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Just
as the Catholic year has its own rhythm and
focus, the
Catholic day has its own, as well -- and each day of the week and each
month has a special devotional emphasis.
Day
The hours of the day are broken up into the Canonical Hours during which priests and
religious pray from the Breviary. At 6AM, Noon, and 6PM the Angelus is prayed. Some lay
Catholics pray the Office as well, and some parish churches may ring
their bells to signal the Angelus.
Most lay Catholics, though, might pray instead the Morning
Offering, Prayer to One's Guardian Angel,
and/or make the Three Hail Marys devotion
upon
awakening, and
make a Nightly Examination of
Conscience and Three Hail Marys devotion at night, just before bed.
In between rising and going to bed, many Catholics pray the Rosary
daily, with the Mysteries differing depending on the day of the week.
Throughout the day, attention is taken back to Christ through the use
of "ejaculations" (or "aspirations"):
very brief prayers -- typically no longer than a few words -- that are
uttered when tempted, when in trouble, or simply to praise God and
center one's attention on the Holy.
Week
The
days of the week each have a different spiritual
focus:
Day of the Week
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Dedicated to:
|
Mystery of the Rosary
traditionally prayed:
|
Sunday
|
Resurrection
& the Holy and Undivided Trinity |
Glorious
|
Monday
|
The
Holy Ghost & the Souls in Purgatory |
Joyful
|
Tuesday
|
The
Holy Angels |
Sorrowful
|
Wednesday
|
St.
Joseph |
Glorious
|
Thursday
|
The
Blessed Sacrament |
Joyful
|
Friday
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Christ's
Passion and His Sacred Heart |
Sorrowful
|
Saturday
|
The
Blessed Virgin and her Immaculate Heart. |
Glorious
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In addition to the general focus of the different days, there are
special customs practiced on certain days of the week.
Mondays are for prayers for the dead.
Tuesdays,
in addition to honoring the Angels, are the day for
honoring the Holy Face and honoring St. Anthony of
Padua. On the Tuesday after St. Anthony's death, the day his
funeral
cortege took his body to the church, many miracles took place,
so this day is commemorated in his honor. A special Novena to St. Martha is
also made on nine consecutive Tuesdays (or on all Tuesdays) by some
Catholics.
On
Wednesdays, many Catholics make a special devotion to St.
Joseph by going to Mass on the first Wednesdays of nine consecutive
months
and offering their Communions in his honor and for the salvation of the
dying.
On
Thursdays, many Catholics make "Holy Hour," that is, they
spend an hour in adoration of the
Blessed Sacrament as an aspect of devotion to
the Sacred Heart. On the fifteen
consecutive Thursdays before the May 22, many Catholics make the
"Fifteen Thursdays of St. Rita" devotion, which can be read about off
the page about The Feast of St.
Rita of Cascia.
Fridays
are penitential days and Catholics are to keep in mind Christ's
suffering and to sacrifice something for the sake of penance and
discipline. The traditional way to do this is to abstain from meat. On
this day also, many Catholics make what is
known as
the "First Fridays Devotion" in honor of the Sacred Heart. This entails
going to Mass and receiving Communion in reparation to the Sacred Heart
on the first Friday of the month for nine consecutive months (see Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus). Another
Friday practice is to kneel and pray five Paters and five Aves,
especially at 3:00pm, the hour Christ died on the Cross.
Saturdays
are, traditionally, the days Catholics go to Confession in
preparation for receiving the Eucharist on Sundays (some Catholics
might make a habit of going to Confession
on Saturdays; other might go before Mass on Sunday, and, of course, as
always, whenever needed). Also on Saturdays, many
Catholics make
what is called the "First Saturdays Devotion" which entails going to
Mass and receiving Communion on the first Saturday of the month for 5
consecutive months in reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. See Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Sundays
are, of course, the day for renewing Christ's once and for all
Sacrifice during the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass. Because Christ rose
from His tomb on Sunday, Sabbath was changed from Saturday to Sundays,
or "the Lord's Day." On this day we fulfill
God's Third Commandment, to "remember the sabbath day (which means
"rest", not "Saturday"), to keep it holy." We refrain from unecessary
servile work and fulfill our "Sunday Obligation" to attend Mass.
Finally, each month of the year has a special focus, as follows:
Month
Month
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Dedicated to:
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January |
The
Holy Name and Childhood of Jesus |
February |
The
Holy Family |
March |
St.
Joseph |
April |
The
Blessed Sacrament |
May |
Mary |
June |
Sacred
Heart of Jesus |
July |
The
Precious Blood |
August |
Immaculate
Heart of Mary |
September |
Seven
Dolours (Sorrows) of Mary |
October |
The
Holy Rosary (and, less formally, the Holy Angels) |
November |
Poor
Souls in Purgatory |
December |
The
Immaculate Conception |
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