When I did my reader survey, the one thing you guys asked for above all other things was that I give you some advance warning for feast days. The problem with that is that my personal liturgical living style is mostly getting a reminder on my phone at 9am, realizing that it’s a feast day I like, and deciding I’ll swing by Aldi to pick something up. #itshowiroll So I’m not making any promises that this is going to happen regularly or anything, but there are some great feasts this month, and I want to give you some notice. (All of this will, of course, be in the Catholic All Year Compendium when it comes out this fall, yay! You’ll be able to plan ahead with impunity. If you can make it to the end, there’s an exciting reveal down there. 😀)
MAY 9: First up, Wednesday, May 9 is the feast of St. Louise de Marillac. This is noteworthy because it was on March 15th until two years ago. In our house, it’s Lulu’s nameday, so she gets to pick what we have for dinner, as part of our Three Special Days.
EVERY KID IS SPECIAL (THREE DAYS PER YEAR)
I’m not aware of any traditional celebrations for her feast day, but I was reading through her last will and testament recently (like you do), and loved the fact that from her sickbed, Louise added a new bequest: that her only grandchild, Louise Renee (her five-year-old namesake), might invite the poor of her parish to an annual dinner and serve them herself as guests, using funds left to her in the will. Our Lulu is four, so maybe that for next year.
MAY 10 or 13: Next comes the Ascension, which is observed on its traditional Thursday date in some places in the world including the Vatican, and (newly back this year!) in England and Wales, and in the U.S. ecclesiastical provinces of Boston, Hartford, New York, Newark, Omaha, and Philadelphia. For the rest of us the observation is moved to Sunday, May 13th (which this year is also Mother’s Day).
Our traditional meal is popovers. They have simple ingredients, and are easy to make (I whip them up in my giant purple blender) and they work in “real” popover pans (for BIG ones), or regular muffin tins (for little ones). But they rise up quite impressively before your very eyes in the oven, making them especially fun for the day. This is the recipe I use.
MAY 20: The next Sunday is Pentecost Sunday, the end of the Easter season, and the birthday of the Church! The Vigil of Pentecost is a recommended day of fasting and abstinence, as are the Spring Ember Days, which fall on the following Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Oh, and the Monday, Tuesday (as in today), and Wednesday before Ascension Thursday are the Minor Rogation Days, and are traditionally observed as days of abstinence from meat. For more on all that see this post:
ROGATION AND EMBER DAYS AND VIGILS: IN CASE YOU WERE STARTING TO THINK YOU HAD THIS LITURGICAL LIVING THING DOWN
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| I love this image, from the little Baltimore First Communion Catechism I’m using with first communicant number six this year. The ladder is the sacraments, it leans on the Church, and Mary helps us to climb each rung up to the Holy Trinity waiting for us in heaven! |
Having attentively considered how greatly the promotion of this devotion might encourage the growth of the maternal sense of the Church in the pastors, religious and faithful, as well as a growth of genuine Marian piety, Pope Francis has decreed that the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, should be inscribed in the Roman Calendar on the Monday after Pentecost and be now celebrated every year.This celebration will help us to remember that growth in the Christian life must be anchored to the Mystery of the Cross, to the oblation of Christ in the Eucharistic Banquet and to the Mother of the Redeemer,the Virgin who makes her offering to God.
Ooooh, book cover! And new feast day!
St Joan is also my patron saint (and good job to her because I did not give that much thought at confirmation but she comes through for me!) and I make creme brûlée. With a tiny blow torch. I think you should try, it seems right up your alley.
Creme brûlée is my FAVORITE, but I’ve never attempted it at home. Maybe this is the year!
I second the Creme brulee. I was a little stunned to find the sign in Rouen last fall which I could read even with my bad French, basically: Ici Jeanne d'arc brulee.
Perfect!
I think I need to revisit my simple kitchen plan for the next two months. Our Packers arrive Friday to ship 95% of our household goods back to the States for the move this summer. I planned on using the grill and a pan or two, but now I see I need more to celebrate the right way 🙂 thank you for this! I'm trying to pace myself in adding feasts to our calendar.
Yes. Baby steps is the way to go for sure. Good luck with your move!
I love the cover! I seriously can't wait to get my hands on a copy. I'm not coming up with any brilliant ideas for the new feast day… maybe do something nice for your own church? Something motherly? Like volunteer to clean or weed the flower beds or bring cookies to the parish staff? I don't know, that's all I got, LOL
Thank you!
That book cover is fantastic! Love the retro/you can do this vibe coming through. I've enjoyed seeing the candle designs by Providential Co. They are amazin! Good luck with the last edits! I'm looking forward to reading your new book.
Yes! I first saw her candles on Instagram and I just love her style.
Wait WHY did they move St. Louise's Feast Day? We already celebrated it for our Louise…do I celebrate it again? Will all the other children want double name days now? Why the Church gotta stress me out like this? (haha. Just kidding. I do wonder why they moved it though, do you know?)
That cover is AMAZING!!
The cover is beautiful! So excited for the release 🙂
I dig the cover, but why is your name in such small font? I feel like you put so much into writing this book, your name should be more visible. And thanks for the heads up on the upcoming feast days…Maybe this will be the year that we finally remember St Joan of Arc's feast day, possibly with crepes. As a last-minute "planner" myself, I appreciate you giving us readers this advance notice!
Isn't May 31st Corpus Christi? Which is a Solemnity, so it takes precedence. I thought Visitation wouldn't be celebrated this year.
In the US, Corpus Christi is observed on the Sunday following Trinity Sunday. This year that’s June 3rd.
I’d love to be entered in the Rosary and Stations books giveaway! Not sure where to do that?!
That's in this postThat Time I Crossed "Mess With Some Bees" Off of My Bucket List: Catholic Stuff Saturday Just make sure to leave a comment with your name, since it's no showing up here. And check back on next Saturday's post to see if you won!
Turduckens are easy to come by here in south Louisiana. Surely you could get one shipped in!
Mary Mother of the Church is not a NEW Feast – -it's a new OBLIGATORY feast. It's been in the sacramentary for a long time .
Maybe some kind of multinational or multicultural celebration for Mary, Mother of the Church? To remind us all that the Church is universal and crosses all cultural lines? And that Mary is Mother to us all, no matter our skin color or nationality? You could have kids research a particular foreign diocese and…eat food from there? ORRRRR you could get REAL BIBLE CRAZY and look at Mary's Jewish heritage juxtaposed with how she became a Mother to all of us, even gentiles? Then play "Mother May I" because the kids need lessons in obedience as well as liturgical living amiright?!?!?!