Jesus and the Sacrament of Baptism: God's Extravagance in Recreating Us
The Feast of Jesus' Baptism is usually celebrated on the Sunday after Epiphany, the eighth day in the octave of Epiphany, and marks the final day of the Christmas season. On this feast day we celeb...
Who Were the Three Kings of Epiphany?
The magnificent medieval cathedral of Cologne, Germany, holds one of the treasures of the Christmas story—the relics of the Magi, the famed Three Wise Men who saw Jesus' star rising in the East and...
Devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus
The month of January is traditionally dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus, with January 3rd being the feast of the Holy Name. After the Blessed Virgin Mary had conceived her Child by the Holy Spiri...
10 Scripture Verses to Inspire Your New Year
"Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, Whispering 'it will be happier'..." - Alfred TennysonWho doesn't love an inspirational quote for the New Year? Each January comes with the hop...
The Three Kings and the Original Gifts of Christmas Tradition
We can't imagine a Nativity scene without those three royal travelers wearing jeweled crowns and rich robes, holding out their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh for the newborn King of the Jew...
Why We Should Get to Know St. John the Beloved
Love consists not in feeling great things but in having a great detachment and in suffering for the beloved. ~St. John of the Cross St. John the Evangelist, "the disciple whom Jesus loved", als...
Litany of the Infant Jesus
A litany prayer to the Infant Jesus that offers a beautiful meditation, especially during Christmas season. Pray with a group (responses in italics) or alone. This litany is a reminder that this Di...
The Story of St. Francis of Assisi and the First Nativity Scene, as told by St. Bonaventure
Nativity scenes have been a popular Advent and Christmas decoration for centuries, and—like most things glorious, time-honored, and holy—it originated with a Catholic saint.ST. FRANCIS' DEVOTION TO...
St. Boniface and the Christmas Tree Tradition
Christmas is hardly imaginable without the beloved evergreen fir Christmas tree. Did you know this tradition began with a single heroic act of a Benedictine monk turned missionary bishop? Listen to...
Journeying with Joseph & Mary: Las Posadas Christmas Tradition
The Christmas Posadas tradition begins!Las Posadas is a wonderful 400+ year old Advent celebration in many Latin countries. For 9 days, from December 16th-24th, the faithful prepare for Christmas b...