The Dogma On December 8, nine months before the celebration of the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary (September 8), Catholics celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception referring to Mary conceived in the womb of her mother, St. Anne. The celebration of the feast began on December 8, 1854,
The word advent is derived from Latin word, adventus, that means “arrival, coming”. Advent, being the season that begins the Catholic Church’s liturgical year, is intended to be a period of preparation for the coming of Jesus. On Sundays of Advent season, the Church lights candles in an Advent Wreath
Derived from the Greek term that means “royal house”, a basilica is a church that the Pope granted special ecclesiastical privileges. There are 2 types of basilicas namely Major Basilicas (which only have 4 churches namely St. John Lateran, St. Peter, St. Paul Outside the Walls, and St. Mary Major
As the liturgical calendar goes in its annual cycle, the Church associates “the return of dates and seasons with the remembrance of past events.” (Dies Domini 76) Remembrance of these decisive events is then celebrated by people in a festive manner which gives vibrance and disrupts the monotone atmosphere of
The Basic Ecclesial Communities or BEC are local Christian communities in neighborhoods within parishes described by the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCP II) as “small communities of Christians, usually of families who gather around the Word of God and the Eucharist. These communities are united to their pastors
Fifty days after the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Catholic Church celebrates Pentecost. On this feast day that concludes the Easter season, Catholics celebrate the beginning of the Church. The word Pentecost is derived from the Greek word “pentecoste” which means fiftieth. In Christian tradition, the faithful celebrate at
In 1955, Pope Pius XII instituted the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker in response to workers’ observance of the “May Day” Holiday. This led to the annual celebration of the said feast coinciding with the historic day of honor for workers worldwide. Joseph, the Lord’s foster father, was a
Chrism Mass is the Holy Mass celebrated by the bishop at the diocese’s cathedral church on Holy Thursday morning. Joined by the priests in the diocese, the celebration manifests the priests’ unity with their bishop. In the celebration, the bishop blesses three oils, namely the oil of catechumens, the oil
The final Sunday of Lent, which also serves as the beginning of Holy Week is called Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord. On this day, the Catholic Church celebrates the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, days before his passion and death on the cross. In the Gospels,
