St. Gabriel Church

The Forgotten Feast: Our Lady, Mother of the Good Shepherd

The Saturday before Good Shepherd Sunday is a special day to honor Mary, Mother of the Good Shepherd, and was a popular feast in certain parts of the world. Click HERE to read more.

St. Joseph Experienced the Greatest of Holy Hours in History

Noble Offspring of David models and teaches us Eucharistic adoration in countless ways. Click HERE to read more.

How St. Elizabeth of the Trinity taught me how to pray for others in 7 words.

I can tell you that it was in 2003 that I learned a new, and highly instructive, efficacious way to pray for the sick. That was the year I purchased Volume 2 of the Letters from Carmel from the (then) beata, (now the newest saint from coming to us out of Carmel) Elizabeth of the Trinity. Click HERE to read more.

Stabat Mater

The liturgical hymn most frequently associated with Our Lady of Sorrows is the Stabat Mater Dolorosa.  Its title is simply the first three words of the Latin hymn and refers to Mary on Calvary standing at the foot of Jesus’ cross. Click HERE to read more.

The Apostolate of Smiling

Just a little smile on your lips: Cheers your heart, Keeps you in good humor, Preserves peace in your soul, Promotes your health, Beautifies your face, Induces kindly thoughts, Inspires kindly deeds. Click HERE to read more.

What is the origins of Lent?

In late winter, many Christian denominations observe a 40-day period of fasting and prayer called Lent. This is in preparation for the spring celebration of Easter, a religious holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
Click HERE to read more.

The Chaplet of Adoration and Reparation 

Truly a timely prayer and one that should practiced and promoted nationwide.
Click HERE to learn the prayer

Catholic Devotions By Month

Despite being a cradle Catholic, I only learned recently (like 2 years ago) about the 12 traditional Catholic monthly devotions of the liturgical year. Argh, what a shame on my part…Click HERE to learn what they are.

The History of the Epiphany: What you need to know

While the hustle and bustle of Christmas ends for many people on Dec. 26, throughout Christian history Christmas lasts for much longer. The feast marking the end of Christmas is called “Epiphany.”

In the Latin rite of the Catholic Church, Epiphany celebrates the revelation that Jesus was the Son of God. It focuses primarily on this revelation to the Three Wise Men, but it also focuses on his baptism in the Jordan and at the wedding at Cana. Click HERE to read more

The Solemnity of Mary Mother of God

The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God is a liturgical celebration observed on January 1st. By celebrating a solemnity dedicated to Mary’s motherhood, the Church highlights the significance of her part in the life of Jesus and emphasizes that He is both human and divine.

Click HERE to learn more

Catholics and the Days of the Week

The ancient Greeks had two words for time: chronos and kairos. Chronos refers to the type of time that can be measured by clocks and calendars. Kairos refers to a very different type of time altogether: sacred time, God’s time. Follow Aleteia.org’s Annabel Moseley as she opens up the “Days of the Week” and how we can use these days for special reflections. Click a Day Below to Learn More:
SUN - MON - TUE - WED - THU - FRI - SAT

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe - November 26th
All of creation is a footstool for the Lord of the Universe

This last Sunday in Ordinary Time is dedicated to the very highest understanding of the nature, role, and purpose of Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus is multifaceted, the deep hues and contours of his personality revealing themselves to different races and ages in different ways. (click HERE to read more)

Why do Catholics Celebrate All Souls Day?

The Church is composed of the faithful living upon the earth and those who have gone before us. The latter includes the Saints in Heaven and the faithful Souls being purified in Purgatory. Just as on November 1st we honor those who are with God, on November 2nd Catholics celebrate a Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed. (Click HERE to learn more) To Pray the Litany of the Holy Souls in Purgatory click HERE

Why do Catholics Make the Sign of the Cross before Praying?

Is it some sort of medieval superstition? The sign of the cross that Catholics make before prayer or any other activity is not meant to be a superstitious act, but an outward profession of faith...(click HERE to learn more)

The Sixth Apparition of Our Lady of Fatima

On October 13, 1917, Our Lady made her sixth and final apparition at the Cova da Iria in Fatima, Portugal to three shepherd children: Lucia dos Santos, and her cousins Saints Francisco and Jacinta Marto.

The final apparition is known as the “Miracle of the Sun,” when the thousands gathered for the apparition saw the sun moving in the sky. (Learn More) 

 Who are the Archangels? (Feast Day - September 29)
Learn more about St. Michael, St. Gabriel, & Raphael
(click here to read more)

Our Lady of Sorrows? (Feast Day - September 15)
The roots of today’s memorial can be traced back to the New Testament, but the memorial wasn’t celebrated as a universal feast of the Church until 1814...
(click here to read more)

Triumph of the Holy Cross (Feast Day - September 14) 
To this day, the Eastern Churches, Catholic and Orthodox alike, celebrate the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on the September anniversary of the basilica’s dedication.
(click here to read more)

The Most Holy Name of Mary (Feast Day - September 12)
The whole world is filled with her glory, and this is especially true of Christian peoples, who have chosen her as guardian and protectress of kingdoms, provinces, dioceses, and towns. Many cathedrals are consecrated to God in her name.
(click here to read more)

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Feast Day - September 8)
“The day of the Nativity of the Mother of God is a day of universal joy, because through the Mother of God, the entire human race was renewed, and the sorrow of the first mother, Eve, was transformed into joy.”
(click here to read more)

 Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary
...It is for these reasons, that on October 11, 1954, four years after the proclamation of the Assumption, Pope Pius XII instituted the Memorial of the Queenship of Mary...(click here  to learn more)

What does it mean? The Transfiguration of the Lord
This event is significant in Jesus’ life and ministry because it confirms his divinity and demonstrates how he fulfills the Old Testament scriptures. (click here to learn more)

How long is Jesus present in the Eucharist after we’ve received communion?

The "Real Presence" of Christ does not end when we receive him at Mass under the appearance of bread and wine.
(click here to learn more)

The Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ

July 1st is the Feast of the Most Precious Blood in the Traditional Liturgical Calendar.  This feast was instituted only in 1849, but the devotion is as old as Christianity. (click here to learn more)

Why Immaculate Heart of Mary follows the Sacred Heart of Jesus

These two celebrations always come back to back, with nothing separating the heart of Jesus from the heart of his mother... (click here to learn more)

 History of the Sacred Heart Devotion

The foundation for the Sacred Heart devotion began in early Christianity. (click here to learn more)

Why is June the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

June is known as the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus...(click HERE to learn more)

Our Lady of Fatima - 2nd apparition

Preceding the second apparition, the seers, Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta, once again saw a great brilliance, which they called lightning (click Here to learn more)

The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

We turn to the Seven Gifts of the sanctifying category. They are: wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, piety and fear of the Lord. (click HERE to learn more)

 Our Lady of Fatima

The Story of Our Lady of Fatima, and Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco - The Angel of Portugal

In the spring of 1916, the children had their first joint supernatural encounter as a means of preparing them for their meetings with Mary. As they were looking after the sheep one day they saw...(click HERE to learn more)

Why do girls wear veils at their First Communion?

Veils have a long and complicated history, dating back to an interpretation of St. Paul's letter to the Corinthians. One of the most common practices in the United States, as well as...(click HERE to learn more)

The Ascension of the Lord - History

The observance of this feast is of great antiquity. Eusebius seems to hint at the celebration of it in the 4th century At the beginning of the 5th century, Augustine of Hippo says (click HERE to learn more)