Search
Celebrating the Feasts of our Fathers in Faith
-
June 19, 2023As we celebrate the first official day of Summer this week, the Catholic Church also celebrates many feasts, solemnities, and other celebrations during the month of June! Here are some resources for your family to explore this week as the Church prepares to celebrate two important solemnities. I hope your families dive into these feast days and seize the opportunity to learn more about some of the most influential fathers of our faith.
Saturday- June 24 – Solemnity of The Nativity of St. John the Baptist
St. John the Baptist is one of the few saints who has- not one, but two feast days that the Church celebrates! While saints feasts are normally celebrated on the day of there death (which we celebrate for St. john the Baptist on August 29), we celebrate the Nativity of St. John the Baptist on June 24 because he was one of three people born without original sin! Luke 1:41 tells us that he leap with joy when he recognized the Savior in the womb of Mary, and was cleansed of original sin and filled with the Holy Spirit while still in Elizabeth’s womb. The date of St. John the Baptist’s Nativity is significant, as the Church chose the date that was six months before Christmas. Even on his feast days, we celebrate St. John the Baptist’s mission as the forerunner to the Messiah!
Consider celebrating this feast by eating what St. John ate – locust and wild honey (Mt 3:4)! Check out the recipes on Catholic Cuisine- perhaps Grasshopper Ice Cream Pies would be a nice dessert after dinner Saturday. Feeling adventurous? Try edible grasshoppers and wash it down with a stick of wild honey.
The nativity of St. John the Baptist is celebrated all over the world- traditions range from large bonfires, big neighborhood parties, and water fights. Check out how Kendra Tierney, author of The Catholic All Year Compendium celebrates this feast with her family here!
Thursday, June 29 – Solemnity of Saints Peter & Paul
On June 29 we remember the martyrdoms of Saint Peter & St. Paul. Ironically, St. Peter and St. Paul did not get along during their time together on Earth. A dispute between Peter and Paul, called the Incident at Antioch, threatened the very existence of the young Church. The dispute, centered around the issue of whether Gentiles needed to first convert to Judaism and accept the Mosaic law before becoming Christian, came to a head when the disciples met in Antioch to work out their differences face to face. Rather than each disciple starting his own church in which each could have his own way, St. Peter and Paul came to agree that non-Jewish Christians would not have to observe the Mosaic law. What an inspiring example of working through disagreements through listening and charity!
In the spirit of SS. Peter & Paul finding common ground among disputes, consider watching the video Companions in Shipwreck, focused on the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien and the true principles of friendship. Looking for inspiration for dinner? Consider making an upside down cake to remember the manner in which St. Peter requested to be crucified. In the mood for something simpler? How about a snack of graham cracker tent s’more for St. Paul, a tent-maker, and Swedish fish for St. Peter, a fisherman.
Interested in learning more about the feasts the Church celebrates during the month of June? Check out this episode of Through the Grapevine, our parish podcast, where we sat down with Fr. Jim Sabeck, director of the office of divine worship for the Diocese of Raleigh and dove into some of the many liturgical celebrations that often get overlooked in the month of June!