When Christ died, He descended into hell, i.e. the Limbo of the Fathers, to rescue the Just of the Old Testament. He turned their prison into a Paradise by the brilliance and consolation of His Presence. Up until Our Lord’s Ascension, the doors of Heaven were closed because of Adam’s sin. While the debt for this sin was paid through the death and Resurrection of Christ, the doors remained closed until He, the Victor over death, should open them and be the first to walk through them. Ascension Thursday recalls this sublime mystery: the opening of Heaven to the souls who had waited in the Limb ..read more

In today’s episode, on Rogation Sunday, I address the following:  The Minor Rogation Days Ascentiontide Customs How to Participate in The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in union with Christ the High Priest and Christ the Victim This episode is sponsored by PrayLatin.com. PrayLatin.com offers Latin prayer cards to learn and share prayers in the sacred language. Learn your basic prayers in Latin conveniently on the go. Practice your pronunciation with easy-to-follow English phonetic renderings of Latin words. PrayLatin.com offers prayer cards in various formats, incl ..read more

In today’s episode, on the 4th Sunday after Easter, I address the following: The Propers for the 4th Sunday after Easter Seasonal Variation in the Prayer before and after Meals SS. Philip and James on May 1st The Finding of the Holy Cross on May 3rd  I would like to thank CatechismClass.com for sponsoring this episode.  CatechismClass.com, the leader in online Catholic catechism classes, has everything from online K-12 programs, RCIA classes, adult continuing education, marriage preparation, baptism preparation, confirmation prep, quince prep classes, catechist trai ..read more

In today’s episode, on the 3rd Sunday after Easter, I address the following:  The Propers for the 3rd Sunday after Easter Catholic Anthropology: Understanding Body and Soul plus Memory, Intellect, and Will This episode is sponsored by PrayLatin.com. PrayLatin.com offers Latin prayer cards to learn and share prayers in the sacred language. Learn your basic prayers in Latin conveniently on the go. Practice your pronunciation with easy-to-follow English phonetic renderings of Latin words. PrayLatin.com offers prayer cards in various formats, including Latin-Englis ..read more

In today’s episode, on Good Shepherd Sunday, I address the following: Good Shepherd Sunday Reflection & Call to Action The Other Sheep Not of This Fold, and It’s Not the Mormons How Fasting on Vigils Was Reduced Over Time I would like to thank CatechismClass.com for sponsoring this episode.  CatechismClass.com, the leader in online Catholic catechism classes, has everything from online K-12 programs, RCIA classes, adult continuing education, marriage preparation, baptism preparation, confirmation prep, quince prep classes, catechist training courses, and much more.&n ..read more

Click for a larger image. Holy Saturday is not included as it is covered separately by Lenten regulations. What are Vigils? Even though the Great Fast of Lent has ended, our fasting has not ended. There are many other days of fasting this year, such as Ember Days and Vigils, which are still coming this year. Understanding fasting on Vigils is something that has been forgotten by the average Catholic today. And rediscovering this practice will help us better celebrate the feastday following the vigil while allowing us more shared days of penance. Some feasts have vigils associated with them ..read more

In today’s episode, on Low Sunday, I address the following:  Who was the First Person Christ Appeared to After His Resurrection? Traditional Blessing of Homes and Food for Easter Pope St. Leo the Great The Litany of Loretto Explained This episode is sponsored by PrayLatin.com. PrayLatin.com offers Latin prayer cards to learn and share prayers in the sacred language. Learn your basic prayers in Latin conveniently on the go. Practice your pronunciation with easy-to-follow English phonetic renderings of Latin words. PrayLatin.com offers prayer cards in various for ..read more

In today’s episode, on Easter Sunday, the most glorious all feastdays, I address the following: Customs for Easter Saturday The 153 Fish in the Gospel of John on Easter Wednesday The Forgotten Pascal Commemoration of the Cross at Lauds & Vespers And be sure to check out Episode 8 from last year, which covered: Customs for Easter Week: Food, Activities, Greetings, and More The Agnus Dei Sacramental The Easter Duty: What it is and when it may be fulfilled There is no incompatibility between abstinence and Pascaltide. Observe Friday Abstinence and even Saturday abstinence in Eastertide ..read more

In the heart of Italy, where the echoes of ancient traditions reverberate through cobblestone streets and historic cathedrals, lies a cherished artistry deeply intertwined with faith: the crafting of Catholic religious items. From intricately carved crucifixes to delicately painted icons, these handcrafted products serve as tangible expressions of devotion and artistic excellence. Rooted in centuries-old techniques and infused with spiritual significance, Italian-made Catholic artifacts continue to captivate believers worldwide, offering a connection to both the divine and the rich cultural h ..read more

In today’s episode, on this solemn Palm Sunday, I address the following:  10 Suggestions for Holy Week How Palm Sunday Changed Already by the 1962 Missal Keeping Spiritual Priorities First in the Family This episode is sponsored by PrayLatin.com. PrayLatin.com offers Latin prayer cards to learn and share prayers in the sacred language. Learn your basic prayers in Latin conveniently on the go. Practice your pronunciation with easy-to-follow English phonetic renderings of Latin words. PrayLatin.com offers prayer cards in various formats, including Latin-English r ..read more