As Catholics, we have a rich collection of prayers, devotions, feast days, traditions and celebrations that cycle through the seasons, guiding our hearts and minds to God. The richness of the Catholic faith is not confined within the doors of our parishes, only to be accessed when we attend Mass. We are called to carry the beauty of the faith and the life-giving grace of the Eucharist beyond the walls of the church and into our daily lives.
“Festive Faith: Catholic Celebrations Through the Year and Around the World” by Stefani Aquila offers readers, both at home and in parish leadership roles, a fabulous array of traditions and customs to embrace throughout the year. The book, organized by liturgical season, invites readers to immerse themselves fully into the “liturgical life” or “sacramental life.” Aquila states in her introduction that engaging in this lifestyle “is a transformative and ongoing affirmation of God and all God’s good creation which is written into the very core of our being.” How beautiful!
The book can be read cover to cover, or readers can flip through at their leisure to find inspiration for deepening their faith at home through various traditions with roots from around the world. Each seasonal section offers a brief history of the tradition, ways to incorporate it at home, ways parishes can invite and support participation, and personal reflections. Some of the traditions covered are well known, such as setting up an Advent wreath or the Feast of the Seven Fishes (especially here in Rhode Island…Raise your hand if you also grew up eating baccalà), veiling sacred images during Passiontide, or the May crowning of the Blessed Mother. But there are some lesser known traditions included that are just as beautiful and meaningful. Examples include eating blackberries on the feast of St. Michael the Archangel, making bundles of fragrant herbs for the Assumption, lighting a bonfire for the feast of St. John the Baptist, soul cakes for All Souls Day, and the blessing of grapes for the Transfiguration. The author pulls from her own Hispanic roots, her husband’s Italian roots, along with Irish, Polish, Filipino, German, and other traditions.
The beauty of liturgical living is that it connects us to both the heavenly realm and to the seasonal changes in nature. To live liturgically is to connect to the present moment, to slow down, to live with intention, internal reflection, and the solace of being united with Jesus. In a culture that is constantly rushing to the next season instead of enjoying the current one (see pumpkins and “sweater weather” decor popping up in stores in the heat of July), as Catholics we can push back in a gentle, but firm, way. We can choose to live our lives in sync with the rhythms God instated in the natural world and the Church.
As the year winds down and approaches its close, perhaps consider adopting liturgical living as a New Year’s resolution. “Festive Faith” is a great place to start! It’s important to remember that it’s not required of us to cram in every tradition or activity included into our calendars. That would defeat the purpose of living slowly by causing stress. Perhaps start with just one new tradition, and then grow from there. For our family, we started with collecting herbs and flowers from our garden for the Assumption, to place around the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe on our front stoop. Simple, but meaningful, as it slows us down to take time to honor the Blessed Mother and thank God for all the gifts in our garden. Each year, we add something small, ever training our souls to orient themselves towards God in our daily comings and goings. I hope others may find joy in doing the same.
Mary Gannon is a wife, mother, and lifelong Rhode Islander. She works for the RIDEM Division of Fish and Wildlife, educating the public about wildlife conservation, and sharing her joy for all God’s creation.
