Category: Solemnities

  • The Gift of the Holy Spirit: Piety

    The Gift of the Holy Spirit: Piety

    Like the word prudence, piety has been given wholly undeserved negative connotations in our modern irreligious, hateful, and ungrateful world. Let’s fix that. The term “piety” is used for both a natural virtue, a supernatural virtue, and a Gift of the Holy Spirit. As Fr. John Hardon, S.J., points out, piety as a natural virtue…

  • Fourth Sunday of Lent and the Solemnity of St. Joseph

    Fourth Sunday of Lent and the Solemnity of St. Joseph

    Next Sunday is the Fourth Sunday of Lent. A Doctrinal Homily Outline for Lectionary 31 on Christ as the Light of the World can be found here. Normally, the Solemnity of St. Joseph is on March 19, but because it falls on Sunday this year, it has been moved to Monday. An outline on Joseph…

  • Christmas 2022

    Christmas 2022

    The Nativity of Christ The Lectionary for the Novus Ordo offers four sets of readings. These correspond to the time of night or day this great solemnity is celebrated. Homily or devotional outlines for all four can be accessed here by scrolling down. The homilist knows that Christmas in many places presents a special challenge…

  • Immaculate Conception and the Third Sunday of Advent

    Immaculate Conception and the Third Sunday of Advent

    Thursday of this week is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. It is a Holy Day of Obligation. Sadly, not that many Catholics care or it does not even enter their minds that the Church requires us to attend Holy Mass or that it is for our own good to do so. We live in…

  • Pentecost

    Pentecost

    Pentecost is the event “where God the Father ‘through his Word, pours into our hearts the Gift that contains all gifts, the Holy Spirit’” (CCC 1082, HD 56). St. Thomas Aquinas teaches that “Gift” is a proper name of the person of the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father and Son as love. Thomas…

  • Mary the Mother of God

    Mary the Mother of God

    Here are links to four outlines for the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God. Like Mary, ponder what God has done for us Contemplate Christ and His Mother Honor Mary, the Theotokos The New Law and the Blessings of the Children of God

  • Feast of the Holy Family

    Feast of the Holy Family

    Here are links to four outlines for the Feast of the Holy Family. The domestic Church The fourth commandment Family virtues The Holy Family and our families

  • The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

    The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

    This year, the Solemnity of the Assumption takes the place of the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time. The Church gives us two sets of readings: one for the Vigil Mass and one for the Mass during the Day. Accordingly, here is an outline that pertains to the Vigil Mass. Here is a link that pertains…

  • Eucharist: The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

    Eucharist: The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

    Central idea: The Holy Eucharist. Doctrine: The Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist. Practical application: Worthy reception of the Holy Eucharist.

  • Solemnity of St. Joseph and the Fifth Sunday of Lent

    Solemnity of St. Joseph and the Fifth Sunday of Lent

    This Friday is the Solemnity of St. Joseph. Here is a link to an outline based on those readings. Sunday is the Fifth Sunday of Lent. Here is a link to an outline based on those readings.

  • The Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God

    Central Idea: Let us honor the maiden from Nazareth because she is the Mother of the Eternal God. Doctrine: Mary the Mother of God or the Theotokos. Practical Application: Honoring Our Lady.

  • Mary, the Mother of God

    Mary, the Mother of God

    Central Idea: Mary, the Mother of God. Doctrine: Jesus Christ, true God and true Man. Practical Application: Contemplate Christ and his Mother with reason, revelation, and imagination.