The Church’s year is a cycle of ever repeating occasions and celebrations.
Throughout the year the mystery of
Jesus’ life unfolds.
The Church even has seasons. The first of which is
Advent. Each season has its own color.
Jubilee 2000 Candle.

The Church Year begins four weeks before Christmas with Advent.
Summer
Advent Christmas
Ordinary Time
Lent
Spring
Easter
Autumn
Ordinary Time
Winter
Pentecost

From the diagram we can see the Church’s
Liturgical Seasons have the following colors.
ADVENT
CHRISTMAS
LENT
EASTER
PENTECOST
ORDINARY TIME
PURPLE
WHITE, GOLD
PURPLE
WHITE, GOLD
RED
GREEN

Here is a list of important dates which occur during the Church’s Year.
 January 1 st
 January 6 th
 March 19 th
 March 25 th
Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.
The Epiphany.
Saint Joseph.
The Annunciation of the Lord.
 1 st Sunday after Pentecost: Holy Trinity.
 Thursday after Holy Trinity:Corpus Christi.
 2 nd Sunday after Pentecost: Sacred Heart of Jesus.

 June 24 th Birth of St John the Baptist.


June 29 th
August 15 th
Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles.
The Assumption of the Blessed
Virgin Mary.
 November 1 st All Saints.
 November 2 nd The Commemoration of all the
Faithful Departed.(All
Souls)
 Last Sunday Ordinary Time: Christ the King.
 December 8 th Immaculate Conception of the
Blessed Virgin Mary.
 December 25 th Christmas Day.

Advent marks the beginning of the
Church’s Year and lasts four weeks leading up to Christmas.
It is a season during which we prepare ourselves spiritually for the Lord’s coming.

Popular Advent customs include:
The Advent wreath. On each Sunday during Advent a candle is lit. The four candles represent the light of Christ .
The Advent calendar has 24 pictures.
On each day one of the pictures is revealed.

Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of
Our Lord and Savior,
Jesus Christ.
It is a time of great rejoicing, joy, peace and goodwill.
Christmas recalls the mystery of the
Incarnation that is
God, in the person of
Jesus, became human.

At Christmas we listen again to the stories of
Jesus’ birth. Of the journey to Bethlehem, the lack of room in the
Inn, the birth of the child in a stable, the rejoicing of the Angels and the visitation of the Shepherds and
Magi.

Christmas Day is the 25 th of December.
This not the actual day on which Jesus was born but a date chosen to replace the old pagan festival of Saturnalia.
This great feast reminds us of the new life that Jesus brings.
The gift of Jesus’ life is symbolized by the gifts we give to each other.

The word Lent comes from an Old
English word for springtime. Lent is a time of preparation for Easter and lasts for 40 days. Lent begins on Ash
Wednesday and reaches its climax during Holy Week.

On Ash Wednesday we receive a cross of ash on our foreheads. This reminds us that we need to renew our friendship with God. We are also reminded that through sin death entered the world.
Turn Away from sin.
And be faithful to the
Gospel.

Lent is an opportunity for us to make an extra special effort to grow closer to God through prayer and personal reflection.
Traditionally people make a personal sacrifice which may mean going without some things.
Lent is also a time when we think of those who struggle in their day to day existence. In many places the Church has a Lenten Appeal which collects money for an important cause.

Today we recall Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem on a donkey.
Jesus was proclaimed “king” by the crowds who gathered by the gate waving their palm branches.

On the night before he died Jesus gathered with the apostles to celebrate the Passover meal. Before the meal, as example of service and humility Jesus washed their feet. Later that evening he took bread and said “this is my body…”then he took wine and said “this is my blood…” By doing this Jesus gave us the
Eucharist.

In the Holy Thursday
Mass we remember the institution of the
Eucharist by Jesus at the Last Supper.
We give thanks for the ministry of priesthood.
Also enacted is the washing of feet as a reminder that we should follow Jesus’ example to serve .

Good Friday is probably the most solemn day of the Church’s year.
Throughout the world
Christians gather to recall the events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion.
Traditionally in the
Church it is a quiet day of prayer and reflection. We recall the simple truth that Jesus died on the cross for our sins.

Easter is THE great feast of the Christian
Church.
The body of the crucified Jesus lay lifeless in the tomb, his mother and disciples mourning this most sad and tragic death.
Christ’s tomb. Church of the
Holy Sepulcher, Jerusalem.

The garden tomb, Jerusalem.
When the woman arrived at the tomb on the
Sunday morning they found the stone rolled away. An angel announced that Jesus was not to be found in the world of the dead.
Soon after Jesus appeared to Mary
Magdelene and later to the apostles.

The meaning of Easter is nowhere better expressed than in the words of the
Eucharist.
“We praise you with greater joy than ever in this Easter season when Christ became our pascal sacrifice.
He has made us children of the light, rising to new and everlasting life. He has opened the gates of heaven to receive his faithful people. His death is our ransom from death; his resurrection is our rising to life.
The joy of the resurrection renews the whole world…..”

Our celebration of
Easter begins at the
Vigil Mass at midnight.
In this liturgy the symbols of light and water are used.
The congregation gather outside the
Parish Church with their priest. A paschal fire is lit. From the pascal fire worshippers light candles and process into the Church.

During the Vigil Mass the congregation receive a blessing with holy water, the Paschal Candle is lit and dedicated.
Incense is used to bless the altar, lectionary, priest and people.
Baptismal vows are renewed.
During Easter catechumens are received into the
Church and infants baptised.

For forty days after the resurrection Jesus continued to appear to the apostles and disciples.
When the time came for
Jesus to be taken up into heaven he gathered the apostles on the top of a hill.
There he spoke to them of the coming of the Holy
Spirit.
When Jesus finished speaking he was taken up into the clouds and disappeared from their sight.
The Ascension by Giotto

Fifty days after the resurrection the disciples together with Mary the mother of Jesus gathered in a single room.
Suddenly the whole house was filled with a powerful wind and small flames of fire rested over their heads. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit as Jesus promised.
From now on the disciples began to witness to the resurrection. This is why Pentecost is called the birthday of the Church.

You are more than welcome to use this presentation within your school or in your parish.
Please respect the hard work that has gone into making it by purchasing only authorized copies from the author.
Kevin Havell.
kevinhavell@xtra.co.nz