Understanding the Day
Season
Eastertide
Week
Week 2 of Eastertide
Rank
Simple feast
Septuagesima is the preparatory season before Lent in the older liturgical practice called the divino afflatu calendar. The Saturday Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Sanctæ Mariæ Sabbato) is celebrated on Saturdays during this season as a special devotion honoring Mary’s ongoing role in the Church’s life and in the spiritual formation of Christian households. The rank “Simple” indicates this is a proper devotion of modest liturgical weight: it is observed with particular prayers or antiphons in the Divine Office but does not supersede more important solemnities or Sundays. There is no octave or vigil attached here; this is a recurring weekly observance.
Daily Prayer
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Weekly Prayer
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Weekly Formation
Beatitude 7
The Beatitudes
Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God.
Peacemakers establish the tranquility of right order by reconciling persons to God, to truth, and to one another. Christian peace is therefore more than avoiding conflict; it rests on justice and charity and does not purchase quiet by cooperation with evil.
Saint & Feast
Principal celebrationCalendar title
Saturday Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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Today in Church History
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Catechism
Catechism of the Catholic Church
In the Catechism, we learn that Jesus’ Resurrection is unlike the return to ordinary earthly life experienced by those he raised before Easter. In his risen body, he passes from death to a new life beyond time and space. His body still bears the marks of his Passion, showing that it is truly the same body that was crucified, yet it also has the new properties of a glorious body and is filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. The Resurrection is a real event, witnessed through the empty tomb and the apostles’ encounters with the risen Christ, while still remaining a mystery that transcends history and human senses. Jesus revealed himself to his disciples in ways meant to awaken their faith. As a family, we can prayerfully contemplate Christ’s suffering, death, and risen glory, trusting in the Father’s power revealed in raising his Son.
Bishops, with priests as their co-workers, have the first task of preaching the Gospel and are authentic teachers of the apostolic faith with Christ’s authority. Through the Church’s living Magisterium, Christ preserves his people in the faith handed on by the apostles and helps them abide in the truth that liberates. The Church’s shepherds serve this mission in matters of faith and morals, while the faithful adhere to the Church’s teaching with the obedience of faith or, for ordinary teaching, with religious assent. Following the model of the Good Shepherd, bishops are called to lead with compassion and service, sanctifying the Church through prayer, the word, the sacraments, and their example. As we pray and grow in faith together, we can remain closely united to our bishop and the Church, journeying with the flock entrusted to their care toward eternal life.
In the Catholic Church, the laity, comprising all baptized individuals except those in Holy Orders or religious life, plays a vital role in furthering the mission of Christ. They are called to engage actively in the world, seeking God’s kingdom through their daily lives and responsibilities, thereby shaping society in accordance with Christian values. This vocation includes the responsibility to evangelize, as laypeople contribute significantly to the Church's apostolate, ensuring that the Gospel is heard and embraced by all. Families, particularly parents, are encouraged to embody this mission by fostering a Christian spirit in their homes and guiding their children's faith journey, transforming everyday experiences into acts of worship and service to God.