by Faith Central & Steve Welsh
“Dec. 14 is the liturgical memorial of Saint John of the Cross, a 16th century Carmelite priest best known for reforming his order together with Saint Teresa of Avila, and for writing the classic spiritual treatise ‘The Dark Night of the Soul.’ …”
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“A lovely tradition that I remember fondly as a child was visiting a nativity scene in a Croatian church during Christmastime and finding fresh shoots of wheat placed near the baby Jesus. I learned that the new wheat symbolized the newborn King who will become for us, our living bread. Like the grains of wheat, He will be buried and
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“… At Rome in the sixth century Lucy was honored among the other virgin martyrs, and her name was inserted in the Canon of the Mass. A reference to her sanctity occurs in a letter written by Pope Gregory the Great. In the Middle Ages, she was invoked by persons suffering from eye trouble, perhaps because Lucy (in Italian, Lucia)
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“St. Lucy is a virgin and martyr of Syracuse in Sicily, whose feast is celebrated on December 13th. … Like so many of the early martyrs, Lucy had consecrated her virginity to God, and she hoped to devote all her worldly goods to the service of the poor. …”
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“St. Lucy (Lucia) feast day brings many different types of celebrations in various countries. Her feast is also tied in with the celebration of light and winter, as her name means light and her feast day originally coincided with the winter solstice, which marked the shortest day of the year. …”
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“In 1531 a “Lady from Heaven” appeared to a humble Native American at Tepeyac, a hill northwest of what is now Mexico City. She identified herself as the ever Virgin Holy Mary, Mother of the True God for whom we live, of the Creator of all things, Lord of heaven and the earth. …”
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“As we enter into the season of Advent, it’s easy to get caught in the whirlwind of Christmas preparations, whether shopping, baking, party planning or somewhere in between. We know that Advent is a season of conversion for the heart. Let’s spend more time this season praying and preparing our hearts for Christ’s coming. …”
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The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary on December 8 is a Holy Day of Obligation, requiring Mass attendance, absent a valid excuse, with opportunities to participate in Mass starting with Vigil Masses the evening before. [Click here for Mass Readings for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.] Failure to keep
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“Francis Xavier had planned to devote himself to the intellectual life, but at a strategic moment he surrendered to God, who had long and patiently pursued him. That surrender changed the course of his life—and the course of history as well. Even Ignatius of Loyola, the leader of the new Jesuit community, had planned to deploy Francis as a scholar.
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“On Dec. 3, the Roman Catholic Church honors St. Francis Xavier, one of the first Jesuits who went on to evangelize vast portions of Asia. …”
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