spiritual

1. Learning Objective: To know why the Church has a Liturgical
Year and why it is important.

2. What do I KNOW about the Liturgical YEAR?
What do I KNOW about the Liturgical YEAR?
WHAT would I like to know about the Liturgical YEAR?
WHAT would I like to know about the Liturgical YEAR?

3.  The notion of time
helps us celebrate life
by marking and
recalling the
important dates and
events in our lives.
 Ex: Birthdays,
anniversaries ,
graduations, etc.

4.  Time has an
important place in our
spiritual life:
 It helps us reconnect
with God.
 There are two types
of time:
 Chronos and Kairos

5.  Chronos is the time
we measure.
 Ex: hours, days,
weeks, minutes
 Kairos is the Lord’s
time.
 It is God’s special
time.
 Kairos reveals his will
for our lives.

6.  The Liturgical year or
Church calendar helps
us celebrate the life,
death and
resurrection of Jesus.
 This is called the
paschal mystery.

7.  The Paschal mystery
is celebrated through
specific seasons.
 There are five
specific seasons in the
Church’s calendar:
 Advent, Christmas,
Ordinary Time, Lent
and Easter.

8.  The Liturgical year is
a cycle of seasons
repeating itself at the
end of each cycle.
 The Church year or
cycle begins with
Advent and ends with
ordinary time.

9.  The Church calendar
or Church year begins
with the Holy season
of Advent.
 The Church year
begins in late
November or Early
December.
 Four weeks prior to
December 25.

10.  The word liturgical
comes from the Greek
word liturgy.
 Liturgy meant “Public
Works”
 In Church language
liturgy is the public
worship given to God.
 I.E. Mass and
sacraments.

11.  Through the Liturgical
Calendar Christians
express their faith in
Christ their saviour.
 Each season of the
Liturgical year
celebrates an
important aspect of
Christ’s life.

12.  Each season in the
Liturgical calendar
has a particular
theme.
 Each season has a
particular
liturgical color.
 Each season
concentrates on
different parts of
the Bible.
 Each season has
different religious
practices, and
symbols.

13.  Advent Christmas Ordinary Lent Easter
Purple
Purple White
White Green
Green Purple
Purple White
White
Symbols
Symbols
Advent wreath
Advent wreath Nativity
Nativity Chi-Ro
Chi-Ro Ashes
Ashes Paschal Candle
Paschal Candle

14. Advent
Advent Christmas
Christmas Ordinar
Ordinar
y Time
y Time
Lent
Lent Easter
Easter
Awaiting for
Awaiting for
the Messiah
the Messiah
Preparing
Preparing
for
for
Christmas
Christmas
Final
Final
Judgement
Judgement
The
The
Birth
Birth
Of
Of
Christ
Christ
The
The
Incarnation
Incarnation
The
The
Public
Public
Ministry
Ministry
Of
Of
Christ
Christ
Repentance
Repentance
Conversion
Conversion
Penance
Penance
New Life
New Life
Resurrectio
Resurrectio
n
n
Witnessing
Witnessing

15. Advent
Advent Christmas
Christmas Ordinar
Ordinar
y Time
y Time
Lent
Lent Easter
Easter
Prayer
Prayer
Good
Good
deeds
deeds
Penance
Penance
Reconciliatio
Reconciliatio
n
n
Acts of
Acts of
Kindness
Kindness
Peacemaking
Peacemaking
Discipleship
Discipleship
following
following
Jesus’
Jesus’
teaching in
teaching in
the routine
the routine
of every day
of every day
life.
life.
Prayer
Prayer
Fasting
Fasting
Almsgivin
Almsgivin
g
g
Sharing
Sharing
our faith
our faith
with
with
others
others

16. The Church punctuates the liturgical year
The Church punctuates the liturgical year
by celebrating various events important to
by celebrating various events important to
the mystery of our salvation. During the
the mystery of our salvation. During the
course of the liturgical year, the Church
course of the liturgical year, the Church
celebrates the whole mystery of Christ,
celebrates the whole mystery of Christ,
from His incarnation and birth to His
from His incarnation and birth to His
ascension, to Pentecost and the founding
ascension, to Pentecost and the founding
of the Church, and finally to the second
of the Church, and finally to the second
coming of Christ in judgment on the
coming of Christ in judgment on the
Solemnity of Christ the King.
Solemnity of Christ the King.

17. On Sundays in particular, we
On Sundays in particular, we
commemorate the Resurrection,
commemorate the Resurrection,
when our Lord triumphed over sin
when our Lord triumphed over sin
and death. In a special way, the
and death. In a special way, the
Church also honours our Blessed
Church also honours our Blessed
Mother, marking those special
Mother, marking those special
events of her participation in the
events of her participation in the
mystery of salvation.
mystery of salvation.

18. Finally, the Church also
Finally, the Church also
commemorates the memorial days
commemorates the memorial days
of saints, who through their lives
of saints, who through their lives
bring to the minds of the faithful the
bring to the minds of the faithful the
call to holiness. Saints’ days are
call to holiness. Saints’ days are
celebrated with few exceptions on
celebrated with few exceptions on
the date of the saint’s death– their
the date of the saint’s death– their
birth into eternal life.
birth into eternal life.

19. Solemnities are the celebrations of
Solemnities are the celebrations of
greatest importance. Each Solemnity
greatest importance. Each Solemnity
begins on the prior evening with first
begins on the prior evening with first
vespers (evening prayer) and several
vespers (evening prayer) and several
of the solemnities have their own
of the solemnities have their own
Vigil Mass. On these days, both the
Vigil Mass. On these days, both the
Gloria and the Creed are recited.
Gloria and the Creed are recited.
Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation
Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation
are always considered solemnities.
are always considered solemnities.

20. Examples of solemnities include the
Examples of solemnities include the
Solemnity of St. Joseph (March 19),
Solemnity of St. Joseph (March 19),
the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of
the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of
Jesus (Friday after the Feast of
Jesus (Friday after the Feast of
Corpus Christi), the Solemnity of St.
Corpus Christi), the Solemnity of St.
Peter and St. Paul (June 29), and the
Peter and St. Paul (June 29), and the
Solemnity of St Francis Xavier
Solemnity of St Francis Xavier
(December 03)
(December 03)

21. Feasts are of second importance in our
Feasts are of second importance in our
liturgical calendar and are celebrated on a
liturgical calendar and are celebrated on a
particular day. These feasts do not have a
particular day. These feasts do not have a
first vespers or Vigil Mass the prior
first vespers or Vigil Mass the prior
evening. An exception would be the feasts
evening. An exception would be the feasts
of the Lord which occur on Sundays in
of the Lord which occur on Sundays in
Ordinary Time and Sundays in the
Ordinary Time and Sundays in the
Christmas season. For example, the Feast
Christmas season. For example, the Feast
of the Presentation of the Lord (February
of the Presentation of the Lord (February
2) has its own first vespers. On these
2) has its own first vespers. On these
days, the Gloria is recited but not the
days, the Gloria is recited but not the
Creed.
Creed.

22. Next in line are memorials, which are
Next in line are memorials, which are
classified as either obligatory or optional.
classified as either obligatory or optional.
Memorials commemorate a saint or saints.
Memorials commemorate a saint or saints.
Obligatory memorials must be observed
Obligatory memorials must be observed
whereas optional memorials do not have to
whereas optional memorials do not have to
be observed. For example, the memorial of
be observed. For example, the memorial of
St. John Bosco (January 31) is obligatory
St. John Bosco (January 31) is obligatory
while the memorial of St. Blase (February 3)
while the memorial of St. Blase (February 3)
is optional. Only the memorials of those
is optional. Only the memorials of those
saints who are of “universal significance” are
saints who are of “universal significance” are
observed by the whole Church and marked
observed by the whole Church and marked
in the general liturgical calendar.
in the general liturgical calendar.

23. What did I LEARN about the Liturgical YEAR?
What did I LEARN about the Liturgical YEAR?