Celebration is an important aspect of human life. The Eucharist is the great thanksgiving celebration. By looking at how other cultures celebrate we can appreciate our own celebrations in a new way.
This section explores the Church’s various feasts and season including the different colours and symbols associated with the liturgical cycle.
Detailed information about how the Church’s year is calculated.
Jesus was a Jew. His religious practices and rituals were Jewish. Many of the holy days we hear about in the Bible are part of Jewish life today.
Jews explaining what they believe – the basics.
Explanations of some of the major liturgical feasts of the year.
Christmas is a big celebration in our society. It has a Christian orgin as the celebration of the ‘Christ’ Mass, thanksgiving for Emmanuel ‘God with us’.
Easter is the greatest feast in the Christian calendar. On this Sunday, Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
The Catholic Encyclopaedia explains Pentecost.
Trinity Sunday falls on the Sunday after the feast of Pentecost. It celebrates the mystery of the Trinity.
The Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) is celebrated in New Zealand on the Sunday after Trinity Sunday rather than the Thursday.
The feast of the Transfiguration is the culmination of Jesus’ ministry on earth and focuses our attention on his Godliness.
Forty days after the Resurrection, Jesus ascended to heaven.
All Saints Day is the day the Church calls to mind all named and unnamed Saints
All Souls Day is the day when we particularly remember those who have died.
Lent is the 40 day preparation for Easter. Holy Week leads us to the most important liturgical feast The Easter Vigil which celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus.
Q&A “All about Lent“.
Lent is a time to think about how we treat our world, others and ourselves, and to ask questions about our lives. Where are you going in your life?
The spirit of Lent is to give, pray and fast.
The Catholic Encyclopaedia explores Holy Week.
The significance of the days of Holy Week are explained. Including Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday.
Easter is the most important feast of the Christian calendar.
The date of Easter changes each year. This explains how the date is calculated.
Advent is the time of preparation for Christmas when we celebrated ‘God her amongst us’. Jesus.
Consideration of the symbolism, historical origin, duration and rituals of Advent.
The Jesse Tree is a way to tell the Story of God in the Old Testament, and to connect the Advent Season with the faithfulness of God across 4,000 years of history.
Traditions of Christmas in France and Canada across the centuries.