Church Year. Net

Catholic Practices, Duties, and Common Lists Compiled by David Bennett
You have asked for it, so we have delivered it: all the common Catholic lists and practices in one place. The Seven Deadly Sins, The Cardinal and Theological Virtues, The Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, the Duties of a Catholic, and more We are always saying, "now what is that 4th corporal work of mercy again?" or "I can't remember the last deadly sin" Now you know.

The Online Church Year and Liturgy Dictionary
This is a brand new dictionary of Church Year and Liturgical terms, including general liturgical terms necessary to understand our Church Year essays and information pages relating to all aspects of Christian holy days (including some "catholic" terminology foreign to many).

Greek and Latin Resources
Learning Greek and Latin is very helpful for fully appreciating the Church Year and the Christian Faith. There are vast treasuries of prayers written in these languages, and the historical Churches still use both of these languages regularly. With these resources, you can begin to more fully appreciate the Church's heritage of prayer.

The Church Calendar: Experience the Bible in a Year Jonathan Bennett
The Church Year is a way of actually living and experiencing the events of Jesus and his followers. At Lent we actually fast with Jesus. During Easter we rise with Him. At Christmas we are there for his birth. Thus, celebrating Christian Holy Days is more than just recalling dry facts or information about history.

Feasts, Fasts, and Seasons of the Church Year Jonathan Bennett
This essay was written prior to us developing ChurchYear.Net. It provides introductory material about most of the Church year's fasts, festivals, and holy days, even including the sanctoral cycle (Saint days). A brief history of each day is also included. Most Western Catholic (many of these days are shared by Protestants) days are referenced, but Eastern (Orthodox and Eastern Catholic) holy days are highlighted as well.

Tis (Not Quite) the Season...But There's Still Plenty to Celebrate David Morrison
Have you noticed lately that in the wider culture, Christmas seems to start at Halloween? Catholics know that Christmas does not begin until December 25th, so what is there for us to celebrate from Halloween until Christmas Day? David outlines some of the major feasts between Halloween and Christmas, and explains practices to help us celebrate them. Of course, he does not say early secular Christmas celebrations are bad, just that we have our own rich, largely unexplored, customs.

Advent Reflections: We're All Waiting for Something David Bennett
Advent is a time when the Church waits for Christ's second coming by celebrating the waiting for his first coming. This brief reflection examines the postmodern disdain for any kind of waiting, and how Advent is a perfect time to "wait" prayerfully with past saints.

About Church Year.Net

ChurchYear.Net Site Map (XML Site Map)
In the course of a year, the Church celebrates the unfolding of the mystery of Christ, beginning with Advent, anticipating his first coming, and reaching a high point at Easter, the feast of feasts, celebrating Christ's resurrection. Through the Church Year, which includes the seasonal, daily, and yearly cycles of Christian time, we live into the events of Jesus and his followers through sanctified time. Thus, we experience in symbol what Jesus and his followers did in reality. We do this through daily prayer (The Liturgy of the Hours), worship, the Eucharist, the sacraments, art, changing colors, canticles, psalms, antiphons, symbols, and other means.

The Church Year, including all liturgical celebrations and times of prayer, is one of the most meaningful dimensions of the Catholic faith. Many Christians of all traditions feel drawn to this system of holy time, and prefer to orient their lives around the Christian calendar instead of the secular calendar. Postmodern men and women feel especially drawn to many elements of Sanctified Time: mystery, connection to the past, and a multitude of religious symbols and experiential elements. Thus the Church Year is a postmodern Catholic evangelism tool, and a means of spiritual growth for all who use it.

We now have All About... pages for every season of the Church Year, and have many All About... pages for various feasts, fasts, and holy days of the Church Year. Each All About... page has a history, general facts, scriptural references, traditions, symbols, links, worship resources, sermons, an FAQ, and more material related to the particular season or holy day. We also have a helpful Church Year and Liturgy Dictionary, to define certain unfamiliar terms and practices. We are expanding our resources to include general prayers, language resources, and other tools peripherally related to celebrating the Church Year, but still important to its celebration. Enjoy!

If you have any suggestions or information you would like to add to our Church Year. Net pages, please contact us.