Saint Catherine of Siena was a theologian who possessed a strong connection to the Catholic Church, a tertiary of the Dominican Order and a Scholastic Philosopher. She was born and raised in Siena where at a young age dedicated her life completely to God at a young age. Although her parents disapproved of her choice, she eventually joined the Sisters of the Penance of St. Dominic. Soon after taking her vows she received a mystical phenomenon called stigmata and experienced a mystical marriage.

The Life of Saint Catherine of Siena

Saint Catherine continued to experience visions. One of which led her to join the Dominican order, it was a vision from Saint Dominic himself! Her mother, Lapa Piagenti disapproved of Catherine’s religious desires and tried to sway her daughters decision to become a nun by taking Catherine on a trip to the baths in Bagno Vignoni. Catherine became very unwell at the baths experiencing pain, fever and a rash. So troubled was her mother by this illness that she accepted Catherine’s desire to join the “Mantellate," the local association of Dominican treaties. 

Lapa visited the Sisters of the Order, convinced them to let her daughter join and within days, the Saint was cured of her ailments. She rose from bed and wore the Third Order of Saint Dominic's black and white habit.

The Mystical Marriage

Saint Catherine's Travels and the Stigmata

It is said that Christ told her to abandon her withdrawn life and venture into public life. This was what led her to go back and live with her family again, helping the poor and the ill. She cared for the poor and ill in homes or in hospitals. As a result of her work Saint Catherine attracted a group of followers. 

She began to travel with her followers to central Italy, advising people that rebirth and penitence could only be done through "the total love for God." She later arrived at Pisa on 1375, to strongly influence the city, and Lucca, away from forming an alliance with the anti-papal league. 

It was on that same year when she received the stigmata.

Saint Catherine's Surviving Works

Saint Catherine wrote several works during her lifetime. Sadly, some of them have been lost. The surviving pieces have been translated and preserved. So impressive were her writings that she is highly regarded in the ranks of mystics and spiritual writers in the Church. Her spiritual writings are immensely respected, along with her political boldness to "speak truth to power," which was considered to be extremely exceptional for a women of her time. 

Her works include:

Saint Catherine's Final Days

Saint Catherine practiced abstinence in many forms, most notably with food. She received the Holy Eucharist on a daily basis. Her extreme fasting was seen as unhealthy by her own sisterhood and clergy. Even blessed Raymond of Capua told her to eat properly, but she said she couldn't, referring to her inability to eat as an illness.

By the start of 1380, the Saint could no longer swallow water nor eat and on February 26 of the same year, she had lost the use of her legs. She passed away on April 29, 1380 at the young age of thirty-three. She was buried in the Roman cemetery of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva near a pantheon. Her head was parted from her body and inserted into a gilt made of bronze and is displayed in the Basilica of San Domenico, Siena. Her final words were "Father, into Your Hands I commend my soul and my spirit."

Saint Mark and the Winged Lion

Bible:

Saint Mark is symbolized as the winged lion. Early Christians used creatures as symbols of the four Gospels and likened the Four Evangelists to the bible’s “original creatures”. The connection between these creatures and the Evangelists grew over the centuries in the written word as well as in art.

In Revelations 4:7 we read: 

“And the first living creature resembled a lion, and the second living creature resembled a calf, and the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature resembled a flying eagle.”

Lion Symbol:

The lion symbolizes the resurrection of Christ the King. We look upon the lion as the king of beasts and as courageous. As Christians we too are called upon to be courageous and to spread the good news of Christ.

History of Saint Mark the Evangelist

Easter Sunday may be over but the Easter season has only just begun! Maintaining a weekly Mass attendance is probably more important than ever

Still, the temptation to make excuses will be strong. What if you live in a country that’s not predominantly Catholic? What if family circumstances get in the way? What if your job is compromised?

Well, one thing’s for sure. You can’t expect your faith to grow without a challenge. Since the early days of the Church, tackling adversity has always been a part of being a Catholic. 

Fortunately, finding ways to always get to Sunday Mass on time is a lot easier than hiding from Roman soldiers.

#1. Generally, avoid jobs that require work on Sundays.

In our turbulent, fast-paced world, there is a sad trend among young adults who are too willing to work for a bigger buck less they ‘fall behind’ in terms of income. Yet as stated in Scripture, you cannot “serve two masters.” You cannot serve God and Mammon. If you must choose between going to Mass on Sunday and going to work for a bonus, choose the Mass.

The same applies even if you are running a small business. If a large restaurant chain like Chick-fil-A can be closed on Sundays and still be successful, then the same can easily apply to you. Again, don’t be too quick to sacrifice your Sunday for the sake of a bigger paycheck. What’s the point in storing riches on Earth if you have none in heaven?

#2. Live close to your local parish church (and its community).

Naturally, the less time you spend heading to Mass, the more time you will have for it. At first glance, this might seem easier for those in Catholic countries. But, it can be less of a struggle if you simply know where to find the closest parish church is.

A good way to start is knowing what archdiocese has jurisdiction in your area, followed by a diocese. (In the U.S. alone, a large archdiocese covers several states!) After you find it, start narrowing it down to the one closest to your neighborhood.

One way is to simply search the archdiocese online. After all, there are no shortage of Catholic resources on the internet. It is very likely that the parish church itself already has website so don’t hesitate to look them up!

And once you do, don’t just treat it like a place to drop by and then leave. Familiarize yourself with the community. Because more likely than not, you will be a familiar face to them during regular mass attendance.

#3. Stay up-to-date on your parish church schedule.

By knowing the schedule of your parish church, you can be more flexible. Going to Sunday Mass doesn’t mean you have to be so rigid that you can only attend in the morning, afternoon or evening. Sunday is a day of rest after all. While it’s never good to put off Mass on Sunday, it is just as bad to intentionally make a schedule that is difficult to keep. (There are other ways to do penance. Your Sunday schedule doesn’t have to be one!)

#4 Make Sunday Mass a good part of your day off.

Following-up on #3, it is also good to treat Sunday mass as something to look forward to on your Sunday off from work. Attitude is certainly a solid step towards building good habits and attending Sunday Mass is no exception.

One method you can try is to integrate the community life of your parish in your Sunday activities. Maybe they host a Bible study session over there or an adoration chapel you can spend time in. Alternatively, you can use the mass as a spiritual activity to start bonding time with your family.

It is good to view Sunday as not only a day of rest for God but as a day of rest between you and Him. Sunday Mass should be more than just a chore or a routine you do. It should be treated as something to look forward to as you strengthen your relationship with God.

​#5. If all else fails, attend an anticipated or vigil mass.

This is a last resort for a very good reason. The anticipated mass (or vigil masses) are reserved for those who cannot attend Mass for reasons genuinely outside their control.

On the other hand, there is nothing wrong if the above conditions apply to you. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ and we should always give special care to those who need it most. The mass is a beautiful celebration and you should always attend it as best as you can.

All in all, the methods here can be quite practical and certainly do away with the idea that attending Sunday Mass is a rigid, routine affair. Then again, seeing Mass for its truly glory and solemnity is probably the best way to always be there on time!

What’s your advice to other Catholics for making Sunday Mass a habit worth keeping?

​Charm size: These pendants are very small, think charm bracelet size. Cham size will typically be purchased for a young child or for an adult looking to add a charm dangle to an existing piece of jewelry. Common sizes include 3/8 inch, ½ inch, and ¼ inch height.

​Small size: Small sized charms will work well for petite women and teen girl as they are not so small to be a charm size and not too big to be overpowering for a smaller person to wear. Common sizes include 9/16th and 5/8 inch height.

​Medium size: These are the traditional sizes most women will choose to wear. They also work well for teen girls and smaller youth boys. Common sizes include 11/16 inch, 13/16 inch, 3/4 inch and 7/8 inch heights.

​Large size: A larger pendant is considered anything higher than 7/8 of an inch. These medals are ideal for men to wear. The taller the man the larger the pendant to match his body size. Any pendant taller than an inch is considered Extra-large. Common heights include 15/16 inch, 1 inch and above in height.

Please note that the Catholic Faith Store includes the loop at the top of the pendant in the measurement of the height of the pendant.

What size necklace should I get? That’s an excellent question! Choosing the right chain length for your pendant is easy when you follow a few basic suggestions.

The most basic question most devotional pendant wearers consider is where they want the pendant to fall. Do you want to show your medal or keep it tucked away?

Many men, for instance, prefer to wear a Miraculous medal or a crucifix tucked inside their shirt and to have it rest between their color bone, near to their heart.

Women mostly prefer to show their medals and select much shorter chain lengths. Women too select longer chain options, so there is no right or wrong length, just where you want your pendant to be placed, father up or lower down your neck and chest.

A few things to consider when choosing your chain is your neck, height, body type, and face shape.

If you have the time, take a moment a measure the circumference of your neck, especially if you intend to purchase a shorter choker length (16” or less). With a soft tape measure, wrap it around your neck, note the measurement and then add two inches to that. This is the shortest chain option you should consider, and it will be above the collarbone.

Balance is important when selecting a chain length. A small pendant will look odd with a long bulky chain and a large pendant should be worn with a chain heavy enough to maintain the pendant and chain without breaking.

Ultimately, choosing a necklace length is a personal decision but if you’re still not sure what will work best for you, please contact us. We’re happy to help!

For those born Catholic, images of Christ’s crucifixion and death are not pleasant to look at or to think about. In predominantly Catholic countries, however, they are usually par for the course during Lenten season. Local networks and Christian channels often play cinematic re-enactments of the crucifixion.

How do these images make you feel? How do you explain this time in Christ’s life to your children? Many adults and young people alike find the fact that Jesus’ death and suffering was actually a victory over Satan. How can being scourged and dying in such a horrifying manner be considered a victory?

The answer: Sacrifice

The reason why Christ’s death is so significant is that He died for the sins of man. He died so that we would have the chance to live again. As taught in the Catechism:

The Scriptures had foretold this divine plan of salvation through the putting to death of "the righteous one, my Servant" as a mystery of universal redemption, that is, as the ransom that would free men from the slavery of sin. Citing a confession of faith that he himself had "received", St. Paul professes that "Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures." In particular Jesus' redemptive death fulfills Isaiah's prophecy of the suffering Servant. Indeed Jesus Himself explained the meaning of His life and death in the light of God's suffering Servant. After His Resurrection He gave this interpretation of the Scriptures to the disciples at Emmaus, and then to the apostles.

When sin continues to spread around the world, it is because people have forgotten these two important antidotes to sin. Even more tragic is the fact that this applies to many Catholics. They are Catholic in name but have neglected their spiritual life and prefer lives of worldliness.

Prayer helps us regain our minds and focus them on God instead of ourselves.

Good Friday should be an opportunity to really join with your community in prayer. Prayers to the Sacred Heart of Jesus are one excellent example that you can try as a group.

For fasting, you can try the traditional method as described in the practice of the Paschal Fast. This means not only abstaining from meat, but also only having one full meal and two smaller meals for the day.

Our Holy Father Pope Francis praised the merits of fasting as a means to feel what the destitute feel, to put ourselves in their shoes and connect us with them. It weakens are sinful tendency towards violence and helps our spiritual growth.

Today, let us continue to do our part in rejecting the Father of Lies and remember Christ’s triumph over him through His Death. Spend Good Friday looking for ways to fast from sinful temptations and turn your hearts and minds towards God.

This mass requires the participation of the entire diocese. Here, all ordained clergy are called to attend with their respective bishop and renew their ordination vows. One can also renew their baptismal vows alongside them.

These are the same oils used in all the other sacraments such as Baptism, Confirmation and the Anointing of the Sick. It is traditionally held that the oils are intended for an entire year and are indeed transported back by priests to their respective parishes.

If you are considering the vocation yourself or even just want to pray for our priests, attending the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday should be a very special occasion.

The second Mass of Holy Thursday is recognizable to most Catholics as the one where the tabernacle is empty and altars are stripped bare to indicate what is to come on Good Friday and Black Saturday.

This is the Mass of the Lord’s Supper and its Eucharistic celebration is the most poetic seeing as it also commemorates the origins of the Eucharist during the Last Supper of Jesus Christ. It is in this Mass that we remember that reality of Transubstantiation, and how Christ first said the sacred verse:

Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me. - Luke 22:19

Like the Chrism Mass before it, there is also a washing of the feet but this time laypeople and Mass attendees can be selected for it. In this Mass, attendees are also reminded about how the washing of feet is an important representation of not just how priests and religious should treat people, but how all Christians should treat their fellow human beings.

Without a doubt, both the priesthood and the Eucharist hold tremendous importance for the Church. The institution of both as we transition to the observance of the Easter Triduum is why Holy Thursday is a day of great, apostolic importance.

Hence, it is not simply that ‘one Thursday before Good Friday’. You should take it as an ideal opportunity to fully immerse yourself in Lenten reflections and other practices! In this year’s Lenten message, our Holy Father, Pope Francis bemoaned of how the rapid spread of today’s iniquities are because a lot of “the love that is the core of the Gospel” has gone cold because we have neglected the remedies of prayer, almsgiving and fasting.

Do you think your heart has gone cold as well? Recall the example of Jesus washing the feet of His apostles and what it means to live a Christian life of servanthood! Holy Thursday is the best time to finally thaw out that coldness and remember what it means to be a Christian!

While the secular world prepares for Easter Sunday with its usual display of colored eggs and rabbit greeting cards, the Catholic Church has more than its fair share of rich traditions leading up to Holy Week.

Catholics from all corners of the globe each have their own unique customs and places of worship as they celebrate Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection. Today, let us explore their cultural traditions and see how our brothers and sisters in different countries share our faith.

The path starts at the famous Lions’ Gate near the remnants of the Antonia Fortress. A noticeable aspect of the Via Dolorosa is that each station is marked with a chapel, a monastery or a full place of worship. Each one pays architectural homage to the events being described.

The first and second stations are surrounded by three churches named in reference to Christ’s scourging and condemnation by Pontius Pilate. The Polish Catholic Chapel marks the third station with an engraving of Christ’s first fall.

The Our Lady of the Spasm oratory serves as the fourth station, with a lunette bearing the bas-relief of Christ’s encounter with the Blessed Mother. The Chapel of Simon of Cyrene and a church dedicated to Saint Veronica and the Holy Face are also found along this route.

At the end, where several of the last stations are found, pilgrims will be taken straight inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. This makes the Via Dolorosa a truly sacred place for both practicing devotion as well as learning more about the Church’s long history.

The Philippines is known for many grand festivals but one of its most iconic celebrations happens on Holy Week. The famed Moriones festival happens on the island of Marinduque and is named such because of the recognizable morion masks used in the procession.

The event is also a celebration of St. Longinus, the Roman soldier who was blind in one eye and was present at the side of Christ at the moment of His death. As his story goes, he pierced the side of Christ and his blind eye was miraculously healed by the blood and water that poured forth. His life, legend and eventual martyrdom is also commemorated throughout Holy Week.

The Moriones Festival was originally celebrated in the town of Mogpog but its popularity soon spread to the rest of the island. For all Filipinos, it is not only a celebration of their national heritage but also their religious heritage as one of the few predominantly Catholic countries in Asia.

And at the heart of these processions, there march the religious brotherhoods in their trademark capirotes. The various colors and styles are meant to distinguish the brotherhoods from one another. Beautiful songs of worship are also prepared throughout the course of some of these processions.

The weight being born is certainly not for the faint of heart, but those who take up the task do so with the intent of spiritual discipline by likening the weight to the weight that Christ bore when he carried His cross.

Across all these celebrations, there is a resounding theme centered on Christ’s redemptive suffering and the triumph of His Resurrection. This is the true message of Easter for Catholics, no matter where they are in the world.

In one way, it is also an affirmation of the Church’s universality and how our faith transcends boundaries of countries and national cultures. That is why one should never be discouraged when they feel overwhelmed by a secularized version of Easter all round them. You have brothers and sisters in Christ all over the globe, joining with you in celebrating the true meaning of Lent.

In the Gospels, St. Joseph’s remarkable journey begins as he is betrothed to Mary in Judea. But as the Nativity story soon tells, he is visited by an angel and is told that his betrothed has conceived by the Holy Spirit and will give birth to Jesus.

While it is true that Herod died not long after, Joseph could still not risk exposing his family to the powerful people who wished them harm.

Thus, he settled in Galilee and the rest is history.

Perhaps the most extraordinary thing about St. Joseph was that he had nonetheless lived an ordinary life after his turbulent ordeal in the Gospels. There is something remarkable about that because this makes him very relatable to a great many men today.

Out of the Church’s many saints, St. Patrick is one of the few who have also attained the status of historical legend and national icon. He is also a great example of a dedicated missionary who, above all else, put the spread of Christ’s message as his only purpose in life.

Hence, this post will cover how you can emulate the evangelical style of this legendary saint while at the same time learn some important facts about his life.

After all, sometimes you will encounter many skeptics who would rather have the historical truth over myth and these facts can help you answer their questions about who St. Patrick really was.

Click here to get your very own Miniature Saint Patrick Statue with Prayer

How did St. Paddy do it?

A lot of people will tell countless tales about St. Patrick and how he achieved this momentous feat of evangelization. However, one can summarize the important lessons in all of them into three little strategies. Consider putting these lessons into practice in your own missionary work, big or small!

He interacted with the local culture

Catholics are called to be in the world but not of the world. However, that doesn’t always mean you should automatically reject the culture of the people you are evangelizing.

Of course, that is easier said than done in a world that is increasingly saturated with worldly and secular world views. Regardless, you should always practice careful discernment and understanding when interacting with people of different cultures.

St. Patrick accomplished this easily through the use of symbolism when he used the shamrock to explain the Trinity.

During his time, he knew that the Irish pagans had many triple deities. With the help of the shamrock as a model, he used this knowledge to help converts better understand the nature of God.

He reached out to a lost and marginalized people.

As a whole, the Irish were always at odds with the rest of Britain (even before the arrival of the Roman Empire). It is often said that the people there were shunned, feared and marginalized as barbarians.

St. Patrick knew this very well when he returned. He understood that plenty of the hostility he received was also due to incorrect associations between Christianity and efforts to impose Roman culture on theirs. That is why he focused purely on preaching the Gospel first and focusing on aspects of Christianity that greatly resonated with the Irish spirit.

Likewise, you too could be evangelizing people who are lost and marginalized in their own way. They could be misunderstood and show great resistance to any attempt to ‘change them.’ Consider looking deeper and remember that every person is a child of God. See people at their best and how Christianity resonates with the goodness in them.

He was not afraid to suffer in the face of opposition.

Lastly, he did not flinch in the face of the many people who opposed his efforts (and they were many). He was threatened by a number of powerful chiefs, lords and kings. The pagan druids also opposed his evangelization efforts at every turn.

Despite such tribulations, St. Patrick accepted it all with grace and did not abandon his mission. He persisted in converting as many of Ireland’s people as he could, all the way to until the end of his days.

This same courage is asked of every Christian for evangelization is truly a work that is never finished until the end of days. In the face of failure and opposition, one should hold fast in their faith. In light of success, one should not be too complacent and keep reaching out to the lost.

Are you ready to emulate this wonderful saint’s life and actions into your own? As we attend the parades and join in on the celebration of this wonderful saint, keep his spirit and his faith close to your heart and your daily lives.

One of America's Earliest Advocates for Less Fortunate Minorities

Despite the wealth, however, there were plenty of events in her life that would soon teach her a valuable lesson on money’s very limited power.

The Family Life of St. Katharine Drexel

The new stepmother loved all three of her daughters and shared with them her devotion to God. Her father was also a pious man and spent at least half an hour of prayer in the evening. And while both parents doted upon them with the luxuries of private tutors and high society debuts, they also instilled in them a strong sense of duty to care for the less fortunate. For instance, every week the family would open the doors of their house and they would care for the poor. Her parents would give away food and clothing while teaching their children the importance of sharing one’s blessings with the downtrodden.

However, it was in 1879 when the second tragedy struck her life and impressed upon her that there were some things that wealth could never truly protect her from. Shortly after her own debut into society, her beloved stepmother contracted a painful cancer.

Lastly, the third significant event happened after the death of her father in 1885. The three sisters decided on a trip to Europe in order to help them ease their grief. Two years into the trip, they were given a private audience with none other than Pope Leo XIII.

During their meeting, she told him of all her spiritual struggles: from her calling in life and her upbringing to her troubling, first-hand accounts of injustices against minorities. It was here that the Pope asked her the one fateful question that finally prodded her to take up the religious life. 

“But why not be a missionary yourself, my child?”

Two years later, she began her postulancy at the Sisters of Mercy Convent in Pittsburg. And after that, her decision to enter the religious life made the hottest news in the state’s upper-class circles, all highlighted by the headline:

“Miss Drexel Enters a Catholic Convent—Gives Up Seven Million.”

Resilience in the Face of Adversity

The critical views of high society would become the least of St. Katharine’s hurdles as she set out on her mission. After she finally established the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in 1891, white supremacists and Klansmen made no secret of their contempt for their existence. Among the attacks against them include:

• The smashing of windows at an abandoned building that was meant to become a new school.
• A threatening sign saying that the teachers and priests administering to colored students would be tarred and feathered.
• A stick of dynamite that was found near the site of the order’s motherhouse in Bensalem.

Despite all this, St. Katharine (who was now called Mother Katharine) persevered. She had disavowed her inheritance for personal wealth and instead directed it to fund millions into numerous missions and schools, all for the sake of lifting up less fortunate minority groups. These projects included: 

• The founding of the St. Catherine’s Indian School in Sante Fe.
• Purchasing a 160-acre land for a religious mission among the Navajos.
• Establishing Xavier University, the first African American Catholic University in the U.S.

Going from a pampered yet pious Philadelphia belle to a selfless and compassionate foundress, St. Katharine Drexel fought for a cause that was only in full view of the public nearly a decade after her death in 1955.

And like any great servant of God, she did not do it for prestige or attention. She did it solely for the sake of the voiceless both in her time and up to the present day. In her time, it was she who pioneered the idea of seeing beyond the color of one’s skin and firmly believing that all ethnicities were the children of One God.

Were you aware of the great work Saint Katherine Drexel did in her life? How can her life serve as an example to others regarding how we treat minorities and the misfortunate?

Take a moment to reflect on how grateful we should be for the abundance in our lives and strive to help others not so fortunate.

We often pray for Saint Agatha's intercession in our lives. Who is Saint Agatha? She is the patron saint of nurses and of breast cancer. Our nurses provide care to so many and they do so with love and respect for each patient. They are with us in our time of need and suffering.

Agatha was a virgin woman, living circa 250 A. D., who rejected advances from a Roman senator. Accusing her of being a Christian, the senator ordered her breasts cut off as punishment. As she stayed in her prison cell, Saint Peter returned them with a “celestial ointment”.

It is a common practice for families to organize parties and gatherings to mark a child’s First Communion and children also wear special clothes for this event. Another way to celebrate someone’s First Communion is by giving them a gift. Here are Eight Meaningful Gift Ideas for First Communion:

Prayer is an important part of our Catholic Faith and your child’s First Communion is a wonderful time to let them know this. You can introduce your child to the meaning of prayer by giving him or her a Catholic prayer book. These prayer books are a compilation of Catholic prayers which children can learn about and practice in their personal walk of faith.

Some prayer books include devotionals and sections in which children can write their own reflections after praying. There are also pocket-sized prayer books so it is easy for children to carry and use them wherever they go.

Praying the Rosary together as a family will inspire us to reflect upon the mysteries of the lives of Jesus and the Holy Mother. This is a wonderful way for us to learn lessons from their own spiritual journeys and follow their example. 

A First Communion is a precious event so giving an equally precious gift like jewelry is only appropriate. You can make your gift more meaningful and spiritual by selecting a piece of jewelry with a religious theme. Religious jewelry include necklaces, rings, brooches and medals and they usually feature engravings of saints and Bible verses.

Choose religious jewelry that holds significant personal meaning to the recipient. For example, if the recipient was named after a saint, you can give him or her a patron saint medal featuring the namesake saint. Religious jewelry is a simple way of reminding our children to pray and ask the saints for help for navigating through life’s unexpected twists and turns.

Figurines are another First Communion gift idea but don’t just give a plain one without any spiritual meaning. A religious-themed figurine is a good way to preserve the spirit of the occasion. Religious-themed figurines are usually small statuettes depicting Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, the saints or other scenes from the Bible. Aside from these, there are also more whimsical figurines like snow globes that feature a religious theme like the Nativity scene or similar images from the Bible.

There are different types of crucifixes you can give as a First Communion gift. You can give one designed as a wall cross which your child can hang over his or her bed. There are also crucifix pendants which your child can wear every day as a reminder of the great love that Jesus has for His children.

What gifts did you receive in your First Communion? What other ways can we commemorate this very meaningful occasion?

Saint Sebastian is a very popular patron saint as he is the patron saint of Athletes and Soldiers. Due to his unwaiving commitment to Christ and the courageous way he faced his martyrdom, he serves as an example of true love of God. He is usually depicted standing in front of a tree with an arrow pierced through him.

History of Saint Sebastian

A soldier of the imperial army from Narbonne (Gaul) or Milan (according to St. Ambrose), he was martyred for the Faith at Rome during the reign of the Emperor Diocletian. His Burial place at the Cemetary - ad Catacumbas - along the old Appian Way is distinguished by a continuous cult down the centuries. 

The Roman liturgy has always accorder him a privileged place. Iconography depicts him as a martyr, pierced by arrows. He is invoked for healing from both physical and spiritual wounds.

Holy days of obligation are explained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church in the following passage:

The Catholic Church follows a liturgical calendar that marks feast days, solemnities and other special events. All of these days remind us of our spiritual journey as a church and celebrate the lives of extraordinary people that we should try to emulate like Jesus Christ and the saints.

As indicated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we are expected to attend Mass every Sunday. The Code of Canon Law describes Sunday in this way:

The canon also mentions 10 days that are to be observed as holy days of obligation. The following list shows these days in the order of the calendar:

There are instances wherein holy days are moved to another date because they fall on the same date with another higher-ranking celebration. Even if this is the case, we are still expected to attend Mass on the holy day. 

These days are known as “working holy days” and we are still expected to attend Mass during this time. Some churches may hold specially scheduled Mass beyond regular working hours or in the previous evenings to accommodate the faithful who have activities on working holy days.

Christmas Day (December 25) and the Immaculate Conception (December 8) are always considered holy days of obligation in the United States. In Ireland, only Christmas, the Solemnity of Mary Mother of God, Epiphany and All Saints’ Day are considered public holidays. Slovakia also has four days of obligation that are public holidays: Christmas, the Solemnity of Mary Mother of God, Epiphany and All Saints’ Day.

In the Netherlands, beginning January 1, 1991, the feasts of the Assumption and All Saints were considered holy days of obligation so the faithful are required to attend Mass but not abstain from work.

In Vatican City, but not the rest of the Diocese of Rome, Sundays and all the ten days listed in canon 1246 are observed as holy days of obligation. The Diocese of Lugano which includes the Swiss canton of Ticino, also follows this practice.

Last but not the least, holy days are rooted on people and events that are significant to our religious history as a church. By observing and celebrating these holy days, we remember these people and events and we can reflect on their influence in our lives.