The month of September is dedicated to
Our Lady of Sorrows, which is celebrated on September 15th.
Sorrowful Heart of Mary, Mother of Christians, ora pro nobis!
The Holy Father's Intention's for the month:
General: That people today, often overwhelmed by
noise, may rediscover the value of silence and listen to the voice of
God and their brothers and sisters.
Missionary: That Christians suffering persecution in many parts of the world may by their witness be prophets of Christ's love.
Ember Day Reminder!
September 18th, 20th, and 21st
Since man is both a spiritual and physical being, the Church provides
for the needs of man in his everyday life. The Church's liturgy
and feasts in many areas reflect the four seasons of the year (spring,
summer, fall and winter). The months of August, September, October
and November are part of the harvest season, and as Christians we
recall God's constant protection over his people and give thanksgiving
for the year's harvest.
The September Ember Days were particularly focused
on the end of the harvest season and thanksgiving to God for the
season. Ember Days were three days (Wednesday, Friday and Saturday)
set aside by the Church for prayer, fasting and almsgiving at the
beginning of each of the four seasons of the year. The ember days
fell after December 13, the feast of St. Lucy (winter), after the
First Sunday of Lent (spring), after Pentecost Sunday (summer),
and after September 14, the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy
Cross (fall). These weeks were known as the
quattor tempora,
the "four seasons."
Since the late 5th century, the Ember Days were
also the preferred dates for ordination of priests. So during these
times the Church had a threefold focus: (1) sanctifying each
new season by turning to God through prayer, fasting and almsgiving;
(2) giving thanks to God for the various harvests of each season;
and (3) praying for the newly ordained and for future vocations
to the priesthood and religious life.
Recipe for the Month:
St. Michael's Waffles
In France, paper-thin sweet
wafers called
gaufres were baked by street vendors.
Serve waffles on St. Michael's Day to continue this tradition.
Michaelmas is celebrated on September 29th.
Liturgical Craft for the Month:
On September 12th, the Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary, have your children try to draw Mary's monogram and see if they can find the letters that spell Maria within it. Then color it and decorate it!
Special Announcement:
This
Saturday, September 14th, there will be a
Traditional Latin Mass at
11:00 in honor of the
Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, at
St. John the Baptist in Front Royal, VA.
(Explanation of Ember Days and Recipe taken from CatholicCulture.org)
