Thanksgiving

 Young Disciples share about Thanksgiving in the Catholic culture.

Young Disciples Youtube channel

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Click here to download "I am thankful for" printable

All Saints Day and Halloween

On November 1st, the Holy Catholic Church celebrates All Saints Day! It is a Holy Day of Obligation. There is no exact date of origin, but after the legalization of Christianity in A.D. 313, there have been commemoration of the saints, especially martyrs, throughout the Church in the West and the East.

Traditionally, the commemoration of all saints was commonly celebrated on the Sunday after Pentecost. The primary reason for establishing this commemoration was to honor the vast number of martyrs, especially during the persecution of Emperor Diocletian because under his rule were the worst persecutions. There were not enough days in the calendar to honor each martyr and many martyrs died in groups, so it seemed appropriate to have one day to commemorate all saints. Over time, November 1st became the feast of All Saints’ Day, especially when Pope Gregory VII mandated November 1st to be the day of celebration of All Saints’ Day.

Although the world celebrates Halloween embracing the pagan culture, within the Catholic Church, Halloween can be translated into All Hallows’ Eve. The word “hallow” means “to make holy or sacred, to sanctify or consecrate, to venerate.” We say this word every day in the Lord’s Prayer, “Hallowed be Thy Name”. Just as how we have Christmas Eve, we also have All Hallows’ Eve, or All Saints’ Eve. This day was to prepare for the feast day of All Saints’ Day. 

So how can we celebrate both of these days?

• Go to Holy Mass both days to join the celebration of the Great Sacrifice with all of the saints in Heaven. Pray the Litany of Saints
• Dress up as saints to show the world that we are all called to be saints.
• Organize a Holyween party with family and friends. Check out this video!

From this feast day of All Saints’ Day to next year’s feast of All Saints’ Day, choose a saint to be your patron for a year. Ask intercession from this saint each day, learn about this saint, and allow this saint to guide you to holiness for a year.

By Tina Makkanal

The feast of our Lady of Sorrows

Pic Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

On September 15th, the Holy Catholic Church celebrates the feast of our Lady of Sorrows. The title “Lady of Sorrows” is given to our Blessed Mother Mary, which focuses on the intense sufferings and trials she had endured, especially from the moment of the Birth of our Lord Jesus. This feast honors the Seven Dolors (Sorrows) that Mother Mary that she endured which were: 

1. The Prophecy of Simeon 
2. The Flight to Egypt 
3. Search for the Child Jesus in Jerusalem 
4. Mother Mary Meets Jesus Carrying His Cross 
5. The Crucifixion of Jesus 
6. Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross 
7. Jesus is Laid in the Tomb 

What do we learn about our Blessed Mother during this feast? 

Our Blessed Mother’s sorrow exceeds anyone else’s because she is the Mother of Jesus, who was not only Her Son, but Her Lord and Savior; she truly suffered with Her Son. She teaches us how to respond to suffering; our Blessed Mother received the suffering with courage, love, and trust in the Lord. In these moments, she was still saying “Yes” to God’s will, just as how she said “Yes” during Annunciation. Even in the midst of suffering, she knew that God had a greater plan, she knew the suffering of our Lord Jesus is the plan of salvation of all souls; she held onto great hope, knowing God will give His goodness. We do see His goodness; our Lord Jesus has risen from the dead, defeating sin and death! 

Rosary of the Seven Sorrows of our Lady

The Church meditates on these Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Mother Mary through the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady. 

Our Blessed Mother revealed to St. Bridget of Sweden of seven promises that will be fulfilled in souls to those who pray and meditate on Her tears and sorrows daily wholeheartedly. These are: 

• I will grant peace to their families. 

• They will be enlightened about the divine Mysteries. 

• I will console them in their pains and will accompany them in their work. 

• I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of my divine Son or the sanctification of their souls. 

• I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy, and I will protect them at every instant of their lives. 

• I will visibly help them at the moment of their death; they will see the face of their Mother. 

• I have obtained this grace from my divine Son: that those who propagate this devotion to My tears and sorrows will be taken from this earthly life to eternal happiness, since all their sins will be forgiven, and My Son will be their eternal consolation and joy. 

I invite you to pray with your families this Rosary of the Seven Sorrows of our Lady daily! 

Here are the instructions on how to pray this rosary: 

Rosary of the Seven Sorrows of our Lady 

By Tina Makkanal

Do you want your child to be Spiritually healthy?

 👉remember to give them Spiritual supplements 

Tips to avoid spiritual malnutrition and improve spiritual fitness 

1. Oxygenate them with Prayer 

2. Water them with love 

3. Feed them with word of God 

4. Nourish them with sacraments 

5. Protect them with the precious blood 

6. Cover them with mantle of mother Mary 

7. Cherish them with gratitude 

By Sheena Roy, TX

Doing a Matthew 2020

Mother knows best, isn’t it?

In this Scripture verse we see how a mother pleads her children’s case to Jesus. She definitely did not understand the seriousness of her own request and Jesus confirms this in His response to her. But we learn later that James is the first to be martyred among the Apostles and John was the Apostle who received all the visions in the Book of Revelation and is often nicknamed as the 'Apostle of Love'. Among the three apostles whom Jesus often called and took along with Him, two were the sons of this poor mother. 

What did this mother do right?

Many a times when praying for my children, I often wonder if I’m asking for the right things. It was one such occasion when I happened to open my Bible to Matthew 20:20. When meditating on this verse, I felt the Holy Spirit telling me that what I ask for my children isn’t significant. Rather the only one thing that is needed is that I should kneel before my God everyday for my children. 

I have begun to call this posture a Matthew 20:20. Not just for their own children, but may the Lord Jesus give every mother the burden in their heart to bend their knees in the grace of Matthew 20:20 for all children.  

By Shikha Jose, WA