Celebrating Catholic Feasts Over the Summer
Gathering over the summer to celebrate Catholic feasts is a great way to continue your child’s faith journey during their time off from school. It’s the perfect time to discuss feasts with your family and spend a little extra time on the importance of each one. Here are a few feasts we recommend celebrating as a family.
Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
This June 16 devotion to the heart of Jesus symbolizes God’s love and compassion for humanity. The feast originated in the 1600s by a French nun named St. Margaret May Alacoque based on visions she had of Jesus. Two centuries later, Pope Pius IX declared the feast obligatory for the Church.
Celebrate this feast by reciting the Sacred Heart Prayer:
O most holy Heart of Jesus, fountain of every blessing, I adore You, I love You, and with a lively sorrow for my sins, I offer You this poor heart of mine.
Make me humble, patient, pure, and wholly obedient to Your will.
Grant, good Jesus, that I may live in You and for You. Protect me in the midst of danger; comfort me in my afflictions.
Give me health of body, assistance in my temporal needs, Your blessing on all that I do, and the grace of a holy death. Amen.
St. Benedict’s Feast Day
The July 11 Memorial of St. Benedict celebrates the medieval Christian saint who founded the Benedictine Order and wrote the Rule of St. Benedict. The Rule emphasizes the importance of community, hospitality, simplicity and continual prayer.
You can celebrate this feast by hosting others in your home. Talk to your children about the importance of hospitality. Discuss how being friendly and hospitable to others can make their day better, and see how you can put those skills to good use when the guests arrive.
Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord
This August 6 feast commemorates the moment Jesus brought Peter, James and John to Mount Tabor to pray. Moses and Elijah appeared, and Jesus became transfigured, suddenly glowing and becoming dazzlingly bright. It’s a celebration of the revelation of Jesus’s eternal glory.
This feast is traditionally celebrated with an all-night vigil beginning on the eve of the Feast, and grapes are brought to the church on the Feast day. If your church participates in the fruit tradition, take a trip to the farmer’s market as a family to gather grapes the day before, then bring them in to be blessed.
Memorial of St. Clare
The August 11 feast dedicated to St. Clare of Assisi celebrates the life of the woman who founded the Order of the Poor Ladies and is now known as the saint of sore eyes, embroidery and, most notably, television! This is because in her old age, she became too ill to attend church, and the images and sounds of Mass appeared on the wall of her room.
Consider celebrating this feast by having a family movie night! Find a movie that everyone enjoys, and gather as a family to watch it after talking about the story of St. Clare.
Celebrating these feasts together can help you and your family enjoy a faith-filled summer. With over 57 years of academic excellence, St. Teresa Catholic School, a Titusville Catholic school, provides a quality education that challenges and empowers students to develop their full potential. Teachers foster qualities that are essential for lifelong learning and equip students for future success. To learn more about why St. Teresa is the perfect fit for you and your student, contact us today.