Catholic Family Devotions

Understanding the Day

Season

Time After Pentecost

Week

Week 26 of Time After Pentecost

Rank

Simple feast

The Vigil of St. Andrew the Apostle falls in Ordinary Time (Time after Pentecost) and is the evening before the feast of St. Andrew. In the liturgical calendar a “vigil” is a preparatory observance that helps families enter more deeply into the celebration of a saint’s day. The rank given here is Simple, which in plain language means this observance is kept with modest liturgical formality: it is noted in the prayers and readings but does not replace higher-ranking feasts or require major changes to the Mass or the Divine Office.

Introit (Daily Prayer)

Sedulius
Hail, holy Mother, who in childbirth brought forth the King Who rules heaven and earth world without end.
Ps 44:2
My heart overflows with a goodly theme; as I sing my ode to the King.
Glory Be to the Father…

Grant us, Your servants, O Lord God, we beseech You, to enjoy lasting health of mind and body; and by the intercession of glorious and blessed Mary, ever Virgin, may we be delivered from present sorrow and partake to the full of eternal happiness.
Through our Lord…

Weekly Prayer

Weekly prayer content will appear here once it is scheduled.

Weekly Formation

Faith and Charity

Sins Against the Theological Virtues

Resisting or attacking the known truth
Resisting known truth means opposing a truth recognized as coming from God because accepting it would require conversion or surrender. The sin lies not in honest difficulty or inquiry, but in a willful refusal of light already understood.
Envy at another’s spiritual good
Envy of another’s spiritual good is sadness or resentment at the grace, virtue, holiness, or service of God found in someone else. It is especially contrary to charity because it grieves over the very good by which God is honored and souls are helped.

The Theological Virtues

Faith
Faith is the infused virtue by which the mind firmly assents to the truths God has revealed because He can neither deceive nor be deceived. It rests on God’s authority and gives the foundation by which the believer knows Him and orders life toward Him.
Charity
Charity is the infused virtue by which God is loved above all things for His own sake and one’s neighbor is loved for God. It gives supernatural life to the other virtues by directing the whole person toward friendship with God and eternal union with Him.

Saint & Feast

Principal celebration

Andrew

Vigil of St. Andrew the Apostle

religious figure of the Christian faith

Born: 0006-00-00 · Bethsaida
Died: 0060-11-30 · Patras

Andrew the Apostle was an apostle of Jesus. According to the New Testament, he was a fisherman and one of the Twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus.

Learn more about Andrew

Today in Church History

Encyclical Providentissimus Deus Issued
1893Doctrine
Pope Leo XIII issued the encyclical Providentissimus Deus on November 28, 1893, addressing the study of Holy Scripture and affirming the Church's role in interpreting the Bible.
Providentissimus Deus highlights the importance of Scripture study guided by the Church's teaching authority.
Death of Pope Gregory III
741Papal
Pope Gregory III, known for his opposition to the iconoclast policies of the Byzantine Emperor Leo III, died on November 28, 741. His papacy strengthened the relationship between the papacy and the Frankish kingdom.
Pope Gregory III's defense of sacred images reminds us of the importance of preserving the Church's traditions.

Catechism

Catechism of the Catholic Church

On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples as they devoted themselves to prayer, and he formed the Church in the life of prayer by teaching her and recalling Christ’s words (CCC 2623). The first Christian community devoted itself to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayers—a pattern of prayer founded on apostolic faith, authenticated by charity, and nourished in the Eucharist (CCC 2624). Our prayer is rooted in Scripture, especially the Psalms fulfilled in Christ, and blessing joins God’s gifts with our grateful response to him (CCC 2625-2627). In adoration, we humbly acknowledge God as our Creator and Savior. In petition, we recognize our need for God, ask forgiveness, and pray in hope as the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness (CCC 2628-2631). As we pray together, let us seek first the coming Kingdom, bring every need to the Father in Christ’s name, and remember that by prayer every baptized person works for the Kingdom’s coming (CCC 2632-2633).

¶ 2623

On the day of Pentecost, the Spirit of the Promise was poured out on the disciples, gathered "together in one place." While awaiting the Spirit, "all these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer." The Spirit who teaches the Church and recalls for her everything that Jesus said was also to form her in the life of prayer.

Today's Mass Readings

Open the day's Sancta MissaDivinum Officium · Divino Afflatu - 1954View readings