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| Liturgical Ministry |
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| Liturgies at Aquinas involve students in every aspect. Aquinas students receive training and serve as: |
- Eucharistic Ministers
- Lectors
- Greeters
- Severs
- Sacristans
- Cantors
- Instrumentalists
- Choir Members*
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| Please contact Terry Marshall at marshthe@aquinas.edu for more information. |
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| *Interested in choir? Please call Brandon Spence at (616) 240-4488. If you would like to sing in the choir, meet at 6:30 p.m. on Sundays (during the academic year) for rehearsal. You are welcome to join at any time |
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| The Liturgical Calendar |
| Western liturgical calendars are based upon the Roman or Latin Rite, and are used by Roman Catholics and Protestants alike since it pre-dated the Protestant Reformation. The liturgical seasons are: Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Time, Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time. |
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| Advent |
| Advent, typically symbolized in the color violet, comes from the Latin Adventus, which means “coming.” Violet or purple is a color for royalty, and the use of it during Advent symbolizes the nearing coming of Christ our king. It is the first season of the liturgical year and immediately precedes Christmas, starting with the fourth Sunday before Christmas and ending on Christmas Eve. Early Christians observed Advent as a penitential, as a “fast,” and focused on preparing for Christ’s birth. In more recent years, however, there is a dual focus: one on preparation of Christ’s birth (Christmas), and the other on reflection and preparation of the Second Coming of Christ. Unlike Lent, Advent is not a penitential season. Rather, it is a time of joyful preparation and anticipation. These four weeks of waiting and preparation are commonly represented by Advent Wreaths in churches and often in Christian homes. The wreaths are made of a garland of evergreens with four candles, three of which are generally violet and one rose-colored. Each Sunday a candle is lit symbolizing the nearing of Christ, the Light of the World. Special themes are often associated to each candle that is progressively lit as well; “hope”, “faith”, “joy”, and “love.” The rose-colored candle is lit during the third week, which is often called Gaudete Sunday, meaning “rejoice” in Latin. It is another symbol for the hope of the coming of Jesus. Also, during Advent, the “Gloria in Excelsis” is not sung during Mass to create a desire for Christians will sing it more joyfully on Christmas. |
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| Christmas |
| Historically, the Christmas season began on December 24, Christmas Eve, and continued until the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6, twelve days following Christmas when the Three Wise Men recognized Jesus as the Son of God. Therefore, contrary to secular thinking, the “twelve days of Christmas” actually begin, and not end, on Christmas Day. Today, the Christmas season extends one more week through the Baptism of the Lord. Throughout the Christmas season, Christ’s identity is manifested as the beloved Son of God. Such manifestations include the Birth of Jesus, the Wedding at Cana, and the Baptism of Christ. Also during the Christmas season, the Catholic Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. The color used during the Christmas season is white, symbolizing purity and joy. All over the world, Christians decorate their homes with crèches or manger scenes representing Christ’s birth. |
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| Ordinary Time |
| Ordinary Time falls into two different times within the calendar year. The first time begins following the Christmas season and ends the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, and the second follows the Easter season until Advent. It is called Ordinary Time, meaning “counted time” or “ordered time” from the Latin root ordinalis because it is ordered around the Paschal Mystery of Christ. There are important feast days that are included in Ordinary Time, such as: the Most Holy Trinity, the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Saints Peter and Paul, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, All Saints, and All Souls. The color used during Ordinary Time is green, which represents life and hope. The symbol that is generally used for Ordinary Time is the Chi Rho, which dates back to the early Church. Chi and Rho are the first two letters of Christos, the Greek word for Messiah. Chi resembles the letter “X,” and Rho looks like the letter “P.” Laid on top of each other, these two letters produce this symbol. |
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| Lent |
| Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, and it continues for forty days until the Easter season begins. The forty days of Lent represent the forty days that Christ spent in the desert fasting and praying while being tempted by the devil. Lent, therefore, is a time of penance, a time of reflection, and a time of prayer in which the faithful prepare themselves to receive experience the joy of the Easter season with purity of heart. Lent is also a time of preparation for those catechumens who are planning to enter into the Catholic Church. The three pre-dominate forms of penance include: fasting, prayer and almsgiving, which correlate to personal, spiritual, and social conversions. Because Lent is a time of asceticism, churches and altars are not generally decorated. The music during Lent is more somber, and the “Gloria in Excelsis” and “Alleluia” are not typically sung. Similar to Advent, the color that corresponds to Lent is violet, but during this season it represents penance and reflection. The symbol for Lent is the cross, which symbolized Christ’s death for the sins of the world and His victory over death. It is a reminder to all Christians to help them reflect and change their lifestyles accordingly for their spiritual benefit and that of others. On the Sunday prior to Easter is Palm (Passion) Sunday, and rose-colored vestments may be used. Palm Sunday is also called Laetare Sunday, taken from the beginning words of that day’s Mass, Laetare Jerusalem, which means “Rejoice, O Jerusalem.” Generally on the morning of Holy Thursday, the bishop of each diocese, along with his priests, gather for the chrism Mass to bless and consecrate the oils to be used for the celebration of the Sacraments throughout the next year. (Depending on the diocese, this Mass may be celebrated at another time during Holy Week.) |
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| Triduum |
| The last Sunday in Lent, Palm Sunday, initiates Holy Week, which culminates with Easter Vigil. Lent ends on Holy Thursday, whereupon the Triduum begins with Mass on Thursday evening. Triduum, which in Latin means a “three-day period” is one celebration over three days. The Triduum begins with evening Mass on Holy Thursday, and continues through Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter. Mass on Holy Thursday (or Maundy Thursday) commemorates the Sacrament of priesthood, Christ’s sending forth of the disciples, and the Eucharist, Christ’s ultimate sacrifice for mankind. Included often during this Mass is a ceremonial foot-washing, where the celebrating priest washes the feet of some of the faithful imitating Christ washing the feet of His disciples. Holy Thursday Mass is joyful; church bells ring, the “Gloria in Excelsis” is sung, and the color of vestments used during this celebration is white. Generally, after Mass there is a procession of the Eucharist to a place reserved for It’s repose until the Easter vigil Mass. Bread and wine are used as symbols of Holy Thursday. Contrary to the previous night’s celebration, Good Friday is the most somber day of the liturgical year. Depending on the tradition, no color is used, or it is red or black. Churches and altars are bare, holy water fonts are dry, and the tabernacle is empty. It is the only day of the year when Mass is not celebrated. Instead of Mass, the lay faithful gather for the Liturgy of the Word, for the Veneration of the Cross and to receive Holy Communion, (the Hosts having been consecrated on Holy Thursday). Good Friday is most commonly symbolized by a cross. Holy Saturday commemorates Christ in the tomb, and like Good Friday, no colors are used. In the evening, during Easter Vigil, the Church anticipates Christ’s resurrection and celebrates light. Often, Mass begins with a bonfire outside of church representing Christ, the Light of the world, conquering death and bringing light back into the world. Churches throughout the world are in full celebration; churches are adorned in white and gold and pictures, and the “Gloria in Excelsis” and “Alleluia” are sung. Often during the Easter Vigil, individuals who have completed Catholic instruction are welcomed into full communion with the Church, and current members renew their baptismal vows. The Easter Vigil is made up of four parts: the Service of Light, the Liturgy of the Word, the Liturgy of Baptism, and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Symbols of Holy Saturday include the Paschal Candle representing Christ’s resurrection, and water symbolizing a new life through baptism. |
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| Easter |
| Easter Sunday is the most important day in the Catholic tradition as it celebrates Christ’s resurrection and the redemption of mankind. The Easter season continues until Pentecost Sunday and is represented by the joyful color of white, and the symbol of the Paschal Candle. During the octave of Easter, no other solemnities are observed. If any should fall during that time, they are postponed until after the octave. The Easter season is the most important time of the Christian year. For that reason, Sundays throughout the Easter season are referred to Sunday’s “of” Easter rather than Sundays “after” Easter. There are seven Sundays of Easter and then Pentecost. The Ascension is always forty days after Easter on a Thursday, followed by Pentecost on the fiftieth day. In some dioceses, this celebration is moved to the following Sunday, which is the seventh Sunday of Easter. Pentecost Sunday commemorates the birth of the Church and represents the Holy Spirit coming upon the apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary and consequently upon all of Christ’s followers throughout the world. The Holy Spirit is often symbolized by fire and, therefore, the color used on Pentecost is red. The Monday following Pentecost resumes ordinary time until the Saturday before the first Sunday of Advent. |
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| “It is by the path of love, which is charity,that God draws near to man and man to God. But where charity is not found, God cannot dwell. If, then, we possess charity, we possess God, for ‘God is Charity’,” Saint Albertus Magnus. |
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