April 20, 2025

Easter Sunday

Seven Sorrows of Mary

Mini Explanation
The Seven Sorrows of Mary helps us to unite our own sufferings with those of Jesus, following Mary’s perfect example, as we meditate upon the great sufferings endured by Our Lord and his Blessed Mother.

Seven Sorrows of Mary, Explained

The Seven Sorrows of Mary refer to seven key events in the lives of Jesus and Mary: the prophecy of Simeon, the flight into Egypt, the loss of the Child Jesus in Jerusalem, the meeting of Jesus and Mary as he carried his cross to Calvary, the Crucifixion and death of Jesus, the removal of the Body of Christ from the cross, and the burial of Jesus.

These events illustrate the great suffering endured by Our Lord and his Blessed Mother, and remind Christians to unite our own sufferings with those of Jesus, following Mary’s perfect example.

Devotion to the sorrows of Mary dates to the early centuries of Christianity, with such proponents as St. Ephrem, St. Alphonsus Liguori and St. Bridget of Sweden.

The Seven Sorrows devotion can take the form of seven Hail Marys, seven Rosaries or a novena, all recited while meditating upon the individual sorrows.

April 13, Palm Sunday

Seven Churches Pilgrimage

Mini Explanation
The Seven Churches Pilgrimage is the practice of visiting seven different churches on Holy Thursday, in imitation of the journey of Christ on the eve of his crucifixion, when he asked his disciples to stay with him as he awaited his Passion and death.

Seven Churches Pilgrimage, Explained

The Seven Churches Pilgrimage is the practice of visiting seven different churches on Holy Thursday, in imitation of the journey of Christ on the eve of his crucifixion.

The devotion is thought to have originated in sixteenth-century Rome, where pilgrims — likely led by St. Philip Neri — would visit the seven major basilicas there: St. Peter’s in the Vatican, St. John Lateran, St. Paul Outside the Walls, St. Mary Major, St. Sebastian Outside the Walls, St. Lawrence Outside the Walls and Santa Croce in Gerusalemme.

Pilgrims undertaking this journey anywhere in the world can visit any seven churches while adoring Christ in the Blessed Sacrament upon the Altar of Repose, fulfilling his request of his disciples to stay with him as he awaited his Passion. There are specific Scripture passages that pilgrims can meditate upon at each altar. 

April 6, 5th Sunday of Lent

Chaplet of Divine Mercy

Mini Explanation — Great for social media or in your bulletin
Prayed with an ordinary five-decade Rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy is an intercessory prayer invoking God’s mercy on the world, utilizing words drawn from the text of The Diary of St. Faustina Maria Kowalska.

Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Explained
The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is an intercessory prayer invoking God’s mercy on the world, utilizing words drawn from the text of The Diary of St. Faustina Maria Kowalska. St. Faustina was a Polish nun who received visions of Christ imploring her to spread the message of his Divine Mercy, specifically through the recitation of this chaplet.

Prayed with an ordinary five-decade Rosary, the chaplet opens with a recitation of the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Apostle’s Creed. The beads usually used for the Our Father are used to recite this prayer: “Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world,” followed by ten Hail Marys and the words “Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”

March 30, Forth Sunday of Lent

Devotions, Explained!
Novena         

Mini Explanation — Great for social media or in your bulletin
A novena is a nine-day period of prayer focused on a specific topic, saint, or devotion. There are four basic categories of novenas — novenas of preparation, of mourning, of prayer, and of indulgence. This 9-day period of prayer can be traced back to the Acts of the Apostles.

Novena, Explained
The word novena comes from the Latin word, novem, for nine. A novena is a nine-day period of private or public prayer. There are four basic categories of novenas — novenas of preparation, of mourning, of prayer, and of indulgence.

The nine days of prayer format comes directly from scripture where we read in the book of Acts that it was nine days after the Ascension that the Holy Spirit descended onto the Apostles. During that time, the faithful men and women “devoted themselves to constant prayer,” (Acts 1:12-14) waiting for the Lord.

Today, Catholics can find hundreds of novenas to pray about a plethora of topics. Many Catholics pray novenas in times of need or in devotion to a specific saint. Although a saint’s novena may traditionally begin or end on the saint’s feast day, while others, like the “Novena for Adopted Children” or the “Novena for Vocations,” can be prayed any time of the year, there is flexibility here for those wanting to pray. The faithful may choose to pray a private novena on any topic at any time! Want to pray a novena to St. Francis but it’s not his feast day? Go ahead!

March 23, Third Sunday of Lent

Devotions, Explained!
Anima Christi           

Mini Explanation — Great for social media or in your bulletin
Traditionally said after or before receiving the Eucharist, the Anima Christi dates to the 14th century and was a favorite prayer of St. Ignatius of Loyola.

Anima Christi, Explained
The Anima Christi prayer takes its name from its opening lines: Soul of Christ — “Anima Christi” in Latin. In this prayer, the faithful invoke the image of Christ crucified, calling upon the salvific elements of his wounds, his Body and his Blood to strengthen them, imploring him to save them from “the malicious enemy” and to bring them, in their final hour, to his presence.

The author of this prayer is unknown, but it originated in the 14th century and was referenced in St. Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises. It is traditionally said after or before receiving the Eucharist.

March 16, Second Sunday of Lent

Taizé             

Mini Explanation
Taizé is an ecumenical Christian movement that is known for its distinctive style of music and prayer. Taizé devotees have carried its music and traditions to Catholic and Christian communities throughout the world.
Taizé, Explained
Taizé originated in France during World War II. It takes its name from the small town just southeast of Paris where Brother Roger Schutz, a Swiss Protestant, founded the community in the hopes of serving both Christian and Jewish refugees of the German-occupied country. In the years following World War II, Christian men from various traditions — Catholic and Protestant — came to live at Taizé and participate in Brother Roger’s vision of ecumenism, social justice and peace, eventually forming a community of about 80 brothers from nearly 30 countries.

Today, Taizé continues to be a place of pilgrimage, particularly for young people, who visit the community in the tens of thousands each year.

Taizé has also become well-known for its style of music and prayer, which emphasizes silence, contemplation and stillness. Taizé devotees have carried its music and traditions to Catholic and Christian communities throughout the world.

March 9, First Sunday of Lent
The Sign of the Cross                     

Mini Explanation
Christians have been making the sign of the cross since ancient times. It is not only an important component of formal liturgies and sacramental rites, but also a daily devotional practice whereby the faithful invoke the blessing and protection of God.

The Sign of the Cross, Explained
“I claim you for Christ by the sign of his cross.” These words from the Rite of Baptism, spoken as the priest traces a cross on the infant’s forehead, perfectly communicate the significance of that simple, familiar action. In signing the cross, we claim ourselves again and again for Christ, unite ourselves with His sacrifice on Calvary, and confess his victory over death.

Christians have been making the sign of the cross since ancient times, as evidenced by writings from Tertullian, Hippolytus and St. Cyprian. The ritual action is not only an important component of formal liturgies and sacramental rites, but also a daily devotional practice whereby the faithful invoke the blessing and protection of God.

In the Latin rite, it is made either with a movement of the full hand from one’s forehead, breast and shoulders (going right to left) or with the thumb tracing the cross on the forehead, lips and breast.

Icon Writing

Mini Explanation
Though an icon depicts an image, it’s much more than a religious picture. An icon is visual theology. It expresses the same truths written in the Gospel, but through an artistic medium, mirroring how Christ’s incarnation made the Word visible to man in the flesh.

Icon Writing, Explained
At first, the term “icon writing” may be confusing. Writing an icon? Shouldn’t it be drawing an icon, or painting an icon?

But although an icon depicts an image, it is so much more than just a religious picture. An icon is visual theology. Those who purchase icons for private devotion should have them blessed, as they are sacramentals. The Catechism tells us that “Christian iconography expresses in images the same Gospel message that Scripture communicates by words.”

In early Christianity, this was deeply controversial. Many so-called “iconoclasts” pointed to the Old Testament’s prohibition of idols and insisted that it was sinful to represent the face of God in an image. But defenders of iconography like St. John Damascene pointed to the incarnation as a turning point in our visual relationship with God. In Christ, God made himself visible, and thus continually invites us to contemplate and understand Him visually

Devotions, Explained!
Fasting

Mini Explanation
Fasting was practiced by righteous men and women of the Old Testament and later by Christ himself. It remains an important part of the Christian devotional life today, being most strongly associated with the penitential season of Lent.

Fasting, Explained
The practice of fasting predates Christianity. The Old Testament is full of examples of righteous men and women mortifying their flesh for the purpose of making atonement or simply to grow closer to God. Jesus himself fasted for forty days and forty nights in preparation for the beginning of his public ministry, and we see his disciples following his example in the Acts of the Apostles.

Fasting continues to be an important part of Christian devotional life today. Many people feel the practice of fasting enhances their prayer and helps them fulfill St. Paul’s advice to “put to death the deeds of the body” (Romans 8:13) to grow in the Spirit. Most Catholics will associate fasting with the liturgical season of Lent, which begins and ends with obligatory fasting for all members of the Latin Catholic Church between ages 18 and 59.