Unfortunately, much misinformation gets shared regarding where Pentecost ranks in the hierarchy of holy days this time of year. For hundreds and hundreds of years, Pentecost has been the second greatest feast of the liturgical year. And it continues to be so for those whose parishes follow the traditional calendar (General Roman Calendar). This is what we teach our children and follow in our home. Some of these parishes are under the FSSP, the Institute of Christ the King, the Anglican Ordinariate, and the SSPX.

However, for Novus Ordo parishes, with the institution of the New Universal Calendar by Pope Paul VI in 1969, Pentecost was bumped to number three by the removal of its octave. Before this change only three feast still held an octave and they were all of differing importance: Easter, Pentecost, and Christmas. With Pentecost's loss of an octave however, Christmas with its' previously lower class of octave rose to second place. This is confirmed in The General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar released with the new Universal Roman Calendar in 1969. In section three of title 1 it tells us:

"The celebration of the two greatest Solemnities, Easter and the Nativity, is extended over eight days. Each Octave is governed by its own rules." General Norms, 12

Because it is a solemnity and, a high ranking one at that, our family goes all our for this holy day and celebrates in ways inspired by the for traditional symbols of the Holy Ghost: the dove, fire, water, and wind. You can read more on other symbols of the Holy Ghost, like light, in the 92' Catechism 694-701.

I'll share a few simple things we pull from to do below, but I know I'll forget to add some. And if you are reading during the 2020 pandemic our {Free} Pentecost at Home Missal and all the suggested musical recordings will be at the end of this post. 

Pentecost at Home

For each symbol of the Holy Ghost we try to work in something, but the simplest thing we have enjoyed over the years is wearing red, white, and polka dots. Red is the liturgical color of the day and white recalls its Whitsunday title, however, the polka dots come from our family lexicon and a tradition started by my oldest son. When he was 2 years old and would announce the third Glorious Mystery during our family rosary instead of "Pentecost" our eldest would say, "Polka dots, the descent of the Holy Ghost." Around that same age the other children have adopted this moniker for a time and the Pentecost Sunday wardrobe stuck.   

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There is also an Plenary Indulgence for praying the Veni Creator Spiritus prayer - under the (new) usual conditions - that we try to remember each year. The latin and english prayer and all the current conditions are in our printable prayer booklet below. 

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The Dove: 

​The traditional fare for Pentecost is stuffed foul. Our family has Pentecost Dove on our wish list for someday but because of the expense that most likely won't be able to happen until we shoot them ourselves or they are gifted to us providentially. Instead we stick with roast chicken for Sunday supper at home and enjoy the parish pot providences (pot lucks for the rest of the world) made up of food from all over the world as a nod to the disciples' spiritual gift of speaking in all kinds of new languages. 

Little white origami doves are a sweet addition to our festive table decor for the day as well. Plain computer paper works well or even those little precut post-it notes. 

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Wind: 

This symbol provides the possibility for so many fun feast day activities, especially for boys. Ours have enjoyed:

• Flying Kites
• Throw Frisbees 
• Paper Airplane Contests
• Paper Sail Boat Races - an overlap with the water symbol
• Blowing Bubbles - a favorite of the youngest family members.
• Blowing out birthday candles on a dessert after singing happy birthday to the Church - an overlap with the fire symbol

Fire: 

Of all the symbols of the Holy Ghost, this is my sons' favorite. And it fits perfectly with my liturgical living motto: "When in doubt, add fire!" There is just something about adding fire to a holy day that helps sear it into the memory of our children. And for that I am deeply grateful. So some simple but safe ways to add some holy tongues of fire to the day's festivities are: 

• Have a bonfire and roast hotdogs and marshmallows. This can be done on a smaller scale with a fire pit, fire place, or even over a the burner of a gas stove. A blessing for a bonfire is in the prayer booklet below. 
• Light candles at meals during the Octave. We like to do seven candles for the gifts of the Holy Ghost and the sacraments. 
• Pop a few fire works if you have some and it's legal. <wink wink>
• Make and wear little tongues of fire headbands - I usually just free hand them and use whatever colors of construction paper we already have.
• Find some red roses to decorate with.
• Reenact the Pentecost rose petal drop at the Pantheon ​​or use them as table decor. We reuse faux petals from the wedding section each year.
• Put your birthday candles on a fiery dessert like bananas foster, a torched top meringue pie or creme brulee. 
• You can also go the flame-like route with most any thing strawberry when they are cut vertically. We've done little strawberry short cakes, decorated cheese cakes with them, and many others I can't remember now that everyone's asleep and the house is quiet.  

Water: 

As the days start getting hotter down here in the south during May and June, I really appreciate this symbol of the Holy Ghost. An the kiddo enjoy any excuse to break out the swimsuits and spray someone with the water hose. This symbol probably presents the most possibilities for outdoor activities with a bonus reminder of our baptisms. 

• Go swimming
• Have a water gun or water balloon fight
• Run through the sprinkler
• Fire up the slip-n-slide
• Go to a splash pad
• And for our littlest loves: take a bubble bath.

Pentecost at Home Missal: 

After months our diocese is still without the sacraments and accessibility to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass each Sunday. So, in order to help our families keep the solemnity of the day I put together this free little missal booklet for a beautiful dry mass at home. You can download it here and all the suggested music is below. 

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How our family prays a Dry Mass can be read here.

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Hail Thee Festival Day

Kyrie & Gloria: Mass for Three Voices - William Byrd

Veni Sancte Spiritus Sequence - Gregorian Chant

Sanctus: Mass for Three Voices - William Byrd

Agnus Dei: Mass for Three Voices - William Byrd

Come Holy Ghost Creator Blest 

Come Down O Love Divine

Bonus Recessional: "Cum Sancto Spiritu" from Gloria - Vivaldi  

Veni Sancte Spiritus - Mozart

Pax, 

Genie

I shared about this earlier in the week via my usual means on Instagram but thought it so important to also steal a few moments to share here on the blog as well.

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Section 2 and 3 of Canon 212 tell us that the faithful have a “right and even a duty” to make known our spiritual needs to the shepherd’s of our souls, our diocesan bishops.

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“The Christian faithful are free to make known to the pastors of the Church their needs, especially spiritual ones, and their desires.

According to the knowledge, competence, and prestige which they possess, they have the right and even at times the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church and to make their opinion known to the rest of the Christian faithful, without prejudice to the integrity of faith and morals, with reverence toward their pastors, and attentive to common advantage and the dignity of persons.”

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And while we’re at it, instead of just complaining to our bishops when we let them know the sacraments are essential to us, let’s try to put our heads together and think up some workable solutions that could help return the sacraments to most everyone who needs them. Because as Canon 213 reminds us, all of the faithful have a “right” to the sacraments.

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“The Christian faithful have the right to receive assistance from the sacred pastors out of the spiritual goods of the Church, especially the word of God and the sacraments.”

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In my heart I truly believe that our bishops do want what is best for our souls, even if they have not been able to work out the logistics. So let’s do what we can to aid them in the search for viable options they can implement.

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The three main groups in need that I came up with are: the faithful isolated at death’s door, the vulnerable faithful who are high risk, and the healthy low risk faithful. I’ll share my ideas for each group below and please add yours in the comments!

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Now, I’m no expert here. I’m just an accidentally cloistered Catholic mom of 7 in rural Texas. And these are suggestions were thought through in the wee hours of the morning while waiting on a tornado warning last night. All that to say, my bishop and his auxiliary are free to read and implement these ideas or completely disregard them. But I figured going ahead and sending them so they had a few more options at least couldn’t hurt. If you like, I will send yours on to them as well and please do the same with your own bishop(s) should you feel so called.

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For those in need of Last Rites:

If I was in charge, I would send the youngest, healthiest priests of each diocese to serve here. One could be assigned to each hospital to camp out in the parking lot in case of need. And parishioners could loan these individual priests their RVs to do so. I don’t know how much hazmat suits go for, but parishioners could donate their tithes for the explicit purpose of protective gear. We also have my bee suit that could be altered as protection and fit a 5’8” man, and I’m sure some other parish members have donate-able bee suits out there as well.

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For those who are vulnerable and high-risk of serious complications should they contract Covid-19:

I would send the elderly and equally high risk priests to take the Blessed Sacrament to those prudently choosing to stay home while the Sunday obligation remains suspended. This may be the elderly, the immunocompromised, their caretakers, families with young children, those who could not afford the financial cost of a stay at the hospital, or any other vulnerable population. Sign- ups could be done by parish or diocese if the moving around of priests was necessary.

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For those parishioners that are healthy and low risk:

If I was a bishop, for those parishioners that chose to partake I would reinstate public Masses while still taking certain steps to mitigate risk. Families would have assigned seating each week on every other pew and essentially the same thing as RSVP-ing would be required to reserve your spot. More More Mass would mostly let be required to accommodate the smaller numbers each service. Parishioners would be clear that attending Mass is an acknowledgment that an asymptomatic person could infect one of your families. All risk can not be removed, even with cleanings between services. This would be the choice for our specific family since we are generally healthy and believe receiving the Blessed Sacrament is necessary in spite of these certain risks.

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Another intermediary step would be to allow parishioners to pray their dry masses in the car while a Mass is being said. Then the priest could come out and give communion to parishioners in the parking lot. I wish this would have been an option for everyone from the beginning of pandemic.

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Family’s would of course be able to choose for themselves whether they fall into the low or high risk category and neither would be denied the sacraments.

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Prayers for the Poor Souls 

In the meantime, until Last Rites are made universally available again, I want to encourage specific _daily_ prayer for the poor souls in purgatory. If your family has not already done so, please take steps to institute a De Profundis Bell or the traditional Thanksgiving after meals.

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Like the praying of the Angelus at noon recalls the incarnation, the historical tradition of the De Profundis Bell one hour after the evening Angelus acts as a reminder to pray for the Faithful departed. And in 1736, Pope Clement XII instituted a partial indulgence for this devotion.

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The name “De Profundis” is taken from the Latin beginning of Psalm 129 that says, “Out of the depths I have cried to Thee...” The Psalm itself is a beautiful prayer for this time in addition to the partial indulged Prayer for Poor Souls by St. Gertrude the Great and the following:

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Most loving Jesus I humbly beseech Thee, the Thou Thyself wouldst offer to thine Eternal Father on behalf of the Holy Souls in Purgatory, the Most Precious Blood which poured forth from the Sacred Wounds of Thine adorable Body, together with Thine agony and death.

And do Thou likewise, O sorrowful Virgin Mary, present unto Him, together with the dolorous Passion of thy dear Son, thine own sighs and tears, and all the sorrows thou didn’t suffer in His suffering, in order that, through the merits of the same, refreshment may be granted to the souls now suffering in the fiery torments of Purgatory, so that being delivered from that painful prison, they may be clothed with glory in Heaven, there to sing the mercies of God for ever and ever. Amen.

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St. Gertrude's Poor Souls Prayer

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.

The Traditional Thanksgiving After Meals

We give Thee thanks, Almighty God, for all thy benefits,
Who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen.
Vouchsafe, O Lord, to reward with eternal life,
all those who do us good for Thy name's sake. Amen.
V. Let us bless the Lord.
R. Thanks be to God.
May the souls of the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

The evening Angelus Bell is typically ring at 6pm making the De Profundis Bell occur at 7pm, but 9pm, the end of the day is another common time that also recalls our need for a nightly examination of conscience. The specific time is not as important as actually remembering to stop and pray.

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The evening rush after supper towards bedtime is very hectic so our family has placed our De Profundis Bell at 1pm after our Lunch Angelus. Set an alarm, set two, and even the simple prayer, “Lord, we pray for the newest soul in Purgatory and the most forgotten soul in Purgatory,” has more merit than nothing.

This pandemic has been and sacrifice for many reasons. But out of it I pray that we will receive a bountiful harvest of spiritual fruit and a whole new generation of priests born from those who will remember this time when the faithful were deprived of sacraments. Please join me in this intention!

Pax,

Genie

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Wet Monday or Dyngus Day

In Poland there is a medieval tradition going back to at least the 13th century called Smigus Dyngus, Wet Monday in Polish. Some historians think it began in relation to the unification of Poland as a Christian nation in the 10th century when the the Mieszko I, the Duke of Polans, was baptized. And possibly baptizing an originally pagan tradition. It became a country-wide day for water games and trying to drench your neighbor.

Though our family is unfortunately not Polish, as soon an my boys found out about this custom years ago they adopted it as our Easter Monday tradition, along with pie breakfast. Because what little boys don’t love water balloons, a slip n slide, or a water gun war? And my medievalist heart had to oblige. At times Dyngus Day, the shortened the Polish-Americans name, involved an early morning wake up call with a bucket of water, but we keep all our festivities outside unless it is cold that day. Then we opt for a warm bubble bath as our commemoration instead of bump our festivities for a day. Because Easter is the biggest day for baptisms we look at it as a cousin to the Eastern European tradition to taking a frigid polar bear swim in January for the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord.

Pie Breakfast, Etc...

I'm not sure if any other family does this, but during the Easter Octave we have our leftover Easter pie for breakfast as many days as it lasts. The number of days changes from year to year with the size of the slices and number of family members, but it is a fun treat that we save strictly for the Easter Octave. We're not huge candy eaters, however having a piece of candy with breakfast or another form of dessert leftovers could be a simple substitute.

Throughout the year as a general rule, we save desserts for solemnities and some Sunday Suppers. We're not striving for a habit of gluttony and lack of self control here, but for a once a year grand celebration. Similarly, to this goal, a few weeks into the season we make a dessert, usually cookies, and let the kids have them before supper. This is something the kids never get to do, so it may happen twice during Paschaltide just as a reminder that it is indeed still Easter. And it makes a HUGE impression, kids don't forget things like having dessert before the meal!

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Easter Friday = Meat Friday

Because all the days of a the Easter Octave are solemnities, the Friday of Easter is a Meat Friday. Under the most recent Canon Law, only a Solemnity can cancel out Catholics' required Friday penance. And that makes Easter Friday one of two guaranteed Meat Fridays each year. The other sure Meat Friday every year is the moveable, but always Friday, Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Abstaining from meat is the recommended penance in Canon 1251, however another sacrifice may be substituted. During the year we go meatless on Fridays as me meal planning is *usually* the surest way to be certain that our Family gets our Friday penance done. Sometimes we're scraping the bottom of the barrel or I haven't planned as well as I should and a Friday meat meal happens. {hides face behind hands}. In these situations, if it's one meal we say an penitential prayer like St. Clare's Litany of 5 Wounds or the 7 Sorrows Rosary. If it's the whole day we typically substitute that Saturday as the week's day of abstinence. But back to Easter Friday...

Being universally allowed to have meat (or your usual Friday penance lifted) on Easter Friday is a relatively new thing! It did not come into existence until the Johanno-Pauline Code of Canon Law was put into effect in 1983. So, in our family, that means that come hell or high water, meat will be on the menu that day. Now what form may vary. I prefer a cast iron, spice encrusted steak made outside by my husband on a Coleman camping stove... But that's not always in the budget. Whatever we do end up rustling up, we talk it up with the kids and make sure they know what's up - that it's a big honkin' deal!

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The Sunday Formerly Known as Quasimodo

The Second Sunday of Easter has many common names. Low Sunday, Thomas Sunday as taken from the Gospel reading where Thomas doubts Christ's resurrection, White Sunday to signify the white garments of those recently baptized. The newest edition to this Sunday's litany of titles is Divine Mercy Sunday, established by Pope St. John Paul II in 2000.

On this day the Church has given us the beautiful opportunity of a Plenary Indulgence, an occasion to remit the temporal punishment of our already forgiven sins with the right heart and a pious act. To obtain this Plenary Indulgence, under the usual conditions, we need only participate in the prayers and devotions held in honor of the Divine Mercy or while before the Blessed Sacrament, exposed in a monstrance or reserved in the tabernacle, recite the our Father, and the Creed adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus like: "Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!" The first option can still be done while in quarantine and the usual conditions of receiving a Plenary Indulgence are to be:

• In a state of grace (not excommunicated)
• Detached from all sin (have a hatred for even habitual sin)
• Go to confession 20 days before or after (now when available again)
• Receive Communion 20 days before or after (now when available again)
• Pray for the Pope’s intentions (usually an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be)

This indulgence may be applied to yourself or the Poor Souls in Purgatory.

Traditionally this day is also known as Quasimodo Sunday. The name is derived from the introit (Mass entrance antiphon) for this Sunday that begins, “Quasi modo geniti infantes...” or in its English entirety, “As newborn babes, alleluia, long for pure spiritual milk, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Rejoice in honor of God our helper; shout for joy to the God of Jacob.” Taken from 1 Peter 2:2, the introit recalls the new members of the Church from Easter. eThe protagonist of Victor Hugo’s novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, also bears the name of Quasimodo because he was found on this Sunday. 

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Paschaltide Observances for the Day to Day

Alleluias, Bells, and the Paschal Greeting

​Like I shared about in our Easter day post, our family vocabulary changes to reflect the Easter season. Alleluias or G. F. Handel's "Hallelujah" chorus punctuate almost all sentences accidentally mirroring its addition to the end of all the Liturgy of the Hour's antiphons and responses, and almost all the versicles.

The Paschal Greeting of "Christ is risen" likewise becomes everything from the phrase "good morning" to "good night." Also if the required response of "The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!" is not said in reply fast enough, the little kids get their feelings hurt for half a second. 

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The Paschal Greeting becomes the preamble leading up to our grace before meals as well. One parent says the salutation: "Christ is risen!" The everyone else chimes in with the reply "The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!" ringing their bells during the "Alleluia!"

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Individual bells turn into a mealtime fixture for us during the Easter season. As I said before, we have an elementary music bell choir set from a few Christmases back. And these same bells that the children get to put at their bedside for Easter Eve are what we use at Easter meals. Because each bell is a different note of a scale they are all a different color so they can be told apart from one another. This has worked out so well as each child can have their own color for the duration of the season without fights or misunderstandings over someone having a sibling's bell. 

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Ringing the Regina Caeli

After our mealtime Paschal Greeting we ring the Regina Caeli in the same way we would the Angelus during the remainder of the year. The Regina Caeli is a seasonal Marian antiphon, the sung closing of the Divine Office of Compline. Compline is the last occasion of group prayer in a monastery or convent. In the 6th century, the Regina Caeli was given to St. Gregory by the singing of angles in a vision, during the a barefoot procession through Rome to end the plague.

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There are four seasonal Marian antiphons but the Regina Caeli is the only one that ever replaces the Angelus. Ringing the Regina Caeli is very similar to ringing the Angelus with a ding before every versicle (V.) and then 9 dings during the closing prayer that begins with, "Let us pray," or "Oremus," in the Latin. 

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Regina Caeli

V. Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia.
R. For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia. 
V. Has risen, as he said, alleluia. 
R. Pray for us to God, alleluia.
V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia. 
R. For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.

Let us pray. O God, who gave joy to the world through the resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

or

Regina caeli

V. Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia. 
R. Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia. 
V. Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia. 
R. Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.                                                           V. Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria, alleluia.
R. Quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia.

Oremus. Deus, qui per resurrectionem Filii tui, Domini nostri Iesu Christi, mundum laetificare dignatus es: praesta, quaesumus; ut per eius Genetricem Virginem Mariam, perpetuae capiamus gaudia vitae. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

This is the chant version we use:

Using this same recording, during Paschaltide we also sing and listen to the Regina Caeli as the last part of our children's bedtime routine. If you'd like to learn more about adding this monastic practice to you home, see our post on living liturgically with Marian antiphons here.

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When in Doubt Add Fire

The lighting of our Family Paschal candle is another mealtime inclusion for the Easter season. Children are so fascinated with fire and having a Family Paschal candle is a beautiful way to make the Light of Christ given at the Easter Vigil more tangible to them. Fire is also a great motivator. The child with the best manners is chosen to blow it out at the end of the meal. You can make your own Family Paschal candle with 3 things you probably already have at home and our Super Simple 3 Step Guide here.

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No Good Deed Jelly Beans Here...

Since it is assumed by many that this is something we do, I'll just briefly touch on our philosophy to make our family's position more clear...

Though it’s by no means new, in the last couple years the practice of sacrifice beans turning into good deed jelly beans has gained popularity. Our concern here is not the sacrifice beans portion, we give alms and pull out thorns from Christ’s crown to mark our penances too. Rather, the addition of seeking compensation or reward for our works after a habit of penance has been nurtured dung Lent has us questioning the idea. Presently just like the coins of their alms are multiplied into dollars on Easter Day, our children's joy from giving is multiplied by getting to choose the food their alms buy for our cloistered discalsed Carmelites. The kiddos feel good about what they have done because of the act's nature as a corporal work of mercy. Meanwhile, the jelly beans seem like a contrived system acting as a placeholder when meanwhile better pay it forward options are out there that keep the momentum and joy of giving going.

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Young children are smart and the character they form as a child will be carried into adulthood. Further we don’t want them to start the habit of seeking out an earthly incentive for their sacrifices instead of storing up their treasure in heaven. This corresponds directly to when they are adults, we want them to serve God out of love and not out of fear and the expectation of his favor and blessings. That is the prosperity gospel and it is not in line with the Catholic belief that the followers of Christ are called to emulate Him in all things, even suffering.

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By the same token we want our children to have an accurate understanding of penance and the economy of grace. The primary purpose of our penance and sacrifices is reparation to God for our sins. The secondary effect is our growth in virtue and strength against temptation in the future. Our hope is that our children end up seeing that as reward enough in and of itself. That like St. Zelie Martin reminds us, our greatest earthly prize is, "another pearl in our heavenly crown."

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Not having a ginormous dental bill after 50 days of perpetual candy consumption is also a much appreciated bonus. Maybe our way of doing this is just not as well known and therefore not the common thing to do yet? These are merely our thoughts on the matter. Feel free to disagree or enlighten me in the comments. I've got a thick hide so you won't hurt my feelings. 

Music Helps Make the Mood

It wouldn't be a stretch to say most of us know almost a hundred Christmas carols or popular holiday songs, but how many Easter hymns do we have written on heart and the hearts of our children? Each week we are taking on one Easter hymn to sing a couple times a day. After a week you will have at least the first verse down. And each subsequent year can be both a review and chance to add new Easter hymns. Some favorites we will be singing are:

O Filii et Filiae

Jesus Christ is Risen Today

He is Risen. He is Risen. 

The Strife is O'er

The Donut Man also has a few Easter Bible Songs that my children love and a Resurrection Celebration episode all for free.   

The Resurrection Celebration

Celebrate Jesus

Run Peter Run

God's Not Dead

All the prayers below can also be incorporated as a sound track for work or play during the day.

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Paschaltide Prayers that Pack a Punch 

In addition to the Regina Caeli above and the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary, there are there are five prayers that are characteristic of the Easter Season. One or all may be added during the day or even memorized by the end of Paschaltide. They are:

• The Exultet - perhaps the most gorgeous of all prayers, this hallmark of the Easter Vigil can be prayed or listened to in English or Latin again and again throughout the whole season. 
• The Gloria - after being absent from the Sacrifice of the Mass and the daily office. You can pray it here or listen to one of the many musical settings here.
• The Te Deum - in the same way as the Gloria, the Te Deum is also added as a daily prayer. You can pray it here or listen to one of the many musical settings here.
• The Vidit Aquam - ​​throughout Paschaltide the Vidi Aquam replaces the Asperges at the beginning of traditional Masses during the blessing of the congregation with holy water. You can pray it here or listen to one of the many musical settings here. 
• The Litany of the Resurrection - This litany was penned by St. John Henry Newman, our 4th living son's namesake. Our family loves litanies as they allow for even the youngest of children that can't read to still participate by joining in on the repeated responses.  You can pray this litany here. 

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Bring Back the Major Rogation

If you've gotten this far into this novel, bless your heart! We've only one more suggestion to go....

The Rogation Days were days of penance and fasting in reparation for sin, for protection from natural disasters, plague, and famine, as well as to pray for a fruitful harvest. Major Rogation is on April 24th, St. Mark's feast, which typically falls in Paschaltide. Similar to the story of St Gregory the Great and the Regina Caeli above these Rogation Days were commemorated with processions with the praying of the Great Litany and penitential psalms around the churches and parishioners' property lines. This act was called "beating the bounds." The whole order of the procession can be read in the Roman Ritual here. 

Like the seasonal Ember Days, the scheduling of these days were left up to the bishops in 1966. But given the current state of things in the world, it would probably behove us to bring them back in our own homes.

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Happy Easter, Y'all!

Genie

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Bigger than Christmas

Easter is the most important feast of the whole Church year! St. Athanasius called it "the Great Sunday" while the Catechism tells us:

Easter is not simply one feast among others, but the "Feast of feasts," the "Solemnity of solemnities," just as the Eucharist is the "Sacrament of sacraments."

Catechism of the Catholic Church 1169

Easter is also the higher ranked octave of the two octaves remaining on the Universal Roman Calendar of 1970. An octave is an extension of the celebration of a feast by 7 additional days, making the total length 8 days. For Christmas the extra days are made of second class feast days or just the rank of feast in the new calendar, while in the Octave of Easter every day is another solemnity.

In our home we are trying to get across Easter as the "Solemnity of Solemnities" to our children by intentionally making it a bigger deal than Christmas. Our general ways of doing this is by making Easter and it's season as wedding like as possible, keeping Christmas simpler, but also keeping the Easter festivities going throughout the whole of the 50 day season until Pentecost. More on that in post to come...

Flipping the Switch

To mark the change from the penance and sacrifice of Lent to the Joyous season of Easter or Paschaltide, there are a few things we do on Easter day to make stark contrast between the liturgical seasons. 

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1. Decorate in the Same Spirit as Christmas

The first thing we change in our home for Easter is how it looks. Similarly to Christmas Eve, but without all the cheerful music and sweet treats, on Holy Saturday we begin adding our few Easter decorations to the lenten ones. Like the first Holy Saturday, in our home each year it serves as a bridge from the darkness after Christ's death to the light of His resurrections.

We are slowly adding to our Easter trimmings with bright, flowery spring decorations. For our family we want the Easter season to feel as wedding like as possible because the glory of the Pascal Feast is only a foretaste of the heavenly banquet we hope to enjoy in eternity. The fresh flowers missing from the church altars and our home return with Easter. And instead of garlands of evergreen, swags of flowers and greenery adorn the mantle and piano. 

2. Set the Tone with Music

Music is our first go to for creating an atmosphere in our home. During Lent one of our family crosses is to only listen to penitential sacred music. But for Easter it is all jubilant Easter hymns, festive classical music, and impromptu dance parties in the living room. 

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After the Blessed Sacrament, the music of Holy Week is what I miss the most when unable to attend those once a year services. But we through the internet and apps like Youtube and Spotify we can still enjoy some of these moving pieces. 

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3. Make a Veritable Feast for the Risen King

Our Easter feast, or what the kids calL Easter Feaster, looks a little different each year but we always find some lamb and my mom makes sure we have asparagus with hollandaise sauce. I'll be on the search today. Ham usually makes an appearance when feeding extended family as well.

Even more than Thanksgiving we make a mountain of sides so we can enjoy the leftovers all week and Mama gets to feast with everyone and spend less time in the kitchen cooking. And it wouldn't be Easter Monday (Wet Monday) without our traditional piece of pie for Breakfast!

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4. Welcome All the Bells and Alleluias

Throughout Lent the Alleluia has been banished from Mass and our home so when Easter comes we say it as much as possible on the day of and during the season. It becomes the family amen in most conversations with a spontaneous serenade of G. F. Handel's Hallelujah Chorus. In the same vein, after the Greek tradition, the salutation and response, "Christ is Risen!" then "He is risen indeed! Alleluia!" becomes the children's favorite greeting.

Likewise with the bells, after the gospel on Maundy Thursday they disappear until the congregation rings them with the Easter Vigil Gloria. We have a bell choir set we gave the kids one year for Christmas and for Easter Eve each child gets to put one by their bed to ring when they wake up on Easter morning. Ours were from Amazon. In a similar manner to St. Lucy Day on December 13th we rouse them with the hymn "O Filii et Filiae." It's a joy to see them remembering more and more each year and even the youngest of our littles joining in on the chorus of Alleluias and we make our way downstairs ringing our bells. 

5. Hunt for Your Easter Eggs and Repeat as Necessary

At our house we don't have just one egg hunt but as many as the kids choose to set up throughout the season. They recycle the plastic eggs and fill them with whatever snacks or the small toys they can make fit inside them. We're not big on candy and junk in general, by the kids still get into the different cereal, snakes, and fruit. We just use what we have. Stickers, hotwheels cars, hairbands, etc... are some other options that fit the size bill.

They also like to hide our dyed eggs, before feeding them to the pigs. We try to dye them as a quiet activity on Holy Saturday, but any time during Easter will work. When we get to them on Holy Saturday we make them into dressed eggs the next day for our Easter Feast.

The Catholic history of dying easter eggs is that while Mary Magdalene went around spreading the gospel she would bring eggs with her as an illustration of new life. During one such occasion while she was witnessing to Emperor Tiberius, he told her that Christ could not have risen from the dead anymore than the egg in her hand could turn red. And at that moment, indeed, it did! The the whole of the Emperor's house believed and was baptized. 

6. Look for the Little Consolation in What We Have

For this year of 2020 specifically our commemoration will not start with a glorious ancient liturgy at our parish but at home. So I made something that I hope will help us all. It's a free Easter at Home Missal so that through a dry mass our families can have a sliver of the history and beauty of the Sacrifice of the Mass we will be missing. You can print it here and find all the included music below. 

You can find the readings and propers for an Easter Sunday Dry Mass here starting on pdf p. 1879  The Ordinary of the Mass begins on pdf p. 754.

How our family prays a Dry Mass can be read here. 

These pieces would make a great Paschaltide playlist as well so please join us in filling our Easter days with beautiful music. 

You can also stream the Easter Vigil Live from my home parish here at 10:30 pm central time.

Lastly, we have Super Simple 3 Step Guides to setting up a home altar and making a Family Paschal candle is your family still needs them.

Music for an Easter Vigil at Home

The Exultet

The Kyrie

The Gloria

The Offertory

The Sanctus

The Magnificat 

Jesus Christ is Risen Today

Hallelujah Chorus

Happy Easter, Y'all!

Christ is Risen! The Lord is Risen indeed! Alleluia!

Genie

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Today is the day we mourn the Passion and Death of Our Lord. And as such, things go a little differently at our home. We purpose to reserve certain times to reflect and call to mind Christ's suffering throughout the day and avoid the same distractions we would while grieving any other loved one. It is also the Last day to get all the thorns out of our Crown of thorns and give alms by making many sacrifices. All of these things can also be carried over to Holy Saturday tomorrow as we are keeping one long vigil until Easter.

Our avoidances pave the way for those set apart times so I'll start with them.

Avoiding the Good to Make Room for the Better

Our first Good Friday avoidance is meat and snacks. Today is a day of fasting and abstinence, but with a lot of young kids that looks a little different than just a bare plate. The Pascal fast traditionally begins after the Maundy Thursday Mass and continues until the one attends the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday. And it is a mirroring of Christ's experience on those days. With our family make-up we observe this ancient tradition by going only meatless on these two days. Pink smoothies are a Good Friday staple along with hot crossed buns with paste crosses. We wait to give them their icing crosses for Easter supper. Like Christmas Eve, a few hours before the Vigil we put out a cheese board with fruit and bread or crackers.

We encourage a quiet atmosphere during this day, especially from the hour of His death at 3pm on.  This is a lot easier said than done when 5 of your 7 children are boys! But we still try. We do this with the sacred music we put on low in the background, different Stabat Mater classical settings, and not using artificial lights. The boys have a competition to see who can turn off the most lights when we tell them it's Good Friday.

After the Maundy Thursday gospel the bells are gone until Easter. In their place is used a wooden clapper called a crotalus, from the greek word for rattle. It is used for the Angelus on the last two days before that prayer changes to the Regina Caeli for the duration of the Easter season. The Story of the Bible audiobook (Ch. 122 on), Board games, Holy Week picture books are pulled out instead of relying on rowdiness outside and tv. Some outside time is allowed without a ruckus, but it's not the usual free for all. And we do watch a version of the Passion depending on who's awake.

Another activity we try to eschew in our family but specifically today is complaining. The kids get this idea pretty quickly when the response is always a reminder of the Passion and Christ's extreme suffering.

The Suffering of Christ and our Children.

We don't sugar coat what happened to Christ today, however we do keep our descriptions age appropriate. This is the pinnacle of our history and faith. This is why we think it is important for our children to know all the events of Holy Week. And reading the actual Passion accounts in each gospel are a great place to start.

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Each gospel's Passion was written by a different person, so it has different details included. Throughout Holy Week the traditional gospel readings are all of the Passions, so we match our daily readings to these days. Children don't need a dumbed down version of these events, the gospels are very clear without being gruesome. And in this way our children get all the details of Christ's lasts days and suffering from the Word of God itself. We also remind them of where the sorrowful mysteries that we regularly pray fit in to the chronology. And of course, we still have conversations about these at the same time and answer their questions in line with our historic faith - not making stuff up or throwing out guesses. They'll get enough of that from the world when they grow up. Now is time for setting the foundation of truth. Good Friday's gospel is the Passion according to St. John found in chapters 28 and 29.

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A Day of Devotion

Today is also a day characterized by devotion in our home, as if we ourselves were at the foot of the cross. We set this tone by dispersing different penetration goal devotions throughout the day. And we have a beautiful bouquet of devotions to keep us reflecting on Christ this day so that idol hands don’t have the opportunity to become the devil’s workshop.

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The sorrowful mysteries of the Rosary, the Veneration of the Cross, and the Stations (free booklet here) of the Cross are main stays. And I made a free printable sheet of just the Adoration of the Cross that can be done with your family at home (click on photo) and the music recordings for it are here.

For the Rosary we continue to follow the Passiontide tradition of replacing the Glory Bes with, "Christ became obedient unto death. Even unto death upon a cross." This practice reflects the absent Glory Bes during Passiontide in the daily office.

At times, we chose from the following devotions too:

• Holy Saturday Tenebrae - prayed Friday night. (free booklet here.)
• St. Clare's Litany of the 5 Wounds
• The Litany of the Holy Face
• The 40 Hours devotion
• Divine Mercy Chaplet
• Similar to Christmas Eve, on Holy Saturday we put on a Passion Play.

The Divine mercy novena also begins today. Or you could pray a Good Friday dry mass with your family. You can find the reading and mass propers here. The Good Friday mass is always a dry mass because after Maundy Thursday no new hosts are consecrated as the blessed sacrament until Easter. This is explicit in the full name for this days mass - the Good Friday Mass of the Presanctified.

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As I mentioned about our quite soundtrack for today is different classical music settings of the Stabat Mater. This is our favorite setting by Antonin Dvorak to get your family started:

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I pray y'all have a somber Good Friday that draws your whole family closer to Christ.

Genie

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While each of St. Philip Neri's church stops included a prayer, singing, and one of his homilies, as we drive around from church to church we pray, sing, and listen to Eucharistic hymns from Thomas Aquinas and this Ave Verum Corpus setting by William Byrd. Since there are 14 Stations of the Cross it works perfectly to pray two Stations at each church. All of the above could be done during a virtual pilgrimage as well.

1. The Church of the Nativity - Bethlehem

Built : 4th Century under the direction of Constantine

This church sits on the historic site of Christ's birth. In the 6th century it was rebuild after burning down. 

Take the Pilgrimage here.

2. The Sistine Chapel - Vatican City

Built : 15th Century

The Last Judgement was painted on the Sistine Chapel ceiling by Michelangelo in the 16th Century. It is also where the Cardinals holds the conclave to elect a new pope.

Take the Pilgrimage here.

3. St. Peter's Basilica - Vatican City

Built : 4th Century 

This Basilica rests over the tomb of the first pope St. Peter. It was rebuilt into its present day form during the 16th century. 

Take the Pilgrimage here.

4. Canterbury Cathedral - Canterbury

Built : 10th Century 

Work on the Canterbury Cathedral began in the 10th century but additions were still being made to its structure into the 19th century. Since the 16th century it has been under the control of the Church of England whose head is the Queen of England, then the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Take the Pilgrimage here.

5. Notre Dame Cathedral - Paris

Built : 12th Century 

Named for Our Lady, the idea for Notre Dame was conceived by the Bishop of Paris,  Maurice de Sully. It was meant to replace two former basilicas that stood on the same spot.

Take the Pilgrimage here.

6. Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception - Washington D.C.

Built : 20th Century 

A relatively new structure, the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception was started in 1920. Construction ended in 1961 and it is the largest church in the United States.

Take the Pilgrimage here.

7. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre - Jerusalem 

Built : 4th Century under the direction of Constantine

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is the historical site of Christ's crucifixion, tomb, and therefore resurrection. 

Take the Pilgrimage here.

Once home we make our Last Supper meal, usually of herb roast chicken and all the fixings. We read the traditional gospel for today in John, then all take turns washing each others feet.

Before the festival day of the pasch, Jesus knowing that his hour was come, that he should pass out of this world to the Father: having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And when supper was done, (the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray him,) knowing that the Father had given him all things into his hands, and that he came from God, and goeth to God; He riseth from supper, and layeth aside his garments, and having taken a towel, girded himself. After that, he putteth water into a basin, and began to wash the feet of the disciples, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. He cometh therefore to Simon Peter. And Peter saith to him: Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered, and said to him: What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith to him: Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him: If I wash thee not, thou shalt have no part with me. Simon Peter saith to him: Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him: He that is washed, needeth not but to wash his feet, but is clean wholly. And you are clean, but not all. For he knew who he was that would betray him; therefore he said: You are not all clean. Then after he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, being set down again, he said to them: Know you what I have done to you? You call me Master, and Lord; and you say well, for so I am. If then I being your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that as I have done to you, so you do also.

John 13:1-15

We don't have a Christian Seder at our home because of a sermon we heard at our parish. It discusses the participation of Catholics in rituals of other religions and their relation to the first commandment. You can listen to it here. 

You can also pray today's Tenebrae here or pray a Maundy Thursday Dry Mass with the readings and propers here.

A Blessed Holy Triduum to y'all! 

Genie

The event of Judas' betrayal, and even the number of coins, was long foretold in the Old Testament by St. David in the Psalms and the Prophet Zachariah. St. David describes Christ's treatment in Psalm 108 saying:

O God, be not thou silent in my praise: for the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful man is opened against me. They have spoken against me with deceitful tongues; and they have compassed me about with words of hatred; and have fought against me without cause. Instead of making me a return of love, they detracted me: but I gave myself to prayer. And they repaid me evil for good: and hatred for my love. Set thou the sinner over him: and may the devil stand at his right hand. When he is judged, may he go out condemned; and may his prayer be turned to sin. May his days be few: and his bishopric let another take. May his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.

Psalm 108:2-9

The Prophet Zachariah recounts Judas' reception and later return of the spoils in his chapter 11:

And I said to them: If it be good in your eyes, bring hither my wages: and if not, be quiet. And they weighed for my wages thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me: Cast it to the statuary, a handsome price, that I was prized at by them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and I cast them into the house of the Lord to the statuary.

Zechariah 11:12-13

Before we get to the how-to of our family's Spy Silver Hunt, there is a misconception that I'd like to clear up about the title bestowed on this day. In recent years many have started attributing the name Spy Wednesday to the gospel reading of Matthew 26:14-25 assigned to this day for the new calendar. However, this is not the case. The Wednesday of Holy Week has long been referred to as Spy Wednesday since it was the historical day, the day before the Last Supper, that Judas sought to betrayed Christ. 

Our Family Silver Hunt

In our home, during Holy Week we really want to take time to teach and talk about all the days and events leading up to and encompassing Christ's Passion. And to make today's happenings more tangible we started having a family scavenger hunt where out little boys would find the holy week picture books and 30 silver coins that I hid around the upstairs. We would use whatever silver change we had on hand and would then read St. Matthew's account of Judas' meeting with the Sanhedrin, which is the oldest written. For reference if you want to get a roll of silver coins at the bank, a roll of nickels is $2, dimes are $5, and a roll of quarters is $10 worth. 

As our boys got a little older beforehand we added the reading of the two prophecy passages of Psalm 108:2-9 and Zachariah 11:12-13 shared above, and I drew simple picture clues with Scripture references from the Passion of Luke for them to put in order after the hunt. We switched to St. Luke's Passion as the reading of all the Passion accounts for the traditional Mass gospels during Holy Week continues today with the Gospel of Luke. As an aside: St. Luke was one of the missionaries with St. Paul and the author of the Acts of the Apostles. You can read it in parts like on Palm Sunday and Good Friday here. 

Once we gained readers we gave out the Passion readings from Luke to whoever found the clue. If a non-reader found it than that Scripture reference turned into a Sword Drill where the boys raced to look it up then read it. 

It is also such a joy to see how the children interact with each other during their hunting each year. Each hunt inevitably begins with its own treachery and betrayal as all the kiddos race and battle for the easily visible books and coins. But once they notice the youngest of siblings that may have yet to find anything their ruthlessness quickly shifts for sweetness as they each turn to help them find treasure for their own. 

What we love about these silver hunts is that its flexibility can fit the whole range of our children from the the crawling baby finding a book with big brothers help to the elementary aged boys being competitive with the searching of Scripture. And you can tailor it to fit your individual family too. If you only have very wee ones, they can hunt the coins then you can read Matthew's short narrative. If most of your kid's are older, they can do all the reading. Make it your family's own!

For our Spy Wednesday afternoon Liturgical Free Listening we have Edward Elgar’s “The Betrayal,” from his oratorio The Apostles and two classical settings of St. Luke's Passion to choose from. “The Betrayal” depicts Judas’ visit to the Sanhedrin. Of the two Passion setting, the earlier one is by Georg Philipp Telemann and the more recent by Johann Sebastian Bach. We pick one to listen to today while working on other things like Easter Cleaning.

Silver dollar pancakes are a favorite for today's supper and tonight is another great opportunity for Tenebrae. You can pray along with this free booklet here. You can also pray today's Dry Mass with the propers and readings here.

Pax,

Genie

The use of a Pascal candle goes back to at least the 300s and the time of St. Jerome. And Paschalis Sollemnitatis, the 1988 Circular Letter on the preparation and celebration of Easter, tells us:

"The paschal candle should be prepared, which for effective symbolism must be made of wax, never be artificial, be renewed each year, be only one in number, and be of sufficiently large size so that it may evoke the truth that Christ is the light of the world."

Paschalis Sollemnitatis

Likewise the other elements of the Pascal candle also have their own meanings.

• Pure Unused Beeswax = Christ's sinlessness
• The Wick = His Human Nature
• The Fire = His Divine Nature and the Resurrection
• The Cross = Christ's Sacrifice for Mankind
• The Alpha and Omega = Christ is the Beginning and End of all
• The Year = As the blessing says, "All time belongs to Him, and all the ages.”
• The 5 Grains of Incense = Christ's 5 Sacred Wounds and the spices brought to His tomb

Since a new one must be blessed each year a Paschal candle has to be either melted down or used up before the next Easter. It was customary for old Pascal candles to be melted down as funeral candles for the poor. The Paschal candle is traditionally moved to the baptistery at Ascension after the Gospel or at Pentecost for Novus Ordo parishes.

For liturgical use in a church, a Paschal candle must adhere to the above guidelines. However, for at home use in our domestic churches or monasteries however, we have a bit more flexibility. So use what you have!

We use 3 Steps to make these simple Paschal candles and only 3 items that you probably already have at home for supplies:

• Any Size Candle
• Puffy paint
• Clove in some form, ground or whole
• 
  

A great thing about using this paint is that if you mess up you can easily wipe it off with a damp paper towel or baby wipe until you get it right. And the best part is, you don't have to worry about them catching on fire like the paper covered candles have the tendency to do. We want the Light of Christ in our homes, but we don't want THAT much light!

Our 3 Steps to a Family Paschal Candle

1. Gather your supplies

• Any colors can work. We usually for spring colors. Also I really like the design of the Tulip brand paint bottles, especially for projects involving writing. They are easier to manage and control than the usual short and stout bottles of other brands.

2. Paint your design

I start by making the first bar of the cross as straight as possible.

Turn the candle sideways to make the other bar of the cross. A fingernail is great for evening out the thickness of the bars.

Then I add the little edges to the cross. Add the embellishment you like. Make it your own.

Next to make the Alpha symbol I start both sides at the bottom and meet in the middle at the top to keep it equal. For the Omega I draw a horseshoe then add the feet.

Finally, add the year with with a number at each corner of the cross or below the Omega symbol and any other decorations you would like.

3. Add your cloves

Push in whole cloves or sprinkle the 4 ends and middle of the cross with ground cloves to represent the incense. Dipping a toothpick or knife into the jar then tapping it over the intended spot works well. Blow off any excess.

Until it can be blessed by a priest, your Family Pascal candle may be blessed by the father of your home with the following prayer. Burning candles blessed by a priest clear the air spiritually so it is important to still seek out their blessing when possible.

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Blessing of Candles

V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.                                                    R. Who made heaven and earth.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. May He also be with you.

V. Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, bless + these candles
at our lowly request. Endow them, Lord, by the power of the holy cross, with a blessing from on high, you who gave them to
mankind in order to dispel darkness. Let the blessing that they
receive from the sign of the holy + cross be so effectual that,
wherever they are lighted or placed, the princes of darkness may
depart in trembling from all these places, and flee in fear,
along with all their legions, and never more dare to disturb or
molest those who serve you, the almighty God, who live and reign
forever and ever.
R. Amen.

Then sprinkle with holy water.

Finally, as we are reminded in the Roman Missal, "May the light of Christ rising in glory dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds.”

A Blessed Holy Triduum to y'all!

Genie

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A Word on Boys & Tea Parties

Firstly, I want to dispel the misconception that a tea party is an activity only suitable for little girls. They can be appropriate for mixed company or a group of only boys as well. The cultivation of manners is for EVERYONE!

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We have A LOT of little boys at our home. And I had borne 5 boys in a row before my first daughter arrived when my oldest son was 6 years old. And we believe that taking a periodic break from all the mud, shenanigans, and overall ruckus that accompanies a rascal of boy.  

Our family tea parties originated from my love of tea and began out of gratitude for my sons. I didn't see the point in depriving my them by waiting to add something beloved to our family culture when there was no guarantee they would ever have a sister to "justify" it. Our first teas were for important Jane Austen dates and marian feast day. 

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I won't go into great detail about the different types of teas we put on in this specific post, but I will list them here briefly for those interested, with the intention of devoting another post to the subject in the future. Food puns are one of my love languages and this is illustrated by the names we have chosen for the types of tea parties we have in our home. As part of our family's liturgical living we enjoy having Solemni Teas, Celebra Teas, and Sancti Teas. The later being our focus today since it is Lent.

So What Is a Sancti Tea? 

Sancti Teas were my way of making days of fasting, abstinence, and sacrifice more palatable and special for our sons. Our tea party food is usually what we already have and would be eating anyway for lunch or dinner, but presented more creatively so it is memorable for our little ones. 

Even though egg salad sandwich are a frequent Friday staple at our house, they are so much more exciting to our children when the are cut in a different way or with a cookie cutter, then set on a 3-tiered server or any other unusual plate. We add fresh fruit and veggies to the sandwiches and then put a special drink like a decaffeinated fruit tea, juice, lemonade, or hot cocoa. 

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Because Sancti Teas are for penitential times, we do not include desserts. Those are saved for our Sancti Teas and sometimes our Celebra Teas. And they are not just for Holy week. They can be done any Friday, Ash Wednesday, or throughout the penitential seasons.

Our Fig Monday Sancti Tea

For Holy Monday's Sancti Tea we try to have something made with figs. In the past we've made fig scones, spread Grandmama's fig preserves on toast or biscuits, or bought fig newtons at the dollar store. This year it's a fig newton day. 

The traditional gospel for this day is from John 12. It recounts Christ's visit with Lazarus, Martha, and Mary Magdalene after Lazarus had been raised from the dead. It is also when Mary washed His feet with the expensive ointment and her hair.

Jesus therefore, six days before the pasch, came to Bethania, where Lazarus had been dead, whom Jesus raised to life. And they made him a supper there: and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that were at table with him. Mary therefore took a pound of ointment of right spikenard, of great price, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, he that was about to betray him, said: Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? Now he said this, not because he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and having the purse, carried the things that were put therein. Jesus therefore said: Let her alone, that she may keep it against the day of my burial. For the poor you have always with you; but me you have not always. A great multitude therefore of the Jews knew that he was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.

John 12:1-9

We tie in this gospel by having lavender lemonade as our special tea drink. As an oil Lavender is close to Spikenard and for our family lemonade is a reminder of God's power to turn the bitter lemons of our little sacrifices into the sweet lemonade of reparation for the salvation of souls. The lemon juice represents our sufferings and the water and sugar as Christ sacrifice & the treasury of merit including the Blessed Mother’s sorrows. 

We put on our Lenten playlist quietly in the background and talk about the day's readings while we eat. Some times we read a couple Holy Week books too. And that is about all there is too it! Other foods can be added or substituted, it is really about setting aside the time for conversation and and opportunity to connect with and remember the gospels. 

If your family would like to pray a Dry Mass as part of Holy Monday devotions, you can use this booklet that I made by reworking the one provided by www.Pre1955HolyWeek.com.     

What fun traditions does your family have for Fig Monday? Please share them with us in the comments!

Pax,

Genie

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The main additions to the Mass that mark Palm Sunday are the blessing of the palms, the Palm procession around the inside or outside of churches, and the reading of the Passion. And thankfully all these pious devotions can easily be transferred to our homes. 

The Palms

If like us you can't get your Palm branches, olive branches or other any plant leaves will do. Palms are not native flora to North Texas so we got creative. Because what is Palm Sunday without "accidentally" whacking your neighbor with a palm? You can also do some almost-crafting and make them from hand prints traced on green construction paper or by simply cutting long strips to be folded into crosses later. We just cut out 3 alternating handprints for each child and are holding them together with wooden clothes pins because I didn't have any popsicle sticks. I may or may not get around to laminating them depending if I can find my laminating sheets.

Some parishes are making their blessed palms available for pick up after Palm Sunday. These palms are still beneficial for our families to have, even after Palm Sunday, because blessed palms are a sacramental that help dispose our souls to receive grace. 

If we can get our hands on some palm branches, our prayers as laity can NOT create sacramentals the way a priest’s blessing can. BUT we can pray for the Lord to bless them in the same manner we do for meals, our children, our advent wreath, and other things under our dominion in our home.  

So with holy water, the father of the home or another leader may bless them using the following prayers from Palm Sunday or for putting blessed palms in a place of honor in our homes:

V. The Lord be with you.

R. And with thy spirit.

Increase the faith of those who hope in Thee, O God, and in pity hear our humble petitions. Let Thy manifold mercy descend upon us: may these branches of palm or olive be blessed; and as Thou, foreshadowing Thy Church, didst multiply Noah coming out of the ark, and Moses going out of Egypt with the sons of Israel: so may we, with good works and bearing palms and olive-branches, go forth to meet Christ, and through Him enter into eternal joy: Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God. 

V. For ever and ever. 

R. Amen.

Then sprinkle the palms with holy water.

From the pre-1955 Liturgy of the Palms

Or

Blessed are you, God of Israel, so rich in love and mercy. Ley these branches ever remind us of Christ’s triumph. May we who bear them rejoice in His Cross and sing your praise forever and ever. 

R. Amen

Then sprinkle the palms with holy water.

V. Let us bless the Lord.

R. Thanks be to God.

From Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers, USCCB

The Procession

For the procession, the hymn All Glory Laud and Honor is traditionally sung. The precession can be done outside or inside, however outside is the older practice. Just be sure to include shouts of "Hosanna" and the waving of your branches. And don’t forget the custom of knocking on the door three times before coming back inside to end the procession. The following prayer is traditionally prayed after the door is entered:

V. As Our Lord entered the holy city, the Hebrew children, proclaiming the resurrection of life, with palm branches cried out: Hosanna in the highest. 

R. When the people heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they went forth to meet Him with palm branches.

Since the early church of Rome, the Liturgy of the Palms had been a Dry Mass - Missa Sicca - because after all the readings the procession began at one church and ended at another where the full Sacrifice of the Mass was then offered. 

The Passion

For the Palm Sunday Gospel, and Good Friday, the Passion is read. This is usually done as a dramatized, chanted version with up to 16 roles. There are 6 main characters with the other 10 smaller parts able to be combined. This is a family tradition that I had looked forward to since college!  And I'm so excited to finally have readers that can join in on some parts this year instead of just us parents.

The parish we would attend every Saturday for Mass and confession at during our university days would have a glorious Palm Sunday procession with full costumes and live animals. And our dear friends would chant the Passion.

One year our friend who was chanting the part of Jesus accidentally sang, "I Thirsty," instead of the intended, "I Thirst," and it instantly became a fun memory we haven't let him forget. It also became a part of our family's lexicon for whenever someone says they need water. I've been working on a Family Passion Play with music etc, since Epiphany, but tomorrow we will be reading this traditional version. You can also plug it into the Gospel portion of your family's Dry Mass below. 

Palm Sunday Supper Suggestions

Food wise, since the leaves of romaine lettuce resemble the shape of palm branches, we like to have a salad out of the boats of whole romaine lettuce leaves as part of our Palm Sunday supper. It's kind of like a wedge salad and canned hearts of palms can also be included.

Figs are another food associated with Palm Sunday and be incorporated in the form of fig preserves of fig newtons. However, we save our fig newtons for the next day, Fig Monday, and our traditional Sancti Tea held then.

There are two types of pasta that would be especially fitting for Palm Sunday. And both of these pastas could be paired with a red sauce to match the feast's liturgical color and vestments. Foglie d'ulivo pasta's name means "olive leaves" and that is exactly what them look like. Olive branches have long been a liturgical substitute for palm branches. Vermicelli, on the other hand, translates to "little worms in English and relates to the Palm Sunday Tract before the Gospel. (The Tract replaces the A**e*uia in the Mass propers during penitential seasons.) This Tract recalls the prophecy taken from Psalm 21 and reads:

"O God my God, look upon me: why hast thou forsaken me? Far from my salvation are the words of my sins. O my God, I shall cry by day, and thou wilt not hear: and by night, and it shall not be reputed as folly in me. But thou dwellest in the holy place, the praise of Israel. In thee have our fathers hoped: they have hoped, and thou hast delivered them. They cried to thee, and they were saved: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. But I am a worm, and no man: the reproach of men, and the outcast of the people. All they that saw me have laughed me to scorn: they have spoken with the lips, and wagged the head. He hoped in the Lord, let him deliver him: let him save him, seeing he delighteth in him."

Psalm 21:2-9

Lastly, time for dessert! A Palm Sundae can be made out of your families favorite flavor of green ice cream: lime sherbet, mint chocolate chip, pistachio etc. green or red sprinkles, or other colorful candy, and a fresh mint leaf cut to look like a palm branch can be added if you have them on hand. 

Palm Sunday Liturgy at Home

You can find both the prayers and readings for The Best Palm Sunday Dry Mass in both Latin and English here. If there are any leftover palms from last year in your home, they can be burned as incense for your Family Dry Mass.

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And you can read all about how our family prays a Dry Mass in this post.

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Our super simple, 3 step guide to setting up a home alter is here.

This Week's Hymn Suggestion: All Glory Laud and Honor

All glory, laud, and honor
to you, Redeemer, King, 
to whom the lips of children 
made sweet hosannas ring. 
You are the King of Israel 
and David's royal Son, 
now in the Lord's name coming, 
the King and Blessed One. 

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The company of angels
is praising you on high; 
and we with all creation 
in chorus make reply. 
The people of the Hebrews 
with palms before you went; 
our praise and prayer and anthems 
before you we present. 

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To you before your passion
they sang their hymns of praise; 
to you, now high exalted, 
our melody we raise. 
As you received their praises, 
accept the prayers we bring, 
for you delight in goodness, 
O good and gracious King!

Our Family Free Listening for Today's Sunday Concert Hour is our Playlist "Hosanna in Excelsis!," a compilation of classical music and chant inspired by the Palm Sunday Mass propers and readings. 

The Donut Man also has a few Children's Bible Songs for today that my Bairns LOVE!

What is you family's favorite Palm Sunday tradition? I'd love for you to share about it in the comments!

Pax,

Genie

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