles, joking, loud music, or games are allowed after 3 p.m. either. For those hearty enough, Good Friday should be undertaken as a “black fast,” meaning only water is allowed throughout the day and then one meal after sunset, which must be devoid of meat. The Novena of the Divine Mercy begins this day. Veneration of the cross should occur at a Good Friday service at the local parish. The Passion of the Christ can be viewed this day.

As Lent entails a reduced intake of meat, with fish being the exception, today the custom is to “whip the herring” by skewering a fish on a pike and giving it a good beating. Traditionally this was done as a procession, but in later days it must be more private. If fish can be caught this day, one is run through on a pike in the backyard and hoisted up for all in the household to see throughout the rest of the day. At day’s end the fish is taken to a body of water and thrown in. The custom prepares everyone in the household to get ready to dine on rich meats again at Easter.

If the household keeps chickens, eggs that hatch on Good Friday will produce particularly healthy birds while eggs that are laid on this day are, like bread, marked with a cross and then saved for eating until Easter Sunday. Depending on the date of Easter, it was also traditional to sow corn on Good Friday, but this would only be done if the potato seed had already been planted.

Hot cross buns are made today for supper (fasting and abstinence should be practiced in general, but the discipline does not preclude this food). The origins of the hot cross bun date to the 12th century when an English monk placed the sign of the cross on buns to honor Good Friday. Throughout history, the bun has received credit for special virtues, among them that of ensuring friendship between two people sharing a bun. An old rhyme states, “Half for you and half for me, between us two, good luck shall be.” Another tradition holds that a hot cross bun should be kept hanging from the kitchen ceiling from one year to another to ward off evil spirits. From one Good Friday to the next, a single hot cross bun should be preserved in the freezer. Another benefit of this is that the bun can be retrieved and used during sickness because healing properties are also attributed to it. Gratings from a preserved bun are mixed with water to provide a cure for the common cold.

Irish Hot Cross Buns (makes 10):

Ingredients:

-4 cups bread (strong) flour

-Pinch of salt

-2 tsp mixed spice

-6 tbsp butter

-2 tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast

-1/4 cup caster sugar

-1 egg

-1 cup warm milk (30 seconds in the microwave will do)

-1 cup dried seedless raisins

-Grated rind of an orange

Method:

Put the flour, salt and mixed spice in a bowl, and give them a quick whisk to mix. Rub in the butter to the flour mix until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the yeast, sugar, beaten egg and milk, and stir together into a soft dough.

Knead for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. If you are using a mixer to make these buns give it five minutes on low with the dough hook. Add in the dried fruit and the grated orange rind and knead for another minute.

Roll out the mix slightly and cut the dough into 10 pieces. Roll these into balls on the table using the flat of your hand and place on a baking sheet or tray. Leave their own width again between each bun so they will have room to rise.

To make the cross mix 1 cup flour with about 3 tablespoons of cold water to make a basic soft dough. Roll it out really thin and cut into little strips. Dampen with a little water and stick to the top of each bun. Take a length of plastic wrap and brush with a little cooking oil. Place this loosely on top of the buns (oiled side down) and leave in the kitchen to double in size – about 20 minutes depending on the weather and the warmth of the room.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 390ºF (360ºF if a fan oven) for 20 minutes.

Hot cross buns were traditionally brushed with a sugar and water glaze when they’re still hot, but they can also be brushed with local honey. Kiss the cross before eating the bun (it’s a sacramental).

This is a good day to get a haircut: if you get a haircut on Good Friday you will not get another headache for the rest of the year. It’s also a good day to sow flowers: that which is buried this day will surely rise again, in honor of Our Lord. Animals should not be slaughtered this day; alcohol should not be drunk this day in solidarity with the thirst of Christ; hammer and nails ought not be touched in dread recognition of what they accomplished this day. Dress in black.

March 21 to April 24: Holy Saturday and Easter Vigil

Today the world is still. The Harrowing of Hell, when Our Lord descended into the world of the dead to announce the triumph of God and bring the righteous patriarchs to Heaven, is contemplated this day. The ancient homily in the Office of Readings is read aloud in the home on this morning, and an attitude of stillness and quiet is observed. In the daytime, children are encouraged to hunt Judas in effigy in recognition of the gravity of the evil done by his betrayal. Wooden rattles are used to scare him out of hiding. If for some reason the family is not attending the Easter Vigil, a bonfire should be made that night to pay homage to the light of Christ’s resurrection coming into the world (wood can be gathered this day and in the preceding days). Fasting should be continued until the Easter Vigil. If Easter Egg hunts are participated in this day, the candy should be saved until after Easter Vigil. Easter decorations can be hung up and Easter eggs can be quietly painted today in anticipation of the coming feast.

The Blessed Virgin Mary is honored on this day under the title Our Lady of Solitude, referring to her grief at the death of her son. Baskets containing eggs, ham, bread, sweet breads, horseradish, and lamb cakes or butter lambs should be brought to church to be blessed.

The current blessing can be found in the Book of Blessings:

Bless, O Lord, this creation that it may be a means of salvation to the human race, And grant that, by the invocation of Thy Holy Name, it may promote health of body, and salvation of soul in those who partake of it, through Christ our Lord.

The food is then taken home and eaten on Easter Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. The significance of this is that the delicacies which the people have denied themselves during Lent are given back to them by the Church with her blessing at Easter.

An Easter candle can be prepared for the home: An Alpha symbol over the year arranged in quadrants (e.g. 2/0/2/3 as a square) over an omega symbol.

After the Vigil, all the statues are uncovered in the home. White/gold should be worn for the next week.

April 24: Saint Mark’s Eve

If one takes up watch in the church porch on St. Mark’s Eve one will see the specters of those destined to die during the year pass into the church. It is necessary to keep silent between the bell tolling at 11.00 p.m. until the bell strikes at 1.00 a.m. The watchers must be fasting to see them and must’ve circled the church before taking position. The ghosts of those who are to die soonest will be the first observed, while those who will almost see out the year will not be witnessed until almost 1.00 a.m. Be warned: watchers may also see headless or rotting corpses, or coffins approaching. Additionally, a young woman may be able to see the face of her future husband appear on her smock by holding it before the fire on St Mark’s Eve.

Sometimes those to be married in the coming year will also be seen.

April 25: Saint Mark, the Greater Litanies and Rogation Procession

St. Mark, the author of the second Gospel, was the son of Mary whose house at Jerusalem was the meeting place of Christians. He was baptized and instructed by St. Peter. In about the year 42 A.D. he came to Rome with the Prince of the Apostles. There at the request of the faithful he wrote his Gospel about the year 50 A.D. St. Mark preached in Egypt, especially in Alexandria and was martyred there by the heathen, and his relics were transferred in later centuries to Venice. A selection should be read from his Gospel tonight after feasting.

Also on this day should be observed the Rogation procession, or the “Greater Litanies.” The word Litany means supplication and is applied to the religious rite of singing certain chants whilst proceeding from place to place in order to propitiate heaven. This particular procession observed annually on April 25th has a specific significance. The Rogation procession is one of the oldest processions in the whole of Christian liturgy, and it is also one of the clearest examples of a Christian celebration that was developed to replace a pagan celebration. The pagan festival of Robigalia was celebrated in ancient Rome each year on April 25th. Robigalia was a celebration that besought the god Robigo to spare the crops, preserving the grain from mildew. Around the year AD 450, however, this date was given a new Christian significance. Nearly sixteen centuries old at this point, the Rogation procession is an incredibly ancient tradition. The Greater Litanies and the Rogation procession are about beseeching God’s mercy, that He might govern the world and all that lies therein with gentle providence; in particular, that he might bless the community’s crop yield. When Christians baptized the festival of Robigalia, they kept the sense of needing God’s help, but they placed their needfulness not in the hands of a false god, but rather in the hands of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

April 25 is also the anniversary of the first entrance of the Prince of the Apostles into Rome, upon which he thus conferred the inalienable privilege of being the capital of Christendom. It is from that day that we count the 25 years, two months, and some days that St. Peter reigned as Bishop of Rome.

Fasting is not observed this day, but abstinence from flesh-meat is, as is avoidance of servile work. During the procession, after the antiphon “Exsurge Domine,” the Litany of the Saints is chanted and each verse and response is said twice. After the verse “Sancta Maria” the procession begins to move. If necessary, the litany may be repeated, or some of the Penitential or Gradual Psalms added. If a Mass can be celebrated at the end, it is celebrated according to the Lenten Rite, that is, without the Gloria in excelsis, and in violet vestments. “All ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord” (from Daniel chapter 3) may be repeated if the other prayers are finished.

In [insert town], the procession should head toward the agricultural lands on the outskirts of Rayon City, either to the southwest or northwest. It is a custom to have a mixture of grains blessed on this morning; after Mass have the priest bless some, so that they may be thrown into every field and yard that the procession walks by. Passing by the factories, the economic lifeblood of the town, blessed grain and holy water should be thrown their way as well so that God may bless their output and efficiency. Scattering blessed grain has the effect of physically blessing the productivity of the town and countryside. If possible, bless the Cumberland River that its fish yield and barge traffic may increase. Holy water should be carried and sprinkled all along the route, with crucifixes and icons being carried and heading up the procession. Tree branches and flowers can also be carried/worn.

If April 25 occurs during Easter week, the procession takes place on that day (unless it be Easter Sunday), but the feast of the Evangelist is not kept till after the octave.

March 22 to April 25 (the Sunday following the Pascal Full Moon): Easter, the Resurrection of the Lord

Everything in the order of time and in the workings of the liturgy has been prepared for this feast. The story of Easter is written by Nature, God’s handiwork, all over the earth in budding trees and blossoming flowers, in greening grass. Birds return in springtime to sing the carol of Easter. The symbolical “four thousand” years that followed the promise made by God to our first parents are crowned by this event. All that the Church has been doing since Advent has this glorious feast in mind. An Easter Triptych icon should be displayed on the home altar during this time portraying the Resurrection, the Ascension, and Pentecost.

As the newly baptized Christians in the early centuries wore white garments of new linen, so it became a tradition among all the faithful to appear in new clothes on Easter Sunday, symbolizing the “new life” that the Lord, through His Resurrection, bestowed upon all believers. This custom was widespread during medieval times. If one has the money to buy new Easter clothes but refuses, it is bad luck. It is an ancient saying in Connemara, Ireland: “For Christmas, food and drink; for Easter, new clothes.” On Easter many children in Ireland dress in green, white, and yellow: green hair ribbons, yellow dress, and white shoes. It is also an old tradition for some children there to wear little crosses made of multicolored ribbons on the right arm on Easter Sunday. The new clothes should be bought before the Triduum.

A home Paschal Candle is set in a cut-glass bowl and surrounded by fresh flowers on the dining room table. Easter holy water is added to the first water for the flowers, which are a symbol of new life. Any candle may be used for the Lumen Christi, but it should be as large as possible, because it will be lighted at meal times for forty days. Fix five cloves, in place of the five blessed grains of incense, in cross form on the Paschal Candle and say this prayer from the Vigil service:

By His wounds,

Holy and glorious,

May He protect us

And preserve us

Who is Christ the Lord,

Amen.

After the prayer the magnificent Exsultet may be said, or played as a recording.

Christ is Risen! When the sun rises on Easter Sunday morning, it dances with joy that the Savior has risen. Running water on this day also confers health and beauty, so bathing is encouraged. Watering of plants is also wise on Easter Sunday, for the entire world rejoices at the new life breathed into it by Christ’s triumph over death. An “Easter Standard” should be set up outside the home, consisting of a tall cross with a triangular white banner marked with a red cross hanging from it. This should be displayed until Pentecost.

On Easter morning, after the sunrise has been viewed over the lake, trek to the place where the paper alleluia was buried. Dig it up, and return to the home singing “O Filii et Filiae” and/or “Jesus Christ is Risen Today.” In the main room, Easter bunny gifts should be uncovered for the children. A bunny was the first creature to see the Risen Lord, so now Our Lord has blessed rabbitkind with the privilege of bearing the tidings and gifts of his Resurrection to the world. A big breakfast, including dyed hard boiled eggs and a braided Easter bread, is then served. Then a wild Easter Egg hunt happens in the yard, where more candy can be found in eggs. One egg can be lavishly painted with gold and highly detailed and called the “Alleluia” egg. The child that finds this treasure is rewarded with extra sweets.

The octave of Easter includes seven more solemnities after Easter Day. This week should be spent making fun family outings and having dessert every night. Daily mass this week is extremely appropriate. The Easter greeting of “He is risen,” “He is risen indeed,” should be repeated frequently, including before meals. The Eastertide does not end until Pentecost, so keep decorations up until then. Noon Angelus should be replaced with the Regina Caeli.

Generous amounts of eggs are eaten on Easter Sunday morning. Since the Easter bunny came with the morn, painted eggs are also hidden by the parents all around the outside of the house, and children are tasked with going about with baskets and finding them all. Spouses should paint eggs and give them to one another and children should paint eggs for each other and their parents. Many of the eggs should be painted red in honor of the blood of Christ. Others should be decorated with the signs of salvation, such as the Chi-Rho and the Cross.

Easter dinner should be extravagant (on the finest china) and feature roast lamb as the main course, with an egg dish such as deviled eggs as a side. Macrons with light spring colors should feature as the main dessert. The head of the household blesses the festive meal with Easter water which is brought by the faithful from the Easter Vigil. Before meals, instead of saying grace, the father intones, and the family repeats three times: “Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!” This is kept up during the whole Octava Privilegiata.

German Sweet Easter Bread:

Ingredients:

2 cakes yeast or 2 packages dry yeast
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 cup lukewarm water
6 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup scalded and cooled milk
7 cups sifted flour
Melted butter
Sugar
Raisins
Cinnamon
Nuts
1 beaten egg
Milk
Confectioners’ sugar icing

Directions:

Dissolve yeast and one tablespoon sugar in water.

Cream butter, one-half cup sugar. Add eggs. Stir in yeast mixture and salt. Alternate milk and flour until the dough is moderately soft. Knead until smooth. Cover and let rise until double in bulk.

Roll out in oblong strip one-fourth inch thick. Brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with sugar, raisins, cinnamon and nuts. Roll up length-wise.

Place in circle on greased cookie sheet. Cut three-fourths inch slices almost through roll with scissors. Turn each slice partly on its side–pointing away from the center. Cover and let the bread rise again until double in bulk.

Brush on beaten egg diluted with milk. Bake in moderate oven (350º) for 30 minutes. While still hot, frost with confectioners’ sugar icing and sprinkle with nuts.

Watch the Urbi et Orbi papal blessing on TV for a plenary indulgence.

Following the Second Vespers of Easter on Sunday night, a short pious exercise is kept in many places: flowers are blessed and distributed to the faithful as a sign of Easter joy. Some are brought to the image of Our Lady of Dolors, which is then crowned, as the Regina Coeli is sung. The faithful, having associated themselves with the sorrows of the Blessed Virgin in the Lord’s Passion and Death, now rejoice with her in His resurrection. Flowers should be laid before an image of Our Lady of Dolors in the home, if nothing else.

The Sundays of this season rank as the paschal Sundays and, after Easter Sunday itself, are called the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Sundays of Easter. The period of fifty sacred days ends on Pentecost Sunday.

March 23 to April 26: Easter Monday (Dyngus Monday)

Make an Ester omelette, made from Easter eggs, and shared with friends and neighbors. Easter Monday is Dyngus Monday, or Wet Monday, a practice that began in 14th century Poland. Participants should have a water fight outside with buckets, squirt guns, etc. The use of water is said to evoke the spring rains needed to ensure a successful harvest later in the year. “Dyngus, dyngus, for two eggs; I don’t want bread, only eggs.”

If possible view on television the President of the United States’ annual Easter egg roll on the White House lawn that is held for young children today.

March 25 to April 28: Easter Wednesday

A breakfast picnic in honor of the Gospel lesson for the day (Christ saying, “Come, have breakfast”) is appropriate.

March 27 to April 30: Easter Friday

Easter Friday is a solemnity and so meat is allowed, so many meat-filled dishes should be eaten this day.

Month of May: May Crowning (image of the Blessed Virgin Mary crowned with flowers and a hymn is sung)

“The May devotion in its present form originated at Rome where Father Latomia of the Roman College of the Society of Jesus, to counteract infidelity and immorality among the students, made a vow at the end of the eighteenth century to devote the month of May to Mary. From Rome the practice spread to the other Jesuit colleges and thence to nearly every Catholic church of the Latin rite. This practice is the oldest instance of a devotion extending over an entire month. Indulgences, three hundred days each day, by assisting at a public function or performing the devotion in private, plenary indulgence on any day of the month or on one of the first eight days of June under the usual conditions (Pius VII, 21 March, 1815, for ten years; 18 June, 1822 in perpetuum).” ~ New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia

To crown the Virgin in the home, take a piece of flexible wire long enough to wrap around the statue’s head three times. Clip it, and then wind it into a three-rung circle. Take flowers (preferably Hawthorne flowers) and thread them into the wire frame. Carry the new floral crown to the statue on a small pillow. Participants should dress in their Easter clothes or something similar. The oldest girl (or even the mother, if no daughters) should be the May Queen. A vase of flowers should be prepared for setting at the Virgin’s feet. If there are several boys, they can make a pathway of swords through which the May Queen processes to the statue. Marian hymns are sung as she processes. The others form behind her with flowers, and after she crowns Our Lady, they place flowers in the vase at her feet as the singing continues. A Hail Mary is said afterward, unless a longer consecration to Mary is possible.

The home altar should display an image of Our Lady all month, with fresh flowers kept before her. A pilgrimage to a Marian shrine should also be undertaken if possible, or at least a church dedicated to her. The Rosary should be said faithfully during May.

It is also fitting to plant a Mary Garden. These gardens feature a statue of the Blessed Mother, along with flowers that are traditionally associated with her: in a typical Mary Garden the statue of the Madonna occupies a place of honor, either in the center or in a grotto against the wall, with, usually, a birdbath or bubbling fountain built in front of it. Some of the more familiar plants of the many that belong in a typical Mary Garden are:

Columbine and Trefoil are said to have sprung forth at the touch of Mary’s foot, and consequently bear the popular names Our Lady’s shoes or Our Lady’s slippers.

Marigold (Mary’s bud) has bell-shaped blossoms of vivid yellow. An old legend says, “Her dresses were adorned with Marigold.” This flower was used to decorate her shrines for the Feast of the Annunciation (March 25) and during the month of May.

Lily-of-the-valley (Our Lady’s tears). This delicate flower is still widely used in Germany, there it is called Maiglockchen (May bells), to decorate the Mary shrines in churches and homes during the Virgin’s month (May).

Foxgloves thrive in moist and shaded places; they blossom in many colors and present a most attractive sight with their clusters of little bells, which were called Our Lady’s thimbles in medieval times.

Snowdrop. This charming flower is the first herald of spring in Europe. It often blossoms as early as Candlemas (February 2) between batches of melting snow; hence the name. In Germany it is called “Snow bell” (Schneeglocklein). Little bouquets of snowdrops are the first floral tribute of the year at the shrines of the Madonna on Candlemas. It is a popular emblem of Mary’s radiant purity and of her freedom from any stain of sin.

Lily. This stately and dignified flower has been associated from ancient times with Jesus and Mary, and is called Madonna lily in many parts of Europe. At Easter its brilliant and fragrant blossoms symbolize the radiance of the Lord’s risen life. Later in the year it is used to decorate the shrines of Mary, especially on July 2, the Feast of the Visitation. It also is an old and traditional symbol of innocence, purity, and virginity.

Rosemary produces delicate and fragrant blossoms of pale blue color in early spring. In ancient times the plant originally bloomed in white; however, it turned blue (Mary’s color) in reward for the service it offered when Our Lady looked for some bush on which to spread her Child’s tiny garments after having washed them on the way to Egypt. The bushes do not grow very tall but as they grow older they spread out and thicken, forming a dense bush. There is an old saying that “the rosemary passeth not commonly the height of Christ when he was on earth.”

Violets are dedicated to Mary as symbols of her humility. They are said to have blossomed forth outside her window when she spoke the words, “Behold, I am a handmaid of the Lord.” Leaving her, the angel of God blessed the little flowers in passing, thus endowing them with the tenderest and most beautiful fragrance of all plants.

Roses were associated with Mary from early times. Saint Dominic (1221) is credited with the spreading of the familiar devotion called the “Rosary (rosarium) of the Blessed Virgin Mary.” The word “rosary” originally meant a rose garden but was later used in the sense of “rose garland.” Three colors are especially consecrated to Mary: white roses as symbols of her joys, red roses as emblems of her sufferings, and yellow (golden) roses as heralds of her glories.

“The mood of springtime informs the church’s interior; nature’s blossoming, the warm air of May evenings, human gladness in a world that is renewing itself — all these things enter in. Veneration of Mary has its place in this very particular atmosphere, for she, the Virgin, shows us faith under its youthful aspect, as God’s new beginning in a world that has grown old. In her we see the Christian life set forth as a youth-fulness of the heart, as beauty and a waiting readiness for what is to come.”

— Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Seek That Which is Above

May 1: Lá Bealtaine and Saint Joseph the Worker

Today the Catholic faithful celebrate the feast day of Saint Joseph the Worker. This feast day, instituted by Pope Pius XII in 1955, was meant to provide downtrodden laborers with a spiritual patron, as well as an alternative to the communist labor agitation that was prevalent at the time. The Catholic faith has a great heritage of honoring and celebrating labor and laborers. We remember today the threat from both International Communism and International Capitalism to the working class and resolve to have solidarity with all workers. To defraud the laborer of wages is one of the sins crying out to Heaven for vengeance. Some physical, manual labor should be done today in honor of the dignity of labor.

On the eve of May Day (Lá Bealtaine in the Irish) yellow flowers, such as buttercups, marigolds, and primroses, should be gathered and spread around the outside of each home. These flowers can bring luck to the household and keep Cailleachs from entering the home. Cailleachs, old women or hags, are evil spirits or witches who will go from home to home to steal butter or milk during the morning of May Day. Children should scatter the flowers outside their neighbor’s homes as a sign of goodwill.

The morning dew of May Day also has great power, like the water drawn from the holy wells. The dew of May Day morn is fragrant with the sweetness of the Virgin, as this is her month. Washing the face with the May Day dew can bring good health into the next year.

Also on the first of May, a Thursday, Anno Mundi 3500 (1699 B.C., 772 years from the birth of Abraham), our fathers the sons of Miled landed on the Emerald Isle. One of them, our uncle, Amhairghin Glúngheal; bard, druid, and judge; and future Chief Ollamh of Ireland; pronounced this cryptic lay upon setting foot on Irish soil:

Am gaeth i m-muir,
Am tond trethan,
Am fuaim mara,
Am dam secht ndirend, [dam = ox, deer, stag?]
Am séig i n-aill, [séig = hawk, eagle or vulture?]
Am dér gréne,
Am cain lubai,
Am torc ar gail,
Am he i l-lind,
Am loch i m-maig,
Am brí a ndai,
Am bri danae,
Am bri i fodb fras feochtu,
Am dé delbas do chind codnu,
Coiche nod gleith clochur slébe?
Cia on co tagair aesa éscai?
Cia du i l-laig fuiniud gréne?

Which means:

I am the stag of the seven tines;
I am the bull of the seven battles;
I am the boar of the seven bristles;

I am the flood cresting plains;
I am the wind sweeping tranquil waters;
I am the swift-swimming salmon in the shallow pool;

I am the sunlit dewdrop;
I am the fairest of flowers;
I am the crystalline fountain;

I am the hawk harassing its prey;
I am the demon ablaze in the campfire;
I am the battle-hardened spearhead;

I am the vale echoing voices;
I am the sea’s roar;
I am the surging sea wave;

I am the summit of art;
I am the God who inflames desires;
I am the giver of fire;

Who knows the ages of the moon;
Who knows where the sunset settles;
Who knows the secrets of the unhewn dolmen.

(Translation: Michael R. Burch)

This was in the time before Christ, and long before our race was Christianized. Yet the mystic seems to be channeling the living God, the God of All Creation, Who would soon bring the Celtic peoples into His Kingdom. Today we solemnly recite this poem (both in Irish and in English), enshrine an image of Milesius upon our home altar, and pray for those of our blood spread across the world, both living and dead.

March 28 to May 1: Easter Saturday

The Divine Mercy Novena should be completed this evening, on the Eve of the Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday).

March 29 to May 2: Divine Mercy Sunday (The Second Sunday of Easter)

“I shall sing forever the Lord’s mercy” (Ps 89 [88]). This Sunday is popularly known as Divine Mercy Sunday. Between 1930 and 1938 Christ appeared to Sister Faustina, a Sister of Mercy in Poland who initiated the Divine Mercy devotion.

He asked Blessed Faustina to have this vision painted and signed with the words, Jesus, I trust in You!

“I am offering people a vessel with which they are to keep coming for graces to the fountain of mercy. That vessel is this image with the signature: ‘Jesus, I trust in you.’” (Diary, 327).

Jesus explained that the rays represented the blood and water which flowed from His pierced side, and He taught Blessed Faustina the prayer:

O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You (Diary, 84).

Jesus told Blessed Faustina that this image was to be venerated first in the Sisters’ chapel, and then throughout the world (Diary, 47).

Be sure to obtain the plenary indulgence offered this day. The chaplet of Divine Mercy should also be said at 3 p.m. “At three o’clock, implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of agony: This is the hour of great mercy for the whole world. I will allow you to enter into My mortal sorrow. In this hour, I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion.” (Diary, 1320).

At 3:00 o’clock we can pray:

You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fountain of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us. (Diary, 1319).

O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of mercy for us, I trust in You. (Diary, 84).

Venerate the sacred Divine Mercy image in the local parish today.

May 2: Saint Athanasius

St. Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria and a great defender of the orthodox faith, throughout his life opposed the Arian heresy. By denying the Godhead of the Word the Arians turned Christ into a mere man, only higher in grace than others in the eyes of God. St. Athanasius took part in the Council of Nicaea in 325 and until the end remained a champion of the faith as it was defined by the Council. In him the Church venerates one of her great Doctors. He was subjected to persecutions for upholding the true teaching concerning the person of Christ and was sent into exile from his see no less than five times. He died at Alexandria in 373 after an episcopate of forty-six years.

Remember to thank God in evening family prayers this day for saving the family line from the Arian heresy preached by the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Invoke St. Athanasius for the conversion of all Witnesses to Christianity.

May 3: Formerly the Feast of the Invention of the True Cross, i.e., the Finding of the True Cross

The Emperor Constantine seized power in the year 312, and in the following year, legalized Christianity with the Edict of Milan. About this time, Constantine’s mother, St. Helena, converted to Christianity. (She died in the year 330 at about the age of 80.) According to the great early Church historian Eusebius, she was about 63 at the time of her conversion. With the authority of her son, St. Helena went to Palestine in search of the sacred sites about the year 324. In the following years, St. Helena would build churches marking the place of the Nativity in Bethlehem, and the site of the Ascension. She is responsible for tracking down the True Cross.

On this day crosses should be placed in fields and gardens around the property. Also, small handmade crosses should be nailed to special guardian-trees (those who seem to overlook fields and garden plots most protectively). Over them all is said:

Blessing of Crosses to be Placed in Fields and Vineyards:

V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.

R. Who made heaven and earth.

V. The Lord be with you.

R. And with your spirit.

Let us pray. Almighty, everlasting God, Father of goodness and consolation, in virtue of the bitter suffering of thy Sole-Begotten Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ, endured for us sinners on the wood of the Cross, bless these crosses which thy faithful will erect in their vineyards, fields, and gardens. Protect the land where they are placed from hail, tornado, storm, and every assault of the enemy, so that their fruits ripened to the harvest may be gathered to thy honor by those who place their hope in the holy Cross of thy Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ, Who liveth and reigneth with thee eternally. Amen.

May 13: Our Lady of Fatima

The Blessed Virgin Mary is venerated under this title following apparitions to three shepherd children — Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco — in Portugal in 1917. The message of Fatima includes a call to conversion of heart, repentance from sin and a dedication to the Blessed Virgin Mary, especially through praying the Rosary.

In addition to praying the Rosary (with candles and incense), the “Fatima Prayers” given to the shepherd children should be said this day:

Fatima Prayer of Reparation:

Oh Most Holy Trinity,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
I adore Thee profoundly.
I offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity
of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world,
in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and
indifferences by which He is offended.
By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
and the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I beg the conversion of poor sinners.
Amen.

Fatima Pardon Prayer:

My God,
I believe, I adore, I hope and I love Thee!
I beg pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope, and do not love Thee.
Amen.

Fatima Sacrifice Prayer:

Oh my Jesus,
it is for love of Thee,
in reparation for the offenses committed
against the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
and for the conversion of poor sinners.
Amen.

Fatima Eucharistic Prayer:

Most Holy Trinity, I adore Thee!
My God, my God,
I love Thee in the Most Blessed Sacrament!
Amen.

A selection from 1917: Red Banners, White Mantle, by Warren Carroll, should be read as well to convey the sense that the apparition at Fatima was the most important event of the twentieth century. Media related to World War I is also appropriate.

May 25 to May 31 (Last Monday in May, but traditionally May 30): Memorial Day (decorate graves of those lost in war)

The first national observance of Memorial Day occurred on May 30, 1868. Then known as Decoration Day, the holiday was proclaimed by Commander in Chief John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic to honor the Union soldiers who had died in the Civil War. This national observance was preceded by many local ones between the end of the Civil War and Logan’s declaration. Many cities and people have claimed to be the first to observe it. However, in 2022, the National Cemetery Administration, a division of the Department of Veterans Affairs, credited Mary Ann Williams with originating the “idea of strewing the graves of Civil War soldiers – Union and Confederate” with flowers.

Official recognition as a holiday spread among the states, beginning with New York in 1873. By 1890, every Union state had adopted it. The World Wars turned it into a day of remembrance for all members of the U.S. military who fought and died in service. In 1971, Congress standardized the holiday as “Memorial Day” and changed its observance to the last Monday in May.

On Memorial Day, the flag of the United States is raised briskly to the top of the staff and then solemnly lowered to the half-staff position, where it remains only until noon. It is then raised to full-staff for the remainder of the day. In 2000, Congress passed the National Moment of Remembrance Act, asking people to stop and remember at 3:00 p.m. A divine mercy chaplet for America’s war dead should be said at that hour. The National Memorial Day Concert takes place on the west lawn of the United States Capitol. The concert is broadcast on PBS and NPR. Music is performed, and respect is paid to the people who gave their lives for their country. This concert should be viewed/listened to.

Participate in the local Memorial Day ceremony on the Triangle in the Village. Walk there early and help with setting up chairs and connecting equipment. Enjoy the patriotic celebrations and call to mind all those who have fought and died for the nation. Assist in tear-down and storage of supplies. Say prayers for [insert town]’s war dead (and the war dead of the family) at the monuments on the Triangle. If a pilgrimage can be made to the grave of a relative who died while serving, such is done so, with the customary prayers offered (the Office of the Dead if time permits) and flowers laid there. A sweet coffee drink or similar treat should be indulged in afterward.

A silk poppy can be worn affixed to the shirt (poppies reference the fields of poppies that grew among the soldiers’ graves in Flanders after the 1915 Second Battle of Ypres.

The afternoon should be spent grilling out with extended family.

May 31: Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Feast of the Visitation recalls to us the following great truths and events: The visit of the Blessed Virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth shortly after the Annunciation; the cleansing of John the Baptist from original sin in the womb of his mother at the words of Our Lady’s greeting; Elizabeth’s proclaiming of Mary—under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost—as Mother of God and “blessed among women”; Mary’s singing of the sublime hymn, Magnificat (“My soul doth magnify the Lord”) which has become a part of the daily official prayer of the Church. The Visitation is frequently depicted in art, and was the central mystery of St. Francis de Sales’ devotions.

The Magnificat should be sang this evening with candles and incense and the Litany of Loreto recited. The Joyful Mysteries should be said on the Rosary. This feast also reminds us to be charitable to our neighbors. Try to assist some mother (expectant or otherwise), visit the elderly or sick, make a dinner for someone, etc.

(Three days prior to Ascension Thursday, so April 27^th-29^th to May 31^st to June 2^nd): Minor Litanies Rogation Days

These are days of prayer and fasting instituted by the Church to appease God’s anger at man’s transgressions, to ask protection in calamities, and to obtain a good and bountiful harvest, known in England as “Gang Days” [from the Anglo-Saxon phrase “to go”] and “Cross Week,” and in Germany as Bittage, Bittwoche, and Kreuzwoche. The Rogation Days were highly esteemed in England and King Alfred’s laws considered a theft committed on these days equal to one committed on Sunday or a higher Church Holy Day. They consist, not only of fasting and abstinence, but of walking the boundaries of the parish. This can be done for the church parish boundaries (so downtown Nashville) or for the home neighborhood boundaries ([insert development and/or neighborhood]). As at the major rogation day, it is a religious procession. At specific intervals, participants should be reminded to be thankful for their harvests. Psalms 103 and 104 are sung, the Litany of All Saints is recited, and the curses the Bible ascribed to those who violated agricultural boundaries are called to mind. Holy images and crucifixes, along with Holy Water, are carried. Fields, stores, and factories are blessed with prayers and holy water to increase the community’s productivity.

Robert Herrick penned a piece to capture the mood of the celebrations in England:

Dearest, bury me

Under that Holy-oak, or Gospel Tree

Where (though thou see’st not) thou may’st think upon

Me, when you yearly go’st Procession.

Violet vestments are worn/presented on the home altar. Children should memorize this prayer for days such as these:

“All we can do is worth nothing

Unless God blesses the deed;

Vainly we hope for the harvest-tide

Till God gives life to the seed;

Yet nearer and nearer draws the time,

The time that shall surely be

When the earth shall be filled with the glory of God

As the waters cover the sea.”

(Forty days after Easter, traditionally a Thursday, so April 30^th to June 3^rd, but many times transferred to the Seventh Sunday of Easter, so May 3^rd to June 6^th): Solemnity of the Ascension

On this day, forty days after Easter, Christ commissioned his Apostles to spread the gospel to all nations and was then “lifted up before their eyes, and a cloud took him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9). We celebrate this feast both for its historical significance and also for its theological meaning, for, as it says in the preface in the Mass, “Christ was lifted up to Heaven to make us sharers in his divinity.” It is the custom this day to eat a bird, for Christ “flew” away to Heaven. Also, because Christ ascended into heaven from “the Mount called Olivet” (Acts 1:12), this day should be marked by a mountain climb with a picnic at the summit. There are many high hills and knobs around [insert name] County that can be scaled to honor this tradition, with a feast of fried chicken to be enjoyed at the top.

The three days before Ascension Thursday are sometimes referred to as the Rogation days, and the previous Sunday—the Sixth Sunday of Easter (or the Fifth Sunday after Easter)—as Rogation Sunday.

Johann Sebastian Bach composed several cantatas and the Ascension Oratorio to be performed in church services on the feast day. Some one should be listened to in the home if not heard in church. On Ascension Day it is also profitable to play the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah. Its supreme greatness and radiant warmth give some sense of the majesty of the ascending Lord.

Ascension has a vigil and, since the 15th century, an octave, which is set apart for a novena of preparation for Pentecost.

On Ascension Day the Lumen Christi is taken from the dining room table to signify that the Lord has ascended. In the days when the Faith was flourishing, the Sunday after the feast of the Ascension was called “The Sunday of the Roses,” the name given from the custom of strewing the pavements of the churches with roses, as an homage to Christ who ascended into heaven when the earth was in the season of flowers. Rose petals should be strewn about the front steps of the parish church on Ascension Sunday.

This prayer should be said each night of Ascensiontide:

Father: God ascends amid shouts of joy, Alleluia.

Family: The Lord, amid trumpet blasts, Alleluia.

Father: Let us pray. O King of glory, Lord of hosts, this day You ascended triumphantly above all heavens. Leave us not orphans, but send upon us the Promise of the Father, the Spirit of Truth.

Family: Alleluia.

Father: Only-begotten Son of God, having conquered death, Thou didst pass from earth to heaven! As Son of Man seated in great glory on Thy throne and praised by the whole angelic host, grant that we who in the jubilant devotion of our faith, celebrate Thine Ascension to the Father, may not be fettered by the chains of sin to earthly loves. And may the aim of our unceasing prayer be directed toward the heavens whither, after Thy Passion, Thou didst ascend in glory.

Family: Amen.

On Ascension Day the nine days (from whence novena) begin of waiting and preparing, together with the Apostles and Mary, for the coming of the Holy Ghost. There are many versions of this novena (which was the first novena, and was commanded to be observed by all the faithful by Pope Leo XIII in 1897). Each evening also a specific gift of the Holy Spirit should be verbally dissected and discussed in depth. Explain the hand-in-hand relationship between the gifts and the fruits. When we use the gifts (Fear of the Lord, Piety, Knowledge, Fortitude, Counsel, Understanding, and Wisdom), we bear the fruits (Charity, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Long-Suffering, Faith, Mildness, Modesty, Continency, Chastity).

Each night the novena should be capped with a singing of the Veni, Creator Spiritus.

June 1: Saint Justin Martyr

St. Justin, apologist and martyr, was one of the most important Christian writers of the second century. He himself tells how his study of all the schools of philosophy led him to Christianity, and how he dedicated his life to the defense of the Christian faith as “the one certain and profitable philosophy.”

St. Justin is particularly celebrated for the two Apologies which he was courageous enough to address in succession to the persecuting emperors Antoninus and Marcus Aurelius. One of them contains a description of the rites of baptism and the ceremonies of Mass, thus constituting the most valuable evidence that we possess on the Roman liturgy of his day. He was beheaded in Rome in 165. Justin is also referred to as “the Philosopher.”

Invoke his intercession this day for all those looking to the early fathers to find the True Church.

June 5: Saint Boniface

St. Boniface, a monk of Exeter, England, is one of the great figures of the Benedictine Order and of the monastic apostolate in the Middle Ages. Gregory II sent him to preach the Gospel in Germany. He evangelized Hesse, Saxony and Thuringia and became Archbishop of Mainz. He well earned the title of Apostle of Germany, and Catholic Germany in our own times still venerates him as its father in the faith. He was put to death by the Frisians at Dokkum in 754 during the last of his missionary journeys. The famous abbey of Fulda, where his body lies, has remained the national shrine of Catholic Germany. He is responsible for our German ancestors embracing the Faith. German food (especially any family recipes) should be prepared today, with prayers of thanksgiving offered for the saint’s missionary activity.

May 9 to June 12: Pentecost Eve

This is a day of fasting and abstinence, and the final day of the Pentecost Novena, the first novena in Church history. It is an evening of watchful praying and waiting for the Holy Ghost.

May 10 to June 13 (Seventh Sunday of Easter): Pentecost (Whitsunday)

After Jesus had ascended to heaven from Mt. Olivet, the apostles and disciples returned to the Holy City. They remained together in the Upper Room or Cenacle, the place where Jesus had appeared to them and which may well be called the first Christian church. About a hundred and twenty persons were assembled there. They chose Matthias as an apostle in place of the unhappy Judas; they prayed and waited for the Paraclete.

Ten days had passed, it was Sunday, the seventh Sunday after the resurrection. At about nine o’clock in the morning, as they were together praying fervently, the Holy Spirit descended upon them. Note how all the great theophanies in Christ’s life occurred during the course of prayer. After His baptism, for instance, when Jesus was praying, the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove; likewise, it was during prayer at night that the transfiguration took place on Tabor. Surely too it was while Mary was praying that Gabriel delivered his message, and the Holy Spirit overshadowed her. Pentecost followed precedent. The small community of Christians had prepared themselves through prayer for the coming of the Paraclete.

The dew that falls on the Eve of Pentecost has healing properties, and so first thing Pentecost morning, all should walk barefoot through the grass outside (as the sequence to the Holy Ghost says: “Heal our wounds, our strength renew, on our dryness pour thy dew.” Some of this dew can be collected on bread and fed to the animals to keep them from harm.). The red peony is the Rose of Pentecost (Pfingstrose), and so a bouquet should be prominently featured in the house. Red roses or the columbine are also associated with the feast and can be used. The oriole is the Pentecost bird (Pfingstvogel), and so a bird watching outing should be attempted, with catching sight of an oriole considered a special message from the Holy Ghost. If there is an urgent prayer intention, it is customary to rise before dawn on Pentecost morning to pray and watch the sun rise on the hilltops. An English saying shows the intent: “Whatsoever a man doth ask of God upon Whitsunday morning, at the instant when the Sun arise and play, that will God grant.” Pentecost should be saluted with loud noises—the crack of a whip, or the firing of a gun. Going to the range or the woods to shoot is fitting. A green wreath should be hung on the door on Pentecost, and an icon of the Holy Ghost in the form of a dove should be displayed on the dinner table, next to the flowers. Clean white tablecloths should be used for meals.

The Golden Sequence (the Veni, Creator Spiritus) will be prayed at Mass this day (pray it in the home if not). An icon of the Pentecost event should be placed on the home altar, with candles lit throughout the day. The vestment color is red to represent the tongues of fire. Red or white clothes may be worn for the day and its octave (“White Sunday” is wherefrom the contraction “Whitsunday”).

Say this prayer together each day of the octave following:

O Holy Spirit, soul of my soul, I adore thee: enlighten, guide, strengthen and console me. Tell me what I ought to do, and command me to do it. I promise to be submissive to everything that thou shalt ask and to accept all that thou permittest to happen to me; only show me what is thy will.

This prayer should be said before meals during the octave:

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of thy Faithful; and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created, and thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

Whitsuntide or Whit Week, the following week, is a time of celebration, races, fairs, pageants, and parades. It is a time when people gather together for festivities in the beautiful verdure of the Spring countryside. Picnics, walks in the woods and hills, dances, singing, parades, plays, games and races are all fitting. Any such activities should be indulged in. As little work as possible should be done. Whit-Saturday is a time for going shopping.

May 11 to June 14: Mary, Mother of the Church (Whit Monday)

In the Fourth Century, St. Ambrose of Milan used a beautiful title for the Blessed Virgin Mary: “Mother of the Church.” This title was officially used by Pope St. Paul VI during the Second Vatican Council. In 2018, Pope Francis added a new feast to the Roman Calendar to be celebrated on the Monday after Pentecost: the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. Celebrating the motherhood of Mary with regard to the birth of the Church, which occurred the previous day on Pentecost: a candlelight rosary is devoutly said, along with the Litany of Loreto. Foods traditionally associated with motherhood (such as meat loaf or apple pie in this country) should be prepared for the feast.

May 13, 15, 16 to June 16, 18, 19: Summer Ember Days (eat bread to give thanks for the wheat crop)

In Latin, Ember Days are Quatuor Tempora (four times). The English word “Ember” could be a corruption of the Latin Tempora or of the Anglo-Saxon ymbren, which means circle or revolution. The Summer Ember days fall on the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after Pentecost. While there has certainly always been the component of penance for sins and a resolve to amend in the coming season, the focus of thanksgiving for the gifts received in the previous season and the prayer of petition for a fruitful coming season is a very important part of the Ember days. For the summer ember days, we give thanks for the wheat crop and eat bread on these three days.

The weather conditions of each of the three days of the Embertide foretell the weather conditions for the following three months.

Ymber Day Onion and Egg Tart:

Ingredients:

1 pound onions

½ tsp. salt

½ cup bread crumbs, fresh

8 large eggs

2 Tbsp. butter

¼ bunch parsley

pinch saffron

¾ cup currants

½ tsp. sugar

¾ tsp powder douce

1 pie crust (see Paest Royall)

Instructions:

Bring pot of water to boil. Peel and quarter onions, place in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, then drain. Chop onions and parsley and combine with bread crumbs, eggs, butter, currants, sugar, salt, and spices. Pour into prepared pie crust and bake at 350°F for 30-40 minutes, ensuring that the egg is set. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting into serving sizes.

May 15 to June 18: Whit Friday

Today a “Whit Walk” should be held to cap off the Whit Week celebrations—preferably a parade, but if there are no parade participants, then just a long walk around the town. The next day is a day for shopping.

May 17 to June 11 (First Sunday after Pentecost): Trinity Sunday

The fundamental dogma, on which everything in Christianity is based, is that of the Blessed Trinity, in whose name all Christians are baptized. The feast of the Blessed Trinity needs to be understood and celebrated as a prolongation of the mysteries of Christ and as the solemn expression of our faith in this triune life of the Divine Persons, to which we have been given access by Baptism and by the Redemption won for us by Christ. Only in heaven shall we properly understand what it means, in union with Christ, to share as sons in the very life of God.

Recite the Athanasian Creed in the evening. Place the Rublev Trinity icon on the prayer stand for veneration. Read Hebrews chapter 1 and remember the family being saved from the Arian heresy in the Jehovah’s Witnesses, reading a few Trinitarian scriptures as appropriate. Afterward enjoy Neapolitan ice cream (three in one) and tell the story of St. Augustine encountering the boy on the beach.

Listen to one of Bach’s three cantatas celebrating the Holy Trinity: O heilges Geist- und Wasserbad, BWV 165, Es ist ein trotzig und verzagt Ding, BWV 176, or Gelobet sei der Herr, mein Gott, BWV 129.

May 23 to June 26 (Corpus Christi Eve)

A wreath of summer flowers should be blessed by the priest on this day and hung on the door of the home.

May 24 to June 27 (Second Sunday after Pentecost): Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi (Body and Blood of Christ) is a Eucharistic solemnity, or better, the solemn commemoration of the institution of that sacrament. It is, moreover, the Church’s official act of homage and gratitude to Christ, who by instituting the Holy Eucharist gave to the Church her greatest treasure. Holy Thursday, assuredly, marks the anniversary of the institution, but the commemoration of the Lord’s passion that very night suppresses the rejoicing proper to the occasion. Today’s observance, therefore, accents the joyous aspect of Holy Thursday.

If the parish does not have a Corpus Christi Eucharistic Procession, then find one to attend somewhere in the diocese. A wreath of summer flowers should be blessed by the priest on the eve of the feast and hung on the door of the home. The blessed wreath can also be put up in gardens, fields, and pastures, with a prayer for protection and blessing upon the growing harvest.

One of the Eucharistic hymns of St. Thomas Aquinas should be sung today, before the Sacrament if possible, or in the home before an image of It.

O salutaris hostia,
Quae caeli pandis ostium,
Bella praemunt hostilia:
Da robur, fer auxilium.

O saving host, O bread of life,
Thou goal of rest from pain and strife,
Embattled are we, poor and weak:
Grant us the strength and help we seek.

Freshly baked bread is a key dish at the celebratory Sunday dinner, as bread has always been symbolic for life giving and nourishment, as is the Eucharist.

Pray in the evening the Litany of the Most Blessed Sacrament:

(Written by St. Peter Julian Eymard, the founder of the Blessed Sacrament Fathers.)

Prayer:

Lord, have mercy. R. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. R. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. R. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us. R. Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, R. have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, R. have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, R. have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, R. have mercy on us.

Jesus, Eternal High Priest of the Eucharistic Sacrifice, R. have mercy on us.
Jesus, Divine Victim on the Altar for our salvation, R. have mercy on us.
Jesus, hidden under the appearance of bread, R. have mercy on us.
Jesus, dwelling in the tabernacles of the world, R. have mercy on us.
Jesus, really, truly and substantially present in the Blessed Sacrament, R. have mercy on us.
Jesus, abiding in Your fulness, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, R. have mercy on us.
Jesus, Bread of Life, R. have mercy on us.
Jesus, Bread of Angels, R. have mercy on us.
Jesus, with us always until the end of the world, R. have mercy on us.

Sacred Host, summit and source of all worship and Christian life, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, sign and cause of the unity of the Church, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, adored by countless angels, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, spiritual food, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, Sacrament of love, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, bond of charity, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, greatest aid to holiness, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, gift and glory of the priesthood, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, in which we partake of Christ, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, in which the soul is filled with grace, R. have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, in which we are given a pledge of future glory, R. have mercy on us.

Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.

For those who do not believe in Your Eucharistic presence, R. have mercy, O Lord.
For those who are indifferent to the Sacrament of Your love, R. have mercy on us.
For those who have offended You in the Holy Sacrament of the Altar, R. have mercy on us.

That we may show fitting reverence when entering Your holy temple, R. we beseech You, hear us.
That we may make suitable preparation before approaching the Altar, R. we beseech You, hear us.
That we may receive You frequently in Holy Communion with real devotion and true humility, R. we beseech You, hear us.
That we may never neglect to thank You for so wonderful a blessing, R. we beseech You, hear us.
That we may cherish time spent in silent prayer before You, R. we beseech You, hear us.
That we may grow in knowledge of this Sacrament of sacraments, R. we beseech You, hear us.
That all priests may have a profound love of the Holy Eucharist, R. we beseech You, hear us.
That they may celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in accordance with its sublime dignity, R. we beseech You, hear us.
That we may be comforted and sanctified with Holy Viaticum at the hour of our death, R. we beseech You, hear us.
That we may see You one day face to face in Heaven, R. we beseech You, hear us.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, R. spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, R. graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, R. have mercy on us, O Lord.

V. O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine,
R. all praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine.

Let us pray,

Most merciful Father,
You continue to draw us to Yourself
through the Eucharistic Mystery.
Grant us fervent faith in this Sacrament of love,
in which Christ the Lord Himself is contained, offered and received.
We make this prayer through the same Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

Nihil Obstat: Very Reverend Peter J. Kenny, D.D., Diocesan Censor

Imprimatur: Most Reverend Denis J Hart DD Titular Bishop of Vagada Vicar General

Date: May 18th, 2000

June 13: Wedding Anniversary

June 14: Flag Day

In the United States, Flag Day is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States on June 14, 1777, by resolution of the Second Continental Congress.[1] The Flag Resolution, passed on June 14, 1777, stated: “Resolved, That the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.”

The pledge of allegiance should be recited, the National Anthem sung, and a replica of the original American flag hung outside the home. Traditional American fare should be eaten (including an apple pie). Stories of the early republic should be read.

May 29 to July 2 (Friday that follows the Second Sunday after Pentecost): Solemnity of the Sacred Heart

Sixteenth century Calvinism and seventeenth century Jansenism preached a distorted Christianity that substituted for God’s love and sacrifice of His Son for all men the fearful idea that a whole section of humanity was inexorably damned. The Church always countered this view with the infinite love of our Savior who died on the cross so that all men might be saved. The institution of the feast of the Sacred Heart was soon to contribute to the creation among the faithful of a powerful current of devotion which since then has grown steadily stronger. The first Office and Mass of the Sacred Heart were composed by St. John Eudes, but the institution of the feast was a result of the appearances of our Lord to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1675. The celebration of the feast was extended to the general calendar of the Church by Pius IX in 1856. This feast is also a deep expression of absolute abandonment to Divine Providence, which is love and mercy (the Heart of God) itself. Offering oneself for the intentions of the Most Sacred Heart is a way of uniting to the Will of God in its most fundamental and trustworthy aspect, Love.

This is celebrated on the Friday after Corpus Christi, and so meat is especially consumed on this day. Fried chicken, burgers, or steaks of some kind should be prepared, preferably at a cook-out in the evening. The family recites the Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which when done as a family can gain a plenary indulgence. Also, the Litany to the Sacred Heart is said. A sacred heart bonfire should be lit in the evening to symbolize the furnace of divine charity in the Sacred Heart.

Prayer of Reparation:

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, animated with a desire to repair the outrages unceasingly offered to Thee, we prostrate before Thy throne of mercy, and in the name of all mankind, pledge our love and fidelity to Thee.

The more Thy mysteries are blasphemed, the more firmly we shall believe them, O Sacred Heart of Jesus!

The more impiety endeavors to extinguish our hope of immortality, the more we shall trust in Thy Heart, sole Hope of mankind!

The more hearts resist Thy Divine attractions, the more we shall love Thee, O infinitely amiable Heart of Jesus!

The more unbelief attacks Thy Divinity, the more humbly and profoundly we shall adore It, O Divine Heart of Jesus!

The more Thy holy laws are transgressed and ignored, the more we shall delight to observe them, O most holy Heart of Jesus!

The more Thy Sacraments are despised and abandoned, the more frequently we shall receive them with love and reverence, O most generous Heart of Jesus!

The more the imitation of Thy virtues is neglected and forgotten, the more we shall endeavor to practice them, O Heart, model of every virtue!

The more the devil labors to destroy souls, the more we shall be inflamed with desire to save them, O Heart of Jesus, zealous Lover of souls!

The more sin and impurity destroy the image of God in man, the more we shall try by purity of life to be a living temple of the Holy Spirit, O Heart of Jesus!

Sacred Heart of Jesus

The more Thy Holy Church is despised, the more we shall endeavor to be her faithful children, O Sweet Heart of Jesus!

The more Thy Vicar on earth is persecuted, the more will we honor him as the infallible head of Thy Holy Church, show our fidelity and pray for him, O kingly Heart of Jesus!

O Sacred Heart, through Thy powerful grace, may we become Thy apostles in the midst of a corrupted world, and be Thy crown in the kingdom of Heaven. Amen

Litany of the Sacred Heart:

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.

Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us. [Repeat have mercy on us. after each line]

God the Son, Redeemer of the world,

God the Holy Spirit,

Holy Trinity, one God,

Heart of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father,

Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit in

the Virgin Mother’s womb,

Heart of Jesus, substantially united to the

Word of God,

Heart of Jesus, of infinite majesty,

Heart of Jesus, holy temple of God,

Heart of Jesus, tabernacle of the Most High,

Heart of Jesus, house of God and gate of heaven,

Heart of Jesus, glowing furnace of charity,

Heart of Jesus, vessel of justice and love,

Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love,

Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues,

Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise,

Heart of Jesus, King and center of all hearts,

Heart of Jesus, in whom are all the treasures

of wisdom and knowledge,

Heart of Jesus, in whom dwells all the fullness of the Godhead,

Heart of Jesus, in whom the Father was well pleased,

Heart of Jesus, of whose fullness we have all received,

Heart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills,

Heart of Jesus, patient and rich in mercy,

Heart of Jesus, rich to all who call upon You,

Heart of Jesus, fount of life and holiness,

Heart of Jesus, propitiation for our offenses,

Heart of Jesus, overwhelmed with reproaches,

Heart of Jesus, bruised for our iniquities,

Heart of Jesus, obedient even unto death,

Heart of Jesus, pierced with a lance,

Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation,

Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection,

Heart of Jesus, our peace and reconciliation,

Heart of Jesus, victim for our sins,

Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who hope in You,

Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in You,

Heart of Jesus, delight of all saints,

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,

Spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,

Graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,

Have mercy on us.

Jesus, meek and humble of Heart,

Make our hearts like unto Thine.

Let us pray.

Almighty and eternal God, look upon the Heart of Thy most beloved Son and upon the praises and satisfaction which He offers Thee in the name of sinners; and to those who implore Thy mercy, in Thy great goodness, grant forgiveness in the name of the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who livest and reignest with Thee forever and ever. Amen.

Today is a fitting day to Enthrone the Sacred Heart in the home, if such has already not been done.

June 23: Vigil of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

This feast occurs three months after the Annunciation on March 25^th—it was then that the angel Gabriel told Our Lady that her cousin Elizabeth was already six months pregnant. The occasion is around the time of the solstice (or Midsummer), which is significant because of St. John’s words” He must increase, but I must decrease”: and from around this time, the days get shorter until Christmas, when the light gains ascendancy once more. Fennel, rue, rosemary, lemon verbena, mallows, laburnum, foxgloves, and elder flowers are foraged for on this day. St. John’s fires are lit this night, on hilltops if possible, but in every place where a celebration will occur. The St. John’s fires repel witches and evil spirits and are a prayer to God to bless the summer crops. The fire is traditionally lit by the oldest person present while the youngest throws a bone into the fire. The ashes can be scattered in the fields the next day for good luck. Yarrow, a wildflower known for its healing properties, should be burned in the bonfires as a defense against evil. Men should take turns leaping over the fire as a test of courage and as a symbol of the transition of the seasons. If there is a holy spring nearby, it should be visited and prayed at to serve as a reminder of how the waters of the earth were cleansed when St. John baptized Christ in the Jordan. Torches can be lit from the bonfire and carried in a sort of procession on St. John’s Eve.

To eat at the feast, “Goody” is made, a white “shop-bread” soaked in hot milk and flavored with sugar and spices. It is usually made in a large pot that is either placed on the communal bonfire or heated on a smaller fire close by. Revelers bring their own spoons and bowls if they would like to share in it.

Irish Goody:

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves 6

Ingredients

6 slices whole grain bread

3 cups milk (any kind, unsweetened)

¼ cup honey

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. pumpkin pie space (no sugar added)

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a medium pot and bring milk to a boil
Continue cooking and stirring until you have something that resembles oatmeal (about 10 minutes, give or take
Cool slightly and serve.

St. John’s Wort should be dipped in a vessel with water and left outside, exposed to the dew of night until the following morning, when the resulting flower water should be used to wash one’s face as a symbol of St. John’s baptizing waters.

June 24: Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

St. John’s Wort, if not gathered the day before, should be foraged for and placed on the door (along with green birch, long fennel, and white lilies, if possible). St. John’s Wort can also be hung over doors, windows, and icons to ward off evil spirits. If goatsbeard and masterwort are available, they can be gathered and fashioned into a cross. When Mass is attended on the feast day, this cross should be blessed by the parish priest.

June 29: Solemnity of SS. Peter and Paul

First thing in the morning, at 6 a.m., coinciding with the first Angelus bells, find a nearby tree and kneel down under it and say the traditional Angelus prayer. Having finished the prayer, bow deeply and make the sign of the cross. This is to remind us that on this feast day, the blessing of the Holy Father in Rome is carried by angels throughout the world to all who sincerely await it.

On this solemnity, mass should be attended at a basilica or cathedral. Barring that, a visit to a sacred place should be undertaken somehow. There is a plenary indulgence granted to the faithful who visit a basilica or cathedral and there recite an Our Father and the Creed. There is a partial indulgence for reciting this prayer:

“Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, intercede for us. Guard your people, who rely on the patronage of your apostles Peter and Paul, O Lord, and keep them under your continual protection. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

Reciting the Apostles’ or Nicene Creed with an article blessed by the pope or a bishop is good for a plenary indulgence (per the usual conditions), whereas doing the same thing with an article blessed by a priest or deacon is good for a partial indulgence.

A “patronage” shared by Peter and Paul alike was usurped from the ancient Germanic gods Thor (Donar) and Woden. These two gods had been the leaders of the Germanic group of gods, but after conversion to Christianity the people intuited that it was actually Peter and Paul with power as far as nature was concerned rather than their deposed gods. Thus Peter and Paul became known as the “weather makers.” Many ascribe thunder and lightning to some activity of Saint Peter in Heaven (usually bowling). When it snows, he is “shaking out his feather bed.” He sends rain and sunshine, hangs out the stars at night and takes them in again in the morning. Saint Paul is invoked against lightning, storms, hail, and extreme cold. It seems that he is entrusted with the task of persuading Saint Peter to do the “right things” regarding the weather. Both Apostles have been invoked from ancient times against the bite of poisonous snakes. Prayer to the saints should be made this day against snake bites, and no snake will bite you all through the next year.

July 4: Independence Day

The birth of our nation is celebrated by grilling out, frying food, and shooting off or watching fireworks. A patriotic passage is read after the main course is eaten (the Declaration of Independence, the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere, a story about the signing of the Declaration, or tales about the Revolutionary War that involve famous local patriots or veteran ancestors). Burgers should be charcoal grilled for dinner or supper, homemade fries and/or chips should be fried, and Oreos or similar pre-made cookies or desserts should be deep-fried. A trip should be made to Downtown Nashville to watch the annual fireworks show. Fireworks can also be bought and set off around the home.

July 20: Saint Margaret of Antioch

She was the daughter of a pagan priest at Antioch in Pisidia. Also known as Marina, she was converted to Christianity, whereupon she was driven from home by her father. She became a shepherdess and when she spurned the advances of Olybrius, the prefect, who was infatuated with her beauty, he charged her with being a Christian. He had her tortured and then imprisoned, and while she was in prison she had an encounter with the devil in the form of a dragon. He swallowed her, but the cross she carried in her hand so irritated his throat that he was forced to disgorge her (she is patroness of childbirth). The next day, attempts were made to execute her by fire and then by drowning, but she was miraculously saved and converted thousands of spectators witnessing her ordeal. Finally, she was beheaded. She is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, and hers was one of the voices heard by Joan of Arc.

St. Margaret interceded for [insert name] when he was in the womb–her relics were prayed with in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, after the concerning report of an umbilical cord restriction. As patroness of pregnant women, St Margaret never ceases to beseech Almighty God for their health and the health of their babies.

One of the patron saints of nurses, St. Margaret of Antioch, has a nutritious recipe, Margariten lebkuchen, associated with her feast day. Her “cake” contains spelt flour, which comes from a non-wheat grain. Spelt has long been believed to cure many ailments, probably because it is easily digested and contains more protein than wheat flour. Because of its health properties and biblical references, spelt is considered a wonder for body and soul.

(Spelt flour may be found at a specialty health food store/organic market.)

Margariten Lebkuchen (adapted from St. Hildegard’s cookbook cited in Maggie’s Kitchen):

Ingredients:

2 cups spelt flour, sifted

¾ cup sour cream

¾ cup plain yogurt

¾ cup sugar

pinch of salt

1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander

1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon allspice

½ teaspoon cardamom powder

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon nutmeg

2 teapoons baking soda

3 tablespoons milk

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, yogurt, sugar and salt until creamy. Mix in the coriander, cinnamon, allspice, cardamom powder, cloves and nutmeg. In a small cup, dissolve the baking soda in milk and stir well. Blend the baking soda-milk mixture into the batter. Gradually add the spelt flour and mix until a dough is formed.

Spread the dough into a greased, 10-inch round cake or springform pan. Bake on the bottom rack of a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 35-45 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice into wedges and serve with a sprinkling of powdered sugar (optional).

St. Hildegard von Bingen, creator of the Margariten Lebkuchen recipe, was a multi-talented Benedictine nun in the medieval period who believed in the holistic and natural approach to healing. She was a prolific composer and writer, and she published a cookbook from which the above recipe is adapted. The original recipe calls for one cup whole-meal spelt flour and 2 ¼ cups spelt flour. If spelt flour is unavailable, whole wheat flour may be substituted. Spelt is mentioned in Ezekiel 4:9: “Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and spelt, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof …” This aromatic spice “cake” had the consistency of a loaf or coarse gingerbread with a bit of sweetness.

An account of St. Margaret’s life should be read on this day before or after eating the lebkuchen.

July 26: Saints Joachim and Anne

It was in the home of Joachim and Ann where the Virgin Mary received her training to be the Mother of God. Thus, devotion to Ann and Joachim is an extension of the affection Christians have always professed toward our Blessed Mother. Joachim was a prominent and respected man who had no children, and he and his wife, Anne, looked upon this as a punishment from God. In answer to their prayers, Mary was born and was dedicated to God at a very early age. The couple early became models of Christian marriage, and their meeting at the Golden Gate in Jerusalem has been a favorite subject of Christian artists. St. Anne’s two great shrines — that of Ste. Anne d’Auray in Brittany, France, and that of Ste. Anne de Beaupre near Quebec in Canada — are very popular. She is considered the patroness of Celtic Brittany and French Quebec (which boasts considerable Gaulic and Brittanic Celtic blood). Since the gastronomic specialties of Brittany are all sorts of fish and crustaceans, they are always served on her day.

Langouste a la Crème:

Ingredients:

1 boiled lobster

2 Tablespoons butter

1 jigger sherry

2 Tablespoons cream sauce

1 cup cream

2 egg yolks

1 Tablespoon butter, melted

3 Tablespoons cream

Directions:

Boil a medium-sized lobster and allow it to cool. When cold, split it in two and dice all of the meat. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and sauté the lobster meat in it for several minutes. Add the sherry, the cream sauce, and then the cup cream. Simmer gently for about ten minutes and then add the beaten egg yolks mixed with the remaining butter and cream. Mix all thoroughly and fill the lobster shells. Bake in a hot oven until lightly browned, or, while still hot, run under the broiler. (Note: Although the original recipe calls for crawfish, this is not easily nor always obtainable, and lobster may be substituted.)

Recipe Source: Feast Day Cookbook by Katherine Burton and Helmut Ripperger, David McKay Company, Inc., New York, 1951

Queen Anne’s Lace should also be rooted for and harvested on this day, for it is in bloom all through summer. Queen Anne’s lace earned its common name from a story that tells of Queen Anne of England (1665-1714) pricking her finger. A drop of blood landed on white lace she was sewing. However, this version of the story came in vogue after the Reformation; formerly, the plant, also known as Wild Carrot (it is related to the carrot and the roots smell like one), was named for St. Anne, being as she is the patroness of lace-makers (the flowers strongly resemble delicate white lace). Queen Anne’s lace flowers have a flat-topped white umbel, sometimes with a solitary purple flower in the center. These flowers bloom from late spring until mid-fall. Each flower cluster is made up of numerous tiny white flowers. The flower cluster starts out curled up and opens to allow pollination. The cluster then rolls itself shut again, like a reverse umbrella when it goes to seed at the end of the season. Queen Anne’s lace is found in fields, meadows, waste areas, roadsides and disturbed habitats. They are very hardy and thrive in a dry environment. Using first year Queen Anne’s lace plants are recommended. Roots are long, pale, woody, and are finger-thin and are used in soups, stews, and in making tea. First year leaves can be chopped and tossed into a salad. Flower clusters can be ‘french-fried’ or fresh flowers can be tossed into a salad. The aromatic seed is used as a flavoring in stews and soups.

Queen Anne’s Lace Cordial:

30 large Queen Anne’s lace flowers

4 cups water

1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice (or nitrate-free lemon juice)

3 1/2 cups organic cane sugar

Bring water to boil and remove from heat. Add flower heads (push them down into the water). Cover and steep 30-60 minutes. Strain. OR allow flowers to sit in water overnight then strain.

Add organic cane sugar and stir until dissolved. Add lemon juice.

St. Anne’s Litany should be recited at evening prayer today.

Litany of Good St. Anne:

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.

God the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God, Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Queen of angels and saints, Pray for us.

Saint Anne, Pray for us.

St. Anne, mother of Mary the Queen of Heaven, Pray for us.

St. Anne, instrument of the Holy Ghost, Pray for us.

St. Anne, faithful spouse of St. Joachim, Pray for us.

St. Anne, mirror of the married, Pray for us.

St. Anne, example of widows, Pray for us.

St. Anne, miracle of patience, Pray for us.

St. Anne, mother of confidence, Pray for us.

St. Anne, mother of constancy, Pray for us.

St. Anne, mother of prayer, Pray for us.

St. Anne, mother of blessing, Pray for us.

St. Anne, vessel of sanctity, Pray for us.

St. Anne, merciful mother, Pray for us.

St. Anne, comfortress of the afflicted, Pray for us.

St. Anne, help of the poor, Pray for us.

St. Anne, protectress of virgins, Pray for us.

St. Anne, support of the oppressed, Pray for us.

St. Anne, refuge of thy clients, Pray for us.

We sinners: Beseech thee to hear us.

Through thy love for Jesus and Mary, We beseech thee, hear us.

Through thy virtues and merits, We beseech thee, hear us.

Through thy goodness and mercy, We beseech thee, hear us.

Through thy compassion and charity, We beseech thee, hear us.

Through the graces bestowed on thee by God, We beseech thee, hear us.

Through the joys thou didst experience with Jesus and Mary, We beseech thee, hear us.

Through the happiness thou dust enjoy for all eternity, We beseech thee, hear us.

Through the honor given thee by the saints in heaven, We beseech thee, hear us.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world: Spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world: Graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world: Have mercy on us.

Our Father (secretly). Hail, Mary (secretly).

V. Good Saint Anne, pray for us: R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.

O God, Who didst vouchsafe to blessed Anne the grace to be the mother of her who was to bring forth Thine only-begotten Son: grant, in Thy mercy, that we who devoutly venerate her memory may be aided by her intercession. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. R. Amen.

Prayer Source: Kyrie Eleison — Two Hundred Litanies by Benjamin Francis Musser O.F.M., The Magnificat Press, 1944

July 31: Lammas Eve

A quarter cake should be baked the night of July 31st in preparation for Lammas. Early August 1st, Mass should be attended and the quarter cake blessed by the priest present (see next entry).

August 1: Lammas Day

It is customary to bring a loaf of bread made from the new wheat crop to the church for a blessing on August 1, or Lammas Day, which falls at the halfway point between the summer solstice and autumn September equinox. Also called “the Feast of First Fruits,” the word Lammas comes from an Old English phrase that translates to “loaf mass.” It is not good to harvest grain before Lammas Eve. If done, it meant that that the harvest from the previous year ran out before the next harvest was ready. On Lammas Eve, the first sheaves of grain are cut, and by that night, the first loaves of bread for the season are baked. For many, they can run low in the days before Lammas, and the new harvest marks the beginning of a season of plenty, of hard work and company in the fields, reaping in teams. Thus there is a spirit of celebratory play. Lammas also marks the end of the hay harvest that began after Midsummer (St. John’s Eve).

Scotch Highland Quarter Cakes are the traditional meal: these are special cakes baked in a prescribed manner and originally used in pagan rites to celebrate the beginnings of the four seasons. They were all called bannocks, which is an oatcake cut as round as a dinner plate and baked on a hot griddle. The cake is washed over with a thin batter of “whipped egg, milk, cream and a little oatmeal.” A cross and a circle are marked on opposite sides of the cake, symbols of Christ’s death and resurrection.

Also called Bonnach Lunastain, this cake ushers in the harvest season. It is an ancient heathen cake baked of the newly-harvested grain baptized in thanksgiving for God’s generosity and care. As the pagans sacrificed the fruits of the soil to the sun god, the baptized bring their bread to be blessed at the Loaf Mass. If the loaf lasts more than a meal, the crumbs and leftovers can be toasted and crumbled into a pot with butter and milk. Four small morsels of the Lammas loaf should be saved and placed at the four corners of the home outside (and barn, if one is present) for protection (the blessed bread is a physical prayer to God).

A quarter cake should be baked the night of July 31st in preparation for Lammas. Early August 1st, Mass should be attended and the quarter cake blessed by the priest present. Then it should be taken and eaten as a breakfast feast in thanksgiving for the new harvest.

Ingredients:

1 cup fine ground oatmeal

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon melted shortening or lard

Hot water

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Directions:

Sift dry ingredients. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients. Add shortening and enough water to make a stiff dough. Rub plenty of meal on board. Pat out dough and roll one-eighth inch thick. Rub again with meal. Cut plate size and bake on hot greased griddle for 10 minutes on one side and 5 minutes on the other. Serve hot. (Barley meal and buttermilk may be substituted for the oats and hot water.)

Prayer before eating:

Holy Lord, almighty Father, eternal God, graciously deign, to bless this bread with Thy spiritual benediction that all who eat it may have health of body and soul and that they may be protected against all sickness and against all the snares of the enemy.

Recipe Source: Cooking for Christ by Florence Berger, National Catholic Rural Life Conference, 4625 Beaver Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50310, 1949, 1999

Pilgrimages, particularly those that involve climbing a significant hill or mountain, are undertaken this time of year (late July and on Lammas). The most well-known pilgrimage of this type is Reek Sunday, a trek to the top of Croagh Patrick in County Mayo in late July that continues to draw tens of thousands of Christian pilgrims each year. A hike should be organized at one of the many knobs or hills in Middle Tennessee this day, and prayers offered when the summit is reached.

Fairs and shopping are customary on this day as well. A flea market, farmer’s market, or, failing that, a mall or store should be visited today.

August 6: Transfiguration of the Lord

“Our divine Redeemer, being in Galilee about a year before His sacred Passion, took with him St. Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, SS. James and John, and led them to a retired mountain. Tradition assures us that this was Mount Thabor, which is exceedingly high and beautiful, and was anciently covered with green trees and shrubs, and was very fruitful. It rises something like a sugar-loaf, in a vast plain in the middle of Galilee. This was the place in which the Man-God appeared in His glory.” (Butler’s Lives of the Saints). The account of the Transfiguration should be read at evening prayer from one of the Gospels.

The end of summer marks the harvest time, including grapes. The feast of the Transfiguration traditionally included the blessing of grapes. This blessing is taken from the 1964 version of the Roman Ritual. Mass should be attended this day, and afterward, a basket of grapes should be blessed by the priest with the following prayer:

P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.

All: Who made heaven and earth.

P: The Lord be with you.

All: And with your spirit.

Let us pray.

Lord, bless + this new fruit of the vineyard, which in your benevolence you have ripened by heavenly dew, an abundance of rainfall, gentle breezes, and fair weather; and have given us to use with gratitude in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.

All: Amen.

[They are sprinkled with holy water.]

Prayer Source: Roman Ritual, The, Complete Edition by Philip T. Weller, S.T.D., The Bruce Publishing Company, Milwaukee, WI, 1964

The date set for the Feast, is 40 days prior to the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, manifesting its close connection with it. Christians kept this feast in Jerusalem as early as the 7th century and in most parts of the Byzantine Empire by the 9th century. It was gradually introduced into the Western Church, and its observance was fixed as August 6 by Pope Calixtus III in 1457 as a thanks offering for the victory over the Turks at Belgrade on that day in 1456. During the siege of Belgrade (1456), Callixtus also initiated the custom that bells be rung at midday to remind the faithful to pray for the crusaders. Callixtus III excommunicated the 1456 appearance of Halley’s Comet, believing it to be an ill omen for the Christian defenders of Belgrade from the besieging armies of the Ottoman Empire. By 6 August, when the Turkish siege was broken, the comet had not been visible in either Europe or Turkey for several weeks. Forces led by John Hunyadi (Hungarian: Hunyadi János), Captain-General of Hungary, met the Turks and defeated them at Belgrade on 22 July 1456. Shortly after his victory, Hunyadi himself died of a fever. To commemorate this victory, Callixtus III ordered the Feast of the Transfiguration to be held annually on 6 August.

Bells should be rung at noon to remind Christians to pray for crusaders and all warrior Christians. An account of the battle of Belgrade can also be read.

August 8: Fourteen Holy Helpers

The Fourteen “Auxiliary Saints” or “Holy Helpers” are a group of saints invoked because they have been efficacious in assisting in trials and sufferings. Each saint has a separate feast or memorial day, and the group is traditionally collectively venerated on August 8. These saints were often represented together. Popular devotion to these saints often began in a monastery that held their relics. All of the saints except Giles were martyrs. The Fourteen Holy Helpers are invoked as a group mainly because of the Black Plague which devastated Europe from 1346 to 1349.

Saint Christopher and Saint Giles were invoked against the plague itself. Saint Denis was prayed to for relief from headache, Saint Blaise for ills of the throat, Saint Elmo [also known as St. Erasmus] for abdominal maladies, Saint Barbara for fever, and Saint Vitus against epilepsy. Saint Pantaleon was the patron of physicians, Saint Cyriacus invoked against temptation on the deathbed, and Saints Christopher, Barbara, and Catherine for protection against a sudden and unprovided for death. Saint Giles was prayed to for a good confession and Saint Eustace as healer of family troubles. Domestic animals were also attacked by the plague, so Saints George, Elmo, Pantaleon, and Vitus were invoked for their protection. Saint Margaret of Antioch is the patron of safe childbirth. Saint Agathius (also known as St. Acacius) is invoked against headaches and was one of the patron saints that soldiers called upon when battling against the Moslem Ottoman Turks.

On this day, say the following litany and invocation:

The Litany of the Fourteen Holy Helpers:

LORD, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.

Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven,

Have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world,

Have mercy on us.

God the Holy Ghost,

Have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God,

Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Queen of Martyrs,

pray for us.

St. Joseph, helper in all needs, pray for us [repeat “pray for us after each invocation],

Fourteen Holy Helpers,

St. George, valiant Martyr of Christ,

St. Blaise, zealous bishop and benefactor of the poor,

St. Erasmus, mighty protector of the oppressed,

St. Pantaleon, miraculous exemplar of charity,

St. Vitus, special protector of chastity,

St. Christophorus, mighty intercessor in dangers,

St. Dionysius, shining mirror of faith and confidence,

St. Cyriacus, terror of Hell,

St. Achatius, helpful advocate in death,

St. Eustachius, exemplar of patience in adversity,

St. Giles, despiser of the world,

St. Margaret, valiant champion of the Faith,

St. Catherine, victorious defender of the Faith and of purity,

St. Barbara, mighty patroness of the dying,

All ye Holy Helpers, etc.

All ye Saints of God,

In temptations against faith,

In adversity and trials,

In anxiety and want,

In every combat,

In every temptation,

In sickness,

In all needs,

In fear and terror ,

In dangers of salvation,

In dangers of honor,

In dangers of reputation,

In dangers of property,

In dangers by fire and water ,

Be merciful, spare us, O Lord!

Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Lord!

From all sin,

deliver us, O Lord.

From Thy wrath, etc.

From the scourge of earthquake,

From plague, famine, and war,

From lightning and storms,

From a sudden and unprovided death,

From eternal damnation,

Through the mystery of Thy holy incarnation, etc.

Through Thy birth and Thy life,

Through Thy Cross and Passion,

Through Thy death and burial,

Through the merits of Thy blessed Mother Mary,

Through the merits of the Fourteen Holy Helpers,

On the Day of Judgment, deliver us, O Lord!

We sinners, beseech Thee hear us.

That Thou spare us,

We beseech Thee, hear us.

That Thou wilt pardon us, etc.

That Thou wilt convert us to true penance,

That Thou wilt give and preserve the fruits of the earth,

That Thou wilt protect and propagate Thy holy Church,

That Thou wilt preserve peace and concord among the nations,

That Thou wilt give eternal rest to the souls of the departed,

That Thou wilt come to our aid through the intercession of the Holy Helpers,

That through the intercession of St. George Thou wilt preserve us in the Faith,

That through the intercession of St. Blaise Thou wilt confirm us in hope,

That through the intercession of St. Erasmus Thou wilt enkindle in us Thy holy love,

That through the intercession of St. Pantaleon Thou wilt give us charity for our neighbor,

That through the intercession of St. Vitus Thou wilt teach us the value of our soul,

That through the intercession of St. Christophorus Thou wilt preserve us from sin,

That through the intercession of St. Dionysius Thou wilt give us tranquillity of conscience,

That through the intercession of St. Cyriacus Thou wilt grant us resignation to Thy holy will,

That through the intercession of St. Eustachius Thou wilt give us patience in adversity,

That through the intercession of St. Achatius Thou wilt grant us a happy death,

That through the intercession of St. Giles Thou wilt grant us a merciful judgment,

That through the intercession of St. Margaret Thou wilt preserve us from Hell,

That through the intercession of St. Catherine Thou wilt shorten our Purgatory,

That through the intercession of St. Barbara Thou wilt receive us in Heaven,

That through the intercession of all the Holy Helpers Thou wilt grant our prayers,

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,

spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,

graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,

have mercy on us, O Lord.

V. Pray for us, ye Fourteen Holy Helpers.

R. That we may be made worthy of the promise of Christ.

Let us Pray.

ALMIGHTY and eternal God, Who hast bestowed extraordinary graces and gifts on Thy Saints George, Blase, Erasmus, Pantaleon, Vitus, Christophorus, Dionysius, Cyriacus, Eustachius, Achatius, Giles, Margaret, Catherine, and Barbara, and hast illustrated them by miracles; we beseech Thee to graciously hear the petitions of all who invoke their intercession. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

O God, who didst miraculously fortify the Fourteen Holy Helpers in the confession of the Faith; grant us, we beseech Thee, to imitate their fortitude in overcoming all temptations against it, and protect us through their intercession in all dangers of soul and body, so that we may serve Thee in purity of heart and chastity of body. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Invocation of the Holy Helpers:

FOURTEEN Holy Helpers, who served God in humility and confidence on earth and are

now in the enjoyment of His beatific vision in Heaven; because thou persevered till death thou gained the crown of eternal life. Remember the dangers that surround us in this vale of tears, and intercede for us in all our needs and adversities. Amen.

Fourteen Holy Helpers, select friends of God, I honor thee as mighty intercessors, and come with filial confidence to thee in my needs, for the relief of which I have undertaken to make this novena. Help me by thy intercession to placate God’s wrath, which I have provoked by my sins, and aid me in amending my life and doing penance. Obtain for me the grace to serve God with a willing heart, to be resigned to His holy will, to be patient in adversity and to persevere unto the end, so that, having finished my earthly course, I may join thee in Heaven, there to praise for ever God, Who is wonderful in His Saints. Amen.

August 10: Saint Lawrence

As a deacon in Rome, Lawrence was responsible for the material goods of the Church and the distribution of alms to the poor. Ambrose of Milan relates that when the treasures of the Church were demanded of Lawrence by the prefect of Rome, he brought forward the poor, to whom he had distributed the treasure as alms. “Behold in these poor persons the treasures which I promised to show you; to which I will add pearls and precious stones, those widows and consecrated virgins, which are the Church’s crown.” The prefect was so angry that he had a great gridiron prepared with hot coals beneath it and had Lawrence placed on it, hence Lawrence’s association with the gridiron. After the martyr had suffered pain for a long time, the story concludes, he cheerfully declared: “I’m well done on this side. Turn me over!” From this St. Lawrence derives his patronage of cooks, chefs, and comedians.

Because the Perseid Meteor Shower typically occurs annually in mid-August on or proximate to his feast day, the shower is also known as the “Burning Tears of St. Lawrence.” Effort should be made to view the fiery display put on by the Saint after dark (peaking around August 9 to 13). To see the meteors, look up and to the north during the pre-dawn hours.

August 14: Assumption Fast

August 15: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The East Roman Emperor Marcian (457) and his wife, Pulcheria, asked the Bishop of Jerusalem at the Council of Chalcedon, in 451, to have the relics of the Blessed Virgin brought to Constantinople. The Bishop answered, “Mary died in the presence of the Apostles; but her tomb, when opened later on the request of Saint Thomas, was found empty, and thus the Apostles concluded that the body was taken up to Heaven.” Saint John Damascene says it this way: “Your sacred and happy soul, as nature will have it, was separated in death from your most blessed and immaculate body; and although the body was duly interred, it did not remain in the state of death, neither was it dissolved by decay….Your most pure and sinless body was not left on earth but you were transferred to your heavenly throne, O Lady, Queen, and Mother of God in truth.”

The fleur-de-lis is a traditional symbol of Our Lady’s Assumption, so objects with that symbol are preferred for this day (such as plates featuring it). The traditional practice for this feast day is the Blessing of Herbs. This practice became associated with the Blessed Virgin Mary because of Isaiah 11:1, and its reference to the “shoot springing from the side of Jesse,” which would bear the blessed fruit of Jesus. Bring locally grown herbs to Mass and ask the priest to bless them. This is not only to secure another blessed object, but also to make of the occasion a harvest festival of thanksgiving to God for His great bounty manifested in the abundant fruits of the earth. If possible the herbs should be placed on the altar, and even beneath the altar-cloths, so that from this close contact with the Eucharist they might receive a special consecration, over and above the ordinary sacramental blessing of the Church. They can then be used to make sachets to put in drawers, dried for decorative use or for later cooking, or used to make dinner. Food for the day should include herb-heavy meals, such as herb roast, herb salad, and, for dessert, a blackberry basil tart. The tart should be filled with basil leaves blessed that morning at Mass.

Blackberry Purple Basil Tart:

Ingredients:

Pie Dough:

2 1/2 cups flour

3 tbsp sugar

Pinch of salt

Pinch of powdered ginger

5-10 leaves purple basil, minced

1 1/2 sticks butter (cold)

4 tbsp shortening

4 tbsp honey

1/3 cup water, cold

Filling:

3 pints blackberries (or black raspberries)

1/4 cup honey

Handful of purple basil leaves (or regular basil), minced

Whipped Cream:

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp powdered ginger

Start with the dough. In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, sugar, ginger, and basil. With your fingers, work in the shortening. Chop the butter into squares and cut that in with your hands, until the texture resembles cornmeal. Stir in honey and water. The dough should form a loose ball. If necessary, add more water/flour. Wrap the ball in plastic and refrigerate for at leas an hour.

After your dough has chilled, break off pieces the size of ping pong ball and roll them out. Place the dough rounds into a greased cupcake tin, trimming the edges so that they are neatly sized. Bake the shells at 400 for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool.

About 20 minutes before you’re ready to serve these, mix your berries in the honey and the minced basil. Then, use a beater or stand mixer to whip the cream, sugar, and ginger until stiff. Serve a scoop of blackberries in the shell, topped with whipped cream.

Full Traditional Prayer for Blessing of Herbs:

After the Asperges if it is a Sunday, otherwise immediately before Mass, the priest, standing before the altar and facing the people who hold the sheaves of new grain, garden vegetables, flowers and new herbs and the finest fruits of their orchards in their hands, says in a clear voice:

P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.

All: Who made heaven and earth.

Psalm 64

P: To you we owe our hymn of praise, O God, in Sion; to you must vows be fulfilled, you who hear prayers.

All: To you all flesh must come* because of wicked deeds.

P: We are overcome by our sins; * it is you who pardon them.

All: Happy the man you choose, * and bring to dwell in your courts.

P: May we be filled with the good things of your house, * the holy things of your temple.

All: With awe-inspiring deeds of justice you answer us, * O God our Savior,

P: The hope of all the ends of the earth * and of the distant seas.

All: You set the mountains in place by your power, * you who are girt with might;

P: You still the roaring of the seas, * the roaring of their waves and the tumult of the peoples.

All: And the dwellers at the earth’s ends are in fear at your marvels; * the farthest east and west you make resound with joy.

P: You have visited the land and watered it; * greatly have you enriched it.

All: God’s watercourses are filled; you have prepared the grain. * Thus have you prepared the land:

P: Drenching its furrows, * breaking up its clods,

All: Softening it with showers, * blessing its yield.

P: You have crowned the year with your bounty, * and your paths overflow with a rich harvest;

All: The untilled meadows overflow with it, * and rejoicing clothes the hills.

P: The fields are garmented with flocks and the valleys blanketed with grain. * They shout and sing for joy.

All: Glory be to the Father.

P: As it was in the beginning.

P: The Lord will be gracious.

All: And our land will bring forth its fruit.

P: You water the mountains from the clouds.

All: The earth is replenished from your rains.

P: Giving grass for cattle.

All: And plants for the benefit of man.

P: You bring wheat from the earth.

All: And wine to cheer man’s heart.

P: Oil to make his face lustrous.

All: And bread to strengthen his heart.

P: He utters a command and heals their suffering.

All: And snatches them from distressing want.

P: Lord, heed my prayer.

All: And let my cry be heard by you.

P: The Lord be with you.

All: And with your spirit.

Let us pray.

Almighty everlasting God, who by your word alone brought into being the heavens, earth, sea, things seen and things unseen, and garnished the earth with plants and trees for the use of man and beast; who appointed each species to bring forth fruit in its kind, not only for the food of living creatures, but for the healing of sick bodies as well; with mind and word we urgently call on you in your great kindness to bless + these various herbs and fruits, thus increasing their natural powers with the newly given grace of your blessing. May they keep away disease and adversity from men and beasts who use them in your name; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Let us pray.

God, who through Moses, your servant, directed the children of Israel to carry their sheaves of new grain to the priests for a blessing, to pluck the finest fruits of the orchard, and to make merry before you, the Lord their God; hear our supplications, and shower blessings + in abundance upon us and upon these bundles of new grain, new herbs, and this assortment of produce which we gratefully present to you on this festival, blessing + them in your name. Grant that men, cattle, flocks, and beasts of burden find in them a remedy against sickness, pestilence, sores, injuries, spells, against the fangs of serpents or poisonous creatures. May these blessed objects be a protection against diabolical mockery, cunning, and deception wherever they are kept, carried, or otherwise used. Lastly, through the merits of the blessed Virgin Mary, whose Assumption we are celebrating, may we all, laden with the sheaves of good works, deserve to be taken up to heaven; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Let us pray.

God, who on this day raised up to highest heaven the rod of Jesse, the Mother of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, that by her prayers and patronage you might communicate to our mortal nature the fruit of her womb, your very Son; we humbly implore you to help us use these fruits of the soil for our temporal and everlasting welfare, aided by the power of your Son and the prayers of His glorious Mother; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

And may the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, + and Holy Spirit, come upon these creatures and remain always.

All: Amen.

[They are sprinkled with holy water and incensed.]

Prayer Source: Roman Ritual, The, Complete Edition by Philip T. Weller, S.T.D., The Bruce Publishing Company, Milwaukee, WI, 1964

The days from August 15 to September 15 are called “Our Lady’s Thirty Days” (Frauendreissiger). Many Assumption shrines show Mary clothed in a robe covered with ears of grain. These images (Maria im Gerteidekleid, Our Lady of Grains) are favored goals of pilgrimages during August.

These days have a character of blessing and goodness. Both animals and plants are said to lose their harmful traits. Poisonous snakes do not strike, poison plants are less harmful, wild animals refrain from attacking humans. All food produced during this period is especially wholesome and good, and will remain fresh much longer than at other times of the year.

August 22: Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

“The purpose of the Feast is that all may recognize more clearly and venerate more devoutly the merciful and motherly sovereignty of her who bore God in her womb” (Ven. Pius XII, Ad. Coeli Reginam).

This day should be marked by another crowning of an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the home (usually a more durable one than the flower crown that is used at May Crowning). This crown should be removed after the feast day of Our Lady of Sorrows. This is begun with the following consecration:

Recite together kneeling:

Act of Contrition; 3 Hail Marys; 3 Glorias; 3 times the invocation:

Mary Immaculate Queen: Triumph and Reign.

followed by the Act of Consecration:

O Mary Immaculate Queen, glorious Queen of the Universe, most powerful Virgin, merciful Mother of a merciful God and refuge of sinners, we consecrate ourselves to thy Royal and Immaculate Heart.

It is through thee that Jesus Christ our King has come into the world to save it. It is also through thee that He is to reign over the world.

In order to obtain this great benefit for ourselves and all mankind, we come to thy feet to consecrate to thee our persons, our lives, all that we are, all that we have, all that we love. Keep us, enlighten us, dispose of us, reign over us.

May all hearts and all homes willingly proclaim thee as their Immaculate Queen.

Prayer:

O Mary Immaculate Queen, look down upon this distressed and suffering world. Thou knowest our misery and our weakness. O Thou who art our Mother, saving us in the hour of peril, have compassion on us in these days of great and heavy trial.

Jesus has confided to thee the treasure of His Grace, and through Thee He wills to grant us pardon and mercy. In these hours of anguish, therefore, thy children come to Thee as their hope.

We recognize thy Queenship and ardently desire thy triumph. We need a Mother and a Mother’s Heart. Thou art for us the luminous dawn which dissipates our darkness and points out the way to life. In thy clemency obtain for us the courage and the confidence of which we have such need.

Most Holy and Adorable Trinity, Thou Who didst crown with glory in Heaven the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Savior, grant that all her children on earth may acknowledge her as their Sovereign Queen, that all hearts, homes, and nations may recognize her rights as Mother and as Queen. Amen.

MARY IMMACULATE QUEEN

Triumph and Reign!

Imprimi potest:

+ Michael Epus Galviensis, 4 June, 1966

Then place the crown on the images. At this time the Litany of Loreto (or the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary) is said and afterwards either the Regina Caeli or Salve Regina is sung. Traditionally also there should be a Marian procession through the streets. This is done in the City of Los Angeles, which was named to honor Mary as Our Lady of the Angels, Queen of Heaven, and Empress of the Americas. If no parish is sponsoring such an event, a few families can hold a smaller procession in their neighborhood if enough people can be gathered for it. Food for the day should be Queen cakes, which are lemon-flavored cakes with currants (or raisins), baked in muffin tins or shaped mini-cake pans.

Queen Cakes:

Serves 12

Prep time 5 minutes

Cook time 20 minutes

Total time 25 minutes

Ingredients:

100g butter (or baking margarine)

100g caster (or regular) sugar

2 medium free-range eggs (beaten with 4 tablespoons of milk)

1 tablespoon brandy (or cognac)

150g self-rising Flour

75g ground rice (toast uncooked rice–any white rice will work–in a dry pan or skillet with no oil until it turns golden in color, then pound in a mortar or grind in a coffee/spice grinder.)

1/4 teaspoon ground mace (or ground nutmeg)

grated zest of 1 lemon

50g currants

Directions:

Step 1 Pre-heat oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6. Line a 12 hole bun tin with paper cake cases.

Step 2 Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the brandy to the egg and milk mixture.

Step 3 Mix the flour, ground rice and mace together and add to the creamed butter and sugar mixture alternately with the egg, milk and brandy mixture.

Step 4 Add the currants and the lemon zest, and mix well. Divide the mixture between the paper cases, then bake in the pre-heated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until well risen and golden brown.

Step 5 Remove the cakes from the oven and place them on a wire cooling rack.

Step 6 Sprinkle with a little caster sugar; when cold, serve with tea or coffee. Store in an airtight tin for up to 3 days.

August 29: The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist

St. John denounced Herod Antipas for putting away his own wife and marrying the wife of his brother Philip, so Herod imprisoned John. At a feast in honor of Herod’s birthday, his stepdaughter Salome danced for him. Herod promised Salome anything; thus her mother, Herodias, told her to ask for the head of St. John on a platter. Read St. Mark’s Gospel, 6:14-29, the account of the beheading. This is a day of mourning and so fasting and abstinence is required. Also, nothing should be eaten that is naturally spherical or round, and nothing should be served on a plate or platter, in honor of the round head of the saint.

September 1 to 7: Labor Day (First Monday in September)

Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States. The three-day weekend it falls on is called Labor Day Weekend.

Beginning in the late 19th century, as the trade union and labor movements grew, trade unionists proposed that a day be set aside to celebrate labor. “Labor Day” was promoted by the Central Labor Union and the Knights of Labor, which organized the first parade in New York City. In 1887, Oregon was the first state of the United States to make it an official public holiday. By the time it became an official federal holiday in 1894, thirty states in the U.S. officially celebrated Labor Day.

Labor Day is called the “unofficial end of summer” because it marks the end of the cultural summer season. Many take their two-week vacations during the two weeks ending Labor Day weekend. Many fall activities, such as school and sports, begin about this time. In fashion, Labor Day is considered the last day when it is acceptable to wear white or seersucker. To take advantage of large numbers of potential customers with time to shop, Labor Day has become an important weekend for discounts and allowances by many retailers in the United States, especially for back-to-school sales. Some retailers claim it is one of the largest sale dates of the year, second only to the Christmas season’s Black Friday.

The day should be spent reflecting on the dignity of labor, and the current crisis of the American worker. If there are fireworks or festivals in the area, they should be attended.

September 3: St. Gregory the Great

At Rome, the ordination as Pope of the incomparable man, Saint Gregory the Great; who, being compelled to undertake this burden, shone from the highest throne with rays of sanctity all the more brightly in the world. (The Roman Martyrology. The feast of St Gregory was moved in the new calendar from the day of his death, March 12, to September 3rd, the day of his ordination as Pope.) Pope Saint Gregory the Great’s example of holy leadership, of scholarly practicality, of balance between universal and local concerns, helps all Christians to weigh their many duties in a proper balance and to choose correctly what matters most to God and their own salvation.

A strange thing happened one April 25, St. Mark’s day: the Holy Father [Pope Gregory the Great], frugal by nature and by vocation, was suddenly overwhelmed–we do not know why–by an incomprehensible desire for cherries. History recounts that servants and gardeners were at a loss. The spring weather was still fresh and raw, and the cherry trees, which grew in numbers along the hills of Trastevere, from the Janiculum to the Colle del Gelsomino, were only just in blossom.

Fortunately, one gardener who was wandering the gardens in despair–gardens that, centuries earlier, had belonged to Luculus–was visited by St. Mark in a cloud of fire. The saint asked him why he was in such a state. As soon as he heard the answer, he uttered a special blessing on a tree, and in a flash it was covered in fragrant, succulent red fruit. As the story handed down through the centuries in Roman dialect recounts, the Pope “se ne fece subito una bella panzata” (“wasted no time in wolfing down a bellyful”). Since then, on St. Mark’s feast day, the Pope usually enjoys a nice bowlful of cherries, out of not so much greed as devotion to the saint.

Cherries should be enjoyed in the morning on this day. A cherry pie can also be baked during the day and consumed for dessert in the evening.

Southern Cherry Pie (Paula Deen; makes one 9-inch pie):

Ingredients

3 pounds pitted fresh cherries

¼ cup almond liqueur

¼ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon salt

1 (14.1-ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°.

On a lightly floured surface, roll pie crust to a 12-inch circle. Press into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Pour cherry mixture into prepared crust.

Bake until filling is hot and bubbly and crust is browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for at least 1 hour before serving.

September 7: Saint Mark of Križevci and the nativity of our Firstborn Son

Read the martyrdom of St Mark Krizin:

“Marko Stjepan Krizin was born in 1588 in Križevci. He studied philosophy in Graz, where he joined the Congregation of Mary. There he was a student of Petar Pázmány, later on a cardinal and Hungarian primate. Krizin decided to become a priest so he was sent to Rome to stay at the Collegium Germanicum and Hungaricum and study theology as a candidate of the Diocese of Zagreb.

The Collegium’s archive till this day keeps a document where he wrote that he was Croat by nationality. He was studying at the Pontifical Gregorian University from 1611 to 1615 and was sharp and virtuous. Marko was ordained as priest and after that returned to his Diocese of Zagreb where he performed pastoral work. Shortly after, the Archbishop of Ostrogon and Cardinal Petar Pázmány summoned him to Hungary. As of 1616 he was a teacher and headmaster of the Trnava Seminary and was appointed canon.

He was also the prior of a Benedictine abbey and Szepluku near Košice, which was then owned by the Ostrogon Chapter. Once part of the Archdiocese of Ostrogon, today these territories are territory of the Republic of Slovakia.

At the time Košiće was a fort of Hungarian Calvinism. In order to help the few Catholics left, who were even deprived of their churches, two Jesuits, a Hungarian Stjepan (Stephen) Pongrácz and a Pole Melkior (Melchior) Grodziecki were summoned to look after the faithful who spoke Hungarian and Slovakian. A Croat, Mark of Križevci worked with them in 1619 as a missionary.

At the time of the rebellion of the Erdelj prince Gabriel (Gabor) Bethlen, on September 3, 1619, a Calvinist commander George (Juraj) Rákóczy came to Košice with his army and imprisoned the three missionaries. As they refused to convert to Calvinism, the three missionaries were tortured. They wanted to force them to abjure their faith and Peter’s successor in Rome but they stayed true to both.

They offered him a church estate if he abjured Catholicism and the Pope in Rome. They were tortured to death. Mark was set on fire by a torch and decapitated on September 7, 1619. The Jesuit Grodziecki was murdered on the same day, and Pongrácz the following day. Prince Bethlen denied the martyrs a decent burial with honors.

He caved in six months later upon request of the palatine’s wife Catherine Pálffy, who agreed to dance with Bethlen at the ceremonial lunch at the palace where the martyrs were tortured, but under condition that the three Catholic priests were awarded with highest honors. Cardinal Pázmany, the Hungarian primate, carried out an investigation of the martyrdom, and then on behalf of the entire episcopate of the kingdom asked the Pope Urban VIII for the martyrs to be publicly venerated. The coffin with the remains of the three martyrs was transferred to the ursuline church in Trnava, where the veneration of the martyrs developed.

In 1718, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Mark’s martyrly death, the Jesuit students in Zagreb performed a play Mark of Križevci crowned with a martyr’s laurel. The process for beatification of the three martyrs began in 1859. Holy Pope Pius X beatified them on January 15, 1905.

Aloysius Stepinac, the Archbishop of Zagreb, with the help of Josip Andrić, Ph.D., the editor of the CLS of St. Jerome and others strongly supported the worship of the Croatian martyrs. In 1937 the Archbishop dedicated the new parish in Selska road in Zagreb to the blessed Mark of Križevci.

In Križevci there was no sign of worship of the blessed Mark until the term of the parish priest Vid Cipriš, who got approval that the church of St. Ladislaus in the Upper Town of Križevci gets the blessed Mark of Križevci as co-patron saint.

He also started publishing the parish paper Krizinus, and in 1969 organised a big celebration for the 450th anniversary of the martyrdom of the blessed Mark of Križevci, which was celebrated by Cardinal Franjo (Francis) Šeper, the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith in Rome. Since then on the Feast of Mark of Križevci, annual pilgrimages to his home town and his church began.

Pope John Paul II canonized these three martyrs for their faith on July 2, 1995 in Košice. Mark’s canonization was celebrated in his hometown as well. The blessed relics of St. Mark rest at the Esztergom Basilica in Budapest, Hungary.

September 11: Patriot Day

In the immediate aftermath of the attacks of September 11, 2001, carried out by terrorists from Al-Qaeda, President George W. Bush proclaimed Friday, September 14, 2001, as a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance for the Victims of the Terrorist Attacks on September 11, 2001.

A bill to make September 11 a national day of mourning was introduced in the U.S. House on October 25, 2001, by Rep. Vito Fossella (R-NY) with 22 co-sponsors. The result was the resolution to proclaim September 11, 2002, as the first Patriot Day.

The flag of the United States is flown at half-staff at the White House and on all U.S. government buildings and establishments throughout the world; Americans are also encouraged to display flags in and outside their homes, at half mast if possible. Additionally, a moment of silence is observed to correspond with the attacks, beginning at 8:46 a.m. (Eastern Daylight Time), the time the first plane, American Airlines Flight 11, struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, and at 9:03, the time the World Trade Center’s South Tower was hit by United Airlines Flight 175. A third flight, American Airlines Flight 77, crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, at 9:37 a.m., causing a partial collapse. The fourth and final flight, United Airlines Flight 93, flew in the direction of Washington, D.C. Alerted of the previous attacks, the plane’s passengers attempted to gain control of the aircraft, but the hijackers ultimately crashed the plane in a field in Stonycreek Township, Pennsylvania, near Shanksville at 10:03 a.m. Prayers should be offered during these four moments for the 2,977 victims. The office of the dead should be prayed this day for them as well.

September 14: Roodmas or Holyrood (Exaltation of the Holy Cross)

This feast was observed in Rome before the end of the seventh century. It commemorates the recovery of the Holy Cross, which had been placed on Mt. Calvary by St. Helena and preserved in Jerusalem, but then had fallen into the hands of Chosroas, King of the Persians. The precious relic was recovered and returned to Jerusalem by Emperor Heraclius in 629.

The lesson from the Breviary recounts how Emperor Heraclius carried the Cross back to Jerusalem on his shoulders. He was clothed with costly garments and with ornaments of precious stones. But at the entrance to Mt. Calvary a strange incident occurred. Try as hard as he would, he could not go forward. Zacharias, the Bishop of Jerusalem, then said to the astonished monarch: “Consider, O Emperor, that with these triumphal ornaments you are far from resembling Jesus carrying His Cross.” The Emperor then put on a penitential garb and continued the journey.

Going a-nutting is the custom on Holy Rood, which in England meant gathering hazel nuts which were an important protein source in the winter for people and animals, but could also be sold to dyers, the nuts making both red and black dye. Hazelnuts ripen in the Isles in hedgerows from September onwards. Hazelnuts have associations with wisdom and power (it is a hazel rod that is used for water divining). Locally to [insert town], trees that produce good-tasting, edible mast are all types of white oak; American beech; chestnuts (which are nearly extinct) and its close cousin the chinquapin; black walnut; butternut (or white walnut); and shellbark, shagbark, and mockernut hickories. All should go a-nutting and gather as many edible nuts as possible this day. But caution should be exercised. Poet John Clare, in 1825, said, “On Holy Rood Day it is faithfully…believed both by old and young that the Devil goes a –nutting…I have heard many people affirm that they thought it a tale until they ventured into the woods on that day when they smelt such a strong smell of brimstone as nearly stifled them before they could escape…” Foragers should be on the lookout for diabolical activity while nutting. But help from Heaven is at hand as well. For example, in Warwickshire there is a tale that a particular hill, the Devil’s Nightcap near Alcester, was formed when the Devil met the Virgin Mary on the road and dropped his nutting bag in fright! It was also known that some had been enticed by the Devil to activities other than foraging while in the woods; hence the saying, “A good year for nuts, a good year for babies.” Keep a Hail Mary on the lips while in the woods.

A crucifix should be venerated in the home on this day. Everyone should line up behind the head of the household, who will turn to the person behind him and say, “Behold the wood of the Cross.” That person will kneel, place his forehead on the wood, and then kiss it saying, “I adore thee, O Christ, and I praise thee, for by thy Holy Cross, thou hast redeemed the world.” He then stands and turns to the next one in line and repeats the sequence, and so on, until the last person says it to the head of household, who does as the others did.

Sweet basil grew over the hill where St. Helena found the Holy Cross, so in Greece the faithful are given sprigs of basil by the priest. Cook a basil pesto, tomato basil salad (with the last of the summer tomatoes) or some other type of recipe that includes basil.

In Scotland, Roodmas (or Féill Ròid) marks the start of the rutting season of the deer. If the night before it is wet, it will be followed by a month of dry weather, “and the farmer need be under no apprehension of securing his crops.” John Gregorson Campbell described the belling of the red deer among the hills on this night as “magnificent.”

September 15: Our Lady of Sorrows

This feast is dedicated to the spiritual martyrdom of Mary, Mother of God, and her compassion with the sufferings of her Divine Son, Jesus. In her suffering as co-redeemer, she exposes the tremendous evil of sin and shows us the way of true repentance. The feast is like an octave for the birthday of Our Lady on September 8th. As Mary stood at the foot of the Cross on which Jesus hung, the sword of sorrow Simeon had foretold pierced her soul. Below are the seven sorrows of Mary:

The prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:25-35);

The flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15);

Loss of the Child Jesus for three days, (Luke 2:41-50);

Mary meets Jesus on his way to Calvary (Luke 23:27-31; John 19:17);

Crucifixion and Death of Jesus (John 19:25-30);

The body of Jesus being taken from the Cross (deposition from the Cross) (Psalm 130; Luke 23:50-54; John 19:31-37); and

The burial of Jesus (Isaiah 53:8; Luke 23:55, 56; John 19:38-42; Mark 15:40-47).

Symbols for this feast include a heart pierced with a sword; a heart pierced by seven swords; a winged heart pierced with a sword; flowers: a red rose, an iris (meaning: “sword-lily”), a cyclamen.

Mass should be attended at St. Mary of the Seven Sorrows Catholic Church in Downtown Nashville on this day. Pray the short prayer or ejaculation, “Holy Mother, imprint deeply upon my heart the wounds of the Crucified” throughout the day and as a family in the evening. Read the above passages for each sorrow, then sing the Stabat Mater.

September 15, 17, 18 to September 21, 23, 24 (the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after the Third Sunday of September, which is usually the same three days after Roodmas): Autumn Ember Days

Ember Days are a quarterly observance the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday of one week of each season that “the Church is accustomed to entreat the Lord for the various needs of humanity, especially for the fruits of the earth and for human labor, and to give thanks to him publicly” (Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year and the Calendar, 45). The weather on the Ember Days of this month (September 21, 23, and 24) will foretell the weather for three successive months. So Wednesday, September 21, will forecast the weather for October; Friday, September 23, for November; and Saturday, September 24, for December. During these days wine or grape juice is drunk to give thanks for the grape harvest.

September 22: Beginning of the St Therese of Lisieux Novena

This novena consists of the beginning invocation: “Saint Therese of the Infant Jesus Patroness of Missions, Pray for us” and is followed by 24 Glory Be prayers, one for each of the years of her life.

September 23: Saint Pio of Pietrelcina

An intention should be chosen and this prayer prayed together in the evening:

Gracious God, You generously blessed Your servant, Padre Pio, with the gifts of the Spirit. You marked his body with the five wounds of Christ Crucified, as a powerful witness to the saving Passion and Death of Your Son, and as a stirring inspiration to many people of Your infinite mercy, forgiveness and love.

In the confessional, Padre Pio labored endlessly for the salvation of souls. Through his prayerful intercession, many who suffered were healed of sickness and disease. Endowed with the gift of discernment, he could read people’s hearts. From the blood of his wounds came a perfumed fragrance, a special sign of Your Holy Presence. With dignity and intense devotion, he celebrated daily Mass, inviting countless men and women to a greater union with Jesus Christ, in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.

Through the intercession of Saint Pio, I confidently beseech You to grant me the grace of (here state your petition). Help me to imitate his example of prayerful holiness and compassion, so that I, too, may faithfully follow the Risen Lord, and one day rejoice in the Kingdom, where You live and reign forever and ever. Amen.

September 28: Michaelmas Eve

Bake a special bread or cake, called Sruthan Mhìcheil, St Michael’s bannock or Michaelmas Bannock, on the eve of the Feast. Nuts are also cracked (see next entry). As do the people in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, build a bonfire on the Eve of Michaelmas and scatter grain for the wild birds to bring luck to the farm. Birdseed should be bought on Michaelmas Eve and scattered that night and the next morning to attract birds.

September 29: Michaelmas (Feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael)

Michaelmas, with the other Quarter Days, was a day on which servants and other workers were hired, land was exchanged, rents or leases were due, and debts settled. Consequently, Michaelmas hiring fairs were held at the end of September or beginning of October. Michaelmas was also the customary time for electing magistrates and marked the beginning of legal and university terms.

The Archangel Michael was a warrior saint and protector against darkness and evil. He fought against Satan and his fallen angels. Another of his roles is to rescue the souls of the faithful from the power of enemies, especially at the hour of death. Hence, as the autumn nights grow longer, many Michaelmas customs are about conquering the forces of evil. With a dark winter lying ahead, evil spirits are stronger in the dark, and so extra protection is needed through until spring. Many monasteries and churches are dedicated to St Michael, usually on high places near the sea.

Michaelmas Day is the last day that blackberries should be picked as it was on this day that the Devil was thrust out of Heaven. Upon crashing to the earth (in a manner of speaking), he is said to have landed on a blackberry bush, subsequently cursing the prickly berries, scorching them with his fiery breath, stamping and spitting on them (even going so far as to urinate on them). One who doubts this can taste them after this day: blackberries are way past their best by October. However, a Michaelmas blackberry pie or cobbler is made from the last crop.

Southern Blackberry Cobbler:

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Serves 8 people

Ingredients:

3 ½ cups fresh blackberries
1 ½ cup sugar divided
2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon zest optional
1/2 cup butter melted
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup milk

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 F.
Generously grease 8X8 deep pan. (or a deep dish pie plate). Set aside.
Add blackberries, 1/2 cup sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest (if using) to a medium-sized bowl.
Toss gently to combine until sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
In a large bowl mix together butter and remaining sugar.
Add flour, baking powder, and salt
Mix in vanilla extract & milk just until combined. (Batter will be a bit lumpy. Do not over mix)
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Spoon the blackberries on top in an even layer, do not stir.
Bake on middle rack for 45-50 minutes until center is set. (check on it at the 35-minute mark)
Remove from oven and let cool.
Serve.

The custom of baking a special bread or cake, called Sruthan Mhìcheil, St Michael’s bannock or Michaelmas Bannock, on the eve of the Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel probably originated in the Hebrides of Scotland. The bread is made from equal parts of barley, oats, and rye without using any metal implements. In remembrance of absent friends or those who have died, special Struans, blessed at an early morning Mass, are given to the poor in their names.

St. Michael’s Bannock:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Mix together:

2 cups of flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cut in 2 tablespoons butter (not margarine)
1 cup buttermilk or yogurt
handful of raisins or currants

On a floured surface, knead the dough until smooth, then pat into an 8 inch round loaf, and bake on a greased cookie sheet for 40 minutes.

For a more festive look, score the dough with crosses.

Cool on a cookie rack.

May be served with butter or jam.

St Michael’s Bannock is cooked on Michaelmas Eve so that it can be blessed and distributed on the feast day. All should keep some on their person and on hand so that when the homeless or other poor are encountered, blessed St Michael’s Bannock can be easily given to them.

Nuts are cracked on Michaelmas Eve. This practice is related to the election of bailiffs and other members of the corporation that traditionally took place on Michaelmas Day in England and the civic feast that was connected with this. Going a-nutting begins on Holy Rood Day, and the nuts gathered (or bought if no such harvest has been done) are cracked in preparation for roasting on Michaelmas. A bag of hazelnuts, walnuts, or similar nut in the shell should be cracked on this night. The nuts are to be eaten after the goose dinner on Michaelmas.

As befitting his warrior status, Michael was also the patron saint of horses and horsemen, so horse sales and fairs, and horse racing are also common features of Michaelmas celebrations.

The creature most closely associated with Michaelmas is the goose. The association of geese with Michaelmas comes from an episode in which the son of an Irish king choked on a goose bone he’d eaten and was consequently brought back to life by St Patrick. The king ordered the sacrifice of a goose every Michaelmas in honour of the saint. September was the month, “when by custom, geese are ordained to bleed at St Michael’s shrine.” Another saying proclaimed: “Eat a goose on Michaelmas Day, Want not for money all the year.” His feast was celebrated with a traditional fattened goose which had fed well on the stubble of the fields after the harvest. Apparently, when Queen Elizabeth the First heard of the defeat of the Spanish Armada, she was eating goose at the time. Overjoyed, she vowed to eat goose every Michaelmas.

In Ireland, (Irish: Fómhar na nGéanna), pilgrimages to holy wells associated with St Michael take place, with pilgrims taking a drink from the holy water from the well. The greeting “May Michaelmas féinín on you” is traditional. Clear weather on Michaelmas is a portent of a long winter, “Michaelmas Day be bright and clear there will be two ‘Winters’ in the year.”

Either before supper or at least before desert, the mass reading from Apocalypse is read aloud, followed by the consecration to St Michael and the St Michael prayer.

A Reading from the Apocalypse:

And there was a great battle in heaven, Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels: And they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. And that great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, who seduceth the whole world; and he was cast unto the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying: Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: because the accuser of our brethren is cast forth, who accused them before our God day and night.

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of the testimony, and they loved not their lives unto death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you that dwell therein. Woe to the earth, and to the sea, because the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time.

The Word of the Lord

Thanks be To God

Prayer of Consecration to St. Michael:

O St. Michael the Archangel, most Noble Prince of the Angelic Hierarchies, valorous warrior of Almighty God, and zealous lover of His Glory, terror of the rebellious angels, and love and delight of all the just, desiring to be numbered among thy devoted servants, I, today offer and consecrate myself to thee, and place myself, my family and all I possess under thy most powerful protection.

I entreat thee not to look at how little, I, as thy servant have to offer, being only a wretched sinner, but rather gaze, with favorable eye, at the heartfelt affection with which this offering is made. Remember that, if from this day onward, I am under thy patronage, thou must assist me during all my life and procure for me the pardon of my many sins, and the grace to love God, my dear Savior Jesus, and my Sweet Mother Mary with all my heart. Obtain for me the help necessary to arrive at my crown of glory.

Defend me always from my spiritual enemies, particularly in the last moments of my life.

Come then, O Glorious Prince. Succor me in my last struggle. With thy powerful weapon cast far from me and into the infernal abyss that prevaricator and proud angel that thou prostrated in the celestial battle.

Saint Michael, defend us in our daily battles so that we may not perish in the Last Judgment.

Amen.

(An indulgence of two-hundred days is granted to everyone who devoutly says this prayer once a day, praying for the needs of the holy Church and the Supreme Pontiff.)

The St Michael prayer is then said.

As flowering plants die down in Autumn, one of the few flowers left around at this time of year is the Michaelmas daisy, about which it is sung,

The Michaelmas daisy, among dead weeds

Blooms for St Michael’s valorous deeds

And seems the last of flowers that stood,

Till the feast of St. Simon and St. Jude.

Any of the various asters are also called Michaelmas daisies, so named because they are members of the Daisy (compositae) family and they bloom through Michaelmas, providing a late show of color and bloom in the garden. The asters found in Middle Tennessee are Drummond’s Aster (a delicate aster with oval to lance-like heart-shaped leaves) and the Aromatic/Fragrant Aster (grows 1-3 feet in height, with blue/purple flowers, and named for the aroma of the foliage when bruised, not because of the fragrance of the flowers). The Camphorweed and Sneezeweed Asters are harvestable along [insert road and town].

Asters are named for the stars they resemble—the name comes from the same root word as astrology and asteroid, asterisk and disaster–and in England, they are sometimes called starwort (wort simply means herb or plant with healing properties). Several stories are told about their origins. One says that Virgo scattered stardust on earth and they became asters. Another attributes their origin to the goddess Astraea (often associated with the constellation Virgo) who withdrew from earth out of sorrow and looking down wept. Her tears became asters.

In ancient Greece, aster leaves were burned to keep away evil spirits and drive off serpents. Pliny the Elder recommended a tea of aster in cases of snake bite and an aster amulet to ease the pain of sciatica. Virgil wrote about it in the Georgics:

There is a useful flower

Growing in the meadows, which the country folk

Call star-wort, not a blossom hard to find,

For its large cluster lifts itself in air

Out of one root; its central orb is gold

But it wears petals in a numerous ring

Of glossy purplish blue; ’tis often laid

In twisted garlands at some holy shrine.

Bitter its taste; the shepherds gather it

In valley-pastures where the winding streams

Of Mella flow. The roots of this, steeped well,

In hot, high-flavored wine, thou may’st set down

At the hive door in baskets heaping full.

Native Americans called them “the flower that brings the frost,” as if they were floral shamans, ushering in the dark season.

Michaelmas daisies should be hunted and picked this day (and a bouquet made and placed on the dining room table), and the song cited above sung.

October 1: Saint Therese of Lisieux

Marie Thérèse Martin was born at Alencon, France on January 2, 1873, the youngest of five daughters. Her father, Louis, was a watchmaker, and her mother, Zelie, who died of breast cancer when Thérèse was four, was a lace maker. She was brought up in a model Christian home. While still a child she felt the attraction of the cloister, and at fifteen obtained permission to enter the Carmel of Lisieux. For the next nine years she lived a very ordinary religious life. There are no miracles, exploits or austerities recorded of her. She attained a very high degree of holiness by carrying out her ordinary daily duties with perfect fidelity, having a childlike confidence in God’s providence and merciful love and being ready to be at the service of others at all times. She also had a great love of the Church and a zeal for the conversion of souls. She prayed especially for priests. She died of consumption on September 30, 1897, at the age of 24, and was canonized in 1925. She has never ceased to fulfill her promise: “I will pass my heaven in doing good on earth.” Her interior life is known through her autobiography called Story of a Soul. Pope Saint John Paul II declared her a Doctor of the Church in 1997.

Roses are bought for the home and displayed on the kitchen table. A selection from The Story of a Soul is read before supper. The Novena to St.Therese ends on the eve of this feast.

Rainbow Rose Veggie Tart:

1 roll puff pastry

15 ounces ricotta cheese

2 eggs

3 ounces parmesan cheese

1 pinch nutmeg

1 pinch salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon oregano

1⁄2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

4 large multi-colored carrots

2 zucchini

Unfold a puff pastry sheet over a tart pan. Place parchment paper or foil in the center and weight it down with beans or pie weight.
Bake the tart base in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment paper. Let it cool.
In a bowl, add the eggs, ricotta, grated parmesan cheese, grated nutmeg and pinch of salt. Add the mozzarella and oregano. Mix everything up until smooth.
Slice strips of zucchini and carrots length-wise using a potato peeler or a mandolin. Place the slices in a bowl and cook in the microwave for 1 minute. This step will soften the slices and make them much easier to roll.
Spread the cheese mixture on top of the tart base.
Take one slice of a vegetable and roll it up very tightly—this will form the core of the rose. Take another slice and keep rolling. With around 2-3 slices you should obtain a decent-size rose bud. Place the bud in the center of the tart, pushing it down into the cheese. Keep rolling roses of different colors and place them one next to the other in a spiral formation.
Brush olive oil on top of the vegetables and bake the tart at 375 degrees F for 50 minutes.

October 2: Feast of the Guardian Angels

The guardian angel has three important jobs; to enlighten, guide, and protect. Although he may help protect from earthly harms, it’s a more important job for him to protect from spiritual harms. Before departing for the day, all recite together:

Angel of God, my guardian dear, To whom his love commits me here, Ever this day be at my side, To light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.

Also read:

Walk carefully, as one with whom are Angels, as hath been laid in charge upon them, in all thy ways. In every lodging, in every nook, have reverence for thine Angel. Dare not to do in his presence what thou wouldst not dare to do in mine.

(Lesson from the Roman Breviary, taken from the sermons of St. Bernard the Abbot)

Pius VI also granted a plenary indulgence on the feast of the Holy Guardian Angels to those who have said the prayer morning and evening throughout the year, provided they meet the other usual requirements of receiving a plenary indulgence (truly penitent confession and reception of the Eucharist, visiting a church or oratory, and praying for the Sovereign Pontiff). On June 11, 1796, Pope Pius VI granted another plenary indulgence to those who have frequently said this prayer at the hour of their death, provided they have the required dispositions. Pope Pius VII confirmed these indulgences of his predecessor again on May 15, 1821, and additionally granted a plenary indulgence once a month, on any day of the month, to those who have prayed the Guardian Angel prayer every day for a month, under the same aforementioned requirements to receive a plenary indulgence.

A very old tradition, one that dates to the Fourth Century, is to set up an altar in the home on the feast in honor of the angelic protectors. A small shelf-type altar should be erected this day with a statue or image of an angel upon it. Light a candle before it to burn during prayers this day (and on any day when praying to the guardian angels).

October 4: Saint Francis of Assisi, and Establishment of the Home Day

St. Francis (1182-1226) was born and died in Assisi. He was the son of a rich merchant, Bernardone, received a good education, and in the beginning followed the ways of the world. He was taken prisoner in the battle between the Assisians and Perugians, and after his release decided to abandon everything for Christ. His father became extremely displeased at his action, and disinherited him. In 1220 he founded a new order which in ten years numbered five thousand brothers.

If possible, a pet can be brought to the church to be blessed on St. Francis’ feast day because of his love for animals as expressed in his Canticle of Creatures. If this is not possible, the father should bless the pet at home by sprinkling them with holy water and saying a special prayer such as the “Canticle of Creatures”:

Here begin the praises of the creatures which the blessed Francis made to the praise and honor of God while he was ill at St. Damian’s:

Most high, omnipotent, good Lord,

Praise, glory and honor and benediction all, are Thine.

To Thee alone do they belong, most High,

And there is no man fit to mention Thee.

Praise be to Thee, my Lord, with all Thy creatures,

Especially to my worshipful brother sun,

The which lights up the day, and through him dost Thou brightness give;

And beautiful is he and radiant with splendor great;

Of Thee, most High, signification gives.

Praised be my Lord, for sister moon and for the stars,

In heaven Thou hast formed them clear and precious and fair.

Praised be my Lord for brother wind

And for the air and clouds and fair and every kind of weather,

By the which Thou givest to Thy creatures nourishment.

Praised be my Lord for sister water,

The which is greatly helpful and humble and precious and pure.

Praised be my Lord for brother fire,

By the which Thou lightest up the dark.

And fair is he and gay and mighty and strong.

Praised be my Lord for our sister, mother earth,

The which sustains and keeps us

And brings forth diverse fruits with grass and flowers bright.

Praised be my Lord for those who for Thy love forgive

And weakness bear and tribulation.

Blessed those who shall in peace endure,

For by Thee, most High, shall they be crowned.

Praised be my Lord for our sister, the bodily death,

From the which no living man can flee.

Woe to them who die in mortal sin;

Blessed those who shall find themselves in Thy most holy will,

For the second death shall do them no ill.

Praise ye and bless ye my Lord, and give Him thanks,

And be subject unto Him with great humility.

Before departing for the day, this prayer of St Francis is recited:

Lord, make me a channel of thy peace,

that where there is hatred, I may bring love;

that where there is wrong,

I may bring the spirit of forgiveness;

that where there is discord, I may bring harmony;

that where there is error, I may bring truth;

that where there is doubt, I may bring faith;

that where there is despair, I may bring hope;

that where there are shadows, I may bring light;

that where there is sadness, I may bring joy.

Lord, grant that I may seek rather to

comfort than to be comforted;

to understand, than to be understood;

to love, than to be loved.

For it is by self-forgetting that one finds.

It is by forgiving that one is forgiven.

It is by dying that one awakens to Eternal Life.

Biscotti and coffee should be eaten on this day. One of the Saint’s few pleasures was an almond cookie much like biscotti.

October 4 is the day we signed the deed to our home in the [insert name] development, [insert town and state]. Favorite foods should be eaten and remembrances of good times in the home and neighborhood should be recounted. A walk circling the [insert name] development should be taken.

October 7: Our Lady of the Rosary

The rosary gained greater popularity in the 1500s, when Moslem Turks were ravaging Eastern Europe. Recall that in 1453, Constantinople had fallen to the Moslems, leaving the Balkans and Hungary open to conquest. With Moslems raiding even the coast of Italy, the control of the Mediterranean was now at stake. In 1571, Pope Pius V organized a fleet under the command of Don Juan of Austria the half-brother of King Philip II of Spain. While preparations were underway, the Holy Father asked all of the faithful to say the rosary and implore our Blessed Mother’s prayers, under the title Our Lady of Victory, that our Lord would grant victory to the Christians. Although the Moslem fleet outnumbered that of the Christians in both vessels and sailors, the forces were ready to meet in battle. The Christian flagship flew a blue banner depicting Christ crucified. On October 7, 1571, the Moslems were defeated at the Battle of Lepanto. The following year, Pope St. Pius V established the Feast of the Holy Rosary on October 7, where the faithful would not only remember this victory, but also give thanks to the Lord for all of His benefits and remember the powerful intercession of our Blessed Mother. Archbishop Fulton Sheen said, “The rosary is the book of the blind, where souls see and there enact the greatest drama of love the world has ever known; it is the book of the simple, which initiates them into mysteries and knowledge more satisfying than the education of other men; it is the book of the aged, whose eyes close upon the shadow of this world, and open on the substance of the next. The power of the rosary is beyond description.”

This day should be marked by a pious recitation of the Rosary and a reading of the poem “Lepanto” by G.K. Chesterton.

Also recited is the Litany of Loreto, which was amended after the Battle of Lepanto to include the epithet “Help of Christians.”

The Litany of Loreto:

Lord have mercy.

Christ have mercy.

Lord have mercy.

Christ hear us.

Christ graciously hear us.

God, the Father of heaven,

have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world,

God the Holy Spirit,

Holy Trinity, one God,

Holy Mary,

pray for us.

Holy Mother of God,

Holy Virgin of virgins,

Mother of Christ,

Mother of the Church,

Mother of Mercy,

Mother of divine grace,

Mother of Hope,

Mother most pure,

Mother most chaste,

Mother inviolate,

Mother undefiled,

Mother most amiable,

Mother most admirable,

Mother of good counsel,

Mother of our Creator,

Mother of our Savior,

Virgin most prudent,

Virgin most venerable,

Virgin most renowned,

Virgin most powerful,

Virgin most merciful,

Virgin most faithful,

Mirror of justice,

Seat of wisdom,

Cause of our joy,

Spiritual vessel,

Vessel of honor,

Singular vessel of devotion,

Mystical rose,

Tower of David,

Tower of ivory,

House of gold,

Ark of the covenant,

Gate of heaven,

Morning star,

Health of the sick,

Refuge of sinners,

Solace of Migrants,

Comfort of the afflicted,

Help of Christians,

Queen of Angels,

Queen of Patriarchs,

Queen of Prophets,

Queen of Apostles,

Queen of Martyrs,

Queen of Confessors,

Queen of Virgins,

Queen of all Saints,

Queen conceived without original sin,

Queen assumed into heaven,

Queen of the most holy Rosary,

Queen of families,

Queen of peace.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,

spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,

graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,

have mercy on us.

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.

That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.

Grant, we beseech thee,

O Lord God,

that we, your servants,

may enjoy perpetual health of mind and body;

and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin,

may be delivered from present sorrow,

and obtain eternal joy.

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Getting out on the water is encouraged if possible, whether to fish or just to float.

October 9 to 14 (Second Monday in October): Columbus Day

Columbus Day recognizes the achievements of a great Renaissance explorer who founded the first permanent European settlement in the New World. The arrival of Columbus in 1492 marks the beginning of recorded history in America and opened relations between the Americas and the rest of the world.

Columbus Day is one of America’s oldest holidays, and is a patriotic holiday. It reveals the Catholic underpinnings of American Civilization as Columbus was a devout Catholic. The Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892 in honor of the 400th anniversary of his first voyage. That year, President Benjamin Harrison declared Columbus Day a legal holiday. He issued a proclamation encouraging Americans to mark the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ voyage with patriotic festivities, writing, “On that day let the people, so far as possible, cease from toil and devote themselves to such exercises as may best express honor to the discoverer and their appreciation of the great achievements of the four completed centuries of American life.”

And at Chicago’s World Fair, which was dubbed “The Columbian Exposition,” replicas of Columbus’s three ships were built and displayed. At this event, Senator Chauncey M. Depew of Kansas extolled Columbus’s virtue in superlative terms:

All hail, Columbus, discoverer, dreamer, hero, and apostle . . . The voice of gratitude and praise for all the blessings which have been showered upon mankind by his adventure is limited to no language, but is uttered in every tongue. Neither marble nor brass can fitly form his statue. Continents are his monument, and unnumbered millions, present and to come, who enjoy in their liberties and happiness the fruits of his faith, will reverently guard and preserve, from century to century, his name and fame.

The Pledge of Allegiance should be said solemnly as a family in the evening. During the day a new park, greenway, or neighborhood should be explored on foot for the first time to honor the intrepidity and courage of Columbus and his men.

October 14 and 15: [insert surname] Days

October 14 marks the day that the Father of all [insert surname]s of our Sept, [insert name and date], fell asleep in death in [insert place], exactly one month after his participation at the [insert battle], which routed the invading British fleet from that city. The first public usage of the name [insert surname] occurred on his tombstone (still extant) in that county, and his sacrifice sealed in blood our family’s commitment to this land for all time.

An account of his participation in the battle should be read, along with a visit to a site of local [insert surname] history on this day. Inauguration of [insert surname] chieftains should always take place on this day in [insert place]. Traditional American/Southern fare should be served for supper, and prayers should be said for [insert name]’s soul. The family coat of arms should be displayed prominently, with discussions being held on the exploits of kinsmen in general. The National Anthem should be sang in honor of its composition during the aforesaid battle in which he participated. An American flag from that time period with the appropriate number of stars should also be displayed outside of the home.

[Insert date], is the date [insert names] [insert surname] planted the [insert surname] family in [insert county/place], buying land at the mouth of [insert place]. A trip should be made to this beautiful vale today and stories told about the [insert place] Branch of the [insert surname] family, and of all the other [insert place] branches of our family their children married into. Trips can be made to other properties historically owned by the [insert surname]s, as well as to the homes on the [insert landform] built by the hands of [insert name]. A [insert place] flag should be flown outside the home.

October 31: All Hallows’ Eve (Halloween) Fast

All Hallows’ Day was instituted as a feast by Pope Gregory III in the eighth century. Traditional Halloween beliefs are based in Catholicism: Vampires drink human blood to live forever. We drink the Precious Blood to have eternal life. Zombies’ human bodies rise from the dead. We hope to rise again too, at the Second Coming.

For Halloween, put up spooky decorations on the porch and potentially around the house beginning sometime in October. Buy pumpkins to carve Jack-o-lanterns and place them on the porch a few days before Halloween (with small electric lights to illuminate them). Costumes ranging from skeletons and other creepy things to saints can be worn for trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. Halloween is a day of fasting and abstinence, so those of age must abstain from meat and only eat one full meal—but treats collected from trick-or-treating are allowed. Traditional fare is hot pancakes (or crepes), curds, and cider. After eating the De Profundis (Psalm 129) is chanted or said for the departed.

During the Allhallowtide, the veil between the material world and the afterlife is thinned. For the following 48 hours beginning at sundown on Halloween, poor souls are liberated from Purgatory and are free to revisit their old homes. Christians should pray out loud as they walk about, especially when in the forests, in order that the souls of the dead might hear and find comfort. In addition to the De Profundis after supper but before trick-or-treating, a “black vespers” should be said. In Brittany, this was held at a church with men and women kneeling around a catafalque in the church (a false full-sized casket draped in black). This should potentially be reproduced in the home with a small catafalque, dim lighting and lit candles, and everyone wearing black as vespers is read. Everyone must stay indoors after nine o’clock because it is unwise to meet the souls streaming home at midnight. Hymns or prayers should be said appropriate to the occasion. The souls are drawn to fire, so a lit fireplace or candle is a gift to them. Fires also ward off evil spirits and witches.

State Fair Cheese Curds:

Ingredients:

4 cups vegetable oil

1 can (8 oz) refrigerated Pillsbury™ Original Crescent Dough Sheet

8 oz cheese curds, any variety (about 1 1/2 cups)

8 wooden skewers

Condiments, if desired (ranch dressing, Sriracha sauce, ketchup, flavored jam)

Steps:

In deep fryer or 3-quart heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium heat to 350°F.
Unroll dough, and cut lengthwise into 4 strips, then cut crosswise into 8 rows, making 32 squares.
Roll piece of dough around each cheese curd (no larger than 1 inch); stretch dough, and press to seal edges and completely cover cheese curd.
Fry cheese curds 8 at a time, about 1 minute, turning occasionally until dough is completely cooked through and deep golden brown. Drain on paper towels, and keep warm.
Thread 4 cheese curds on each wooden skewer. Serve immediately with condiments.

November 1: Solemnity of All Saints

Today the Church celebrates all the saints: canonized or beatified, and the multitude of those who are in heaven enjoying the beatific vision that are only known to God. Everyone goes to Mass for All Hallows. The departed ancestors assist at Mass this day, reuniting family living and dead. This day especially, ask intercession of and remember the uncanonized saints encountered in daily life (not just saintly people, but babies and children and disabled family members that certainly died in the state of grace).

This day should be treated as a Sunday with rest, relaxation, and prayer. A feast-like meal should be eaten to remind everyone of the wedding feast of the Lamb which the saints now enjoy. Godparents on this day gift their godchildren Allerheiligenstriezel (All Saint’s Braid). In Austria and Bavaria it is given to godchildren by their godfathers for All Saints’ Day. This tradition has its origin in the ancient funeral cults in which mourning was expressed by a woman’s cutting off her braided hair.

All Saints`Braid:

Ingredients for the Braid:

500 grams strong flour

250 ml lukewarm milk

25 grams fresh yeast

2 egg yolks (L), organic or free range

a pinch of fine sea salt

100 grams unsalted butter

75 grams superfine sugar

2 tsps. pure vanilla sugar

grated zest of ½ an organic orange

grated zest of ½ an organic lemon

Decoration:

1 egg (L), organic or free range

a bit of milk

some pearl sugar

Preparation:

For the yeast dough, dissolve the fresh yeast in some of the warm milk together with a tbsp of the sugar. Add the flour to a large bowl, using your fingers, make a well in the middle of the flour, pour the yeast-milk mixture into the well, cover with a bit of the flour, cover.

Let the mixture rest in a warm place, covered, for about 15 minutes.

Then add the remaining ingredients to the flour and knead until the dough comes together.

Cover the bowl again and let rise again for about 30 minutes.

Knead the dough, divide into equal parts and roll them into equally long strips. Braid the strips and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Cover and let rise again for 20 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius (180 convection).

Using a pastry brush, brush the risen braid with the egg wash. Sprinkle with pearl sugar. Bake in the pre-heated oven until golden brown.

This fine bread is sometimes spiked with plump raisins as well – on All Saints´ Day it is traditional to braid the yeast dough and bake this so-called All Saints` Braid, on the occasion of other Christian holidays, yeast breads are baked in different shapes such as a wreath (Christmas), or a basket (Easter), or as a fancy “knot.”

The Ringing of Bells on the night of All Saints is also discretely practiced to bring joy to the poor souls in purgatory.

During the month of November, the Requiem Aeternam is added to the end of all prayers before meals.

November 2: Soulmas (All Soul’s Day)

The Church is composed of the faithful living upon the earth and those who have gone before us. The latter includes the Saints in Heaven and the faithful Souls being purified in Purgatory. Just as on November 1st we honor those who are with God, on November 2nd Catholics celebrate a Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed. Also known as All Souls Day, on this day we honor them for their fidelity in life, as well as pray for them, since they are being purified before entering the All Holy Presence of God. As Revelation 21:27 says of the Heavenly Jerusalem, “… nothing unclean shall enter in.”

On this day, family members attend mass if possible and visit the graves of their deceased loved ones, placing flowers and lighted candles there. An A.D. 7th-century prayer The Office of the Dead (usually Vespers, or whichever hour corresponds to the time of day of the visit) is read aloud at the gravesides of those visited. If possible, have a priest bless the grave of a deceased family member. Bonfires can be lit this day to call to mind the purifying fire of purgatory.

A plenary indulgence, applicable only to the souls in purgatory, is granted to the faithful who, on any and each day from November 1 to 8, devoutly visit a cemetery and pray, if only mentally, for the departed; on All Souls’ Day (or, according to the judgment of the ordinary, on the Sunday preceding or following it, or on the solemnity of All Saints), devoutly visit a church or an oratory and recite an Our Father and the Creed. A partial indulgence, applicable only to the souls in purgatory, is granted to the faithful who, devoutly visit a cemetery and at least mentally pray for the dead; devoutly recite lauds or vespers from the Office of the Dead or the prayer Requiem Aeternam (Eternal rest).

Soul cakes are also made and distributed this day. They are round raisin scones basically. They should be given to one another in the family (with the condition that the recipient pray for the giver’s deceased relatives). This can also be done in the neighborhood, with the friendly invitation to pray for the giver’s deceased relatives (many people will probably find this touching and agree to it). But regardless, the giving out of the cakes should be done freely.

This song is sung at the giving of soul cakes:

Soul, Soul, a soul cake!

I pray thee, good missus, a soul cake!

One for Peter, two for Paul, three for Him what made us all!

Soul cake, soul cake, please good missus, a soul cake.

An apple, a pear, a plum, or a cherry, any good thing to make us all merry.

One for Peter, two for Paul, & three for Him who made us all

Recipe for soul cakes:

-1/2 cup (100g) Golden caster sugar (if you don’t have that, put granulated sugar into a spice grinder and grind for a second or two to break it down some)

-1 ½ cup plus a little over a third of a cup (250g) White plain flour (not self-rising)

-2 Egg yolks

-1/2 cup (100g) Butter (room temperature and softened)

-1/3 cup (50g) Raisins

-Spices: 1 tsp allspice & ½ tsp mixed spice & 1 pinch saffron (this is a mix of mixed spice and all spice, and a pinch of turmeric or saffron for color. Mixed spice is a warming mix of ground spices (e.g., cinnamon, caraway, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and coriander seed. Allspice is a pepper from the Jamaican bayberry tree. Flavor is similar to a mix of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg, with a bit of heat. Use extra mixed spice if you don’t have any allspice)

-Enough Milk to bring the mix together into a dough.

Cut up the butter into small chunks to allow it to soften. Turn the oven on at 360 degrees F.
Use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar together until smooth, pale, and fluffy. Look for the texture to change from thick and yellow to pale and fluffy.
Whisk in the egg yolks
Mix in the flour and spices. Then pour in enough milk to bring it all together into a dough.
Stir in the raisins with a wooden spoon (or your hands).
Dust the cutting board and rolling pin with flour and then roll out the dough 1 cm thick. Cut the cakes out with a 2” cookie cutter (a fluted one if available)
Use a pallet knife or dough scraper to transfer the cakes to a baking tray covered with a sheet of baking parchment or silicon. Cut a cross into each of the cakes and bake for 15 minutes at 360 degrees about 25 minutes until puffed and golden. Cakes are good for 3 days in an airtight tin.

November 11: Armistice Day (Veterans Day) and Martinmas

This day commemorates the armistice of World War I that was signed in 1918 (on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, at the eleventh hour) that ended “the war to end all wars.” Legally, two minutes of silence is recommended to be observed at 2:11 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The day is also to remember anyone who served in the military. Family members who served may wear their uniforms to supper that night.

This is also the feast of St. Martin of Tours, bishop (ca. 316-398). St. Martin is the first bishop and confessor honored by the Church in the West. He was a principal apostle of Gaul, where his feast was celebrated as a holyday of obligation with an octave and popular celebrations. Mass should be attended both to pray in thanksgiving for the end of the Great War and in honor of St. Martin. As the penitential season of Advent follows soon after, this day should resemble a mini-carnival, with feasting, drinking and playing of games, as well as story-telling and sometimes, plays. Cock fights, pig baiting and sport events such as racing, leaping, or wrestling are other appropriate activities. The making of lanterns out of beets is customary, as are bonfires, and the enjoyment of specific foods, most especially goose. (The association with goose is that St. Martin, who did not want to be made a bishop, hid, only to have his hiding spot betrayed by the noise from the geese.) With the goose dinner is drank “Saint Martin’s wine,” which should be the first lot of wine made from the grapes of the recent harvest. This day was the original “Thanksgiving” of Europe. Even today, this day is unthinkable in some areas without the golden brown, luscious Martin’s goose. For German-style Martinsgans, serve it roasted, with red cabbage and dumplings. Because meat from the autumn slaughter of those animals that it was not possible to house and feed over winter could be salted or smoked to preserve it, but sausages and other foods made from offal would not last long and so had to be consumed fairly quickly before they spoiled, eating of sausage this day is also customary. An evening walk should be taken after supper with the carved lanterns. The walk should be to some public square (in [insert town and park]). Remembrance and prayers can be said there for the veterans of the community).

To the extent possible, some act of almsgiving or gifting of clothes to the poor should be done this day in imitation of St. Martin’s rending of his cloak to give half to the shivering beggar he met outside Amiens during his military service. No wheel of any kind is to turn on St. Martin’s Day, because Martin was said by some to have been thrown into a mill stream and killed by the wheel, and so it is not right to turn any kind of wheel on this day. In County Wexford it is said that putting to sea is to be avoided on Martinmas Eve as St. Martin rides a white horse across Wexford Bay bringing death by drowning to any who see him. Putting out in a boat of any kind [insert body of water] should be avoided on the day before Martinmas.

The Indian Summer that can occur at this time of year is also called “St. Martin’s Summer.” November 11 also was the day that marked the end of old contracts. Hired help moved on to new positions and there were farewell and welcoming banquets for them.

Town events for this day may be held at the Triangle and should be participated in (coffee and donuts with a veteran, for example).

November 20 to 26: Christ the King (Last Sunday of the Liturgical Year)

In 1925, the Church celebrated a jubilee year in honor of the 1,600th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. The council fathers taking part in that ancient gathering in A.D. 325 had affirmed the full divinity of Jesus Christ as God the Son, one in being with God the Father. Their pronouncement became a creed that was later expanded into what we now call the Nicene Creed, which we still profess at Mass every Sunday.

Throughout the anniversary year, Pope Pius constantly emphasized the kingship of Christ as declared in the Creed: “His kingdom will have no end.” He stressed that theme throughout the year as it repeatedly appeared in the Church’s celebrations of the Annunciation, the Epiphany, the Transfiguration, and the Ascension. As part of the Holy Year, which was afforded great attention and pomp by the Vatican, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims flocked to Rome, demonstrating great fervor for their faith.

The pope instructed the faithful to use this annual celebration as a time to consecrate themselves, or renew their consecration to, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, explicitly tying the celebration to devotion to the Sacred Heart and to the living Christ in the Eucharist. He also called for Catholics to make reparations for the widespread atheism being practiced in many countries.

On Dec. 11 of the jubilee year, and in order to acknowledge perpetually the supremacy of Jesus Christ over all men, nations, and earthly allegiances, the pope issued the encyclical Quas Primas, which added the feast of “Our Lord Jesus Christ the King” to the annual Church liturgical calendar.

If to Christ our Lord is given all power in heaven and on earth; if all men, purchased by his precious blood, are by a new right subjected to his dominion; if this power embraces all men, it must be clear that not one of our faculties is exempt from his empire. He must reign in our minds, which should assent with perfect submission and firm belief to revealed truths and to the doctrines of Christ. He must reign in our wills, which should obey the laws and precepts of God. He must reign in our hearts, which should spurn natural desires and love God above all things, and cleave to him alone (Quas Primas, 33).

Prayer of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus:

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, to Thee I consecrate and offer up my person and my life, my actions, trials, and sufferings, that my entire being may henceforth only be employed in loving, honoring and glorifying Thee. This is my irrevocable will, to belong entirely to Thee, and to do all for Thy love, renouncing with my whole heart all that can displease Thee.

I take Thee, O Sacred Heart, for the sole object of my love, the protection of my life, the pledge of my salvation, the remedy of my frailty and inconstancy, the reparation for all the defects of my life, and my secure refuge at the hour of my death. Be Thou, O Most Merciful Heart, my justification before God Thy Father, and screen me from His anger which I have so justly merited. I fear all from my own weakness and malice, but placing my entire confidence in Thee, O Heart of Love, I hope all from Thine infinite Goodness. Annihilate in me all that can displease or resist Thee. Imprint Thy pure love so deeply in my heart that I may never forget Thee or be separated from Thee.

I beseech Thee, through Thine infinite Goodness, grant that my name be engraved upon Thy Heart, for in this I place all my happiness and all my glory, to live and to die as one of Thy devoted servants.

Amen.

. — St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

Also recited this day is the following Act:

Description:

A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful, who piously recite the Act of Dedication of the Human Race to Jesus Christ King. A plenary indulgence is granted, if it is recited publicly on the feast of our Lord Jesus Christ King.

Prayer:

Most sweet Jesus, Redeemer of the human race, look down upon us humbly prostrate before you. We are yours, and yours we wish to be; but to be more surely united with you, behold each one of us freely consecrates himself today to your Most Sacred Heart. Many indeed have never known you; many, too, despising your precepts, have rejected you. Have mercy on them all, most merciful Jesus, and draw them to your Sacred Heart. Be King, O Lord, not only of the faithful who have never forsaken you, but also of the prodigal children who have abandoned you; grant that they may quickly return to their Father’s house, lest they die of wretchedness and hunger. Be King of those who are deceived by erroneous opinions, or whom discord keeps aloof, and call them back to the harbor of truth and the unity of faith, so that soon there may be but one flock and one Shepherd. Grant, O Lord, to your Church assurance of freedom and immunity from harm; give tranquility of order to all nations; make the earth resound from pole to pole with one cry: Praise to the divine Heart that wrought our salvation; to it be glory and honor for ever. Amen.

Prayer Source: Enchiridion of Indulgences , June 29, 1968

Cake of some type should be had or other rich, royal dessert. A statue or icon of Christ the King should be carried by the family (preferably by the youngest) around the neighborhood this evening to claim the territory for the Sovereign King. This can end by placing the image on the home altar and reciting the dedications listed above, along with a hymn.

This is the night that the traditional English Christmas pudding is prepared, which must sit for weeks before being consumed on Christmas Day. In some instances, this was the staple food for Christmas eve, although in Yorkshire it was eaten first thing on Christmas morning. The Christmas pudding originated in the 14th-century as a sort of porridge, originally known as “frumenty,” which bears little resemblance to the dessert we know today. It includes thirteen ingredients in honor of Christ and the twelve Apostles. Traditionally, these ingredients include: raisins, currants, suet, brown sugar, breadcrumbs, citron, lemon peel, orange peel, flour, mixed spices, eggs, milk and brandy. Brandy is also traditionally poured over the pudding and set alight. The flaming brandy is said to represent the passion of Christ. Christmas puddings were traditionally boiled in a “pudding cloth,” although today they are usually steamed in a bowl. Presented on the table with a sprig of holly, they are then doused in brandy and set alight.

The last Sunday before Advent is known as “stir up Sunday.” It gets its name from the beginning of the collect for the day in the Book of Common Prayer, which begins with the words, “Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people.” Therefore the ingredients of the Christmas pudding are assembled and stirred up in a bowl with a wooden spoon (representing the manger) from east to west – symbolizing the journey taken by the three wise men. Traditionally, every family member stirs the pudding three times and makes a secret wish. A trinket (usually a coin like a sixpence or penny) is thrown in. Whoever finds it on Christmas Day will have good fortune the following year.

Christmas Pudding Recipe of the Royal Family (One 1kg (2.2 lb) pudding):

Ingredients:

125gm raisins

125gm currants

93gm sultanas

-75gm mixed peel (candied lemon and orange peel) (the below amounts make 150gm. Halve this to get 75mg, but having extra is suggested since amounts can vary based on fruit size.)

Mixed Peel Recipe:

Ingredients:

4 medium oranges, halved horizontally

3 medium lemons, halved horizontally

4 cups (2lbs/900g) granulated sugar

4 cups (32floz/900ml) water, plus more for boiling

Directions:

-Juice the oranges and lemons and set juice aside to use in cooking, salad dressings, baking, or cocktail making.

-Place citrus peels in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once it has reached a rapid boil, remove the pot from the heat and drain the fruit, discarding the water. Repeat this process a second time. The peels should be soft at this point.

-In a medium-sized pot over high heat, add peels, sugar, and 4 cups water. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil.

-Reduce the heat to medium/low and steadily simmer until peels look slightly translucent, approximately 1hr 15 minutes -1hr 30 minutes hour. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

-Once peels are cool enough to handle, cut them in half. With a pairing knife, gently scrape away membrane (aka segment walls) from the zest but keeping most of the flesh.

-Cut the zest into strip and then into small squares.

-Store peel in syrup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 months. Use in my Christmas Cakes , Christmas Puddings. or my Homemade Mincemeat.

125gm diced suet (lard or Crisco is acceptable substitute)

125gm breadcrumbs

45gm flour

6gm mixed spice (pumpkin pie spice is acceptable substitute)

1 whole egg

90gm demerara sugar (brown sugar is acceptable substitute)

138ml beer

20ml dark rum

20ml brandy

Recipe Instructions:

1. First, combine all the dry ingredients and stir them up.

2. Add the eggs and liquid, stir it all up.

3. Grease your pudding basins or glass bowls.

4. Press the cake mix into the basins or bowls.

5. Cover with a circle of parchment paper.

6. Cover basins with muslin or foil, and place puddings into a deep saucepan.

7. Fill with water up to 3/4 of pudding basin height. Cover with foil.

8. Steam for six hours (bring to a boil, then drop the temperature to low to mid-low on the stove top), refilling water if necessary.

9. Once cooled, wrap puddings well with parchment, foil, and cling wrap (making it airtight) and keep in a cool, dry and dark place until Christmas.

10. On Christmas Day, reheat your pudding in a bain-marie (basically the same set up as the steaming—a deep saucepan with water filled up ¾ of the height—set stove at 300 degrees and place the whole setup inside the oven. It can also be removed and simmered on the stovetop if necessary) for three to four hours. Refill water as necessary. Make sure no water gets into the puddings.

11. Remove from the basin using a rounded knife or palette knife, flip out onto a plate, garnish or flambé and serve with brandy sauce and cream.

Rum (or brandy) icing:

Ingredients:

4 ounces (100 grams) unsalted butter

8 ounces (225 grams) confectioners’ sugar

3 to 5 tablespoons brandy

Directions:

-Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer until light and creamy.

-Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat again until it’s all incorporated.

-Add the brandy to taste and stir well. If you add too much brandy the mixture may curdle. If it does, don’t worry, just add more confectioners’ sugar until the mixture binds back together.

-Spoon the butter into a serving dish, cover, and store in the fridge until serving.

-The style and quality of the brandy will affect the flavor of this brandy butter. Cognac is a nice choice, but your favorite brandy (such as an Armagnac) will do.

-The butter can be made up to five days in advance. Just keep it covered in the refrigerator so it does not absorb the aromas of other foods.

Keep extra brandy on hand so that the pudding can be lit on fire to represent the passion of Christ. Heat the brandy in a metal ladle over a candle or gas stovetop. Then light the brandy and pour it over top of the pudding (before spreading the warmed/melted icing on the pudding). The higher the proof of the alcohol, the better for lighting.

November 22 to 28 (Fourth Thursday of November): Thanksgiving

The “First Thanksgiving” was celebrated by the Pilgrims after their first harvest in the New World in October 1621. This feast lasted three days and was attended by 90 Wampanoag Native American people and 53 Pilgrims (survivors of the Mayflower). Less widely known is an earlier Thanksgiving celebration in Virginia in 1619 by English settlers who had just landed at Berkeley Hundred aboard the ship Margaret. Thanksgiving Dinner traditionally consists of foods and dishes indigenous to the Americas, namely turkey, potatoes (usually mashed or sweet), dressing, squash, corn, green beans, cranberries (typically in sauce form), and pumpkin pie. A prayer of Thanksgiving is said by the head of household before the meal is eaten. Before the meal altogether, a backyard football game can be held, or a football can just be tossed around.

Read Proclamation 3560 on November 5, 1963, by President Kennedy:

Over three centuries ago, our forefathers in Virginia and in Massachusetts, far from home in a lonely wilderness, set aside a time of thanksgiving. On the appointed day, they gave reverent thanks for their safety, for the health of their children, for the fertility of their fields, for the love which bound them together and for the faith which united them with their God.

The poor are often provided with food at Thanksgiving time. Most communities have annual food drives that collect non-perishable packaged and canned foods, and corporations sponsor charitable distributions of staple foods and Thanksgiving dinners. Some act of charity should be performed during the Thanksgiving week.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and a football game should be viewed on television this day.

November 23 to 29: Black Friday (the Friday after Thanksgiving)

Today traditionally marks the start of the Christmas shopping season in the United States. Many stores offer highly promoted sales at discounted prices and often open early, sometimes as early as midnight. The family should arise early on Friday and set about trying to complete the coming Christmas season’s shopping list. Opry Mills and Green Hills Mall are two essential stops.

November 27 to December 3 (Fourth Sunday before Christmas Day): Advent Sunday or First Sunday of Advent

This day begins the Christmas season, and each week on Sunday night, one of the following films should be watched:

Miracle on 34^th Street

It’s a Wonderful Life

Elf

The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

Scrooge (1951)

Joyeux Noel

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)

Frosty the Snowman (1960s)

White Christmas

Holiday Inn

The Santa Claus

Christmas with the Kranks

Meet me in St. Louis

A lit candle (usually electric) is placed in each window during Advent to signify hospitality for Mary and Joseph. There is room in the house for the Holy Family, even if there was none in Bethlehem.

The Advent fast is not as severe as the Lenten one and abstinence is required only three days a week. Items to be excluded from the diet include meat, cheese and fat as well as wine, ale and honey-beer. The limited diet is supplemented by fish. It is also wise to abstain from marital relations, weddings, games and unnecessary travel. The above restrictions are for those wishing for added penance—many only give up sweets or other pleasures during Advent. Consult with your spiritual director.

Before Advent starts, a paper Advent calendar is bought and placed in a prominent place in the house. Every morning the corresponding day is uncovered or sticker is placed (depending on the type). An Advent wreath is bought or constructed that consists of evergreen branches encircling four candles (three violet ones and one rose-colored one). In ages past, our ancestors lit candles among wreaths in the wintertime as a sign of hope that warmer and longer days would return in the spring. The pieces of the wreath each have meaning. The circle of the wreath, with no beginning or end, symbolizes God’s eternal nature. The evergreen branches signify the immortality of the soul. Decorative pine cones or seed pods represent new life and resurrection. The four candles stand for the four weeks of Advent and the four thousand years from the creation of Adam and Eve to the birth of Jesus Christ. The candle flames symbolize the light of Christ. On Christmas Eve, the four Advent candles are traditionally replaced with one large white Christ candle in the center of the wreath, to light during the Christmas season.

Prayers are said before the wreath throughout Advent. They start at supper the Saturday before the first Sunday in Advent with the blessing of the wreath.

Prayer (said by the Father):

O God, by whose word all things are sanctified, pour forth thy blessing upon this wreath, and grant that we who use it may prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ and may receive from Thee abundant graces. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then follows the prayer which is said before the evening meal each night of the first week in Advent.

The First Week:

Father: O Lord, stir up Thy might, we beg Thee, and come that by Thy protection we may deserve to be rescued from the threatening dangers of our sins and saved by Thy deliverance. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Advent wreath ceremonies:

Each night the first purple candle is lighted by the youngest child of the household and is left burning during the meal.

The Second Week:

Father: O Lord, stir up our hearts that we may prepare for Thy only begotten Son, that through His coming we may be made worthy to serve Thee with pure minds, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then the eldest child lights not only the first but a second purple candle. Both candles burn during the evening meal as before.

The Third Week:

The joyful Sunday in Advent (known as Gaudete) is represented by rose (or pink) instead of the penitential purple color. Each night during the third week the mother of the family lights the pink as well as the two previously burned purple candles after the following prayer has been said.

Father: O Lord, we beg Thee incline Thine ear to our prayers and enlighten the darkness of our minds by the grace of Thy visitation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The three candles are extinguished immediately following the meal.

The Fourth Week:

The father of the household lights all four candles in proper sequence during the fourth week after repeating the following prayer.

Father: O Lord, stir up Thy power, we pray Thee, and come; and with great might help us, that with the help of Thy Grace, Thy merciful forgiveness may hasten what our sins impede. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Candles can be replaced as necessary during a particular Advent Season without reblessing the wreath.

November 29: Immaculate Conception Novena

A novena is begun on November 29^th that ends today on December 7^th, the eve of the feast.

November 30: Saint Andrew

This is the day St. Andrew was martyred in Greece bound to a saltire and crucified. Make sure to begin today the St. Andrew Novena. It is piously believed from Tradition, that if you pray this novena fifteen times per day from the Feast of St. Andrew, November 30, until Christmas, you will receive your request.

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which

the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary,

at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold.

In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God,

to hear my prayer and grant my desires, [here mention your request]

through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ,

and of His blessed Mother.

Amen.

St Andrew became the patron of Scotland, from whence many of our forebears came. When Constantine ordered Andrew’s relics to be moved to Constantinople, an angel appeared to St. Rule (or Regulus) in a dream and told him to take some of the relics to the ends of the earth for safekeeping. He obediently took a tooth, an arm bone, a kneecap and some fingers from Andrew’s tomb and sailed north with the remains until he was shipwrecked on the east coast of Scotland. There he established the city of St. Andrew’s, and the relics were placed in a specially constructed chapel.

In 1160, the chapel was replaced by St. Andrew’s Cathedral, which became an important medieval pilgrimage destination. Much of the cathedral is in ruins today, but “St. Rule’s Tower” is one of the buildings that remains. As noted above, St. Andrew’s relics were probably destroyed during the Scottish Reformation, but a plaque among the ruins of the cathedral shows modern visitors where the relics were kept.

Concerning St. Andrew’s Day, on the eve of the feast, wolves are allowed to eat all the animals they want. It is said that they can speak, too, but anyone who hears them will soon die. Saint Andrew is invoked to ward off wolves. The night is especially susceptible to magic that reveals a young woman’s future husband or that binds a future husband to her. Young women may light a candle from Easter and bring it, at midnight, to a fountain. They can then ask Saint Andrew to let them glimpse their future husband. [This is not advised.] The day is also the start of the most popular time for vampire activity, which lasts until Saint George’s Eve (22^nd of April).

Early on Saint Andrew’s day, the mother should go into the garden and gather tree branches, especially from apple, pear, and cherry trees, and also rosebush branches. She should make a bunch of branches for each family member. The one whose bunch blooms by New Year’s Day will be lucky and healthy the next year. The best-known tradition connected to this night concerns matrimony and premonitory dreams. Single girls can put under their pillow a sprig or branch of sweet basil and say a prayer to St. Andrew for their future marriage prospects. It is said that if someone takes the plants in her dreams, that means the girl will marry soon.

One can also plant wheat in a dish and water it until New Year’s Day. The nicer the wheat looks that day, the better the year to come.

Porridge is made today in honor of St Andrew’s patrimony, Scotland. The basic recipe, as any Scot will tell you, involves oatmeal rather than rolled ‘porridge’ oats, salt and water, and a bowl of cream on the side. F. Marion McNeill, in the wonderful old Scottish book The Book of Breakfasts, tells us that ‘a Scot nearly always declines porridge outside of Scotland’ whilst also admitting that even here in Scotland, porridge is often not what it was. She blames modern milling and storage methods, and tells us that when she was a child (she was born in Orkney in 1885) the meal was poured into a meal chest and the children were stood on the top and told to tramp it down until it was tightly packed for storage.

She gives this recipe:

Porridge:

Oatmeal, salt, and water

Allow for each person a breakfastcupful of water, a handful of oatmeal, and a small saltspoonful of salt. Use fresh spring water, and preferably, home milled-meal, coarsely ground. Bring the water to the boil, and just as it approaches boiling point, add the oatmeal, letting it fall in a steady rain from the left hand whilst you stir it briskly with a spurtle (porridge-stick) or wooden spoon. When the porridge is boiling steadily, draw the pot to the side and put on the lid. Let it cook for 20-30 minutes, according to the quality of the oatmeal. Let it cook for at least ten minutes before you add the salt, which has a tendency to harden the meal and prevent its swelling if added at once. On the other hand, never cook porridge without salt. Ladle straight into cold porringers or soup-plates, and serve with a small individual bowl of rich milk or thin cream. Each spoonful of porridge should be dipped and cooled in the milk or cream before being conveyed to the mouth.

Note: Children often like a layer of sugar, honey, syrup or treacle, or of raw oatmeal. A morsel of butter in the center of the plate agrees with some digestions better than milk.

Porter, skeachan, and brisk small beer used to be popular accompaniments to porridge.

Porridge may be made with milk or whey instead of water, and with barley meal or wheaten meal instead of oatmeal.

December 5: Saint Nicholas’ Eve

In the days leading up to 6 December, young children put their shoes in front of the chimneys and sing Santa Claus songs. Often they put a carrot or some hay in their shoes, as a gift to St. Nicholas’ horse. The Krampusnacht (Krampus Night) occurs the evening before St. Nicholas Day (December 5th), when nice children are rewarded with presents in their boots. Children when out of doors should beware of the Krampus, who roams the streets with rusty chains and bells menacing any children they meet. Start the St. Nicholas cookies tonight (see next entry).

December 6: Saint Nicholas Day

The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara in Asia Minor. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus’ words to “sell what you own and give the money to the poor,” Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.

Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith, was exiled and imprisoned. The prisons were so full of bishops, priests, and deacons, there was no room for the real criminals—murderers, thieves and robbers. After his release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. He died December 6, AD 343 in Myra and was buried in his cathedral church, where a unique relic, called manna, formed in his grave. This liquid substance, said to have healing powers, fostered the growth of devotion to Nicholas.

One story tells of a poor man with three daughters. In those days a young woman’s father had to offer prospective husbands something of value—a dowry. The larger the dowry, the better the chance that a young woman would find a good husband. Without a dowry, a woman was unlikely to marry. This poor man’s daughters, without dowries, were therefore destined to be sold into slavery. Mysteriously, on three different occasions, a bag of gold appeared in their home providing the needed dowries. The bags of gold, tossed through an open window, are said to have landed in stockings or shoes left before the fire to dry. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas. Sometimes the story is told with gold balls instead of bags of gold. That is why three gold balls, sometimes represented as oranges, are one of the symbols for St. Nicholas. And so St. Nicholas is a gift-giver.

One of the oldest stories showing St. Nicholas as a protector of children takes place long after his death. The townspeople of Myra were celebrating the good saint on the eve of his feast day when a band of Arab pirates from Crete came into the district. They stole treasures from the Church of Saint Nicholas to take away as booty. As they were leaving town, they snatched a young boy, Basilios, to make into a slave. The emir, or ruler, selected Basilios to be his personal cupbearer, as not knowing the language, Basilios would not understand what the king said to those around him. So, for the next year Basilios waited on the king, bringing his wine in a beautiful golden cup. For Basilios’ parents, devastated at the loss of their only child, the year passed slowly, filled with grief. As the next St. Nicholas’ feast day approached, Basilios’ mother would not join in the festivity, as it was now a day of tragedy. However, she was persuaded to have a simple observance at home—with quiet prayers for Basilios’ safekeeping. Meanwhile, as Basilios was fulfilling his tasks serving the emir, he was suddenly whisked up and away. St. Nicholas appeared to the terrified boy, blessed him, and set him down at his home back in Myra. Imagine the joy and wonderment when Basilios amazingly appeared before his parents, still holding the king’s golden cup.

In AD 325 Emperor Constantine convened the Council of Nicaea, the very first ecumenical council. More than 300 bishops came from all over the Christian world to debate the nature of the Holy Trinity. It was one of the early church’s most intense theological questions. Arius, from Egypt, was teaching that Jesus the Son was not equal to God the Father. Arius forcefully argued his position at length. The bishops listened respectfully.

As Arius vigorously continued, Nicholas became more and more agitated. Finally, he could no longer bear what he believed was essential being attacked. The outraged Nicholas got up, crossed the room, and slapped Arius across the face! The bishops were shocked. It was unbelievable that a bishop would lose control and be so hotheaded in such a solemn assembly. They brought Nicholas to Constantine. Constantine said even though it was illegal for anyone to strike another in his presence, in this case, the bishops themselves must determine the punishment.

The bishops stripped Nicholas of his bishop’s garments, chained him, and threw him into jail. That would keep Nicholas away from the meeting. When the Council ended a final decision would be made about his future.

Nicholas was ashamed and prayed for forgiveness, though he did not waver in his belief. During the night, Jesus and Mary his Mother, appeared, asking, “Why are you in jail?” “Because of my love for you,” Nicholas replied. Jesus then gave the Book of the Gospels to Nicholas. Mary gave him an omophorion, so Nicholas would again be dressed as a bishop. Now at peace, Nicholas studied the Scriptures for the rest of the night.

When the jailer came in the morning, he found the chains loose on the floor and Nicholas dressed in bishop’s robes, quietly reading the Scriptures. When Constantine was told of this, the emperor asked that Nicholas be freed. Nicholas was then fully reinstated as the Bishop of Myra.

The Council of Nicaea agreed with Nicholas’ views, deciding the question against Arius. The work of the Council produced the Nicene Creed which to this day many Christians repeat weekly when they stand to say what they believe.

Today St. Nicholas intercedes for all children in a special way: he rewards those who have behaved over the last year with treats on his feast day and with presents on Christmas. However, following St. Nicholas on his mission across the world on the night of December 5^th are several other figures. One is a dark-haired creature bearing horns and fangs, carrying a bundle of birch sticks used to swat naughty children. In Alpine regions, it is said that the Krampus enters the towns, lashing his chains and bells, to capture the bad children in a basket and bring them down to the underworld. The Krampusnacht (Krampus Night) occurs the evening before St. Nicholas Day (December 5th), when the nice children are rewarded with presents in their boots. On this night Santa Claus travels on his trusty steed, Amerigo, a brilliantly white horse. There is also Farmhand Rupert (Knecht Ruprecht), a charge/servant of St Nick’s who walks with a limp and interrogates children to make sure they know their prayers, and Black Peter (Zwarte Piet), a black Moorish servant of St. Nick’s from Spain. These two will discipline unruly children. Schmutzli is another frightening helper wearing a brown monk’s habit. Angels are also said to accompany St. Nicholas and to help restrain the Krampus creatures and the other companions. Children when out of doors should beware of the Krampus, who roams the streets with rusty chains and bells menacing any children they meet.

Letters are written to Santa Klaus in the weeks and days leading up to his feast day. They will be collected when he comes to visit and answered several weeks later at Christmas.

In the days leading up to 6 December, young children put their shoes in front of the chimneys and sing Santa Claus songs. Often they put a carrot or some hay in their shoes, as a gift to St. Nicholas’ horse. The next morning they will find a small present in their shoes, ranging from sweets to marbles or some other small toy. Often a bag filled with presents will appear outside the house or living room after a bang on the door from one of St. Nicholas’s assistants. If a rod is found instead of a treat, it can be assumed that one of the assistants (or even the Krampus) left it for disciplining the child with. Children should practice their prayers in the preceding days to make sure Farmhand Rupert is satisfied.

During that day, speculaas or speculoos cookies (gingerbread) are made in the shape of St Nicholas and others.

St. Nikolaus Speculatius (Kris Kringle) Cookies (German Spice Cookies): this is a variation of the European spice cookies so popular on this day—this one has sour cream and finely chopped walnuts. This recipe is also given by Maria Trapp, of the Trapp Family Singers, in Around the Year with the Trapp Family. Makes a tasty thin, crisp cookie:

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

1 cup shortening

2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

½ cup dairy sour cream

4½ cups sifted all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

½ teaspoon cloves

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ cup finely chopped walnuts

Cream shortening and sugar; blend in sour cream. Mix and sift dry ingredients; add slowly to creamed mixture. (Do not use electric mixer if dough is too stiff.) Stir in walnuts. Divide into 4 portions; wrap each portion in aluminum foil; chill several hours or overnight. Work with one portion of dough at a time, leaving the others in the refrigerator. Roll out very thin, cut with St. Nicholas cutters. Bake at 350º for 10 minutes. (Roll scraps into a ball; refrigerate briefly before re-rolling.) Frost and decorate as desired.

From The Cook’s Blessings: A unique cookbook based on the social and religious traditions of the Catholic world and including recipes and menus for holidays, holy days, and special occasions by Demetria Taylor, Random House (copyright © The Catholic Digest), 1965.

After supper, a story is read of St. Nicholas. Then the Nicene Creed is recited and the speculaas cookies are eaten with bishopswyn (bishop’s wine), which is hot mulled wine for the adults and warm grape juice or apple cider with a cinnamon stick for the children.

Bischopswyn: this warming medley of red wine, oranges, lemon, and spices is the Dutch take on mulled wine or gluhwein. It is known in the Netherlands as bischopswijn or ”bishop’s wine” after Saint Nicholas, the Catholic bishop who is celebrated on Sinterklaas every year:

Ingredients

1 1/2 bottles of red wine (e.g., a Cabernet Sauvignon)

2 oranges

1 lemon

15 cloves (approximately)

4 cinnamon sticks

1/2 cup white sugar

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.

Spike the oranges and lemon with the cloves, and add to the wine, along with the cinnamon sticks.

Heat slowly over very low heat for 3 hours. The liquid should not boil. (This would make the alcohol evaporate.)

Add the sugar towards the end, and make sure that it dissolves completely.

Remove the fruit and spices, and serve.

December 7: Night of the Little Candles (Fasting and Abstinence in preparation for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception); National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

A novena is begun on November 29^th that ends today on December 7^th, the eve of the feast.

The celebration of the Night of the Little Candles dates to December 7, 1854, when Pope Pius IX defined as dogma the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, published in his Apostolic constitution Ineffabilis Deus. In anticipation of this decision, people lit candles and paper lanterns to show their support and belief in this idea.

Place dozens of small electric lights out around the windowsills, along the walk to the front door, and on the porch.

National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, also referred to as Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day or Pearl Harbor Day, is observed annually in the United States on December 7, to remember and honor the 2,403 Americans who were killed in the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7, 1941, which led to the United States declaring war on Japan the next day and thus entering World War II.

The American flag should be flown at half-staff until sunset to honor those who died as a result of the attack on U.S. military forces in Hawaii. Listen to or read President Roosevelt’s Day of Infamy speech, and visit family members’ graves who fought in the Second World War. Watch movies from that time period.

Moravian Spritze, or spice/gingerbread cookies made during the vigil, should be made an eaten on December 8(see next entry).

December 8: Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The candles from the preceding night should be removed in the morning. Mass is required to be attended this day in the United States (Our Lady immaculately conceived is the patroness of the Nation). The Litany of Loreto should be recited today (and on all Marian feast days).

Moravian Spritze, or spice/gingerbread cookies made during the vigil, should be made an eaten on December 8.

Cloves and cinnamon and nutmeg, which are poetic picture words in the Bible, are appropriate because of a passage in the Book of Sirach (formerly Ecclesiasticus), 24:14-15 that describes Mary:

I gave a sweet smell like cinnamon and aromatical balm; I yielded a sweet odor like the best myrrh; and I perfumed my dwelling as store, and galbanum, and onyx, and aloes, and as the frankincense not cut, and my odor is as the purest balm.

These cookies, like Mary, emit such wonderful smells of spices:

Ingredients

1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 cup warm molasses

1/4 cup brown sugar

1-7/8 cups flour

1/3 teaspoon soda

1/3 teaspoon salt

1/3 teaspoon ginger

1/3 teaspoon cloves

1/3 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon allspice

Details

Serves: 25

Yield: 100 cookies

Prep Time: 1 hour

Directions

Mix butter, molasses and sugar. Add sifted dry ingredients. Chill until hard (preferably overnight). Roll very thin. Bake in a moderate oven (375°) for six minutes. Cookies may be iced.

Recipe Source: Cooking for Christ by Florence Berger, National Catholic Rural Life Conference, 4625 Beaver Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50310, 1949, 1999

December 10: Our Lady of Loreto

The title Our Lady of Loreto refers to the Holy House of Loreto, the house in which Mary was born, and in which the Word was made flesh at the Annunciation. Tradition says that a band of angels scooped up the little house from the Holy Land, and transported it first to Tersato, Dalmatia in 1291, then Recanati, Italy in 1294, and finally to Loreto, Italy, where it has been for centuries. It was this translation of the Holy House and for the longstanding of the structure that Our Lady of Loreto is named the patron of builders, construction workers, and aviation. It is the first shrine of international renown dedicated to the Blessed Virgin and has been known as a Marian center for centuries. Popes have always held the Shrine of Loreto in special esteem, and it is under their direct authority and protection. A replica of an ancient statue of Our Lady which is found there, is one of the “Black Madonnas.” The original statue made of cedar from Lebanon was destroyed in a fire in 1921.

This is the day on which a gingerbread house should be purchased and set up (it can be eaten if it would spoil before Christmas; otherwise, it is best to leave it for the Chrismastide). The house does not have to be a replica of Our Lady’s house but reminds the family anyway of the domesticity of the Holy Family and the miracle of the Translation of the house to Italy.

December 11 to 17: Guadete (Bambinelli) Sunday

Rose or pink should be worn to Mass today. A traditional mince meat pie should be eaten after Mass today as a foretaste of Christmas. It must be cooked and served in an oval or rectangular dish so as to resemble a manger.

The blessing of baby Jesus figurines is an event that takes place at the Vatican each year. Children observe this annual tradition by bringing the baby Jesus figure from their family nativity scene to St. Peter’s Square for a special papal blessing.

The tradition, called Bambinelli Sunday, was begun by Pope St. John Paul II to take place on the third Sunday of Advent, or Gaudete Sunday. Following the Sunday Angelus address, the Holy Father blesses all the statues and figurines of Baby Jesus held up by the children in the crowd under the Holy Father’s window, which the children then take back to homes to be placed under their Christmas trees, waiting for Christmas Eve when the Bambinelli can be placed in the manger to mark the birth of the Baby Jesus. A small figurine of the Infant Jesus should be taken to Mass today for blessing by the priest, and then placed under the Christmas Tree at home.

Traditional Mincemeat Pie (this recipe for old-fashioned mincemeat pie, a version of one featured in the classic 1861 volume Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management, was updated in Jane Grigson’s English Food (Macmillan, 1974). The mincemeat filling should be prepared at least two days and preferably two weeks prior to the making of the pies so that the fruit can soften and the flavors can meld.):

Yield: makes one 9-inch pie

Time: 4 hours

What You Will Need

Medium Bowl

1-Quart Jar

Dough Blender

9-Inch Pie Plate

Rolling Pin

Pastry Brush

Wire Cooling Rack

For the Filling

2 cups finely chopped beef suet

¾ cup dried currants

¾ cup finely chopped rump steak (about 3 oz.)

½ cup raisins

½ cup packed dark brown sugar

2 Tbsp. brandy

1½ tsp. chopped candied citron peel

1½ tsp. chopped candied lemon peel

1½ tsp. chopped candied orange peel

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice, plus grated zest of ½ lemon

¼ tsp. grated nutmeg

1½ Granny Smith apples, cored and finely chopped

For the Crust

2¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1 tsp. kosher salt

12 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cubed

6 Tbsp. ice-cold water

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Instructions

1. Make the filling: In a medium bowl, combine the beef suet, currants, rump steak, raisins, brown sugar, brandy, candied citrus peels, lemon juice and zest, nutmeg, and apples. Mix well.

2. Transfer the mixture to a 1-quart jar. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 days and up to 2 weeks.

3. Make the crust: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Using a dough blender, two forks, or your fingers, cut the butter into the flour mixture, forming pea-size crumbles. Add the water; work the dough until smooth but with visible flecks of butter. (Alternatively, pulse the ingredients in a food processor.) Divide the dough in half and flatten into disks. Wrap the disks in plastic; refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using.

4. When ready to bake, remove one of the disks of dough to a lightly floured work surface, and let it rest at room temperature for about 5 minutes, or until still chilled but pliable. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the disk into a ⅛-inch-thick round, rotating often and flouring the surface more as needed to prevent sticking. Carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate, pressing gently against the sides and bottom to fit. Roll out the remaining disk of dough into a ⅛-inch-thick round using the same method. Transfer the filling to the pie shell, brush the edges with water, and cover the pie with the top crust. Trim excess, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Fold the top edge over the bottom crust to seal, and crimp as desired. Cut a few steam vents in the top crust, then refrigerate the pie for 1 hour.

5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush the pie with egg wash, then bake until golden, about 1 hour. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

December 13: Saint Lucie

St. Lucy (283-304) was born in Syracuse, Sicily, where she also died. She was of a noble Greek family, and was brought up as a Christian by her mother, who was miraculously cured at the shrine of St. Agatha in Catania. Lucy made a vow of virginity and distributed her wealth to the poor. This generosity stirred the wrath of the unworthy youth to whom she had been unwillingly betrothed and who denounced her to Paschasius, the governor of Sicily. When it was decided to violate her virginity in a place of shame, Lucy, with the help of the Holy Spirit, stood immovable. A fire was then built around her, but again God protected her. She was finally put to death by the sword. Her name appears in the second list in the Canon.

In Scandinavia and the North of Europe before the Reformation Saint Lucy’s Day was one of unusual celebration and festivity because, for the people of these dark and cold climes, she was the great “light saint” who turned the tides of their long winter and brought the light of day to renewed victory.

Have the oldest girl in the family (or the mother, if there are no girls) wear a white dress and crimson sash and stockings and a wreath crown with white lighted candles (or electric ones) (St. Lucy brought food and aid to Christians hiding in the Roman catacombs, wearing a candle lit wreath (of holly or winterberry sprigs) on her head to light her way and leave her hands free to carry as much food as possible). At dawn she wakes up members of the family with steaming coffee and Lussekatter (saffron buns), or some other favorite sweet rolls or bread. This impersonation is called Lussibrud (Lucy Bride). Bread in the shape of a ring with candles in it should be set on the table. It is especially appropriate to visit elderly relatives or those in nursing homes on this day. A walk or drive around the neighborhood should be undertaken this night to see the beginning of the victory of light over darkness.

St. Lucia Saffron Buns:

Prep Time

2 hrs 30 mins

Cook Time

12 mins

Total Time

2 hrs 42 mins

Servings

12 to 14 servings

Ingredients

3/4 cup milk (175ml)

1/2 teaspoon saffron threads

1 teaspoon plus 1/4 cup (50g) white granulated sugar

1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast (check the expiration date on the package to make sure it’s still good)

3 1/2 to 4 cups (490g to 570g) all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

The seeds from 3 cardamom pods, ground, optional

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons, 56g) unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup sour cream (or quark if available)

2 large eggs

Raisins

Glaze

1 egg, beaten

Directions:

1. Heat milk, saffron, sugar:

In a small pot, heat the milk, saffron, and 1 teaspoon of sugar together until the milk is steamy. Remove from heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Let cool until about 115°F, or warm to the touch, but not hot.

2. Bloom the yeast:

Sprinkle the yeast over the warm saffron-infused milk, and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.

3. Whisk flour, sugar, salt, cardamom:

In the bowl of a stand-up mixer* whisk together 3 1/2 cups (490g) of the flour, remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, salt and ground cardamom (if using).

4.Make a well in the center of the flour and add the yeast milk saffron mixture, the eggs, the butter, and the sour cream:

Mix the ingredients until well incorporated.

5. Knead the dough:

Switch to the dough hook of your mixer (if using, otherwise knead by hand). On low speed start to knead the dough. Slowly add additional flour, a tablespoon at a time, kneading to incorporate after each addition. Do this until the dough is still a little sticky to the touch, but does not completely stick to your hands when you handle it.

6. Let dough rise:

Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. (Note at this point you can make ahead and refrigerate overnight if you wish.) Let sit in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours, until the dough has doubled in size. (One way to tell that the dough is ready is that you poke your finger in it and it takes quite a bit of time for the indentation left by your finger to go away.)

7. Form dough into S shapes:

When the dough has doubled in size, gently press it down and knead it a couple of times. Break off a piece and form it into a ball about 2 inches wide (60 to 70 grams if you are weighing). Roll the ball out into a snake, about 14 inches long. Then Curl the ends in opposite directions, forming an “S” with spirals at each end. Place on a lined baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the dough.

8. Let sit for second rise:

Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough shapes double in size, 30 minutes to an hour.

9. Brush with egg wash, place raisins on buns:

Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Using a pastry brush, brush some beaten egg over the tops and sides of the uncooked buns. Place raisins in the centers of the “S” spirals.

10.Bake:

Place in the oven and bake at 400°F (205°C) for about 10 to 11 minutes (turning halfway through cooking to ensure even browning), until the buns are golden brown.

Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before eating.

On the eve of December 13 all should write the word “Lucy” (Lussi) on doors, fences, and walls. With the word always goes a picture Saint Lucy. The purpose of this practice is to announce to the demons of winter that their reign is broken on Saint Lucy’s Day, that the sun will return again and the days become longer.

“Lucy Fires” should be burned in the evening on December 13. Into these bonfires should be thrown incense, and any musical instruments on hand should be played to greet the changing of the sun’s course. These fires are a powerful protection against disease, witchcraft, and dangers, and all should stand nearby and let the smoke of the incense reach them, thus obtaining from the Saint her protection.

Lussinatta, the Lussi Night, is also on 13 December. Lussi, a female being with evil traits that is a Satanic mockery of St Lucy, rides through the air with her followers, called Lussiferda. Between Lussi Night and Christmas, trolls and evil spirits and tortured souls, are active outside. It is particularly dangerous to be out away from the protection of the group during Lussi Night. Children who have done mischief should take special care, since Lussi could come down through the chimney and take them away. The tradition of Lussevaka – to stay awake through the Lussinatt to guard oneself and the household against evil, can be undertaken by older members of the household. It is a form of vigil and should include candles, incense, and prayer to shield the family from the attacks of the wicked spirits between St Lucy’s Day and Christmas, when the evil one feels his time growing short again. Gnomes and trolls are also active during this time, and on Lucy Night, farm animals are said to talk.

To vividly celebrate St. Lucy’s Day will help one live the long winter days with enough light. The feast occurring as it does in Advent, St. Lucy’s light is only a reflection of the great “Light of the World” which is to start shining at Bethlehem on Christmas Day.

December 14, 16, 17 to 20, 22, 23: Winter Ember Days (give thanks for the olive crop by eating olives and/or olive oil)

The Advent Ember Days mark thanksgiving for the olive harvest. Olive oil is used for the Holy Oils in the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Anointing of the Sick, and also for special consecrations and blessings, such as for a new church or altar stone. The thanksgiving emphasis is expressed on Ember Wednesday, with offering of first fruits and distribution of blessed food baskets for the needy. This should be done downtown outside St. Mary’s. Though these are days of fasting, spare dishes prepared with olive oil should be consumed.

The Church no longer regularly ordains priests during the times of the Quarterly Ember Days, but this is a special time, particularly Ember Saturday, to pray for priests, particularly the ones who are about to be ordained within the year.

Of particular note is the ancient liturgy of Missa Aurea or “Golden Mass” on Ember Wednesday. On this day the Church celebrated the “golden mystery” of our Faith, the moment the Word became flesh, the Incarnation of Christ in Mary’s womb. In the Ordinary Form Missal, the Golden Mass is not lost but celebrated in the liturgy on December 20, the O Antiphon day “O Key of David.”

December 16: First Day of Christmas Novena

This novena was composed by an Italian priest, Rev. Charles Vachetta, C.M., in 1721. Most of the material comes from the Old Testament prophecies and the Psalms referring to the promised Redeemer. The novena consists of Opening Responsory Prayers, Psalm (Let the Heavens Be Glad), Scripture Reading, Magnificat with Daily Antiphon and Closing Prayer.

A booklet should be on hand with the material. The Christmas tree should be erected and decorated by this night.

December 24: Christmas Eve Fast (until after Midnight Mass)

Set two extra places at the table tonight, symbolically for Mary and Joseph. The house is to be thoroughly cleaned, all tasks finished or removed from sight, all borrowed items returned, and no task allowed to be begun that cannot be finished by nightfall. Keeping this rule leads to true relaxation. This is a fast day until evening, when a Christmas Eve hor d’oeurve meal can be eaten to gather strength for midnight mass. This is also the feast of SS. Adam and Eve. Figurines or icons of Adam, Eve, and the apple should be placed under the Christmas Tree today. Red apple ornaments should be hung as well to symbolize the forbidden fruit.

After Christmas Eve supper, the Advent wreath is replaced with a festive Christmas wreath and a large white candle. This can be left up until Candlemas (February 2nd).

December 25: Christmas, the Nativity of the Lord

The Christ child should be placed in the Nativity display this day that was blessed on Guadete Sunday. Today St. Nicholas causes gifts to be exchanged among all the faithful. The morning should be taken leisurely with a grand breakfast. Presents should be opened and treats consumed. All rules of the normal society are overturned during the 12 days of Christmas; servants are placed above their masters, for instance. During the festivities of the twelve days of Christmas, the mighty are displaced and the humble become exalted. For example, at the Feast of the Ass, the humble donkey becomes the star of the day, present at the nativity and later elevated to carry the holy family to safety from King Herod who saw in the newborn Jesus a rival for his throne.

In the South, an area that has a very high concentration of people of UK extraction from centuries past, Christmas is the time of year in which many variations on a country ham or Christmas ham get served. This is an older British tradition that would predate the Victorian tradition of Dickens and his turkey and go back into medieval England, brought by poorer classes who could not afford the turkey that was fashionable among wealthier men in the Stuart era. Cookies of many kinds have been present in America for hundreds of years and often are either gingerbread, snickerdoodles, or sugar cookies baked throughout December and fashioned into many shapes and figures. For drinks, a typical menu would include any combination of planter’s punch, Kentucky bourbon and the cocktails that can be made from it, wines from California, Washington, Virginia, or New York of many varying vintages meant to complement the meal prepared by the host, Prosecco from Italy, hard cider from New England and California, wassail, Puerto Rican or Jamaican rum, champagne and other domestic sparkling white wines, and for individual cocktails the alcoholic version of eggnog, the poinsettia, and the Puerto Rican coquito, a cocktail composed of large amounts of coconut milk and rum. Charlotte Russe chilled in a bed of Lady Fingers (called just Charlotte) is a traditional dessert, along with pumpkin, pecan, and mincemeat pies.

The traditional Christmas pudding should be re-steamed for 3 hours today, doused in liquor, and set on fire before being consumed. The flames represent the passion of Christ.

Christmas runs from Christmas Day until January 5, which is also called Twelfth Night. January 6 is called Epiphany.

Epiphany is the day in which the arrival of the Magi (or Wise Men) is celebrated. Their arrival marked the moment that Christ’s identity as the Son of God was revealed to Gentiles (which we are). Take three statues of the wise men and slowly move them closer to the home nativity scene each night. They should arrive by Epiphany.

The following twelve days leading to Epiphany are then the time for all the merry making and party throwing and frolicking about in fancy clothes. Each morning the family should sing that day’s portion of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” song around the Christmas tree.

A large Twelfth Night party should be held to mark the end of the season, sometimes even with a reversal of rolls – the servants of the wealthy would be served by their employers and all should celebrate together. January 6 is then the day when the tree should come down and the decorations should go back into storage.

Novena to Infant of Prague

Every day during the 12 days of Christmas, pray the following litany:

Litany of the Infant Jesus:

Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy,

Christ, have mercy, Christ, have mercy,

Lord have mercy, Lord, have mercy.

Infant Jesus, hear us,

Infant Jesus, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven, graciously hear us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, graciously hear us.

God the Holy Ghost, graciously hear us.

Holy Trinity, One God, graciously hear us.

Infant Jesus, Have mercy on us.

Infant, very God, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Son of the Living God, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Son of the Virgin Mary, Have mercy on us.

Infant, begotten before the morning star, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Word made flesh, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Wisdom of Thy Father, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Purity of Thy mother, Have mercy on us.

Infant, only Son of Thy Father, Have mercy on us.

Infant, First-Born of Thy mother, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Image of Thy Father, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Creator of Thy mother, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Splendor of Thy Father, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Honor of Thy mother, Have mercy on us.

Infant, equal to Thy Father, Have mercy on us.

Infant, subject to Thy mother, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Joy of Thy Father, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Riches of Thy mother, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Gift of Thy Father, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Offering of Thy mother, Have mercy on us.

Infant, precious fruit of a virgin, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Creator of man, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Power of God, Have mercy on us.

Infant, our God, Have mercy on us.

Infant, our Brother, Have mercy on us.

Infant, perfect Man from Thy conception, Have mercy on us.

Infant, ancient in wisdom from Thy childhood, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Father of ages, Have mercy on us.

Infant, of days, Have mercy on us.

Infant, giving life, and nourished at the breast, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Eternal Word, and making Thyself dumb, Have mercy on us.

Infant, weeping in the crib, Have mercy on us.

Infant, thundering in Heaven, Have mercy on us.

Infant, terror of hell, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Joy of Paradise, Have mercy on us.

Infant, dreaded by tyrants, Have mercy on us.

Infant, desired by the Magi, Have mercy on us.

Infant, exiled from Thy people, Have mercy on us.

Infant, King in exile, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Destroyer of idols, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Vindicator of the glory of God, Have mercy on us.

Infant, strong in weakness, Have mercy on us.

Infant, powerful in abasement, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Treasure of Grace, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Fountain of Love, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Author of the blessings of Heaven, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Repairer of the evils of earth, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Head of the angels, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Stem of the patriarchs, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Word of the prophets, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Expectation of nations, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Joy of the shepherds, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Light of the Magi, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Salvation of children, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Hope of the just, Have mercy on us.

Infant, Teacher of doctors, Have mercy on us.

Infant, First-fruits of the saints, Have mercy on us.

Be merciful, Spare us, O Infant Jesus,

Be merciful, Graciously hear us, O Infant Jesus.

From the bondage of the children of Adam, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

From the slavery of the devil, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

From the corruption of the world, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

From the lust of the flesh, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

From the pride of life, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

From the immoderate desire of knowledge, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

From the blindness of mind, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

From the perversity of will, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

From our sins, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

Through Thy most pure conception, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

Through Thy most humble birth, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

Through Thy tears, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

Through Thy most painful circumcision, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

Through Thy most glorious epiphany, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

Through Thy most devout presentation, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

Through Thy most innocent conversation in the world, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

Through Thy most holy life, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

Through Thy poverty, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

Through Thy sorrows, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

Through Thy labors and travails. Infant Jesus, deliver us.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world,

Spare us, O Infant Jesus,

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world,

Graciously hear us, O Infant Jesus,

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world,

Have mercy on us, O Infant Jesus.

Infant Jesus, hear us,

Infant Jesus, graciously hear us.

Let us pray

O Lord Jesus, Who allowed the greatness of Thy incarnate divinity and most sacred humanity to be born in time, to become a little child, and to suffer bitter death, grant that we may acknowledge infinite wisdom in the silence of a child, power in weakness, majesty in abasement, so that adoring Thy humility and littleness on earth we may contemplate Thy glories in Heaven. We ask this of Thee, who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, lives and reigns, God, forever and ever. Amen.

Christmas week is a hallowed time within the homes of the faithful. For farmers and their animals it is a time of rest and relaxation from laborious work; only the necessary chores are done in stable and barn. Thus the whole week becomes a series of holidays. More time than usual should be spent on prayer and religious exercises. The Christmas tree should be lit every night while the whole family says the rosary or performs some other devotion, followed by the singing of carols.

December 26: Saint Stephen

Today is the second day in the octave of Christmas. The Church celebrates the Feast of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Stoned outside Jerusalem, he died praying for his executioners. He was one of the seven deacons who helped the apostles; he was “filled with faith and with the Holy Spirit,” and was “full of fortitude.” The Church draws a comparison between the disciple and his Master, emphasizing the imitation of Christ even unto the complete gift of self. His name is included in the Roman Canon. It is fitting that the Savior’s birth be followed by the birth into Heaven of the first of His disciples to follow the path He trod.

St. Stephen is the patron of horses. This is related to the fact that in pre-Christian times horses were sacrificed at the winter solstice among the Germanic nations. It’s also the case that “Twelfth Night” (the time from Christmas to Epiphany) is a time of rest for domestic animals, and horses, as the most useful servants of man, are accorded at the beginning of this fortnight something like a feast day of their own. The saint himself was also an owner of a horse who Our Lord miraculously healed.

Horses should be blessed in front of a church on St. Stephen’s Day or by a visiting priest. Water and salt and oats and hay should also be blessed, to be kept by farmers and fed to their horses in case of sickness.

St. Stephen’s Day Stew is made with leftovers from Christmas Dinner this day.

St. Stephen’s Stew:

Ingredients

-2 lb cold turkey meat

-1 lb cold ham or bacon

-1/4 stick butter

-12 oz chopped onions

-8 oz flat mushrooms (or button)

-4 cups well flavored turkey stock or

-2 3/4 cups stock and 1 1/4 cups turkey gravy

-3/4 cup cream

-1-1 1/2 tablespoons chopped parsley

-1-1 1/2 tablespoons chopped chives

-2 teaspoons fresh marjoram or tarragon if available

-roux

-12 hot cooked potatoes

-salt and freshly ground pepper

Details

Serves: 12

Prep Time: Several hours

Directions

1. Cut the turkey and ham into 1-inch pieces.

2. Melt the butter in a wide heavy saucepan, add the chopped onions, cover and sweat for about 10 minutes until they are soft but not colored. Remove to a large plate.

3. Meanwhile wash and slice the mushrooms. Cook over a brisk heat, a few at a time. Season with salt and pepper and add to the onions.

4. Toss the turkey and ham in the hot saucepan, using a little extra butter if necessary; add to the mushrooms and onion.

5. Deglaze the saucepan with the turkey stock, add the cream and chopped herbs. Bring to the boil, thicken with roux, add the meat, mushrooms and onions and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and correct the seasoning.

6. Peel the freshly boiled potatoes and put on top of the stew.

7. Put the lid on the casserole, set into the haybox and cover with more hay. Serve steaming hot several hours later.

Recipe Source: Festive Food of Ireland, The by Darina Allen, Kyle Cathie Limited, 1992

St. Stephen’s day is a day to honor deacons. If the parish has one, show him some small token of appreciation this day.

In Britain the 26th of December is commonly referred to as Boxing Day, as this is the day servants and tradesmen traditionally receive gifts known as a “Christmas box” from their masters, employers or customers. Gifts of money, clothes, or food should be given to public servants (like postmen) or the poor or donated to a charity on this day as a gesture of the joy of Christmas. On this night also should be sung “Good King Wenceslaus,” which is a Christmas carol about a king who goes out to give alms to a poor peasant on the Feast of Stephen (the second day of Christmas, December 26). During the journey, his page is about to give up the struggle against the cold weather but is enabled to continue by the heat miraculously emanating from the king’s footprints in the snow. This was based on the life of Saint Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia (907-935). The lyrics of the carol are by English hymn-writer John Mason Neale, Warden of Sackville College, East Grinstead, Sussex (1818-1866). He may have written his carol sometime earlier, since he carried on the legend of St. Wenceslas on which it is based in his Deeds of Faith (1849). Neale was known for his devotion to High Church traditions. According to older Czech sources, Neale’s lyrics are a translation of a poem by Czech poet Václav Alois Svoboda, written in Czech, German, and Latin. The tune is that of “Tempus Adest Floridum” (“It is time for flowering”), a 13th-century spring carol, first published in the Swedish/Finnish Piae Cantiones, 1582.

In Ireland the day is also known as Wren Day, in Irish Lá an Dreoilín. Other variants include Day of the Wren, or Hunt the Wren Day. This name comes from a very old tradition focused around a tiny bird called the wren. On Wren Day, groups of mostly boys and men called “Wren Boys” dress up in old clothes and paint their faces. They get an effigy of a wren and stick it on a pole adorned with evergreen branches. They then travel from door to door singing, dancing and playing music demanding money to “bury the wren.” This process is called going on the “wran.” This should be arranged with another family in advance: one family should dress in feathers and show up at the doorstep of another family, to entertain them with Christmas Carols and then to be fed a meal.

This song is sung:

The wran, the wran, the king of all birds,/[On] St. Stephen’s Day he was caught in the furze;/Although he is little his family is great;/ Stand up old lady and give us a trate [treat].

Once the rounds have been made, the wren is buried or at least placed opposite someone’s house who will receive luck from that fact.

The wren has many associations that make it a worthy scapegoat on this day. Celtic mythology considered the Robin the symbol of the new year but the wren a symbol of the past year (the European wren is known for its habit of singing even in mid-winter, and its name in the Netherlands, “winter king,” reflects this). He is also king for this reason: in a contest to see which bird could fly the highest, the wren tucked himself into an eagle’s wing feathers. When the eagle soared high above all the other birds, the wren popped out and flew even higher, proclaiming himself the king of the birds. It was also a wren who gave St. Stephen away when he was in hiding, leading to his death. Similarly, during Penal Times there was once a plot in an Irish village against the local soldiers. They were surrounded and were about to be ambushed when a group of wrens pecked on their drums and awakened the soldiers. The plot failed and the wren became known as “The Devil’s bird” for saving the anti-Catholic soldiers.

December 27: St. John the Evangelist

St. John the Apostle, born in Bethsaida; he was called while mending his nets to follow Jesus. He became the beloved disciple of Jesus. He wrote the fourth Gospel, three Epistles and the Apocalypse. His passages on the pre-existence of the Word, who by His Incarnation became the light of the world and the life of our souls, are among the finest of the New Testament. He is the evangelist of the divinity of Christ and His fraternal love. Today we should drink of “St. John’s Love.” The Church provides a special blessing of wine in honor of the Saint. St. John at one time drank a glass of poisoned wine without suffering harm because he had blessed it before he drank. The wine is also a symbol of the great love of Christ that filled St. John’s heart with loyalty, courage, and enthusiasm for his Master; he alone of all the apostles was not afraid to stay close to Our Lord during the Passion and Crucifixion.

The following prayer is said over the wine:

Leader: Our help is in the name of the Lord.

All: Who has made heaven and earth.

Leader: The Lord be with you.

All: And with your spirit.

Leader: Graciously bless and sanctify, O Lord God, this wine and this drink with Thy right hand, and grant that by the merits of Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist, all who believe in Thee and partake of this wine may be blessed and protected. And as Saint John drank poison from a cup and was unharmed, so may all those who this day drink of this cup in honor of Saint John be preserved from all poisoning and other harmful things, and as they offer themselves to Thee in body and soul may they be free of all guilt. Through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Leader: Bless, O Lord, this drink which Thou hast created, that it may be a salutary remedy for all who partake of it, and grant that all who taste of it may, by invoking Thy holy name, receive health for body and soul. Through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Leader: And may the blessing of Almighty God, of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, come down upon this wine and any other drink, and remain forever.

All: Amen.

St. John’s wine, blessed by a priest or sprinkled with water by the father of the family, is served with the main meal. Even the children receive a little sip of it after the main course of the dinner. The wine is poured in glasses and passed around to the family and guests. As each glass is given, say:

“I drink you the love of St. John.”

Response: “I thank you for the love of St. John.”

St. John’s wine should be kept in the house throughout the rest of the year. At weddings, bride and bridegroom should take some of it when they return from the church. It is also considered a great aid to travelers and should be drunk before a long journey as a token of protection and safe return. A sip of Saint John’s wine is often used as a sacramental for dying people after they have received the sacraments. It is the last earthly drink to strengthen them for their departure from this world.

St. John’s day is also a day to honor priests. Some small token of appreciation should be shown to the parish priest.

December 28: Childermas (Holy Innocents)

The Holy Infants are the infants murdered by Herod as he sought to kill Christ. This is a day where roles are reversed, and it is appropriate for children to play pranks on adults. Also, children should bring their favorite toy to Mass on this day to be blessed by the priest. The Golden Legend–History of the Holy Innocents should be read today by those who are old enough to understand it. Childermas is a day to honor altar servers. Children in the home should be blessed this day with holy water by their father with the words:

May almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you, my child, for time and eternity, and may this blessing remain forever with you. Amen.

The “Coventry Carol” should be sung today:

Lully, lullah, thou little tiny child,

Bye bye, lully, lullay.

Thou little tiny child,

Bye bye, lully, lullay.

O sisters too, how may we do

For to preserve this day

This poor youngling for whom we sing,

“Bye bye, lully, lullay”?

Herod the king, in his raging,

Chargèd he hath this day

His men of might in his own sight

All young children to slay.

That woe is me, poor child, for thee

And ever mourn and may

For thy parting neither say nor sing,

“Bye bye, lully, lullay.”

December 29: St. Thomas à Becket

St. Thomas Becket was an English nobleman who served as Lord Chancellor from 1155 to 1162, and then notably as Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder by King Henry II in 1170 following a dispute about the rights and privileges of the Church. He was born in London and after studying in Paris, he first became chancellor to the king and then in 1162 was chosen Archbishop of Canterbury. He went from being “a patron of play-actors and a follower of hounds” to being a “shepherd of souls.”

The saints who are assigned immediately following Christmas are honored because of their special connection with Christ. December 29 is the true anniversary date of St. Thomas Becket’s death. Because of the great shock and sensation that this martyrdom caused at a time when all of Europe was Catholic, the Roman authorities, in the thirteenth century, deemed it appropriate to assign the celebration of his feast within the privileged days of Christmas week, thus adding him to the group of “Christ’s nobility.” The movie Becket (1964) should be viewed on this day. Say this prayer from the Roman Missal before viewing:

O God, for the sake of whose Church the glorious Bishop Thomas fell by the sword of ungodly men: grant, we beseech Thee, that all who implore his aid, may obtain the good fruit of his petition. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who livest and reignest with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.