Worship committee assignments & Divine Mercy excitement on Laetare Sunday...

For a Monday morning, I'm in a really good mood. Most of it relates to Catholic stuff, which I'll get to in a moment, but I'll admit that part of it is the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament and the beer Mike and I will be consuming Friday afternoon. :0 Every year, Mike hosts a March Madness pool, which is great fun though we don't watch basketball the remainder of the year. So I'm always a good sport and fill out a bracket. ;-) And this year, for the first time in the history of the Tournament, the University at Buffalo Bulls are making an appearance! They won the MAC, which is an automatic bid, and they're seeded 12th, slated to play West Virginia Friday at 2 pm. I'm taking the afternoon off, and much beer consumption and revelry will ensue. Looking forward. It's just a nice little pick-me-up for the spring.

But yesterday! So lovely. Laetare Sunday, halfway through Lent! No rose vestments at our parish this year, sadly. We do have a new priest, but I assumed vestments stayed with a parish, though perhaps I am wrong about that. Our previous priest had rose vestments that he wore on Gaudate and Laetare Sunday each year. Our new priest was wearing violet yesterday, which is the main liturgical color for Lent and the other option for Laetare Sunday in the absence of rose. Mass was absolutely beautiful, and when the kids and I went back to the sacristy afterward we saw Palm Sunday paraphernalia piling up back there. Oh!

SO EXCITED.

But back to the sacristy. There was a reason I was in there. Fr. Joe made an announcement about the Worship Committee and the upcoming first meeting. He asked those who had expressed an interest in volunteering to pick up a Sourcebook after Mass. Being the Type A eager beaver that I am, I discreetly stalked him after the closing hymn as the kids and I chatted with some of our new friends from the parish. When he paused near us to talk to the head of the music ministry about upcoming liturgies, I sensed my opportunity to pounce. As soon as he was done, he turned and found my smiling face. :0

He was pleased by my interest and went right back to get my book for me. A liturgy book, homework, I LOVE THIS STUFF!! The meeting is next week and I couldn't be more nerdily pleased.

In other exciting news, Pope Francis announced on Friday an upcoming extraordinary Jubilee Holy Year of Mercy. I live for this stuff, people. Holy Doors being opened, special THEMES, I mean. :0 This special year will begin on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8, 2015, and run through the feast of Christ the King in late November, 2016. I was so happy to read about this, since I have a devotion to St. Faustina and the Divine Mercy. And with Divine Mercy Sunday quickly approaching, I had ordered a corresponding rosary to pray the novena with, since that starts each year on Good Friday. I mean, could the timing be more perfect? It arrived Saturday. Da da DA!

Rosaries by Allison

I'm dying to pray with it, but am saving it for the Divine Mercy novena. Which I'll post more about as Holy Week draws closer, so consider joining in! Lots to look forward to, to be sure.

How was your Laetare Sunday, dear reader?

The Catholic Nook: Laetare Sunday

This is a bonus edition of the Catholic Nook coming your way on a *Saturday* because of the 7 posts in 7 days blogging challenge. I have to admit, I'm getting a bit exhausted of blogging :0 but when I make a promise, I stick to it. You're welcome.

;-)

I wrote about Ash Wednesday this week, and thus I thought another post in this pre-Lent series I'm doing about Lenten traditiona would be a nice touch. So here we are: Laetare Sunday, what the heck is that?

Laetare Sunday refers to the Fourth Sunday of Lent. Like the Third Sunday of Advent, this is one of the rare days on the Church calendar that the liturgical color is rose pink. It refers to a day of joy within a solemn season. As opposed to the rest of Lent, flowers may be placed on the altar this day. It is a day on which we receive encouragement on our penitential journey and look forward to the feast to come. Pope Innocent III remarked in 1216 that Laetare Sunday marks:

"a measure of consoling relaxation...so that the faithful may not break down under the severe strain of Lenten fast but may continue to bear the restrictions with a refreshed and easier heart." (from The How-To Book of Sacramentals by Ann Ball)

Originally, this particular Sunday marked the practice of the traditio symboli, or handing over of the Apostolic Creed to the catechumens (those who will be baptized at Easter). Some time later, this practice was discontinued and combined with the baptismal ceremony.

Now we have RCIA and the Rite of Election and all that good stuff during Lent, as preparation for the catechumens and candidates.The Church has retained the rose vestments on this day, however, as well as the original joyful intent. Interesting, huh? I may or may not covet a pink veil just to match the vestments for *2 days* a year. I'm admitting to nothing.

Tomorrow I'm going to be putting a quick reading list of Lenten resources together for you. Do come back and visit me!

I’m writing seven posts in seven days this week with Jen at Conversion Diary. To check out other bloggers who are doing the same, see the list here.