We have made it to the biggest celebration of the liturgical year-Easter. How do we distinguish and celebrate it? It’s so big in fact that we changed the day of worship in Judeo-Christian tradition from Saturday(Sabbath) to Sunday, the day of resurrection. Another term for Sundays throughout the year are “little Easters.” We recognize this in that Sundays don’t count as part of the forty days of the Lent (some people don’t apply their lenten fasting to Sundays). READ MORE

This week we continue our exploration of the books related to rituals/rites of the church. These are liturgies in which sacraments beyond communion are shared. In the Order of Penance, the Church gives voice to both personal and communal reconciliation. With multiple forms—from individual confession to communal celebrations—it reflects a pastoral sensitivity while maintaining the integrity of sacramental absolution. READ MORE

Among the liturgical books of the Church, there is a particular family that often goes unnoticed—not because they are unimportant, but because they appear only at decisive moments. These are the ritual books: the texts that accompany the faithful at the thresholds of Christian life. If the Roman Missal orders the Church’s daily worship and the Liturgy of the Hours sanctifies the passing of time, the ritual books mark transformation. They are the Church’s companions at moments of becoming—when one is baptized, confirmed, reconciled, anointed, married, or commended to God. READ MORE

Among the many books used in Catholic worship, some are familiar to most parishioners—the Roman Missal, the Lectionary, and perhaps the Book of the Gospels. There are also other liturgical books that most people rarely encounter but that quietly shape how the Church celebrates her liturgy. One of these is the Ceremonial of Bishops. READ MORE

The Season of Lent is not only a season of penance, austerity, and sacrifice. It is a very special season of preparation for those who will be coming into the church at Easter. At any point during the year, those who have considered becoming Catholic have entered into Christian Initiation (formerly Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults and now called Order of CIA) which has several different phases beginning with Inquiry. We have 15 people who will be baptized this Easter (what a tremendous blessing) many of whom are children (in the eyes of the church anyone eight and older is considered an adult). READ MORE

American Catholics are quite accustomed to the music resources that have been common in our parishes over the past several decades—missalettes like Breaking Bread, Heritage Missal, and Music Issue, or hymnals such as Glory and Praise and Gather. These resources serve our communities well. What many may not realize, however, is that the Church also has an official book that contains the sung texts assigned specifically to the Mass: the Graduale Romanum (Roman Gradual). READ MORE

LITURGY CORNER Liturgical Books: Breviary You may not be familiar with the term Breviary, but it is the essential tool of the other great liturgy of the Church—the Liturgy of the Hours (also known as the Divine Office). Working as dynamic partners, the Liturgy of the Hours and the Liturgy of the Eucharist (Mass) provide ceaseless prayer across the world. We have covered how the Roman Missal, the Lectionary, and the Book of the Gospels function within Mass. The Breviary is the catch-all term for the books or volumes that contain and direct the prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours. READ MORE

The Church has a remarkable way of teaching us through signs. Sometimes those signs are grand and unmistakable. Other times they are small customs that quietly shape how we enter into a season. Two beautiful traditions help us move from Ordinary Time into the penitential season of Lent: burying the Alleluia and burning last year’s palms. READ MORE

While the Roman Missal and the Lectionary are the books most frequently used at Mass, the book that is most visibly highlighted is the Book of the Gospels. Often large and relatively thin, it is not uncommon for this book to appear richly adorned, even golden in its exterior. When it is used (and it is not strictly required), it becomes part of the entrance procession. At Mary Queen, the deacon—or a lector when no deacon is present—processes with the Book of the Gospels held slightly elevated. It is then placed prominently on the altar, the central furnishing of our worship. This placement is not accidental. The first half of the Mass, the Liturgy of the Word, reaches its high point in the proclamation of the Gospel. READ MORE

This weekend we celebrate several exciting liturgies in the life of our parish. John Becerra, who has served faithfully as a deacon and pastoral associate at Mary Queen for several years, will be ordained a priest on Saturday, January 31, at 10:30am at Christ the King Cathedral. John has been a deacon for ten years and now transitions into a new phase of ministry through the Sacrament of Holy Orders. In this ordination, God’s grace is poured out upon him, transforming him so that he may act in persona Christi, particularly in the celebration of the sacraments of the Eucharist and Reconciliation. Because this is a liturgy we experience only once every year or two, it is worth taking a closer look at some of its unique and powerful elements. READ MORE

The second most frequently used book at Mass is the Lectionary. These books contain the Scripture readings proclaimed at all Masses throughout the liturgical year. In the Roman Catholic Church, the Lectionary is organized into four volumes, arranged according to liturgical celebrations. READ MORE

If you were asked to name the most important book used at Mass, many would instinctively answer the Bible. That instinct is not wrong—but it is incomplete. Alongside the Lectionary and the Book of the Gospels sits another book that quietly shapes every Mass we celebrate: the Roman Missal. The Roman Missal is not a book of readings. Rather, it is the Church’s book of prayer for the Mass. Every presidential prayer, dialogue, acclamation, and instruction that frames our worship is drawn from its pages. When the priest says, “Let us pray,” when he chants the Collect, when the Eucharistic Prayer unfolds, when the Church gives voice to thanksgiving and petition—these words come from the Missal. In this sense, the Roman Missal is the Church praying out loud. READ MORE

Each weekend, well over 2,000 people attend Mass at our parish. This makes us not only one of the largest Catholic parishes in the Diocese of Lexington, but also one of the most-attended churches in our city. While our liturgies generally run smoothly, we are always adapting to ensure that our Masses remain accessible, prayerful, and participatory for such a large community. Our clergy play a vital role in this work, but there are only six of them. The vast majority of what makes Mass possible comes from our lay (non-clergy) volunteers. On a typical weekend, approximately 25 people serve in roles such as sacristans, greeters, lectors, ushers, facilitators, musicians, and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion—among many others. Week after week, I am deeply impressed by the care, integrity, and reverence these individuals bring to our liturgies. I am inspired by their faithfulness, their sacrifice, and their love for Christ and His people. As we begin this new year, we want to both equip and celebrate our volunteer ministers. SEE MORE

Each year, before the Mass of Christmas during the Night, the Church invites us to hear the Christmas Proclamation—a solemn announcement of the birth of Christ drawn from the Roman Martyrology. Unlike the Gospel, which tells the story of Jesus’ birth, the Proclamation places that event within the long sweep of human history. At Mary Queen, it will be proclaimed before the 10:30pm Mass on Christmas Eve. READ MORE

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel is an Advent hymn of great importance to our faith. For many, it is the musical sound that defines the season of Advent. Its text is derived from the “O Antiphons,” which are specifically assigned to the seven days leading up to Christmas. During these final days of Advent—beginning on December 17—the eager anticipation of celebrating our Lord’s Nativity becomes more pronounced. The readings, proper prayers, and antiphons shift their focus more explicitly toward Christ’s birth rather than his Second Coming, which is the primary emphasis during the earlier part of the season. The O Antiphons thus hold a particularly important place both historically and liturgically. READ MORE

One of the most noticeable features of the Advent wreath is the rose-colored candle. Why is it different, and why might your priest wear pink vestments on that day? The third Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete Sunday, and it is marked by the use of rose—a color symbolizing joy in the midst of a penitential season. READ MORE

In October, we sang the Salve Regina at the end of Communion at most of our Masses. Salve Regina is one of the four Marian Antiphons that are customarily sung at the end of Compline (Night Prayer) and are sometimes used at Mass. Now that we have entered the season of Advent, the antiphon changes. We now use the Alma Redemptoris Mater. READ MORE

We enter a new liturgical season and a new liturgical year. The season of Advent is marked by many distinct features. The most prominent are the use of the color purple and the Advent wreath. The four candles of the wreath represent the four Sundays of the season. Three of the candles are purple and one of them is rose / pink. This pink candle is for the third Sunday of Advent commonly called Gaudete Sunday. It is called Gaudete (which means rejoice) because that is the Latin text for the entrance antiphon. The first two weeks of the Advent season focus more on anticipation- found in the scriptures (the prophets), for Christ’s birth (and our commemoration of it), and for Christ’s return and final judgement. The fourth Sunday’s readings tend to focus on Mary & Joseph and the events leading up to Christ’s birth. In some Christian traditions, the candles and weeks are associated with the words hope, peace, joy, and love respectively. The characteristics do generally fit with the season and the associated Sundays, but this is not an official part of Catholic tradition and liturgical practice.