Liturgical Calendar September 2021

 Holy Church celebrates the saving work of Christ on prescribed days in the course of the year with sacred remembrance. Each week, on the day called the Lord’s Day, she commemorates the Resurrection of the Lord, which she also celebrates once a year in the great Paschal Solemnity, together with his blessed Passion. In fact, throughout the course of the year the Church unfolds the entire mystery of Christ and observes the birthdays of the Saints. (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy)

Pope’s September prayer intention: 

An environmentally sustainable lifestyle
We pray that we all will make courageous choices for a simple and environmentally sustainable lifestyle, rejoicing in our young people who are resolutely committed to this.

The Pope Video

The Pope Video is a global initiative developed by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network (Apostleship of Prayer) to assist in the dissemination of the Holy Father’s monthly intentions related to the challenges facing humanity.

To see the Pope’s video for September 2021 please click here: http://popesprayerusa.net/2021/09/01/environmentally-sustainable-lifestyle-september-pope-video/

Season of Creation 2021

September 1st to October 4th

Diagram
Description automatically generatedThe Irish Bishops’ Conference is a compilation of rich and varied resources prepared by the Catholic Communications Office, the Bishops’ Council for Justice and Peace, the Laudato Si’ Working Group, Trócaire, and the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.

The Season of Creation has a special significance for the Catholic Church, particularly since Pope Francis established 1 September as an annual World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation.   The Season of Creation or Creation Time, is marked throughout the Christian world from 1 September to 4 October (Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi) and celebrates the joy of creation as well as encouraging awareness-raising initiatives to protect the natural environment.

Restoring Our Common Home

The theme for the Season of Creation 2021 is ‘Restoring Our Common Home’. During this season we are asked to join together to celebrate creation and protect our common home through prayer, reflection and action.  The global Christian family is called to awaken to the urgent need to heal our relationships with creation and with each other and to encourage our parish communities to do the same, “for we know that things can change!” (Laudato Si’, 13).  

This year we celebrate this season mindful of the fact that our world continues to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic as well as a devastating climate and biodiversity crisis. We look towards two UN Conferences in the Autumn, COP15 (on Biodiversity, due to take place in China) and COP24 (on climate change, Glasgow) in the hope that world leaders take the urgent action that is needed to Restore Our Common Home. Catholics are urged to sign the “Healthy Planet Healthy People” petition as a key action for this year’s Season of Creation. This petition has been endorsed by the Vatican Dicastery for Integral Human Development in the hope that millions of Catholics will raise their voices in the public sphere to help Restore Our Common Home in the run up to these vital UN Conferences. 

The following resources are offered for use in dioceses, parishes and in the home, during the Season of Creation 2021: 

  1. Sunday Liturgy Notes for the Season of Creation 2021 – This resource includes homily notes for each Sunday, prayers of the faithful, music suggestions, reflections and mass parts which highlight the call to restore God’s creation.
  2. A weekday Prayer Service for the Season of Creation 2021 – This ecumenical resource could be used to celebrate the World Day of Prayer for Creation on 1 September in an ecumenical setting, or as a resource that could be used for the celebration of the Eucharist in parishes, or at any other time between 1st September and 4th October, feast of Saint, Francis of Assisi. We have prepared it for a formal church setting or for use out-of-doors.  
  3. An Earth Day Prayer Service – This beautiful service was compiled by Balally Parish, Dublin to celebrate Earth Day in 2021 but could be adapted and used as part of any Season of Creation event. It includes a reflection by Father Dermot Lane. 
  4. Practical Actions for Parishes 2021
  5. Tree Planting Resource for the Season of Creation 2021 – Restore Our Common Home this year by engaging your parish or diocese in Tree Planting initiatives. Thanks to ‘Easy Treesie’ we have all the tips you need and prayers for tree planting. 
  6. Season of Creation Brochure Digital – A colourful resource with many practical tips and reflections on how to Restore Our Common Home. From the JPIC committee in the Diocese of Kerry and the Laudato Si’ Working Group. Season Of Creation Brochure for printing
  7. Acts of Love for the Season of Creation 2021 – PowerPoint with practical suggestions for each day of the Season. With many thanks to the Care for Creation team at Bonnybrook Parish Dublin for sharing this resource with us. 
  8. Season of Creation Prayer 2021 – A Video Reflection which can be used for meetings, prayers, on social media or in parishes with PowerPoint accessibility can be accessed here:  

                https://www.catholicbishops.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Season-of-Creation-Prayer 2021.mp4?_=2

Teacher: Last year Trocaire produced a new resource for this year’s “Season of Creation” (September – mid October) based on the 2015 encyclical of Pope Francis Laudato Si (On the Care of our Common Home).  While the resource was written for parish groups, it could work equally well in Second level schools, especially senior cycle – really in any group motivated to address the ecological crisis.  The resource illustrates the key concepts of the encyclical with events from the past five years, including the current pandemic.    Seven Power-points make up the module, along with ancillary resources.  Note the speaker’s information that accompanies each slide.  This resource is available at:  https://www.trocaire.org/resources/parishes/laudato-si . The text of Laudato Sì can be found here:   http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html.

 

September 3rd  A statue of a person
Description automatically generated with low confidence : St Gregory the Great, pope and doctor of the Church

 Gregory’s moral theology shaped medieval spirituality and in his writings offered a practical wisdom for the Christians of his day.  He was a reluctant Pope preferring to remain as monk.  It is believed that he may have been responsible for Gregorian Chant but this is not confirmed. He died in 604 and was immediately made a saint.  He is the patron saint of Musicians.

 

  September 4th St Mac Nissi

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Description automatically generated with medium confidenceOengus Mac Nissi took his name from his mother Cnes or Ness. It is claimed that Patrick baptised him and taught him the psalms. He seems to be one of the early converts. He chose the district of Connor for his hermitage, but later became bishop of his clan. He died early in the sixth century. Along with St Malachy, St MacNissi is patron of the Catholic diocese of Down and Connor. St MacNissi’s College was opened as a residential college at Garron Tower (see image) on the north-east Antrim coast in the 1950s and remained a prominent second level college in the diocese until 2010, when it amalgamated with two other Antrim schools to become St Killian’s College.

 

September 5th    The International Day of Charity Lá Idirnáisiúnta Tiomanta don Charthanacht

 “Charity can alleviate the worst effects of humanitarian crises, supplement public services in health care, education, housing and child protection.”

 The General Assembly of the United Nations designated the 5th of September, the anniversary of the death of Mother Teresa, as the International Day of Charity.

Originally a Hungarian civil society initiative to commemorate Mother Teresa’s death, International Day of Charity on September 5 took off worldwide in 2012 when the UN declared it an international holiday. Besides honouring Mother Teresa’s tireless work to help others overcome poverty and suffering for which she received a Noble Peace Prize in 1979. The holiday provides a platform for charitable opportunities to take place. Overall, this day reminds us that simple acts of charity can alleviate the worst effects of humanitarian crises and create more inclusive and resilient societies. Use this day with your students to explore the idea of volunteering and why it is a valuable way of contributing to their community.  “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” ― Mother Teresa

See the following for ideas and resources:

 September 8th       Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary / Saolú na Maighdine Muire

On Our Lady’s birthday the Church celebrates the first dawning of redemption with the appearance in the world of the Saviour’s mother, Mary. The Blessed Virgin occupies a unique place in the history of salvation, and she has the highest mission ever commended to any creature. We rejoice that the Mother of God is our Mother, too. Let us often call upon the Blessed Virgin as “Cause of our joy”, one of the most beautiful titles in her litany.

For further resources check out the following:

For a Powerpoint presentation on Our Lady click on the following

 September 8th                  International Literacy Day / Lá Idirnáisiúnta Tiomanta don Litearthacht

International Literacy Day (ILD) 2021 will be celebrated under the theme “Literacy for a human-centred recovery: Narrowing the digital divide”.

The COVID-19 crisis has disrupted the learning of children, young people and adults at an unprecedented scale. It has also magnified the pre-existing inequalities in access to meaningful literacy learning opportunities, disproportionally affecting 773 million non-literate young people and adults. Youth and adult literacy were absent in many initial national response plans, while numerous literacy programmes have been forced to halt their usual modes of operation.

ILD 2021 will explore how literacy can contribute to building a solid foundation for a human-centred recovery, with a special focus on the interplay of literacy and digital skills required by non-literate youth and adults. It will also explore what makes technology-enabled literacy learning inclusive and meaningful to leave no one behind. By doing so, ILD2021 will be an opportunity to reimagine future literacy teaching and learning, within and beyond the context of the pandemic.

For more information check out: https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/literacyday

 September 9th :   Feast Day of Blessed Frederic Ozanam

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Description automatically generatedThe Church throughout the world, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SSVP) and the Vincentian Family celebrate on 9th of September the feast of the blessed Frederick Ozanam, principal founder of the SSVP, whose feast day was established by the Vatican as the date of his death (8 September) was the feast of the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Frédéric Ozanam always respected the poor while offering whatever service he could. Each man, woman, and child were too precious to live in poverty. Serving the poor taught Frédéric something about God that he could not have learned elsewhere. A man convinced of the inestimable worth of each human being, Frédéric served the poor of Paris well, and drew others into serving the poor of the world. Through the Saint Vincent de Paul Society, which he founded, his work continues to the present day. These words, spoken in 1834 by Frederic Ozanam, remain accurate in today’s world:

“The question which is agitating the world today is a social one. It is a struggle between those who have nothing and those who have too much. It is a violent clash of opulence and poverty which is shaking the ground under our feet. Our duty as Christians is to throw ourselves between these two camps in order to accomplish by love what justice alone cannot do”.

For a short video on his life and other resources see: https://famvin.org/en/2018/09/08/fecha-liturgica-del-beato-federico-ozanam/    https://www.franciscanmedia.org/blessed-fr-d-ric-ozanam/

 September 9th  International Day to Protect Education from Attack

The day was established by a unanimous decision of the UN General Assembly, calling on UNESCO and UNICEF to raise awareness of the plight of millions of children living in countries affected by conflict. The resolution proclaiming the Day was presented by the State of Qatar and co-sponsored by 62 countries.

The Safe Schools Declaration was opened for state endorsement in Oslo, Norway, in May 2015. It is a political commitment to better protect students, teachers, schools and universities during armed conflict, to support the continuation of education during war, and to put in place concrete measures to deter the military use of schools. By endorsing the Declaration, States commit to restoring access to safe education and to developing education systems that are conflict-sensitive and promote respect between social or ethnic groups. 

For a glimpse into the lives of young people who live in areas of armed conflict this is a 3 minute video which is definitely worth watching. https://youtu.be/PqZBepONNMI

For further information click here: https://www.un.org/en/observances/protect-education-day

 

September 10th             World Suicide Prevention Day/ Working Together to Prevent Suicide

The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) is dedicated to preventing suicide and suicidal behaviour, alleviating its effects, and providing a forum for academics, mental health professionals, crisis workers, volunteers and suicide survivors. IASP have launched a 

Cycle Around the Globe Campaign from September 10th-October 10th.

ABOUT CYCLE AROUND THE GLOBE 2020 CAMPAIGN

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Description automatically generatedEvery 40 seconds someone takes their life, almost 800,000 people a year around the world. For each suicide approximately 135 people suffer intense grief or are otherwise affected resulting in 108 million people, annually, are profoundly impacted by suicidal behaviours. For every suicide, 25 people make a suicide attempt and many more have serious thoughts of suicide.

IASP’s Cycle Around the Globe Campaign supports community-based suicide prevention activities in lower- and middle-income countries. Activities that aim to help communities recognize suicidal feeling and support those in distress to seek help and avert a tragedy. This campaign is about finding mechanisms to spread the message exponentially into areas where there is limited knowledge of these life/death issues. We want our global community to engage with each other and to join to spread awareness of suicide prevention. So please, cycle any distance on any road, track or gym and help us work together to prevent suicide.
Register now and plan your cycling for 10th September – 10th October when miles/kms will be logged here to go towards our collective goal. https://www.charityfootprints.com/eventdetails?id=450

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfZ6AB1R3Sg&feature=youtu.be     

https://www.iasp.info/       Pieta House https://www.pieta.ie/

 September 10th – St Peter Claver

A native of Spain, young Jesuit Peter Claver left his homeland forever in 1610 to be a missionary in the colonies of the New World. He sailed into Cartagena, a rich port city washed by the Caribbean. He was ordained there in 1615.

By this time the slave trade had been established in the Americas for nearly 100 years, and Cartagena was a chief center for it. Ten thousand slaves poured into the port each year after crossing the Atlantic from West Africa under conditions so foul and inhuman that an estimated one-third of the passengers died in transit.

As soon as a slave ship entered the port, Peter Claver moved into its infested hold to minister to the ill-treated and exhausted passengers. After the slaves were herded out of the ship like chained animals and shut up in nearby yards to be gazed at by the crowds, Claver plunged in among them with medicines, food, bread, brandy, lemons, and tobacco and assured his brothers and sisters of their human dignity and God’s love. During the 40 years of his ministry, Claver instructed and baptized an estimated 300,000 slaves.

For more information click on: https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-peter-claver

September 11th   – 9/11 R.E. Resources /Acmhainn

A reminder that the 9/11 Memorial & Museum is committed to providing ongoing resources for students, teachers, families, and the general public. They provide a host of educational resources—and a variety of free public programs, the Museum strives to foster a deeper understanding of the continuing impact of 9/11 and terrorism on America and the world at large. Recognising that it can be difficult for parents and teachers to talk about terrorism with young people, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum remind us that these conversations are crucial to help future generations understand the events that shaped their world.

Teach + Learn Information, context and resources exploring the attacks of 9/11, including excellent education programmes, lesson plans and interactive timelines are available at:

 

September 12th           Memorial of the Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary  

Cuimhneachán ar Ainm ró- Naofa na Maighdine Beannaithe Muire.

The feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary began in Spain in 1513 and in 1671 was extended to all of Spain and the Kingdom of Naples. In 1683, John Sobieski, king of Poland, brought an army to the outskirts of Vienna to stop the advance of Muslim armies loyal to Mohammed IV of Constantinople. After Sobieski entrusted himself to the Blessed Virgin Mary, he and his soldiers thoroughly defeated the Muslims. Pope Innocent XI extended this feast to the entire Church. Mary always points us to God, reminding us of God’s infinite goodness. She helps us to open our hearts to God’s ways, wherever those may lead us. Honoured under the title “Queen of Peace,” Mary encourages us to cooperate with Jesus in building a peace based on justice, a peace that respects the fundamental human rights of all peoples.

For further information click on: https://www.franciscanmedia.org/mosaint-holy-name-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary/

September 13th St John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

People who are willing to stand up for what is right and condemn what is evil leave their mark on the world. But they also may find themselves with enemies. John Chrysostom, an eloquent bishop-preacher of the fourth century, understood this.

In 397, John was made the bishop-patriarch of Constantinople. He lived a simple life, giving his wealth over for the building of hospitals, and he set about reforming the clergy and the city. He deposed bishops for buying their way into office. John sold much of the expensive furniture in the bishop’s residence and gave the money to those who were poor. He attacked wealthy people for misuse of their riches. John sought to reform the lax clergy, to straighten out the badly managed budget, and to rid the land of violence. His zeal for charity and justice angered the empress, Eudoxia, and provoked the jealousy of Theophilus, the patriarch of Alexandria. John was impeached and exiled. Even though he had the support of Pope Innocent I, John was exiled even farther away and died en route in 407.

The role of a true prophet is to comfort the disturbed and to disturb the comfortable. John Chrysostom did just that.

 

September 14th          Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross / Féile Ghlórú na Croise Naofa

The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, celebrated every year on September 14th, recalls three historical events: the finding of the True Cross by Saint Helena, the mother of the emperor Constantine; the dedication of churches built by Constantine on the site of the Holy Sepulchre and Mount Calvary; and the restoration of the True Cross to Jerusalem by the emperor Heraclius II. But in a deeper sense, the feast also celebrates the Holy Cross as the instrument of our salvation. This instrument of torture, designed to degrade the worst of criminals, became the life-giving tree that reversed Adam’s Original Sin when he ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden.

For more information click here:

 September 15th:  Our Lady of Sorrows

Devotion to the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady has its roots in Sacred Scripture and in Christian piety, which always associates the Blessed Mother with her suffering Son. Today’s feast was introduced by the Servites in order to intensify devotion to Our Lady’s Sorrows. In 1817 Pius VII — suffering grievously in exile but finally liberated by Mary’s intercession — extended the feast to the universal Church. The title “Our Lady of Sorrows” focuses on Mary’s intense suffering during the passion and death of Christ. “The Seven Dolors,” the title by which it was celebrated in the 17th century, referred to the seven swords that pierced the Heart of Mary.

The feast is like an octave for the birthday of Our Lady on September 8th. As Mary stood at the foot of the Cross on which Jesus hung, the sword of sorrow Simeon had foretold pierced her soul. Below are the seven sorrows of Mary:

1.      The prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:25-35)

2.      The flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15)

3.      Loss of the Child Jesus for three days (Luke 2:41-50)

4.      Mary meets Jesus on his way to Calvary (Luke 23:27-31; John 19:17)

5.      Crucifixion and Death of Jesus (John 19:25-30)

6.      The body of Jesus being taken from the Cross (Psalm 130; Luke 23:50-54; John 19:31-37)

7.      The burial of Jesus (Isaiah 53:8; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42; Mark 15:40-47)

For further information check the following:

 

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Description automatically generated September 21st:  International Day of Peace / Lá Idirnáisiúnta Tiomanta don Síocháin

The 2021 theme for the International Day of Peace is “Recovering better for an equitable and sustainable world”. We invite you to join the efforts of the United Nations family as we focus on recovering better for a more equitable and peaceful world. Celebrate peace by standing up against acts of hate online and offline, and by spreading compassion, kindness, and hope in the face of the pandemic, and as we recover.

 

Divide into groups of 5 and ask each group to answer the following 2 questions:

  • What do I want this space (school) to be like each week? Eg, positive, relaxing, calm, etc.
  • In order to achieve this what must we do? Eg. Respect, smile, interact, etc.

This exercise promotes a unified positive sheet where everyone agrees in the end that each of us has a role in making this world a better place.

 September 21st:   Matthew the Evangelist / Maitiú, Soiscéalaí

At the time that Jesus summoned him to follow Him, Matthew was a publican, that is, a tax-collector for the Romans. His profession was hateful to the Jews because it reminded them of their subjection; the publican, also, was regarded by the Pharisees as the typical sinner. St. Matthew is known to us principally as an Evangelist. He was the first to put down in writing our Lord’s teaching and the account of His life. His Gospel was written in Aramaic, the language that our Lord Himself spoke. Matthew’s Gospel makes clear that Jesus is the fulfilment of everything said by the prophets in the Old Testament. His book is the first of the four Gospels in the New Testament. The Church established St. Matthew’s feast day as September 21st.

https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=84  

http://www.stmatthewcr.org/parish/who-was-st-matthew/

 September 23rd    St. Padre Pio / Naomh Padre Pio

A person with a beard
Description automatically generated with medium confidenceSt. Padre Pio was an Italian priest who was known for his piety and charity, as well as the gift of the stigmata, which has never been explained. Padre Pio was hearing confessions when he felt pain in his hands and feet. He noticed the stigmata, the wounds of Christ, appearing on his hands and feet. The experience was painful. Bleeding occurred. The wounds smelled of roses, and although they continued to weep, they never became infected. Doctors who later examined the stigmata were amazed at their perfectly round shape. By 1919, word began to spread about Padre Pio’s stigmata and people came from far away to examine him. Padre Pio died on September 23, 1968. His funeral was attended by over 100,000 people. Pope John Paul II recognized Padre Pio as a saint on June 16, 2002. His feast day is September 23rd.  

Prayer of St. Pio

Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have You present so that I do not forget You. You know how easily I abandon You.

Stay with me, Lord, because I am weak and I need Your strength, that I may not fall so often.

Stay with me, Lord, for You are my life, and without You, I am without fervor.

 Stay with me, Lord, for You are my light, and without You, I am in darkness.

Stay with me, Lord, to show me Your will.

Stay with me, Lord, so that I hear Your voice and follow You.

Stay with me, Lord, for I desire to love You very much, and always be in Your company.

Stay with me, Lord, if You wish me to be faithful to You.

 September 25th : St. Finbarr        

Born in the second half of the 6th century AD, in Achaid Duborcon near Crookstown, Co. Cork, to a slave girl and her metalworker husband from Connacht, who had moved to Munster to find work, St

Finbarr (also known as Barra) is the patron saint of Cork.

As an adult, Finbarr left home with three unidentified ascetics and spent time in Scotland, including on the Isle of Barra, before establishing various hermitages in his native area, notably at Kilclooney and on the island here in Gougane Barra. St Finbarr died at Cloyne in 633 AD and his remains were taken to Cork to be enclosed in a silver shrine in what is now St Finbarr’s Cathedral. 

 September 27th Feast Day of St. Vincent de Paul / Féile Naomh Uinseann de Pól

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Description automatically generatedThe name of Vincent de Paul is synonymous with compassion and practical help for the needy. As a young priest Vincent was deeply moved by the misery in which many of the people in city slums and remote country areas in France lived. The poor were neglected both spiritually and materially, while the rich lived in luxury. He felt urged to do something to change the situation. Alone he could do very little, so he enlisted the help of many willing volunteers, mostly women, and in 1617 formed them into groups to help the poor in their local areas. These groups became known as the Confraternities of Charity. Concerned about the spiritual poverty of the country people, four years later, in 1625 he gathered another group around him and the Congregation of the Mission, better known in Ireland as the Vincentian Fathers, came into being. Then in 1633, together with St Louise de Marillac, he co-founded the Daughters of Charity, who would have “for cloister the streets of the city.”  For more information on St. Vincent see: https://www.famvin.org/wiki/Vincent_de_Paul

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVP)

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVP) was founded in Ireland in 1844. It is the largest voluntary charitable organisation in Ireland. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVP) charity is a Christian voluntary organisation, working with people experiencing poverty and disadvantage. Inspired by their principal founder, Frederic Ozanam, and patron, St. Vincent de Paul, they seek to respond to the call every Christian receives to bring the love of Christ to those in need: “I was hungry and you gave me food” (Matthew 25). No work of charity is foreign to the Society. They are involved in a diverse range of activities:

Teacher: Young SVP provides opportunities to engage in social action in local communities and encourages personal and social development.  The programme will enable young students to develop projects that will improve the lives of others and gain a better understanding of Social Justice.  For more information check : https://www.svp.ie/what-we-do/young-svp.aspx

 September 29th: International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste

Reducing food losses and waste is essential in a world where the number of people affected by hunger has been slowly on the rise since 2014, and tons and tons of edible food are lost and/or wasted every day.

The International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste is an opportunity to call to action both the public (national or local authorities) and the private sector (businesses and individuals), to prioritise actions and move ahead with innovation to reduce food loss and waste towards restoring and building back better and resilient-ready, food systems. Click here for more information: https://www.un.org/en/observances/end-food-waste-day/

 Get Involved! 

Do you want to mark the observance of the IDAFLW 2021 with an event, but do not have any original ideas to do so? Here are some tips to organize different activities or new formats for events – either by going digital or respecting any physical distancing measures. Find out more about how you can promote the Day by reading the Get Involved Guide. 

Teacher this might be a good time to do a group work exercise on what we waste daily and how we can reduce our waste.  It could also become a whole school exercise.

September 29th : Feast of the Archangels / Féile na nArdaingeal

Today is the feast of St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael.  The liturgy celebrates the feast of these three archangels who are venerated in the tradition of the Church. Michael is the archangel who fought against Satan and all his evil angels, defending all the friends of God. He is the protector of all humanity from the snares of the devil. Gabriel announced to Zachariah the forthcoming birth of John the Baptist, and to Mary, the birth of Jesus. His greeting to the Virgin, “Hail, full of grace,” is one of the most familiar and frequent prayers of the Christian people. Raphael is the archangel who took care of Tobias on his journey.

Teacher the idea of an Angel accompanying each one of us through life is a source of comfort.  Our Angel Guardian may not be revealed to us but the Angel is there none the less.  It could be an exercise in itself to explore what this means, why we have a Spiritual Companion with us and how can that companion enable us to feel less lonely at times when we feel lonely. 

  

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