2nd Day of Christmas - St. Stephen

The crib of Bethlehem is surrounded by martyrs.  

St. Stephen, who was the Protomartyr, is the first to be honored at the crib of our newborn King.

The feast of St. Stephen has a Simple Octave.  

This means that only the Octave Day is celebrated which is Jan 2.

St. Stephen, pray for us!

 

The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ

 There are 3 Masses on Christmas. 

"Besides, this Jesus, who is born ton-night, is born thrice.  He is born of the Blessed Virgin, in the stable of Bethlehem; He is born by grace, in the hearts of the Shepherds, who are the first fruits of the Christian Church, and He is born eternally from the Bosom of the Father, in the brightness of the Saints: to this triple Birth, therefore, let there be the homage of a triple Sacrifice!" 

~ Dom Gueranger in The Liturgical Year, Volume 2

In the 3rd Mass of Christmas, the Last Gospel of St. John is the actual Gospel recounting the eternal generation of the Son of God in the Bosom of His Father.  In the pre-1955, there would be a Proper Last Gospel of Matthew 2:1-12 from Epiphany.  In the 1962, there is no Last Gospel.  

Merry Christmas! 

Vigil of Christmas

Today is a traditional day of fasting and abstinence 

as we prepare for the feast of Christmas!  

O Come, O Come Emmanuel! 

Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle

 

Did you know that today is the feast of St. Thomas the Apostle?  If you attended a TLM using the 1962 Missal, he was not even commemorated!  There was no mention of him at all.

In the pre-1955, since his feast falls on the 4th Sunday of Advent, his feast is superseded; however, he is commemorated and there would be a Proper Last Gospel from his Mass.  

St. Thomas, pray for us!

Expectation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

 

Octave Day of the Immaculate Conception

 

Today is the Octave Day of the Immaculate Conception!

Mother Most Chaste, pray for us!

Gaudete Sunday and the 7th Day in the Octave of the Immaculate Conception

 

Rejoice in the Lord always: again I say rejoice.  Let thy modesty be known to all men: for the Lord is nigh.  Be nothing solicitous: but in everything by prayer let thy petitions be known to God. 

 ~ Philippians 4:4-6