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beliefs and prayers of the catholic church

Diving into the Liturgical Year

All Saints' Day

All Saints’ Day, also called All Hallows’ Day, commemorates all the saints of the Church,
both known and unknown, who have attained heaven.
Find more information on this special day below, and discover how we are all called to be saints.

What does a triathlon have to do with the Communion of Saints?

Fr. Mike Schmitz draws parallels between his experience of completing a triathlon and the believer’s experience of journeying to heaven. In our spiritual race, those who have gone before us are encouraging us at every turn. Fr. Mike reminds us that if we find ourselves struggling in this journey, we should remember that we are surrounded by “a cloud of witnesses” that is more impressive than a stadium filled with sports fans.

Prayers for All Saints' Day

Prayer for All Saints' Day

Dear God,
Thank you for the example of the Saints.
I desire to join in their company, worshiping you forever in Heaven. Please help me follow their footsteps, and yours, Jesus Christ.
Please help me to conform myself to Your image,
seeking Your will in all things, as the Saints did.
Please help me to devote myself, and all that I do, to Your glory,
and to the service of my neighbors.
Amen.

Litany of the Saints

Prayer to All Saints

All holy men and women, so close to us yet still so far,
gather our prayers to yourselves
and intercede in heaven on our behalf.
May our holy desires be accomplished through that chorus of prayers you constantly present to the Father
surrounded by all His angels in heaven.
We ask all this through Christ Our Lord,
Amen.

Begin your journey to sainthood TODAY:

Below are just a few ways to encourage your journey to holiness.

Begin by learning about the LIVES OF THE SAINTS as a source of inspiration and encouragement! (Need a place to start? Check out THIS calendar that tells whose feast day it is, along with a short bio. Whose feast day is on your birthday?)

Try to regularly participate in the Sacraments and strive to live a life modeled after Christ. (Check out our page on PRAYER, to deepen your relationship with God.)

Watch Fr. Mike Schmitz talk about what's stopping YOU from becoming a SAINT (His YOUTUBE has some other great videos to challenge and support you in faith TODAY!)

Divine Mercy Sunday

In a series of revelations to St. Maria Faustina Kowalska in the 1930s, our Lord called for a special feast day to be celebrated on the Sunday after Easter. Today, we know that feast as Divine Mercy Sunday, named by Pope St. John Paul II at the canonization of St. Faustina on April 30, 2000.

Divine Mercy Sunday focuses on the gift of mercy and love given through Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. As Pope John Paul II stated, “Divine Mercy reaches human beings through the heart of Christ crucified.”

According to the revelations, those who receive communion and attend confession on the Feast of Mercy receive total forgiveness of sins.

What Is Mercy?

Jesus tells us that as his followers, we must show mercy to others just as our heavenly Father shows mercy to us. But how can we do that if we don’t understand what mercy is? In this first video in The Essentials of Divine Mercy series, Father Chris Alar gives an introduction to Divine Mercy, explaining how mercy is even greater than forgiveness, and why Divine Mercy is mankind’s greatest hope for salvation.

Find the complete video series on Divine Mercy HERE

Ways to Celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday

Attend St. Michael's celebration for Divine Mercy Sunday on Sunday, April 11 at 2:00 PM
- This service will include reflections from St. Faustina, Scripture readings, Adoration, and the Divine Mercy Chaplet
Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet at the Hour of Mercy at 3:00 PM
Learn about the Life of St. Faustina
Reflect on the Image of the Divine Mercy, using the reflection questions below:
1. Why do you trust in Jesus?
2. The Lord told St. Faustina that those who venerate this image would not perish. How can you pray with this image in your life?
3. If Jesus was standing there before you just like this, what would you say to him?

Pentecost

Watch this short 2 minute video to learn about Pentecost: the Birthday of the Church and the Institution of Confirmation!

Ways to Celebrate Pentecost at Home

Fill the House with Candles and Tell the Story: In remembrance of the tongues of fire that descended upon the Apostles, fill your house with candles (with your parent's permission). Then, tell, read, or listen to the story of Pentecost.

Learn to Say “Hello” in Multiple Languages: Through the The Holy Spirit, the Apostles were able to speak in languages they hadn’t learned before so that they could preach the Gospel to people of all languages visiting Jerusalem at the time. Look online to find out how to greet others in Spanish, Russian, Greek, Arabic, Japanese, or other languages that people in your area might use.

Incorporate the Color Red into your Day: The color red symbolizes joy and the fire of the Holy Spirit, so wear something red or eat red foods such as strawberries, raspberries, cranberry juice, or bread spread with raspberry jam.

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful.
And kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.
And you will renew the face of the earth.

Lord,
by the light of the Holy Spirit
you have taught the hearts of your faithful.
In the same Spirit
help us to relish what is right
and always rejoice in your consolation.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.