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The word Advent comes from the Latin word adventus, which means “coming”. During Advent we wait patiently for the coming of Jesus.
According to the General Norms for the Liturgical Year and Calendar, Advent has a two-fold character. It is a season to prepare for Christmas when we remember Christ’s first coming to us.
Pope Pius XI established the feast of Christ, the King, as a worldwide feast in 1925.
Pope Pius added this feast to the Church year to respond to growing secularism and to the waning faith in Christ the King by Catholics and others. Pope Pius XI hoped this feast would motivate Catholics and others to reject godless ways and accept Christ as king and savior.
A blind boy sat holding a hat. He held up a sign which said: “I am blind, please help.” There were only a few coins in the hat.
A man took some coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. Then he turned the sign around and wrote some words. After he did this, many more people were giving money to the blind boy.
During November, we celebrate the feasts of All Saints, All Souls, and Christ the King.
Church years often end near the end of November, when we also begin Advent. During Advent, we prayerfully, patiently await Christ’s birth.
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In 1972, Respect Life Month was initiated by the American Catholic bishops. It is observed yearly during October in American Catholic dioceses.
It stresses the value and dignity of human life in all its stages. It is dedicated to increasing a greater culture of life through public information, education, pastoral care, public policy, and prayer.
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After summer sports end, grade school, high school, college, and professional sports offer us fresh opportunities to reflect upon values that athletics helps to foster, especially in youth.
Independence Day on July 4 is a federal holiday when we celebrate the anniversary of the day when the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence.
Four days after the signing, the Liberty Bell rang to summon the people to the first public reading of the document. As the words were read, there were great shouts of affirmation and celebration.
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Adam Hamilton tells a story about a camping trip he took with his two young daughters. The trip coincided with his birthday.
He explained to his two daughters that each could have 20 dollars each to spend during the three days they were camping there. The two girls were so excited that they practically dragged their dad to the gift shop just outside the camp.
Memorial Day is a federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. For some, Memorial Day means the beginning of summer. For others, it is a day off to go shopping.
The purpose of Memorial Day, however, is to honor military personnel who died while serving our country, particularly those who died in battle or from wounds received in battle.
On Veterans Day, we honor those who served honorably in military service during wartime or peacetime.
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Mother’s day is a special holy day when we honor the gift of our mother. This year we celebrate Mother’s Day on May 13.
Attempts to start an American Mother’s Day began after the Civil War as a protest to that war’s carnage by mothers who had lost their sons in that war. This early Mother’s Day for Peace movement was led by Julia Ward Howe, author of “Battle Hymn of the Republic.”
