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Important Feasts and Events of the Local Catholic Church

• Overview of some popular Catholic Church feasts and events

Solemnity of the Epiphany

• Manifestation of the Lord as savior of all men, not just the Jews
• The wise men looking for and revering the Christ child represent the worldwide importance and mission of the newly born infant

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

• Manifestation of Jesus as the beloved Son of the Father, filled with the spirit
• The Christmas cycle presents various aspects and dimensions of Jesus, for rich catechesis and meditation

Immaculate Conception (December 8)

• A Marian feast given to the West from the churches of the East
• The date of December 8 was chosen in relation to the older feast of the birth of Mary on September 8
• Nine months before the birth is the conception, Mary's conception by St. Anne was celebrated as early as the seventh century
• The content of the feast marks the deed of God allowing Anne to conceive despite her barrenness and age as nothing is impossible
• Via Southern Italy, the feast was reformulated in the West, focusing on Mary being conceived without sin
• Duns Scotus and the Franciscans developed the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception and Pope Sixtus IV approved the feast in 1476
• Pope Clement XI extended the feast to the entire church in 1708
• In 1830 Catherine Laboure had visions of the blessed Mother and miraculous medals were made in 1832 presenting Mary with the inscription "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee"
• These medals and Alphonse Ratisbonne's conversion in 1842 increased the feast and doctrine's popularity
• Pope Pius IX in "Ineffabilis Deus" formulates the dogma, declaring Mary was from the first moment of conception immune from original sin by God's grace, to be believed by the faithful
• Mary is free of sin in a radical way, through a special singular grace from God
• The privilege does not diminish Jesus's role as savior as Mary was granted it view of Christ because she was chosen to be the Mother of God

The Aguinaldo Masses

• December the Sixteenth is a day of excitement and joy in the Philippines
• It marks the beginning of the dawn Masses for the nine days preceding Christmas
• The practice originates from the Rorate Masses
• They are celebrated early, to signify the darkness to be overcome by light
• In some places they are held on the Saturdays of Advent
• In other places, they are held on the nine days preceding Christmas, which corresponds to today's Aguinaldo Masses
• Reasons for the early hour: symbolic reference to Christ as the light introduced into the world by Mary, popularity with the faithful, penitential tradition

Santa Claus

• Saint Nicholas is a popular saint in the West, despite being a bishop in the East
• St. Nicholas legendarily saved three young girls from prostitution by giving money to them
• St. Nicholas legendarily brought back to life three young boys who were killed
• Many miracles show St. Nicholas as a powerful intercessor and helper, especially to the poor and children

Search for an Inn

• Also called Panunuluyan, it is a type of Advent play of German origin popular as far as the Philippines
• The Search for an Inn fits the second part of Advent, it is concentrating more on Christmas
• Re-enactments of Joseph and Mary looking for shelter serve as a preparation for the Midnight Mass

Feast of Santo Niño

• Devotion to the Child Jesus developed in Europe in the 15th/16th century
• The Santo Niño Image drips healing oil, which is considered to have healing effects for people with cancer
• The Santo Niño de Providencia is known to turn his head and walk around the house, disappearing from his altar
• Filipinos have great faith and trust in Santo Niño

Worldwide Known Statues of Sto. Niño

• The oldest is the "Bambino" of the Church Araceli in Rome
• Another famous image is the "Infant of Prague"
• Santo Niño de Cebu Ferdinand Magellan entered Cebu on April 7, 1521
• Queen Juana was given a statue of the Child Jesus as a baptismal gift
• In 1971 the feast of the Santo Niño on the Third Sunday of January was introduced in the National Calendar.
• Rome confirmed it (1975), and in 1978 approved the texts for the Mass and the Divine Office
• The devotion is popular in the Philippines, so the Bishops' Conference opted for a liturgical feast
• It is celebrated on the Third Sunday of January, outside but related to the Christmas season

Annunciation of the Lord (March 25)

• Aspects of history, content, and development are under investigated
• Proof of the feast is a homily of Abraham of Ephesus held in Constantinople between 530-550
• Eastern churches title it "Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary"
• Western churches feast was introduced in the seventh century
• The Roman Calendar of 1969 reversed the title and returned to the title the feast had, in the beginning The new, "Annunciation of the Lord", shows the Annunciation is a feast primarily of the Lord
• The solemnity is the recollection of the high point in the dialogue about salvation between God and the virgin, memorializing her consent and cooperation

Feast of the Holy Family

• Held on the Sunday during the Octave of Christmas
• Special veneration for the Holy Family developed in the 17th century, especially in France and Belgium
• François de Laval de Montmorency (1623-1708) a French Bishop of Quebec, fostered and promoted it

Epiphany (January 6)

• The feast is a twin feast of Christmas, a "little Christmas feast", complimenting and enriching December 25
• Both celebrate the mystery of the Incarnation, the coming and manifestation of Christ in the world

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

• It is an old and young feast in the year of the church mysteries of Christ
• It was one of the mysteries of Christ celebrated on the feast of Epiphany
• The date was set on January 13, the octave day of Epiphany to show the connection between the two feasts

Significant Dates of SVD/DWCC Society

• July 25, 1875 ordination of Joseph Freinademetz
• September 8, 1875 Inauguration of the Mission House in Steyl, Holland
• March 2, 1878 First SVD missionaries sent to China Joseph Freinademetz and John B. Anzer
• March 1884-1885 – First SVD General Chapter, Father Arnold's Foundation became known as Society of the Divine Word or Societas Verbi Divini
• December 8, 1889 Foundation of Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit or SSPS
• December 8, 1896 Foundation of Sisters Servant of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration or SSPSAP
• January 1, 1908 Death of Father Joseph in South Shantung China
• January 15, 1909 Death of Father Arnold in Steyl
• August 15, 1909 Fr. Ludwig Beckert and Fr. Sheiermann arrived in Manila, and started the SVD mission in Cagutongan(San Isidro), ABRA
• August 1912 Arrival of first SSPS sisters in Tayum, Abra
• August 23, 1923 Arrival of First Pink sisters in Lipa, Batangas
• October 19, 1975 Beatification of Arnold Janssen and Joseph Frienademetz by Pope Paul VI
• October 5, 2003 Cannonization of Arnold Janssen and Joseph Freinademetz by Pope John Paul II

The SVD Motto Prayer

• "May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the Light of the Word and the Spirit of grace, and may the Heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all."
• The Society's mission is through the prism of Light and Darkness based on the Prologue of Saint John
• The Divine Word is longing to be born in human hearts so that all people may become more and more daughters and sons of God

Father Arnold

• He contemplated the Prologue of St. John as a unique epiphany of Divine Light
• It started with the act of Creation and reached climax in the Incarnation
• Saint John's thoughts had a decisive influence on his spirituality in preparation for the Mission House in the early 1870s
• The SVD Motto Prayer expresses the spirit and tradition of the Founder and the Society
• The first part of the prayer is based on The Prologue (John 1:1; 1: 4-5; 1:8-9; “full of grace and truth" 1:14)
• It has references to Zechariah (12:10) "Spirit of grace" and St. Paul (1Thess 5:5) “night” &“darkness”
• Light of the Word (Logos) is the inspiring and encouraging love
• Missionaries have to implore the light from the Father as the reflection of his beauty constantly

Christological Reading of the Prayer

• In the second part of the prayer, the light of the Word and the Spirit of grace dwell in their fullness in the Sacred Heart
• The entire Trinity dwells in the Divine Heart

Quarter Hour Prayer

• God, eternal truth - We believe in you.
• God, our strength and our salvation - We hope in you.
• God, infinite goodness - We love you with all our heart.
• You have sent the Word as Savior of the world- Make us all one in Him.
• Fill us with the Spirit of your Son- That we may glorify your name.
• Amen.