1. The Catholic Church & “The Liturgical Year”
RCIA
St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church

2. What is Liturgy?
Aside from Holy Mass, in the Western Church it is whole collection rituals, prayers, ceremonies and functions prescribed by the Church, performed by Ordained Ministers, for use in all official Church functions.
This includes all those prayers, ceremonies, and functions prescribed by the Church for use in all services performed by an official minister in her name.
It includes the celebration of Mass, the administration of the Sacraments, the recitation of the Divine Office, and all other functions such as processions and benedictions.

3. What is the Origin of Our Liturgy?
The origin of Liturgy is found in the institution by Christ of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and the Sacraments, as well as in his example and precepts concerning the necessity and mode of prayer
While Christ laid down the essentials, he left the development of details to his Church, to carry out this task under the guidance of the Holy Spirit

4. Who Celebrates the Liturgy?
It is the whole community, the Body of Christ united with its head that celebrates
Liturgical services are not private functions but are celebrations of the Church which is ‘the sacrament of unity,’ namely, the holy people united and organized under the authority of the bishops
Therefore, liturgical services pertain to the whole Body of the Church
This includes all those prayers, ceremonies, and functions prescribed by the Church for use in all services performed by an official minister in her name.
It includes the celebration of Mass, the administration of the Sacraments, the recitation of the Divine Office, and all other functions such as processions and benedictions.

5. When is the Liturgy Celebrated?
Sunday is the pre-eminent day for the liturgical assembly, when the faithful gather “to listen to word of God and take part in the Eucharist…thus calling to mind the Passion, Resurrection, and glory of the Lord Jesus, and giving thanks to God who ‘has begotten them again, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead’ unto a living hope”
This includes all those prayers, ceremonies, and functions prescribed by the Church for use in all services performed by an official minister in her name.
It includes the celebration of Mass, the administration of the Sacraments, the recitation of the Divine Office, and all other functions such as processions and benedictions.

6. What is the Liturgical Year?
The liturgical year is the temporal structure within which the Church celebrates the holy mysteries of Christ…
…"From the Incarnation and the Nativity to the Ascension, to Pentecost and to the wait in joyful hope for the Lord's coming"

7. What is the Liturgical Calendar?
A tool that kindles the hearts of Catholics so that they may remember God’s plan of salvation that was accomplished through the birth, life, death and rising of Jesus Christ
Follows a three-year cycle, each represented by the letters: “A” – “B” – “C”

8. The Lectionary Cycles
The "Lectionary," the Mass readings from the Holy Bible, follows a Sunday cycle as well as a weekday cycle
Year “A” Gospels primarily by Matthew
Year “B” Gospels primarily by Mark
Year “C” Gospels primarily by Luke
Note: The Gospel of John is proclaimed on particular Sundays in each of the years

9. The Lectionary Cycles
On weekdays in Ordinary Time, there is a 2 year cycle numbered I and II:
Year I is read in odd numbered years
Year II is read in even numbered years
If a person attends the Holy Mass everyday for three years, having been present for all the readings of the three cycles, most of the Holy Bible will have been read to them during that time frame

10. The Seasons of the Liturgical Calendar
There are six Seasons within the Liturgical Calendar…
Advent
Christmas
Lent /Triduum
Easter
Ordinary Time

11. We are in Year ‘B’
Year ‘B’ began December 3, 2017 and ends November 25, 2018.
Year ‘C’ will begin November 26, 2018 and end on December

22. Liturgical Colors White: Purity, Innocence, Joy, Triumph, Glory
Red: Charity
Violet: Royalty, Suffering, Expectation, Penance
Rose: Joy
Green: Hope, Growth

23. White (may also use Gold)
Seasons of Christmas and Easter
Feasts of the Lord (other than His Passion)
Feasts of Mary, the Angels, Apostles & Saints who were not martyrs
All Saints (November 1st) & may be used on All Souls (November 2nd)
Weddings, Baptisms, & Funerals

24. Red Palm Sunday Good Friday Pentecost
“Birthday” Feasts of the Apostles & Evangelists
Celebrations of Saints who were martyred

25. Violet Season of Lent Season of Advent May be used for Funerals
May be used on All Souls Day (November 2nd)

26. Rose 3rd Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday)
4th Sunday of Lent (Laetare Sunday)

27. Green
Used throughout Ordinary Time

29. ADVENT

30. The liturgical season of
spiritual preparation before
Christmas
The Season of Advent begins
on the Sunday closest to the
Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle
(November 30th)
It spans four Sundays and
four weeks, with the last week
usually shortened according to
what day of the week on which
Christmas falls

31. Advent comes from the Latin word “adventus” which means “coming”
The importance of the Advent Season is to focus on the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ

32. The first Sunday of Advent marks the beginning of a new liturgical year…which will be Cycle C
In 2018, Advent began on Sunday, December 2nd.
Advent concludes with the start of the Christmas Season, December 25, 2018

33. Catechism of the Catholic Church
Stresses the two-fold meaning of the “coming”…
…“When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Savior’s first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming.” (CCC 524)

34. The focus of the entire season is the celebration of …
The birth of Jesus the Christ in his First Advent,
And the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in his Second Advent
Advent is far more than simply marking a 2,000 year old event in history
It is celebrating a truth about God, the revelation of God in Christ whereby all of creation might be reconciled to God

35. CHRISTMAS

36. Christmas is more than just a day…rather it is a season
The liturgical Season of Christmas begins with the vigil Masses on Christmas Eve and concludes with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord on January 13, 2019
Liturgical season of Advent correlates with, and is largely overwhelmed by, the secular/commercial season of Christmas

37. While the Solemnity of the Birth of Our Savior in fact ranks after Easter and Pentecost, it remains the most popular celebration of the Church year, focused on our wonder at the sublime mystery of the Incarnation
FOLLOWING THE SEASON OF CHRISTMAS WE ENTER INTO ORDINARY TIME

38. LENT / HOLY TRIDUUM

39. The Season of Lent extends from Ash Wednesday (March 6, 2019) to the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday (April 18, 2019)
Lent is the penitential season set aside by the Church in order for the faithful to prepare for the celebration of the Lord’s Passion, Death and Resurrection

40. The two elements which are especially characteristic of Lent…
During this holy season, inextricably connected to the Paschal Mystery, the Catechumens prepare for Christian initiation, and current Church members prepare for Easter by a recalling of Baptism and by works of penance…
Prayer
Fasting
Almsgiving
The two elements which are especially characteristic of Lent…
Baptism (the recalling of baptism or the preparation for it)
Penance

41. The Holy Triduum is comprised of three Sacred Days…
Holy Thursday
Good Friday
Holy Saturday

42. Holy Thursday Holy Thursday we celebrate the events of the Last Supper
At the Last Supper that Jesus instituted the pillars of our Catholic faith…
The Eucharist
The Priesthood
Mass

43. At the Last Supper, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples demonstrating that we all must be willing to serve one another
During the Mass, the clergy wash the feet of several members of the Parish

44. Following the Holy Thursday Mass; Adoration of the Holy Eucharist continues until midnight
This symbolizes the time Jesus spent in prayer in Garden of Gethsemane

45. Good Friday We remember the Passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ
We have a Good Friday service but there is no Mass
During this service our Gospel reading details the events of our Lord’s Passion
We venerate the Cross honoring our Lord’s sacrifice for us

46. Holy Saturday/Easter Vigil Mass
At the Easter Vigil Mass we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ
At this service our catechumens and candidates will enter the Church through the Sacraments of Initiation…
Baptism
Confirmation
Holy Eucharist

47. EASTER
Easter is not one day or one solemnity…it is a fifty day celebration, extending from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday
A season of solemnity and exaltation at the triumph of Jesus over sin and death

48. ORDINARY TIME

49. There is nothing ordinary about “Ordinary Time”
It is a time of spiritual growth, as we learn from the life and teachings of Jesus Christ
This is the part of the Liturgical Year in which Christ walks among us and transforms our lives

50. Ordinary comes from the Latin word “Ordinalis” which refers to numbers in a series
In Ordinary Time the Sundays/weeks are ordered or numbered

51. Following the Season of Christmas, Ordinary Time will extend to the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday
Following the Season of Easter we enter a second and longer period of Ordinary Time that will last until Advent

52. Holy Days of Obligation
Most days of obligation fall on a Sunday, however, there are special Feasts in the Liturgical Calendar that fall during the week


The number of days of obligation may vary from country to country. In the United States, the following 6 days of obligation are observed
Christmas Day (Monday, December 25th)
Mary, the Mother of God (Monday, January 1st)
The Ascension (7th Sunday of Easter)
The Assumption of Mary (August 15th)
All Saint’s Day (November 1st)
The Immaculate Conception (December 8th)

53. QUESTIONS?

54. OBJECTIVES Define Liturgy Define Liturgical Year
Define Liturgical Calendar
Gain An Understanding of the Lectionary Cycle
Describe the Liturgical Colors
Gain an Understanding of the Liturgical Seasons