As we welcome a new liturgical year on December 1, the First Sunday of Advent, please note the following offerings that will be available on this "Virtual Mission House" for 2025.
Sunday Liturgy -- a weekly resource to help prepare for the Sunday liturgy including the proper chants, collect, readings (NRSV translation), homily, intercessions and music along with a series of quotations — the Catena Nova — a homage to the classic collection of patristic quotes on the Sunday Gospel by St. Thomas Aquinas.
Acta Sanctorum and Feast Days — weekly entries on the lives of the saints in homage to the encyclopedic work of the Bollandists. Saints are featured both from the General Roman Calendar and the Roman Martyrology containing all the saints and blessed commemorated on a given day. Entries include a biography, scripture reading, selection from their writings, a musical selection and collect. Entries for feasts and solemnities of the Lord and the Blessed Virgin Mary are also provided.
Advent -- the fourth and last in a series on the Apocalypse of John (Book of Revelation) guided this year by Russian Orthodox theologian Fr. Sergei Bulgakov.
Church Unity Octave — Entires will be provided to observe the week of prayer for Christian unity from January 18-25.
Lent -- Each day of the Lenten season will feature an entry from the Wisdom literature of the Old Testament with commentary, a musical selection and collect. A weekly devotional service will also be provided suitable especially for the Fridays of Lent.
Month of May — the second in a series of daily entries providing a Scripture passage, reading, musical selection and collect in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Month of the Precious Blood — each day of July will include an entry on the Precious Blood of Christ including readings from scripture and other authors with a musical selection and collect.
Season of Creation (September 1-October 4) — a daily entry guided by the poetry of the English Jesuit Gerard Manley Hopkins (+1889) and Denise Levertov (+1997) along with art, a psalm verse, a musical selection and prayer.
Month of the Holy Souls — the third in a series of Scripture and other readings, music and collects for each day of November for reflection and prayer on behalf of the faithful departed.
Precious Blood Gems -- a daily quotation on the Blood of Christ either from the saint commemorated that day in the General Calendar, the Martyrology or another author.
Devotions -- Interspersed throughout the year will be devotions including the Novena to St. Joseph (March 10-18); the Pentecost Novena (May 30-June 7), and the Novena to the Transforming Light from the feast of the Transfiguration to the Vigil of the Assumption (August 6-14)
I hope this wide array of biblical, theological, spiritual and liturgical resources will enrich your ongoing Christian formation throughout the coming year of our Lord.
Fr. John Colacino C.PP.S.