Amazing Catechists

Teaching and learning the faith together

  • Home
  • About
    • About Amazing Catechists
    • Patron Saint of Amazing Catechists
    • Donations
  • Topics
    • Art
    • Campus Ministry
    • Catechetics
    • Catechism
    • Catechist Training
    • Catholic Spirituality
    • Church Documents
    • Columnists
    • Culture
    • Elementary School
    • Evangelization
    • Family Life
    • Featured
    • Games
    • General
    • Grief Resources
    • High School
    • Homeschooling
    • Liturgical
    • Mary
    • Middle School
    • Music
    • New Age
    • NFP/Chastity
    • Prayer
    • RCIA & Adult Ed
    • Reader Suggestions
    • Sacraments
    • Scripture
    • Special Needs
    • Spiritual Warfare
    • Technology
    • Theology
    • Therapeutic
    • Video
    • Vocations
  • Contributors
    • Alice Gunther
    • Amanda Woodiel
    • Cay Gibson
    • Christian LeBlanc
    • Christopher Smith
    • Deanna Bartalini
    • Dorian Speed
    • Elizabeth Ficocelli
    • Elizabeth Tichvon
    • Ellen Gable Hrkach
    • Faith Writer
    • Father Juan R. Velez
    • Gabe Garnica
    • Jeannie Ewing
    • Jennifer Fitz
    • Justin Combs
    • Karee Santos
    • Lisa Mladinich
    • Marc Cardaronella
    • Maria Rivera
    • Mary Ellen Barrett
    • Mary Lou Rosien
    • Maureen Smith
    • Msgr. Robert Batule
    • Msgr. Charles Pope
    • Pat Gohn
    • Peggy Clores
    • Robyn Lee
    • Rocco Fortunato
    • Sarah Reinhard
    • Steve McVey
    • Tanja Cilia
    • William O’Leary
    • Alex Basile
  • Shop
  • Contact us

The Liturgical Year

By Deanna Bartalini

As a south Florida resident for over thirty-five years, the change of seasons passes me by with little notice. When I lived in New York my favorite season was fall. The leaves, the crisp air, apple picking and pumpkin patches in actual fields. I think being aware of the seasons made the Church seasons less important to me. Now, the Church seasons mark time for me as the natural seasons did when I was younger.

What are the Church seasons?

We have five liturgical seasons or times; Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Time, Lent, the Triduum (a part of Lent, but different in tone), and Easter. We begin our Church year at Advent.  Advent continues until Christmas, which leads us into Ordinary time on the first Sunday after January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany. We stay in Ordinary time until Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. Lent ends on the Wednesday before Holy Thursday. Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday is called the Triduum, and then we enter into the Easter season, which begins on Easter Sunday and ends on the Feast of Pentecost. After Pentecost, which is fifty days after Easter, we are in Ordinary time again until Advent. These feast days (except Christmas) are on different dates each year, depending on when Advent and Lent begin.

Signs of Change

Just as in the seasons of nature, there are different signs of change so too in the Church. For example, each season has its own liturgical color. This means that during each specific season that is the color of vestments, altar coverings, and banners used. Ordinary is green, Advent and Lent are purple, while Christmas and Easter are gold or white. Red is used on Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Pentecost and Confirmation as long as it does not take place during Advent or Lent. The color rose is seen occasionally, on the third Sunday of Advent and the fourth Sunday of Lent; though some priests choose not to wear vestments in that color.

The readings we hear at Mass also have a different focus depending on the season. During Ordinary time we hear about Jesus’ public ministry.  Advent is a time of preparation for Jesus’ birth, while during Lent we focus on walking with Jesus in his final weeks leading up to his passion, death, and resurrection. Christmas tells us the story of the Holy Family, while in the Easter season, we read from Acts and focus on the early Church.

Prayer Life

In our own private prayer life, we can also follow the seasons. Ordinary time is a good time to focus on learning about Jesus or new ways to pray. Advent is spent in preparation and anticipation. Lent is six weeks to devote time to prayer, penance, and going deeper into our faith we are ready to suffer and then rejoice with our Lord. Christmas and Easter seasons are times of praising and thanking God and remembering to live as joy-filled, resurrected people.

Visual reminders are also helpful and a family prayer space that reflects the season is always appropriate. Children find it especially meaningful to have advent wreaths, candles, different saint statues, and pictures.  If they can help with setting up this space, they will enjoy it even more. A great website to find books and prayer space items is Holy Heros.

Making the Church liturgical seasons a part of your life will make them as real and important to you as the natural seasons. It gives a rhythm and movement to our lives as Catholics and reminds us that our faith life has order; order that is needed in our often chaotic world.

 

FYI: The dates of our liturgical seasons in 2022-2023 are as follows: Advent, November 27, 2022; Christmas, December 25; Epiphany, January 8, 2023; Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, January 9, 2023; Ordinary Time, January 10, 2023. Lent (Ash Wednesday) February 22, 2023; Easter, April 9, 2023; Pentecost, May 28, 2023; Ordinary Time May 29, 2023.

 

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

If you make a purchase via a link on this site, we may receive a small commission. There will be no added cost to you. Thank you!

Read all posts by Deanna Bartalini Filed Under: Featured, Liturgical Tagged With: Chruch seasons, Holy Heros, liturgical colors, liturgical living, liturgical year, prayer space, scripture focus

About Deanna Bartalini

Deanna G. Bartalini, M.Ed.; M.P.A., is a certified spiritual director, speaker, and content creator. She has served in parish ministry as a religious education director, youth minister, liturgical coordinator, and stewardship director. Deanna is the founder of the LiveNotLukewarm.com online community. Her Not Lukewarm Podcast gives you tips and tools to live out your faith in your daily life.
Deanna was a regular contributor to Catechist Magazine. She writes for CatholicMom.com, Diocesan.com, WHer bible study, The Stay Connected Journals for Catholic Women, Invite the Holy Spirit into your Life, published by Our Sunday Visitor, contributed to the Catholic Mom’s Prayer Companion from Ave Maria Press, and Digital Ministry and Leadership in Today’s Church, published by Liturgical Press.
Deanna is available to lead retreats and speak at catechist and ministry events.

Search

Follow Us!

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Sign up for our Newsletter!

Join our email list and get immediate access to the free guide 'High Impact Lesson & Classroom Management Tips'.

Help us to serve the Church by patronizing our affiliates.

FTC Disclosure: If you make a purchase via a link on this site, we may receive a small commission. There will be no added cost to you. Thank you!

Sock Religious

That One Sheep Shirts

That One Sheep Shirts

Stickers

Stickers

The Catholic Store

Catholic Bibles

Catholic Bibles

catholic-jewelry

Catholic Religious Jewelry

Holy Heroes

holy-heroes

[footer_backtotop]

Copyright © 2023 Amazing Catechists. · Log in