Faith Formation Article
We can celebrate holiness every day

By Sr. Janet Schaeffler, O.P.
Published July 14, 2006

As we plan parish activities, adult faith formation gatherings and opportunities, liturgical and prayer times at the parish and in our homes, children's catechetical sessions, youth ministry, intergenerational learning events, we are so fortunate that our liturgical year guides us through the challenging and glorious moments of our lives. We learn and are formed through the events we remember and celebrate.

Life is never boring and humdrum. In addition to the liturgical year, we remember and celebrate:

• our historical tradition;
• the people who have gone before us – those who have made a contribution, especially for the peace of our world and the dignity of all people;
• the multiculturalism of the world we live in, the connectedness we all share;
• the national and international events that have shaped us;
• our call to justice and peace; and
• the values and ideals we have chosen to courageously preach.

Listed here are only some of the events/observances that fall within the following months. (Most of the liturgical year events are not mentioned, since we already know and have those on our calendars; those certainly take precedence in our celebrations and activities.) At the same time, how can your parish community – in its many activities – remember and celebrate some of these events?

Moms and dads, how can you make these days and events part of your family prayer and activities?

Sept. 8: International Literacy Day (UNESCO created this observance to urge heads of state to their commitment to making education for all a top priority. www.reading.org)

Sept. 11: Fifth anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon

Sept. 15: UN International Day of Peace (since 1986)

Sept. 17: Catechetical Sunday

Sept. 22: Birthday of the ice cream cone (time to reflect on ecology; this invention made it possible to not waste the container)

Sept. 23: Rosh Hashana

Sept. 24: Ramadan begins (through October 23)

October : Respect Life Month/Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Oct. 1: Respect Life Sunday/ International Day of the Elderly

Oct. 2: Jewish observance: Yom Kippur

Oct. 4: Pope Paul VI's "no more war" speech at UN Headquarters, New York City, 1965

Oct. 4: St. Francis Day; blessing of animals

Oct. 8: Vocation Awareness Sunday

Oct. 16: World Food Day

Oct. 17: UN International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (since 1993)

Oct. 22: World Mission Sunday

Oct. 24: United Nations Day (www.un.org)

Nov. 1: All Saints Day

Nov. 2: Commemoration of all the faithful departed

Nov. 9: Berlin Wall down, 1989

Nov. 12-18: National Hunger and Homelessness Week (www.nationalhomeless.org)

Nov. 14: U.S. bishops Pastoral on the Environment, 1999

Nov. 16: Fast for a World Harvest (www.oxfamamerica.org) (This fast can be done any time, but has traditionally been on the Thursday before Thanksgiving. For information for one for teens from Catholic Relief Services, see Food Fast at www.foodfast.org.)

Nov. 24: Buy Nothing Day (www.adbusters.com)

Nov. 25: Birthday of Pope John XXIII

Nov. 29: Dorothy Day died, 1980

Dec. 1: World AIDS Day (www.ncan.org)/ Bus boycott began in Montgomery, Ala. by Rosa Parks, 1955

Dec. 2: Four women martyrs: Ita Ford, Maura Clarke and Dorothy and Jean Donovan, El Salvador, 1980

Dec. 3: U.S. slavery abolished, 1865/ International Day of Disabled Persons

Dec. 7: Pearl Harbor, 1941

Dec. 10: Human Rights Day

Dec. 12: Our Lady of Guadalupe

Dec. 15: Hannukah begins

Dec. 16: Las Posadas ("lodgings" or "shelter") begins

Dec. 18: Ratification of the 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery, 1865

Dec. 26 - Jan. 1: Kwanzaa

Dec. 26: Boxing Day (boxing up gifts for the poor)

Dec. 31: The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Jan. 1: World Day of Prayer for Peace

Jan. 8: Baptism of the Lord

Jan. 11: Muslim observance: Id al-Adha

Jan. 15: Martin Luther King Jr., born, 1929

Jan. 15 – 22: Stand Against Violence Week

Jan. 18 - 25: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Jan. 22: Day of Penance observed in all U.S. dioceses for violations to the dignity of human persons

Jan. 27: Holocaust Memorial Day

Feb. 4: Birthday of Rosa Parks, 1913

Feb. 11: World Day of the Sick

Feb. 19: Presidents' Day

Feb. 21: Ash Wednesday/ Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, 1948

Feb. 27: First UN session was held in its New York building, 1952

(In a few months, we'll look at the remaining six months.)

Sr. Janet Schaeffler, OP, is the archdiocesan associate director for adult faith formation for the Office for Faith Formation/Catechetics.