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The month of November is dedicated to the Holy Souls in Purgatory whose feast is celebrated on November 2.
Highlights
November 26
Solemnity of Christ the King
The last Sunday of the Liturgical Year. This feast is a public, social and official declaration of the royal rights of Jesus, as God the Creator, as The Word Incarnate, and as Redeemer.
Recipe of the Month
Hungarian Goulash
The Hungarian version of pot roast, known as gulyas in Hungary, this is a stew made with beef or other meat and vegetables and flavored with Hungarian paprika. This is offered in honor of all the saints who come from Hungary.
Activity of the Month
All Saints' Day Procession
Celebrate this feast with your family. If there are children involved, we suggest saints costumes, goodies and games such as bobbing for apples or snap apples (a variation) and playing "Who Is my Saint?".
SymbolsAll Saints
The crown refers to sanctity, the scrolls with the inscription Sanctus allude to the chant of the redeemed, "Holy, Holy, Holy." The left half of the shield indicates the brightness of the Heavenly life in contrast to the black right half and the trials of the earthly life.
The Presentation of Mary This emblem, a heart with wings and pierced by a sword and suggestive of Mater Dolorosa, is a reference to the words of Simeon, "Yea, a sword shall pass through thine own soul also."
St. Cecilia
The only apparent reason for her to be known as the patroness of music is that St. Cecilia is said to have been skilled in singing the divine praises, oft accompanied by an instrument.
St. Catherine of Alexandria
Patron of chastity and learning. The wheel set with spikes refers to that mentioned in the legend, which is said to have been broken by divine interposition, when persecutors attempted to break her upon it.
St. Andrew
The patron of Russia, Scotland, and the Ecumenical Patriarchate. According to tradition St. Andrew was crucified on an X-shaped cross, known as a saltire of St. Andrew's cross, in Achaia.
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine.
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The month of October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary. The Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary is celebrated on October 7.
Highlights
October 18
St. Luke
St. Luke was a physician from Antioch and a disciple of St. Paul. He is the author of the third Gospel and of the Acts of the Apostles. In his Gospel he highlights the universality of salvation.
Recipe of the Month
Paella
Paella is a delicious, typical Spanish dish which has literally hundreds of ways to be prepared. Try making a version of this recipe in honor of the Spanish saint, Teresa of Avila, whose feast is October 15.
Activity of the Month
Display Flip-Easel for the Mysteries of the RosaryFor the month of the rosary, gather some images of each mystery of the rosary and put them on display. This will provide a helpful visual to meditate on the mysteries.
SymbolsSt. JudeThe sailing vessel here represents the Church, which St. Jude (also known as Thaddeus or Lebbaeus) carried to many ports as he journeyed as a missionary.
St. Simon
The companion of St. Jude on many missionary journeys, St. Simon was known as a great fisher of men through the power of the Gospel.
St. Francis
St. Francis, the father of the Franciscan Order, for two years before his death bore the marks of the Lord's Passion upon his hands, feet and side. The tears on the cross represent the marks of the stigmata.
St. Ignatius of Antioch
A convert of St. John, reputedly consecrated Bishop of Antioch by St. Peter, St. Ignatius was an important link between the first and second centuries of the Church. He was the writer of seven epistles as he proceeded to his martyrdom when condemned by Trajan.
Thou, O daughter, art blessed of the Lord, for through thee have we been made partakers of the fruit of life.
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The month of September is dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, whose memorial the Church celebrates on September 15.
HighlightsSeptember 14Triumph of the Cross
This feast commemorates the rescue of the true Cross of Christ by Emperor Heraclius in a victory over the Persians. Our Mother the Church sings of the triumph of the Holy Cross, the instrument of our salvation.
Recipe of the MonthSt. Michael's Waffles or Gaufres In France, paper-thin sweet wafers called gaufres were baked by street vendors. Serve waffles on St. Michael's Day to continue this tradition.
Activity of the Month
Make a Cross The Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross is an appropriate feast day to thank God for the blessing of Christ dying on the Cross, which opened the gates of heaven for mankind. Here is a family project which involves making a homemade cross.
Symbols
MaryThe Monogram of the Blessed Virgin. The letters of the name "Maria" are evident in this ancient symbol. A crown was sometimes placed over the monogram by medieval artists.
St. Matthew
The moneybags refer to the occupation of St. Matthew before he was called to follow Christ. He was a tax gatherer known as Levi.
St. John Chrysostom
The great work of the Archbishop of Constantinople to overcome crime, heresy, and corruption was interrupted by avaricious enemies who effected his exile, which lasted four years, and ended with his death.
St. Jerome
One of the Four Western Fathers, along with Sts. Augustine of Hippo, Ambrose of Milan and Gregory the Great. He contributed courage and wisdom in his defense of the truth. His translation of the Bible into Latin, known as the Vulgate, is in general, the version authorized in the Roman Catholic Church.
O afflicted Virgin, O soul great in virtues, as in sorrows, both the one and the other spring from that great fire burning in they heart for God, the only love of thy heart! --St. Alphonsus Ligouri
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This essay by Canon Patrick A. Sheehan (1952-1913), an Irish priest, novelist and essayist, explores the problem and inevitability of human suffering from the natural point of view, mentioning but not elaborating its sublime spiritual dimension as revealed in Christ. As this is the "Great Mystery" which haunts mankind, Fr. Sheehan remarks: "It is strange that men will not see how suffering is the inevitable accompaniment of our state of existence", for he knew (but does not say) that this "inevitable accompaniment" ought to turn our attention more fully to the question of God. Owing to his range of thought and spiritual insight, Fr. Sheehan was regarded by Tolstoy as the greatest novelist of the early twentieth century. [For more of these Catholic essays, see the Table of Contents.]
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The importance of this article, which addresses the moral problems inherent in in vitro fertilization, has recently been accentuated by the active commitment to this immoral practice made in early 2025 by US President Donald Trump. The article was originally printed as Chapter 22 of a more comprehensive work, Lived Experience and the Search for Truth: Revisiting Catholic Sexual Morality, edited by Deborah Savage and Robert Fastiggi. This book is available on the publisher's website at Enroute. The author's intention is to explain "some of the underlying reasons that illuminate the beauty of Church teaching on the origin of human life" and to "give an overview of the reasons why the Magisterium teaches that in vitro fertilization (IVF) is morally illicit." The text is in PDF form and may be read by following the link provided.
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This selection by the American essayist Agnes Repplier (1855-1950) is reprinted from the collection Americans and Others by the same author. It represents the achievement of a Catholic woman who was reportedly expelled from two schools for "independent behavior" and was illiterate until the age of 10. It is no wonder that she has written on humor! Known for essays on both literary criticism and contemporary life, she also published at least two short stories and a variety of articles for The Catholic World. In the end, she received honorary degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, Notre Dame, Yale, and Columbia University. [For more of these Catholic essays, see the Table of Contents.]
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This essay is really an extract from St. John Henry Newman's series of lectures which were published as The Idea of a University, the ideas for which were developed when Newman was charged with the task of establishing a Catholic university in Ireland. The book was originally a series of lectures presented in Dublin in May and June of 1852. In this extract, Newman (1801-1890) articulates the qualities of the perfect gentleman from a natural point of view, as applicable to all men, and as would be supernaturally enlarged and enhanced through grace. In his mind, a Catholic university should not ignore the natural foundations of a supernatural excellence. [For more of these Catholic essays, see the Table of Contents.]
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This is the table of contents page which links to the individual essays added to the CatholicCulture.org library from the collection published as A Century of the Catholic Essay in 1946.
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This essay by the beautifully Catholic writer Alice Meynell (1847-1922) was reprinted (in the 1946 source from which we took the text) from the book The Rhythm of Life and Other Essays by Alice Meynell, published in 1893. A poet and essayist in her own right, Alice and her husband Wilfrid were also at the center of the Catholic literary revival of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, which included giving aid and sustenance to the poet Francis Thompson, author of the still justly famous poem, "The Hound of Heaven". [For more of these Catholic essays, see the Table of Contents.]
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Pastoral Letter of Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia (USA) explaining the profound immorality of in vitro fertilization, which always involves the death of multiple human persons (embryos), while also showing compassion for those who resort to IVF out of a heartfelt desire to have children.
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