Liturgical Living: an Alternative Lifestyle

Oct. 1, feast of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Doctor of the Church; popularly known as "the Little Flower."




Hope you've noticed--I've been making note of the feast days for each blog entry these past weeks.  It's a habit I first encountered in a young adult book (highly recommended), Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Kushman.  In this journal of an English adolescent and daughter of a poor country knight, Birdy conveys her society's saturation with the liturgical seasons.  The book made a lasting impression on me: first, as a novel worth emulating, if I ever wanted to write and publish a story of my own one day; and second, as witness to the beauty and rhythm of the seasons observed by the medieval Church.

In my desire and resolutions to live a more liturgically-focused lifestyle, I've found an excuse to take up Birdy's practice.  And though we've been extremely busy these past few weeks, what with new jobs, colds, fundraisers, and speech therapy appointments, I'm not unhappy with my novice's attempt to live liturgically this Ordinary Time.



Making hot cross buns for Holy Cross Day.  I substituted maple syrup and almond milk, and left out the currants.


They came out delicious!  Even though the crosses made them look more like fortune cookies.


So how does one incorporate the feasts of the Church into everyday life?  In this, I've found two main sources helpful: CatholicCulture.org is an excellent online resource to the liturgical year, with brief introductions of saints and feast days and links to recipes, activities, crafts, and prayers; The Year and Our Children is also helpful to have on hand.

This September, there were hot cross buns for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Sept. 14).  I cooked up a huge pot of farfalle with peppers and Italian sausage in memorial of Saint Padre Pio (Sept. 23).  We sang "Good King Wenceslaus" on St. Wenceslaus's day (Sept. 28) and baked tea cookies to honor the English tradition of free tea shop treats on this old saint's feast.  And though I would have liked a devil pinata for Michaelmas (Sept. 29), we made do with Saint Michael's the Archangel's prayers for attacking our colds and defending our good health.

While the secular world moves through its cycles, we are aware of the deeper meanings behind berries and bonfires.



The Harvest Moon is always the full moon nearest to the autumn equinox--this month, Sept. 19, Feast of Saint Januarius.


My son is still young, so we've set aside the crafts for next year.  And while the recipes have been hit or miss, depending on the amount of time they take to prepare and my wellness that day, merely being aware of the liturgical season has placed a peace on me--as one who inhabits a country or climate is more secure, more aware of the lively world around her, assured of her place and role in Creation.

I still read Catherine, Called Birdy about once a year, incidentally, completely by accident.

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10 comments:

  1. It's my feast day. For confirmation saint, that is, which is the only saint I'm named for except for St. Hilary. There wasn't anything specifically French or Carmelite that I thought of to do, but Lou brought out the statue and put little roses by her, and I lit candles and said one of her prayers. :)

    I love the Hot Cross Buns and the Harvest moon picture!

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    1. That's lovely, Jenna--hope you had a grace-filled Feast Day!

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  2. Your blog is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Fellow Arthurian literature fan over here:) And I think your blog title might be the best ever.

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    1. Haley, thanks so much for commenting--I know you don't have a lot of time, but it's so encouraging just to know you're reading!

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  3. We've started to follow the liturgical year more closely as well and I agree it is counter cultural and I love it! In fact, I'm starting an online "magazine" type of blog this winter to inspire more people about celebrating this liturgical year.
    ordinaryacts.com will be up on November 26th, with some teasers coming in the next few weeks. =)

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  4. I loved Catherine, Called Birdy, as well! It's been a long time since I read it though and was not a Catholic at the time. I've been thinking about living now liturgically as well and wondering how to get started/what to do. Thanks for the links!

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    1. You're welcome! Some other Catholic bloggers are more experienced in liturgical living . . . I'll try to link up to them in time.

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  5. My daughter is a big fan of Catherine, Called Birdy. I'm a big fan of your ideas about living liturgically. I love your blog, especially the title and the quote it comes from, and I'm getting ready to read every post. :-)

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    1. Sorry I'm only now replying! It makes my heart warm to share that kind of reading bond with another person. Wish your daughter well for me! And thank you for reading, welcome!

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