The Church celebrates seasons that are different from winter, spring, summer and fall.  We pray certain prayers.  We listen to certain Bible stories.  The priest wears vestments of a certain colour.

The liturgical seasons unite us to heaven. When we celebrate the seasons of the liturgical calendar, we’re celebrating the same seasons God and the angels and saints are celebrating in heaven. They are family celebrations. When we mark the special feasts throughout the liturgical year, we’re remembering our family members in the Church.

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Celebrating the Seasons of the Liturgical Year

Click on each of the Church Seasons to learn more about it and find ideas for family prayer and celebration.

Colours of the Church Year

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Main Feasts of the Liturgical Year

January

1 - Mary, the Holy Mother of God 

2 - St. Basil the Great & St. Gregory Nazianzen

3 - The Most Holy Name of Jesus (optional memorial)

6 - Epiphany of the Lord

7 - St. André Bessette

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(Sunday after January 6) Baptism of the Lord

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12 - St. Marguerite Bourgeoys

21 - St. Agnes

25 - Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle

26 - St. Timothy & St. Titus

28 - St. Thomas Aquinas

February

2 - Presentation of the Lord

5 - St. Agatha

6 - St. Paul Miki & Companions

10 - St. Scholastica

14 - St. Cyril & St. Methodius

22 - Chair of St. Peter the Apostle

23- St. Polycarp

Ash Wednesday - the beginning of Lent is in February or March depending on the date of Easter

March

7 - St. Perpetua & St. Felicity

19 - St. Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary

25 - Annunciation of the Lord

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We celebrate Palm Sunday, Holy Week & Easter in March or April

Divine Mercy Sunday is celebrated the Sunday after Easter

April

7 - St. John Baptist de la Salle

11 - St. Stanislaus

25 - St. Mark the Evangelist

29 - St. Catherine of Sienna

30 - St. Marie de l'Incarnation

May

2 - St. Athanasius

3 - St. Phillip & St. James, Apostles

6 - St. François de Laval

14 - St. Matthias the Apostle

26 - St. Philip Neri

31 - The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

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The Ascension of the Lord is most often celebrated in May (40 days after Easter)

Pentecost is celebrated in May or June

We celebrate the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church the day after Pentecost

The Most Holy Trinity is celebrated the Sunday after Pentecost

The Body and Blood of Jesus is celebrated the Sunday after The Most Holy Trinity

We celebrate The Sacred Heart of Jesus the Friday after The Body & Blood of Jesus

The Immaculate Heart of Mary is celebrated the day after The Sacred Heart of Jesus

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June

1 - St. Justin

3 - St. Charles Lwanga & Companions

5 - St. Boniface

11 - St. Barnabas the Apostle

13 - St. Anthony of Padua

21 - St. Aloysius Gonzaga

24 - The Birth of St. John the Baptist

28 - St. Irinaeus

29 - St. Peter & St. Paul, Apostles

July

​3 - St. Thomas the Apostle

11 - St. Benedict

15 - St. Bonaventure

22 - St. Mary Magdalene

25 - St. James the Apostle

26 - St. Joachim & St. Anne

29 - St. Martha

31 - St. Ignatius of Loyola

August

1 - St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

4 - St. Jean-Marie Vianney

6 - The Transfiguration of the Lord

8 - St. Dominic

10 - St. Lawrence

11 - St. Clare

14 - St. Maximillian Kolbe

15 - The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

20 - St. Bernard of Clairvaux

21 - St. Pius X

22 - Queenship of Mary

24 - St. Bartholomew the Apostle

27 - St. Monica

28 - St. Augustine of Hippo

29 - Beheading of John the Baptist

September

3 - St. Gregory the Great

5 - St. Mother Theresa of Calcutta

8 - Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary

13 - St. John Chrysostom

14 - Exaltation of the Holy Cross

15 - Our Lady of Sorrows

16 - St. Cornelius & St. Cyprian

20 - Sts. Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Paul Chŏng Ha-sang, & Companions

21 - St. Matthew the Evangelist

23 - St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio)

27 - St. Vincent de Paul

29 - St. Michael, St. Gabriel & St. Raphael, Archangels

30 - St. Jerome

October

1 - St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus

2 - Holy Guardian Angels

4 - St. Francis of Assisi

7 - Our Lady of the Rosary

15 - St. Theresa of Jesus

16 - St. Marguerite d'Youville

17 - St. Ignatius of Antioch

18 - St. Luke the Evangelist

28 - St. Simon & St. Jude, Apostles

November

1 - All Saints

2 - Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed - All Souls Day

3 - St. Charles Borromeo

9 - Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

10 - St. Leo the Great

11 - St. Martin of Tours

12 - St. Josaphat

17 - St. Elizabeth of Hungary

18 - Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter and Paul

21 - Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

22 - St. Cecilia

24 - St. Andrew Dũng-Lac and Companions

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(Last Sunday in Ordinary Time) - Christ the King - Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

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30 - St. Andrew the Apostle

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December

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3 - St. Francis Xavier

7 - St. Ambrose

8 - Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

12 - Our Lady of Guadalupe

13 - St. Lucy of Syracuse

14 - St. John of the Cross

25 - Nativity of the Lord - Christmas Season Begins

26 - St. Stephen, the first martyr

27 - St. John the Apostle and Evangelist

28 - Holy Innocents

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Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph is celebrated the Sunday after Christmas

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