Author: J. John Basil
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Hopeful Poetry Leading To Christmas
Advent starts a new liturgical cycle in the Church each year; and in the daily and Sunday Mass readings of Advent, we are greeted by the verse of one of the greatest ancient poets in the Book of Isaiah. The Prophet Isaiah’s poetry tells of the coming of a Messiah who will rescue the plighted…
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What can Architectural Style tell you about the inside(s) of a Church?
When you view the outside of a church building, what do you see? The features on the exterior of the church can help to determine the architectural style of the church…which may tell you something (or a lot) about the inside(s).
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Experiencing Church Virtually
In many parts of the world, the church buildings have been closed for about one-half of 2020; and are now, thankfully, starting to re-open on a limited basis. These closures have felt like a loss in many ways, yet, we have learned that much of the spiritual beauty of the churches and sacred art can…
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Guardian Angels
The memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels marks October 2 on the Church Calendar. It is a celebration that maybe some now relegate to earlier times – those times when the Mass was recited in Latin and the Prayer to Saint Michael was prayed at the end of Mass.
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Saint Wenceslaus, The Patron of Bohemia and Czechs
September 28th is the Feast Day of Saint Wenceslaus the patron of Bohemia (now part of the Czech Republic). He is also the patron of many Catholic Parishes in Europe and the U.S. including several in the midwestern States of Nebraska and Iowa where many Czech immigrants settled in the 1800’s.
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Our Lady of Sorrows
At the cross her station keeping,Stood the mournful Mother weeping,Close to Jesus to the last. The 13th century Stabat Mater is the renting Latin hymn played in a minor key at each Station of the Cross – it echoes across the centuries on September 15, the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows.
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The Most Holy Name of Mary
September 12th is the celebration of the Most Holy Name of Mary, Mother of God. It is a day to contemplate the blessed name via prayers in the form of litanies, chants and song. The feast day originated in Spain in 1513 and the official date was moved various times until settled at its present…
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Nativity of Mother Mary
This week is the celebration of the second event of the Incarnation – the birth of Mary the Mother of Jesus on September 8th. (The first event of the Incarnation is the Immaculate Conception – see more about that on another page under Feast Days on this site.) She was likely born around the year…