Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts

Epiphany of the Lord

For Catholics (and a few other Christian traditions), Christmas isn’t over on Christmas day. We continue to celebrate for 12 days after, until the 6th of January, which is the Epiphany of the Lord, the celebration of the visit of the Magi to baby Jesus, as told in Matthew 2:1-12. (In the West, we celebrate on the Sunday between the 2-8th of January, which would of course be today.)
“Epiphany originally celebrated four different events, in the following order of importance: the Baptism of the Lord; Christ’s first miracle, the changing of water into wine at the wedding in Cana; the Nativity of Christ; and the visitation of the Wise Men or Magi. Each of these is a revelation of God to man: At Christ’s Baptism, the Holy Spirit descends and the voice of God the Father is heard, declaring that Jesus is His Son; at the wedding in Cana, the miracle reveals Christ’s divinity; at the Nativity, the angels bear witness to Christ, and the shepherds, representing the people of Israel, bow down before Him; and at the visitation of the Magi, Christ’s divinity is revealed to the Gentiles—the other nations of the earth.”
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“The word epiphany means “manifestation” or “revelation” and is commonly linked in Western Christianity with the visit of the wise men (Magi) to the Christ child. Through the Magi, Christ revealed himself to the gentiles.”
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“On the Feast of the Epiphany [in the West], the priest, wearing white vestments, will bless the Epiphany water, frankincense, gold, and chalk. Chalk is used to write the initials of the three magi over the doors of churches and homes. The letters stand for the initials of the Magi (traditionally named Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar), and also the phrase Christus mansionem benedicat, which translates as “may Christ bless the house”.”
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If you check out Wikipedia, you can read some of the more interesting Epiphany customs all over the world, such as in Bulgaria, where a priest throws a wooden cross into a body of water and men race to retrieve it. Because it’s so cold, it’s considered an honorable act – the home of the first to retrieve the cross is said to be blessed with good health.
Happy Twelfth Night!




Christmas Message from Catholic and Protestant leaders

The family, where God is present, has an important role in the history of salvation: this was said by the Catholic Bishops of Indonesia in a Christmas message issued jointly with the country’s Protestant Church leaders. In the Message, a copy was sent to Fides, the authors recall that “the Son of God who became man is Emmanuel, “God with us”. The message titled, “Meeting God in the Family” is signed by Archbishop Ignatius Suharyo of Jakarta and Archbishop Johannes Pujasumarta of Semarang, respectively president and general secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Indonesia and by Pastor Andreas Yewangoe and Pastor Gomar Gultom, respectively president and secretary general of the Protestant Communion of Churches in Indonesia. 

The Christian leaders acknowledge rapid changes in family life: “We encounter many family difficulties to be solved, poverty, healthcare, suitable housing, children’s education, domestic violence, addiction to drugs and alcohol”. Challenges threatening families include “abortion, prostitution, human trafficking which causes conflicts”. The family find itself in an increasingly individualist culture, the message notes.

Under these circumstances it is necessary to rediscover “values which express relations of love, fidelity and responsibility”. Precisely when “God’s presence is difficult to feel, time for prayer and reflection on the Word of God, become essential”, the Christian leaders say, encouraging Catholic and Protestant communities to present the family and to render the family “the appropriate place for the birth of the Son of God”: the family is where the Lord is present”, they recall. In this way “the family is grace and blessing for all and good news for the world” the message concludes. 

Agenzia Fides - Palazzo "de Propaganda Fide"
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12 Days of Christmas: DaVinci Code Mystery Solved - Video Interview

Today, on Catholic Online, three different videos were uploaded that provide first person eyewitness testimony about 17th Century Jesuit letters which enumerated the 12 Days of Christmas as a code or catechism for Irish Catholics.

Father H. Stockert’s first person testimony cuts through the raging and erroneous internet debate on whether the song “The 12 Days of Christmas” was originally a code for Catholics at a time of persecution in the 17th century.

Fifty years ago, Father Stockert, a Byzantine priest, stumbled upon these17th century letters from one Jesuit priest in Dublin, Ireland to another in Douai, France while researching his doctoral thesis at Georgetown University. The letters enumerated the 12 Days of Christmas, formerly thought of as merely a children’s nursery rhyme, as a code for Catholics to teach their children the faith.

Thirty years ago, Father Stockert released this “juicy tidbit” on the internet. The text of the story went viral and an ugly internet debate began. With complete disregard for the history of Catholic persecution at this time in history, one writer mused “Why would Catholics need to write a code at that time, Protestants and Catholics basically believe the same thing.”



Author Rebecca Even of Prayersongs Publishing released the videos along with a song, a book, and an ornament kit reflecting the Catholic meanings behind the lovable and popular song. Even’s version of the song, “Our Father Gave To Us The Twelve Days of Christmas,” takes the traditional song and transforms the words to reflect the true spiritual meanings.

Rebecca said, “It is kind of a real life musical Da Vinci Code!” She also stated, “I am hoping and praying that the message of Living All Twelve Days of Christmas goes viral to our worldwide Catholic community.” Especially for Americans who struggle with consumerism like no one else, “celebrating all 12 days of Christmas can be completely transformative in cutting through the chaos of consumerism.”

Even stated “for years now, we have displayed our Knights of Columbus car magnet and have tried to keep “Christ in Christmas”. However, it was not until we began celebrating all 12 days of Christmas that our family figured out HOW to do to this.” Even, hopes her song, book and ornament kit, all available digitally, will help families “Keep Christ in Christmas”. Christmas is not a day it is a season and when celebrated that way brings the peace which surpasses all understanding!

You Tube Links: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWfChdCylZY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjyWNE39YO0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cP4GDlwK4cQ
URL: www.LiveTheTwelveDays.com
Song available on Itunes

Chart-Topping Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles

The Missouri-based contemplative nuns Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles were named Billboard magazine’s Classical Traditional Artist 2012 and 2013. It’s the first order of nuns to ever win an award in the history of Billboard magazine. The Sisters were recognized for their two bestselling albums, ANGELS AND SAINTS AT EPHESUS, which spent 13 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Classical Traditional Music chart, and ADVENT AT EPHESUS, which spent six consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the same chart.
Advent at Ephesus
Advent at Ephesus


The Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles bested a group of popular classical music artists to secure the award, including Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman.

“How does a community of Benedictine Sisters who follow the rule of St. Benedict in the most monastic sense, never leaving their Priory in the rolling hills of the Midwest, accomplish this achievement of Billboard’s Classical Traditional Artist 2012 and 2013 for two years and counting?,” said Monica Fitzgibbons, cofounder of De Montfort Music. “Many music industry vets would like to know. It is truly their heavenly purity and FIAT that will provide the clues. We are so grateful that this music is being embraced by many hearts on a wide scaled basis. Congratulations, Benedictines of Mary, and congratulations, world!”

Founded in 1995, the Benedictines of Mary offer their lives in prayer and sacrifice for priests. The work of their hands is devoted primarily to the making of priestly vestments. They also take care of gardens, an orchard and a small farm. The community follows the monastic horarium as laid out in the rule of St. Benedict. They partake of the Extraordinary Form of the Mass and also chant the Divine Office in Latin according to the 1962 Breviarium Monasticum.

USCCB: A Tradition of Advent and Christmas Resources

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) continues the tradition of providing online resources for the Advent and Christmas seasons with daily suggestions for prayer, reflection and action beginning on the first Sunday of Advent, December 1. The content is presented in a clickable calendar format, with each date opening a page of suggestions and links.

The calendars feature audioretreats in English and Spanish for the four Sundays of Advent and the three Sundays of the Christmas season. The retreats were produced by Franciscan Media and made possible by the bishops' Catholic Communication Campaign. The half-hour audio retreats feature music, a Scripture reflection and Q&A from a different bishop each week.

The bishops hosting the retreats are Auxiliary Bishop Alberto Rojas of Chicago, Bishop Anthony B. Taylor of Little Rock, Arkansas, Bishop David J. Walkowiak of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, and Bishop David J. Malloy of Rockford, Illinois. Bishops Rojas, Taylor and Malloy recorded their contributions in both English and Spanish for the first, second and fourth Sundays of Advent, respectively. Bishop Walkowiak is featured in the English retreat for the third Sunday and Archbishop Broglio is the guest for the Spanish retreat for that week.

There are threefeast day Sundays in the brief Christmas season. The retreats for the feast of the Holy Family (December 29) feature Bishop John M. Quinn of Winona, Minnesota (English) and Auxiliary Bishop Octavio Cisneros of Brooklyn, New York (Spanish). Auxiliary Bishop Christopher J. Coyne of Indianapolis is the guest for the English retreat on Epiphany (January 5) and Auxiliary Bishop Eusebio L. Elizondo of Seattle is featured in the Spanish retreat for Epiphany. For the final Sunday of Christmas, the feast of the Baptism of Our Lord, Bishop Richard J. Malone of Buffalo, New York, is featured in the English program and Archbishop Thomas G.Wenski of Miami, the Spanish.

The calendar is interspersed with excerpts from Pope Francis' audiences and homilies from the first year of his papacy and observations on Catholic doctrine and practices from the ForYour Marriage website's "Catholic101" series. Other resources highlighted on the calendars include a Festivalof Lesson and Carols podcast, alist of recommended holiday-themed movies from USCCB, and prayers and blessings from the USCCB publication Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers.
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