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This past Wednesday was the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist and I wanted to do something special. 💦 It also means that we are 6 months away from Christmas! Usually I'm soaking in the sun and enjoying the Texas heat but let's be honest this year has been something for the books and being out and about is a social no-no so I'm ready for that feel good season! 🎄 The life long mission of St. John the Baptist was to always give Christ the glory and prepare people to do that as well. Repent + Believe in the Gospel! He wanted them to KNOW Jesus, the way that he knew his own cousin from inside Elizabeth’s womb. So he does this by baptizing people, washing them of their sins and preparing them to stand holy in the sight of Christ. Have you ever wondered why St. John the Baptist was baptizing people when that was not an official part of Judaism? Baptism was unofficially practiced by some Jewish people (including the Essenes) and was a sign of repentance that was often repeated. It is likely that this is what influenced St. John the Baptist's ministry given that he may have very well known this group. This custom is of course different than the one we follow as Jesus baptizes us not just "with water" but also"with the Holy Spirit". (Luke 3:26) In Matthew 3:4 we learn that St. John the Baptist lived in the wilderness when he received his call as the forerunner for Christ. In that verse we see that his food was locusts and wild honey which is why it is our family tradition to incorporate honey into dinner or a treat. I know some might encourage a grasshopper challenge 🦗 but I just can’t do that! Instead, I did a couple of things this year, Italian Honey Clusters, also known as Struffoli, and Honey Basil Chicken Sliders which were so yummy. We highly recommend! I call this recipe the weeknight version because it is not the traditional way of making Struffoli but a much simpler version for an evening treat. I apologize in advance but this one is not a picture by picture! I cut the recipe in half so if you are only serving a few people that is more than plenty. struffoli, st john the baptist, honey treat Prep Time: 15 minutes Rise Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour Total Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes Yields: 10 Servings Ingredients 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1 tbsp orange zest 1 teaspoon anise extract 1/4 teaspoon salt 4 eggs 1 1/4 cups honey 1/4 cup vegetable oil For Frying 5 cups vegetable oil for deep frying For Garnish (Optional Ideas) Sprinkles Honey Slivered Almonds Maraschino Cherries Powdered Sugar Directions: 1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, whisk the four eggs on medium for 2-3 minutes. 2. Pour in 1 tbsp orange zest, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1 tsp anise, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp salt, and 2 1/2 cups flour. Mix that together on medium until the dough comes together. It will have a sticky consistency. 3. Remove the dough from the bowl and turn it out on a lightly floured surface. Knead for 2-3 minutes until it is no longer sticky. If it still feels sticky, sprinkle in more flour little by little while kneading until it is no longer sticky. Note: We are aiming for smooth and stretchy! 4. Place the dough in a clean bowl and cover it with a tea towel. Let it stand for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Note: Towards the end of the rise time, lightly flour a large plate or baking sheet so that when you form your dough balls they have a non-stick place to sit. 5. Turn the dough back out on a floured surface and divide it into six pieces. Roll each piece into a rope roughly 1/4" in diameter. 6. Cut each rope into 1 cm pieces and roll them to form balls. Try to make them the same size! 7. In a dutch oven or pot, pour in your oil and heat to 350 degrees. Note: You can also heat your oven to 200 degrees and take out a heatproof bowl or small cake tin so that when you are done frying small batches you can keep them warm in the oven. 8. Place them in the hot oil until golden brown for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Take them out with a slotted spoon or frying spatula and drain them on a paper towel lined plate. Once they are drained of the oil put them in the cake tin to stay warm in the oven. 9. In a saucepan, pour in the honey and heat over low to medium temperature until the honey has thinned. 10. Drizzle the honey over the dough balls and mix together until they are thoroughly coated. 11. Garnish with sprinkles, powdered sugar, slivered almonds, or maraschino cherries. As I was writing for the dough to set I read an article that highlighted an interesting fact to go along with the popular St. John the Baptist quote, "he must increase but I must decrease." (John 3:30) The feast of the nativity of John the Baptist occurs just days after the summer solstice when the days are actually getting shorter (decreasing) ⬇️. Christ’s nativity falls just after the winter solstice when the days are getting longer (increasing) ⬆️. What a humbling and difficult message for us, if we are to be like St. John the Baptist that means we must make way for Jesus into our own lives and the lives of others. We too must decrease so that Jesus can increase, placing less emphasis on ourselves and giving more worship to God. Proclaiming and praising Him as a church, not being afraid to speak out for truth, and building an intimate relationship with him as John did. Hoping you enjoy this recipe just as much as we did! Follow along for more liturgical living, it's more fun when we participate all together. FB: @hisgirlsunday IG: @steffani_hisgirlsunday.

It is hot as all get out here so making popsicles for the feast of the Immaculate Heart was a no brainer. I decided to make my own so that we could stick with a healthier, less sugary version of this yummy summer treat. To honor Our Lady I chose blueberries to remind us of the color she wore and the shape of a heart to call to mind this sacred image and devotion. I initially made these with a watermelon mold that I had on hand but you can get heart molds here. What is the Immaculate Heart of Mary? This term refers to Mary's pure and perfect heart which gave the profound fiat to God's will. According to Catholic dogma, Mary was sinless throughout her entire life and she remained meek and cooperative with the redemptive mission as the Mother of God. It is her heart that helps us learn how to love God fully and faithfully. I'm ready to get started, are you! 💙 immaculate heart, blueberry popsicle, Marian feast day Prep Time: 5 minutes Freeze Time: 3 1/2-4 hours Yields: 4 servings Ingredients 2 cups frozen blueberries 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey Heart shaped molds preferable or any mold you have on hand Measure two cups frozen blueberries and place those in your blender. I used my smoothie Ninja and that worked just the same. Note: You can use this exact same recipe with other fruit too! For strawberries, kiwi, and other fruits that are less dense I would change the measurement to 2 1/2 cups. Pour in 2 tablespoons lemon juice to add flavor and flair! And drizzle in one tablespoon of maple syrup or honey to give it a sweetness. I was going to go with honey but apparently I ran out so I did a quick, on the spot, substitute with maple syrup. Give that a good blitz until it is smooth and thoroughly blended. Some like little fruit chunks in their popsicles, I'll let you decide the consistency yourself. Fill your mold all the way to the top, add your popsicle sticks, and close the mold securely to be placed in the freezer for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Tip: To take these out without breaking them, like I did 😒, run room temperature water from the kitchen sink over the outside of the mold for about 30 seconds. These were so good! The natural fruit taste is so much better than the artificial flavors and sweeteners, I just know your going to love these. Pack them in a cooler for a picnic, take them out poolside, or just kick back on the couch and enjoy. Before eating, pray this Immaculate Heart prayer to bring the spirit of liturgical living into your home. Immaculate Heart Prayer O God of infinite goodness and mercy, fill our hearts with a great confidence in our Most Holy Mother, whom we invoke under the title of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and grant by us her most powerful intercession all the graces, spiritual and temporal, which we need. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. Keep in touch for more liturgical living recipes and resources. Follow along on FB @hisgirlsunday or IG @steffani_hisgirlsunday.

Around the 16th century, the Church began to dedicate each month to a specific devotion to help us sanctify our actions and give order to our days. With this in mind I can say, the beauty of the liturgical year really is something to behold and be delved into. Mother Church, in her infinite wisdom, knows that we need daily, weekly, and monthly encouragement to strengthen our relationship with God, Mary, and His saints. Sometimes these dedications change or rotate, but it is a tradition of the Church to have a monthly focus. Let's take advantage of this opportunity to learn something new or grow stronger in a devotion that we might already have. For August, we are turning our minds and hearts toward the heart of Our Blessed Mother. The perfectly pure and holy heart of a woman who teaches us how to love God above all else. Mary knows how to do this with such great depth that she can draw us into herself with the only intention of helping us to better know Jesus, her son. What is the Immaculate Heart of Mary? This term refers to Mary's pure and perfect heart which gave the profound fiat to God's will. According to Catholic dogma, Mary was sinless throughout her entire life and she remained meek and cooperative with the redemptive mission as the Mother of God. It is her heart that helps us learn how to love God fully and faithfully. What is the Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary? Devotions to the Immaculate Heart of Mary have long existed in more private and less formal ways but it finally began to flourish with the help of St. John Eudes. He spoke tirelessly about the hearts of Jesus and Mary along with the importance of drawing near to them as wellsprings of grace and mercy. Around the 17th century, parallel with an increase in devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the feast of the Holy Heart of Mary was established. And in the 19th century, the apparition to St. Catherine Laboure and the formation of a society was dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the devotion grew even more. In this closeness to Mary's heart we seek to transform our own hearts to be more like hers in virtue, and to help us love God as she does. This involves a total gift of self so that we can be united to God, through Mary's maternal love for us and her son. For all that Mary is, we honor and revere her extraordinary life, example, and motherhood. 6 Ways to Engage in this Devotion 1. Wear a Miraculous Medal On one side of the Miraculous Medal are the words, O Mary, Conceived Without Sin, Pray for Us Who Have Recourse to Thee. In her apparition to St. Catherine Laboure she is confirming the dogma of her Immaculate Conception. On the other side is an image of the cross with the letter "M," and underneath it the symbols of Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary, emphasizing the devotion to her holy heart. 2. Make a Heart Craft I really like this one from Shower of Roses. You cut a construction paper heart, cut up streamers, and glue them down to look like flowers and a flame on top. If you want more details on this craft, click here. (Image: Shower of Roses) 3. Start the First Five Saturdays Devotion Our Lady promised to assist at the hour of death, with all the graces necessary for salvation, all those who practice the First Saturday devotion on five consecutive months, with the intention of making reparation to her Immaculate Heart. What do you do? Go to confession Receive Holy Communion at a Saturday Mass Pray 5 decades of the rosary Keep Our Lady Company by meditating for 15 minutes on one or more of the mysteries of the Rosary 4. Make Heart Shaped Popsicles or Cookies Click the image to make heart shaped blueberry popsicles! I have a really good sugar cookie cutouts recipe here. Don't forget to decorate them! :) 5. Consecrate Yourself to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Here are three great resources to help you prepare and get started. 33 Days to Morning Glory True Devotion to Mary Militia of the Immaculata 6. Pray with the Prophecy of Simeon “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many may be revealed – and a sword will pierce your own soul, too.” (Luke 2:34-35) These are six options that can easily be adapted for various age ranges and family structures, but whatever you choose to do, do it intentionally. I pray that these help all of us to think more intently about Mary, help us consider how we can grow to celebrate her example, and be more like her every day. For more tips and tricks I invite you to follow along on FB @HisGirlSunday or IG @steffani_hisgirlsunday! Praying for you, His Girl Sunday

The Church has dedicated the month of June to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and it also has its own special feast day on June 16th, the Friday following the second Sunday after Pentecost. A devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus has long existed in the history of the Church but was revitalized through St. Margaret Mary. sacred heart, liturgical living, June dedication What is the Sacred Heart of Jesus? The symbol which many of us have seen before is one that profoundly expresses Jesus’ undying love for the Church. The heart, a universal symbol for love, is wrapped in thorns to express the self-sacrificing nature with which He offers us redemption. According to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, the thorns also represent the sins that we commit which prick the heart of Jesus. The lance pierced side depicts the outpouring of His blood which nourishes and gives life to us all. The significance of this calls to mind the Blessed Sacrament, our spiritual sustenance given to not only enliven us but draw us into an intimate relationship. Not to forget about the flames, a biblical symbol of divinity but also an expression of passionate and all consuming love. The Church highly values this devotion as a way of fighting off the evils of the world and emboldening us in faith, morals, and piety. We can always take refuge in the heart of our Savior who will not forsake His children. "Consider often that it is only the humble of heart that can enter into the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ and converse with Him, Love Him and be Loved by Him." St. Margaret Mary Getting to Know St. Margaret Mary She was born to a prosperous French country family in 1647 and as a little girl she loved spending time with them as well as her godmother. Sadly, her father died of pneumonia early on in her life and it left the family in very difficult financial times. As a result, she was sent to school with the Urbanist Sisters of Charolles. She adored life at the convent and was even able to make her first communion early. However, Margaret had to come home after she became very sick and was bed-ridden for about four years. After some time for healing she led a fairly normal life as a teenager but received a vision after coming home from a dance. It was of Christ being scourged, she interpreted that as having betrayed Jesus for worldly pleasures. At that point she decided to enter the convent at only 22 years old. After a few years there she began to have a series of visions that lasted a year and a half. The core message of these visions was Jesus asking her to spread a devotion to His Sacred Heart. The explanations of her visions were not received well, but a priest by the name of Father Claude de la Columbiere, now a saint, wrote them down and helped her spread the devotion. Over time, Margaret Mary was able to lead her convent in many ways to the Sacred Heart of Jesus until she became very sick at the young age of 43. Her final words were, “I need nothing but God, and to lose myself in the heart of Jesus.” 12 Promises from the Sacred Heart In an apparition to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Jesus promised abundant graces to those who devote themselves to His Sacred Heart. 1. I will give them all the graces necessary for their state in life. 2. I will give peace in their families. 3. I will console them in all their troubles. 4. They shall find in my heart an assured refuge during life and especially at the hour of death. 5. I will pour abundant blessings on all their undertakings. 6. Sinners shall find in my heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy. 7. Tepid souls shall become fervent. 8. Fervent souls shall speedily rise to great perfection. 9. I will bless the homes in which the image of my Sacred Heart shall be exposed and honored. 10. I will give to priests the power to touch the most hardened hearts. 11. Those who promote this devotion shall have their name written in my heart and it shall never be effaced. 12. I promise you in the excessive mercy of my Heart that my all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Friday in nine consecutive months, the grace of final penitence: they will not die in my disgrace, nor without receiving the Sacraments. My Divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment. Lived Devotion to the Sacred Heart 1. Consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 2. Engage in the First Fridays novena. In an apparition to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Jesus requested that people go to confession, attend mass, and receive the Eucharist on the first Friday of 9 consecutive months. 3. Strive to imitate Jesus self-sacrificing heart in your daily life. Maybe it’s less complaining, more service work, helping a friend or family member, or praying more regularly. Take time discerning this in your prayer life. 4. Enthrone your home, if you have this booklet you’ve already made a step! 5. Pray for the reparation of sin and grace to live out a vocation of love. Try These Prayers Sacred Heart of Jesus Prayer O most holy Heart of Jesus, fountain of every blessing, I adore you, I love you and with a lively sorrow for my sins. I offer you this poor heart of mine. Make me humble, patient, pure, and wholly obedient to your will. Grant, good Jesus, that I may live in you and for you. Protect me in the midst of danger; comfort me in my afflictions; give me health of body, assistance in my temporal needs, your blessings on all that I do, and the grace of a holy death. Within your heart I place my every care. In every need let me come to you with humble trust saying, Heart of Jesus, help me. Amen Prayer from St. Margaret Mary Alacoque O Sacred Heart of Jesus, For whom it is impossible not to have Compassion on the afflicted, Have pity on us miserable sinners And grant us the grace Which we ask of you, Through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Your tender mother and ours. Amen Prayer of Gratitude to the Sacred Heart Lord, you deserve all honor and praise, because your love is perfect and your heart sublime. Me heart is filled to overflowing with gratitude for the many blessings and graces you have bestowed upon me and those whom I love. Forever undeserving, may I always be attentive and never take for granted the gifts of mercy and love that flow so freely and generously from your Sacred Heart. Heart of Jesus, I adore you. Heart of Jesus, I praise you. Heart of Jesus, I thank you. Heart of Jesus, I love you forever and always. Amen Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Pray for 9 Consecutive Days In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.” Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of… (Mention your Intention Here) Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.” Behold, in your name, I ask the Father for the grace of… (Mention your Intention Here) Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.” Encouraged by your infallible words I now ask for the grace of… (Mention your Intention Here) Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. O Sacred Heart of Jesus, for whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of you, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, your tender Mother and ours. Amen. Serve This Up Flaming Strawberry Heart Cupcakes Coq au Vin Out of all the ideas I recommend picking a few that fit your personal or family Catholic culture. For us, we partake in the First Friday devotion, we enthroned our home so we regularly pray in front of our Sacred Heart image, and I make flaming strawberries on the feast day as a fun dessert. What would you pick? Can't wait to see how you live closely to Jesus' merciful and loving heart! You can share with me in the comments or on social media. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have Mercy on Us!

About five years ago my husband and I took a pilgrimage to Italy with our parish and were very blessed to have visited a multitude of beautiful places, one of them being Padua. Before that I had not known much about St. Anthony accept to ask him to help me when I lost things, which is often! "Tony, Tony, look around. Something’s lost and must be found!" As a way to celebrate St. Anthony of Padua and other saints, I will look up the region that they come from and make something that stems from that culture or geographical area. For tonight we are serving up skillet Italian sausage with fresh peppers and onions. Tie on your apron and let's begin! (st. anthony of padua, italian sausage, feast day) Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Yields: 4-6 servings Ingredients 2 tbsps olive oil 1 lb sweet Italian sausage 1/2 white upon sliced 1/2 red onion sliced 1 red bell pepper, sliced 1 green bell pepper, sliced 1 orange bell pepper, sliced 3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes 1/2 cup chicken broth (for flavor) dried basil, for garnish Begin by slicing the onions and peppers. A dish with lots of color makes me happy! Then, over medium-high heat, warm up 2 tbsps olive oil. Cook the sausage links for 2-3 minutes on each side or until they are browned. Note: They will not be cooked through at this point. When you're finished browning the Italian sausage, slice them into 1 inch pieces and set them aside for later. Add 1/2 white onion (sliced) and 1/2 red onion (sliced) to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes while stirring. Add in the sliced red, green, and orange bell peppers and sprinkle everything with 1 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning, and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes. Toss the peppers and onions to mix in the seasoning and cook for about 5 minutes. Pour in 1/2 cup chicken broth and stir to combine. Return the Italian sausage back to the pan and lower the heat to medium. Cover the pan with a lid and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Note: To help the liquid evaporate I then uncovered the pan and turned the heat up to medium high again for 2 minutes. If it is not evaporated in this time I strain the dish myself so to not overcook the sausage. Serve as is, over pasta, or a bed of rice and sprinkle with dried basil! How easy was that? Getting to know St. Anthony He was born in 1195, only 13 years after St. Francis, to a faithful family and discerned very early on in his life, age 15, to join the religious order of St. Augustine. However, after witnessing the return of five Franciscan martyrs that died for preaching about Christ in Morocco, he felt called to "put on the habit of your [the Franciscan] order." He was never able to go to Morocco to preach like he wanted to because he became sick, but after healing he ended up in Sicily where his renowned preaching began. So the story goes that after attending a Dominican and Franciscan Ordination, they got together to have dinner and the provincial suggested that one of them give a sermon. Like most people when put on the spot in a group they pulled what my family would call a "nose goes" and St. Anthony was then asked to speak. With lacking education and living as a hermit they didn't expect much, but to everyone's surprise St. Anthony had a gift for speaking about the Gospel. The Hammer of Heretics & His Incorruptible Tongue There are stories upon stories about not only the beauty of his words but the fearlessness of his preaching, which gave him the name "Hammer of Heretics". One of my favorite stories is the popular "sermon to the fishes". One day St. Anthony's preaching fell on the deaf ears of heretics so he went down to a river near Padua and preached to the fish. The legend goes that when the fish heard him they all swam to shore and poked their heads out of the water to listen! He wanted so badly for souls to be won over for Christ that he dedicated his life to traveling and presenting the truths of Christianity. At times St. Anthony could have had anywhere up to 30,000 people listening to him speak. He loved the poor and helped to satisfy them in anyway that he could. In fact, when we went to Padua we were able to see his tongue which is incorruptible, you have to go look this up! What is the story behind St. Anthony holding baby Jesus? Ever wondered why he is seen holding the baby Jesus? One night while staying as a guest with a benefactor, the owner walked by his room and noticed rays of light pouring out from under the door. As he walked by he saw St. Anthony kneeling in ecstasy and holding a loving, caressing child. The owner knew from the uncharacteristic beauty that the child was Jesus. St. Anthony had such great purity of faith that he is also seen holding a lily. In fact, there is a blessing of lilies on the feast of St. Anthony which you can ask your priest to do for you. One more story, I can't help myself! In France during a time of Church persecution many priests and nuns were being murdered along with convents and churches being destroyed. Many faithful Catholics would go to a surviving church on his feast day to leave lilies and months later the beautiful lilies that adorned that parish were still fresh. Even if you can't get your lilies blessed I would highly recommend placing some on your kitchen table or home altar in honor of St. Anthony. You could also make a traditional St. Anthony bread for this feast day. Pick what will be engaging and meaningful for your family like paying tribute to our trip will be for ours! The Blessing of Lilies on the Feast of St. Anthony The priest vests in surplice and white stole, and says: P:Our help is in the name of the Lord. All:Who made heaven and earth. P:The Lord be with you. All:And with thy spirit. P:Let us pray. God, the Creator and Preserver of the human race, the Lover of holy purity, the Giver of supernatural grace, and the Dispenser of everlasting salvation; bless + these lilies which we, Thy humble servants, present to Thee today as an act of thanksgiving and in honor of St. Anthony, Thy confessor, and with a request for Thy blessing. Pour out on them, by the saving sign + of the holy cross, Thy dew from on high. Thou in Thy great kindness hast given them to man, and endowed them with a sweet fragrance to lighten the burden of the sick. Therefore, let them be filled with such power that, whether they are used by the sick, or kept in homes or other places, or devoutly carried on one's person, they may serve to drive out evil spirits, safeguard holy chastity, and turn away illness--all this through the prayers of St. Anthony--and finally impart to Thy servants grace and peace; through Christ our Lord. All:Amen. Then he sprinkles the lilies with holy water, saying: P:Sprinkle me with hyssop, Lord, and I shall be clean of sin. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Pray for us, St. Anthony. All:That we may be worthy of Christ's promise. P:Let us pray. We beg Thee, O Lord, that Thy people may be helped by the constant and devout intercession of Blessed Anthony, Thy illustrious confessor. May he assist us to be worthy of Thy grace in this life, and to attain everlasting joys in the life to come; through Christ our Lord. All:Amen. After this the lilies are distributed to the people. Keep in touch for more liturgical living recipes and resources. Follow along on FB @hisgirlsunday or IG @steffani_hisgirlsunday.

What is a Sunday without Mass followed by dinner at Nonna's house? My mother-in-law brings this big, Italian family together every single Sunday. I'm in awe of this simple yet profound tradition that she is the foundation of. Without fail there is a beautiful meal that she makes with her own hands and some kitchen helpers. One of my new favorites is her homemade bread. It's light on the inside and wonderfully crispy on the outside. It reminds me of my time walking the camino in Spain, you couldn't eat lunch without a piece of bread on the table just like this one. Mmm, so good! The thing I appreciate most about her recipes is that they are simple and no fuss! So many bread recipes out there have become very complex, and for the working woman or busy mom I find that can be impractical at times. This is something that I know you can do and your family & friends will certainly be impressed with your creation. If you have a little extra time you can put a lovely design on the top by using these bread stencils or this bread lame to score the top of your loaf in the way you like. Thank you so much, Diane, for sharing this recipe with all of us. Let's get baking! Prep Time: 3 hours Bake Time: 45 minutes Yields: 1 loaf Ingredients 3 cups 00 flour 1 tsp salt 1 package yeast 1 1/2 cups warm water Put 3 cups 00 flour, 1 package of yeast, and 1 tsp salt in a bowl and whisk together. Add 1 1/2 cups warm water and mix with your hands or a stand mixer to combine. Cover with a tea towel and let the dough rise for 2-3 hours. When it's about time to bake, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Put your dutch oven, without the bread, in the oven while it is preheating. When the oven reaches 450 degrees take the dutch oven out of oven. Line your dutch oven with parchment paper, then take the dough out of the bowl and place it on top of the parchment paper. Cover the dutch oven with the lid and bake for 30 minutes. When the 30 minutes is up remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes. Cut and enjoy with butter, jam, a cheese spread, or just as it is. Mangia! Mangia! Did you make this recipe? If so I would love to see it, drop a picture in the comment or send it to me on social media, Facebook @HisGirlSunday or Instagram @steffani_hisgirlsunday.

St. Catherine of Siena is the patroness of Italy, saint, mystic, and doctor of the Church. She entered the Dominican order at just 16 years old and her great faith led her to become a spiritual guide for many prominent people, including the pope during the Avignon Papacy. When I initially read that I was incredibly intrigued, I didn't grow up around many priests other than our parish priest, and I had never actually known a sister until college. So when I heard her story, I couldn't get enough of her strong character and deep faith. As a mystic she had the "gift of tears" and a "mystical marriage to Christ". She is also known as an incorruptible saint meaning that parts of her body have never decayed. When I visited Siena, Italy I saw her head and thumb, I really didn't expect this reaction out of myself but I couldn't help but cry. A holy woman that I chose to be my spiritual role model and intercessor was right in front of me. The first image was taken by the Traveling Catholic, the second and admittedly very low quality photo of St. Catherine of Siena's head in Siena, Italy was taken by yours truly. 😂 Same photo credit to follow for images of her incorruptible thumb. Every year we gather in the kitchen to celebrate her by making Clementine Cake. When I shared this on social media many people were surprised to read this connection but it actually makes for the perfect opportunity to talk about her spiritual strength over a slice of cake. In a letter to Pope Urban VI, she writes about her experience in boiling oranges as an analogy for the spiritual sweetness of Christ. A key, and rather long, process to making Clementine Cake is boiling oranges! If you have never had it, I'm telling you right now that it is amazing. Damp! Dense! Aromatic! Prep Time: 2 hours Bake Time: 50 minutes Total Time: 3 hours Yields: 8-10 Slices The Ingredients 4 Clementines 6 large eggs 1 cup coconut sugar 2¼ cups almond flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp nutmeg Begin by washing your clementines and throwing them whole into a small pot of water. Bring the water to a boil with the lid partially on for 2 hours. Note: Keep an eye on the water level and replenish as needed to avoid burning the clementines. After 2 hours you can drain the water and allow the clementines time to cool. Once you can handle them, cut off the pedicel, or the ends. Making the cake mix goes pretty quickly, so you can preheat your oven now to 375 degrees. Slice them in half and remove the pip, or the central core. Toss them whole, including the skin, into a food processor. Pulse the food processor until the clementines are completely blended into a liquid with fine parts. Crack 6 eggs into the clementine mixture and pulse the food processor until both ingredients are thoroughly combined. Now you can add everything else into the food processor at once. Put 2 1/4 cup almond flour with 1 tsp baking powder into a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Then pour this gradually into the clementine mixture while the food processor is on low. Then I sprinkled in 1 cup coconut sugar. And last but not least, pour in 1 tsp nutmeg. Blend everything together until your clementine cake mixture looks like this. SmOoOoth! Pour into an 8" springform tin cake pan. Bake for a total of 50 minutes, after the first 30 minutes take the cake out and cover it with foil so that the top doesn't burn. Then put it back in the oven for another 20 minutes. You can test to see if your cake is ready by putting a toothpick or skewer in the side, if it comes out clean it is finished. Some years we have eaten this cake as is with some cool whip and other years we have made a simple glaze with confectioner's sugar, water, and clementine juice. Either way, this cake does not disappoint! ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Hello, again! I'm coming back to this post a couple of years later to offer some updated photos of our delicious cake. Hope you are enjoying it! :) Happy Feast Day, St. Catherine! Use this prayer to add on to your Catholic prayer before meals. Prayer for the Gifts of Saint Catherine of Siena God of Wisdom you made our sister Catherine burn with divine love in contemplating the Lord’s passion and in serving your Church. With the help of her prayers may your people, united in the mystery of Christ, rejoice forever in the revelation of his glory, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen. Did you make this recipe? If so I would love to see it, drop a picture in the comment or send it to me on social media Facebook @HisGirlSunday or Instagram @steffani_hisgirlsunday. For more resources on building Catholic tradition, check out the blog section of my website or follow me on Facebook or Instagram to see what Catholic things I am doing to make our day to day life more joyful.

Tomorrow is the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity! This feast falls the Sunday after Pentecost and it is on this day especially that we celebrate a fundamental dogma of the faith. The Trinity is the term used to signify the central teaching of the Catholic faith that in the unity of the Godhead, there are three persons, each one being truly distinct from one another while simultaneously possessing the same eternal and divine nature. We believe in one God, three divine persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as expressed in the Creed. What is a dogma you ask? A dogma is... Doctrine taught by the Church to be believed by all the faithful as part of divine revelation. All dogmas, therefore, are formally revealed truths and promulgated as such by the Church. they are revealed either in Scripture or tradition, either explicitly (as the Incarnation) or implicitly (as the Assumption). Moreover, their acceptance by the faithful must be proposed as necessary for salvation. They may be taught by the Church in a solemn manner, as with the definition of the Immaculate Conception, or in an ordinary way, as with the constant teaching on the malice of taking innocent human life. (Modern Catholic Dictionary) To bring this divine reality to life, I thought it would be fun and fitting to make Tres Leches cake. One cake, three divine milks. You could also do a tri-colored pasta, scoop up some Neapolitan ice cream, or even a sip margarita made with triple sec. (tres leches, trinity, sunday, solemnity) Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes Bake Time: 30 minutes Yields: 12 servings Cake Ingredients 1 cup flour 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 5 eggs 1 cup sugar, divided 2 tsps vanilla extract 1/3 cup whole milk Milk Mixture Ingredients 12 oz evaporated milk 9 oz sweet condensed milk 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream Frosting Ingredients 1 pint heavy whipping cream 2 tbsps sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract ground cinnamon, to garnish strawberries, to garnish Let's start by buttering a 9x13" baking dish and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Set out three mixing bowls and in the first one sift together 1 cup flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 tsp salt. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites into the other two bowls. Sprinkle in 3/4 cup sugar to the egg yolks and beat with a hand mixer on high until the mixture is pale yellow. This took me about 2 minutes. Then pour in 1/3 cup milk and 2 tsps vanilla extract and whisk together until combined. Set that bowl aside and beat your egg whites with the hand mixer until you form soft peaks. Then pour in 1/4 cup sugar and beat for another minute or so. We want the egg whites to be fluffy and and formable. Set that aside and pour the egg yolk mixture into the flour and stir together with a baking spatula until everything is thoroughly combined. Slide in the egg whites and gently fold them into the cake mixture. Don't overdo this part! Look at how nice and fluffy this turned out. Pour the cake batter into your buttered baking dish and spread it out evenly. I baked mine for 30 minutes and checked it with a toothpick which should come out clean when finished. While that baked I made the milk mixture. In a large measuring cup I combined one can evaporated milk, one can sweet condensed milk, and 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream. Set that aside and when your cake is finished take it out of the oven and give it plenty of time to cool down before pouring the milk on top. You can do this in one of two ways: by taking it out of your baking dish and setting it on a platter to cool or by putting the baking dish into the fridge for about 30 minutes. I did the latter! ...30 minutes later... Time to poke some holes. Many will use a fork but what I found is that when you pull the fork out it sometimes takes little chunks of the cake with it, even if you clean the fork between pokes. I don't like this because it means the milk is going to pool in that area, so instead I use a toothpick to create holes across the top of the cake. Note: Don't poke too many holes. The key to a really good tres leches cake is for it to be moist, not soggy! Slowly drizzle the milk mixture over the cake and make sure to get around the edges! Initially I started pouring from the measuring cup but found this too hard to control, so instead I spooned the mixture onto the cake allowing it to seep in before adding more. This took a little bit of time but paid off in the end. Note: The milk mixture made almost 4 cups, I didn't use about 1 1/2 cups because I could tell it was going to be too much. Let the cake soak for about 30 minutes to absorb all the milk. While that is happening we can make the whipped cream. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 pint heavy whipping cream, 2 tbsps sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla. Beat the ingredients together with a hand mixer until it is thick, this took about 10 minutes. Even Oliver appreciates a good bowl of whipped cream. Spoon the whipped cream over the cake and spread it evenly. Now you can dust the top with ground cinnamon and top each piece with strawberries. I make little strawberry fans by creating a row of slits across the strawberry up to the stem but not through it. Then gently push the strawberry to the side like you are opening a fan. Look at how delicious, you have to make this sometime soon. Happy Solemnity, dear friend! Keep in touch for more liturgical living recipes and resources. Let me know how your dessert making goes and share with me some of the things your family likes to do for the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity! Follow along on FB @hisgirlsunday or IG @steffani_hisgirlsunday.

Our family has perfected a new meatless meal for Fridays that is fresh, light, and healthy. All you have to do is make a simple marinade to flavor your salmon and pop it in the oven for an easy bake. Before we get to our recipe, let's talk about why are aren't eating any meat on a Friday outside of Lent. Many Catholics have never heard that they are to abstain from meat on Fridays and often when I share this there is some level of confusion. Here is a concise and meaningful explanation from the NCR. Contrary to common misconception, abstinence from meat on Fridays throughout the year has never been abolished from Roman law. It was not abolished by Vatican II. It was not abolished by Pope Paul VI or Pope St. John Paul II. It was not abolished by the 1983 Code of Canon Law. It remains the universal law of the Latin Church. From the 1983 Code of Canon Law Can. 1249 The divine law binds all the Christian faithful to do penance each in his or her own way. In order for all to be united among themselves by some common observance of penance, however, penitential days are prescribed on which the Christian faithful devote themselves in a special way to prayer, perform works of piety and charity, and deny themselves by fulfilling their own obligations more faithfully and especially by observing fast and abstinence, according to the norm of the following canons. Can. 1250 The penitential days and times in the universal Church are every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent. Can. 1251 Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. There is much more to be said on this topic and if you are interested, this is the article that I am referring to here. In all honesty, I didn't always know this either, and it wasn't well into my adult years that I found out. Since then, my family has truly sought to abide by this as Friday represents a mini-Good Friday and Sunday represents a mini-Easter. If you're looking to partake in this Catholic liturgical custom, then this Lemon Herb Salmon will make for a delightful and simple dinner. meatless meal, catholic, Friday, salmon Prep Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 12 minutes Yields: 4 Salmon Fillets Ingredients 1. 4- 5oz salmon fillets 2. 2 tbsps lemon juice 3. 4 lemon slices 4. 1/4 cup olive oil 5. 1 tbsp dill 6. 1 tbsp parsley 7. 1 tsp kosher salt 8. 1/2 tsp black pepper Directions 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees 2. In a small glass mixing bowl, combine 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tbsps lemon juice, 1 tbsp dill, and 1 tbsp parsley. Whisk together until thoroughly combined. 3. Lay the salmon in a baking dish with the skin down. Note: You can prepare the salmon with the skin off but it's actually preferable to leave it on. The skin will create a protective layer against the sheet pan or baking dish which will keep it from burning. It also helps the fish to bake evenly and maintain the juices. 4. Generously coat the salmon with the marinade by using a baking brush. 5. Season all four pieces with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. 6. Lay one thin lemon slice on top of each piece of salmon and put it in the oven. 7. Bake for at least 10-12 minutes or until you have reached your desired internal temperature. Salmon Temperature Guide Hope you enjoy it as much as we did! Did you make this recipe? If so I would love to see it, drop a picture in the comment or send it to me on social media, Facebook @HisGirlSunday or Instagram @steffani_hisgirlsunday.

In honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus I am making a dessert that will be sure to catch the attention of everyone in your house. As you know, the Sacred Heart has a flame on top of it, but do you know why? Here's a small serving of faith to make the connection in your Catholic kitchen meaningful. The flame over the top of the Sacred Heart of Jesus represents these things. 1. Jesus' passionate, ardent, burning love for all of us. 2. Fire offers light, and Jesus is a light in the darkness. 3. Fire is a symbol of His divinity. Take the fires we see in the Old Testament that stand as a symbol for God. Ex: Moses and the burning bush. 4. In the Old Testament, sacrifices were made as burnt offerings, usually with the death of an animal and a consuming fire. Jesus' sacrifice is the fulfillment of that, as He offers Himself on the cross out of pure and perfect love for us. To celebrate the Solemnity I wanted to bring fire into the mix because as we can see, it stands as such an important symbol of the Sacred Heart. Side note: you can also make these for Pentecost as a representation of the tongues of fire. But, since the little strawberries look like hearts, it just seemed like the right thing to make. Prep Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 5 minutes Servings: Dependent upon your case of strawberries Ingredients 1. Fresh Strawberries 2. Any alcohol that is at least 80 proof, for a fail proof flame use Bacardi 151 (I just went with this) 3. Cupcakes or ice cream scoops with cool whip to hold your strawberry 4. Lighter Start by washing your fresh strawberries! Aren't they beautiful? Take your strawberry corer and remove the center. I found this one at Sur La Table but I have also seen it on Amazon. Alternatively, you can use a butter knife but try to avoid puncturing the strawberry. If you do accidentally poke a hole in the sides or bottom do not use it for your flame, just eat it and move on. They should look like this, a nice clean cup for the alcohol to sit in later. Is there anything better than fruit that is in season? You can just see all the yummy nutrients in the color! This would be a good time to do a trial run before calling all the family and friends into the kitchen for a flaming strawberry. My husband created a little ring of foil for the strawberry to sit in and we tried out a couple of different alcohol options to see what worked best. I would say just go with the Bacardi 151. Now that we know we have a winner we will go ahead and plate the dessert and then top with the strawberries. I went with red velvet cupcakes to continue on with our Sacred Heart (red) theme. The strawberry should fit firmly into the icing so that we don't have any accidents! A heap of icing will do the trick, no need to overthink it. If you decided to go with ice cream just press it into a scoop or you can top your ice cream with cool whip to more easily hold the strawberry. Using a shot glass pour your alcohol of choice into the strawberry until almost filled to the top. We don't want it to overflow but the goal is for the flame to sit atop the strawberry so it can be easily seen. Light it up and enjoy the ooooohhhhh ... aaaahhhhhhhhhh. Wow ___________ (insert name here) you're amazing! Blow out before eating, don't be a goofball! While you're eating your treat with your family, husband, children, friends, or by yourself, read the 12 promises of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus that Christ gave to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. The Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary (1) "I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life. (2) I will establish peace in their homes. (3) I will comfort them in all their afflictions. (4) I will be their secure refuge during life, and above all, in death. (5) I will bestow abundant blessings upon all their undertakings. (6) Sinners will find in my Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy. (7) Lukewarm souls shall become fervent. (8) Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection. (9) I will bless every place in which an image of my Heart is exposed and honored. 10) I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts. (11) Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in my Heart. (12) I promise you in the excessive mercy of my Heart that my all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Fridays in nine consecutive months the grace of final perseverance; they shall not die in my disgrace, nor without receiving their sacraments. My divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment." God love you! His Girl Sunday Did you make this recipe? If so I would love to see it, drop a picture in the comment or send it to me on social media Facebook @HisGirlSunday or Instagram @steffani_hisgirlsunday. For more resources on building Catholic tradition, check out the blog section of my website or follow me on Facebook or Instagram to see what Catholic things I am doing to make our day to day life more joyful.

Last June we decided that we were going to do a Home Enthronement to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I had never heard about it before but I was overwhelmed with excitement that our home would forevermore be a sanctuary which Jesus reigns over. I have always wanted to build a home that imitated a little monastery, full of glorifying work, humble prayer, and Christ-centered growth in love and virtue. It has been a enriching devotion that has granted our lives immense strength from the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Fully knowing that we cannot achieve that on our own merits, giving this home to the most self-sacrificing, beautiful heart of Jesus was the only way to go. We had a lovely, intimate ceremony last year with a dear priest friend and shared a meal afterwards with our loved ones. In celebrating the anniversary of our enthronement we rededicated ourselves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus (prayer after the recipe) and I made a more intentional meal in honor of the French nun that Jesus revealed his heart to. This traditional, classic French dish is one that is true to the region that St. Margaret Mary Alacoque came from! It made for a delicious dinner in celebration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus feast day and can also be used again on her feast day which is October 16th. To see my full Home Enthronement Companion, click here. Prep Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes Servings: 4-6 Ingredients 1. 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or the traditional way by using a whole chicken cut into 10 pieces. 2. Kosher salt 3. Black pepper 4. 4-5 strips of bacon 5. Sliced mushrooms or baby bellas 6. 4 oz chopped onions or 6 oz pearl onions 7. 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced 8. 2 cloves minced garlic 9. 1 tbsp tomato paste 10. 2 tbsp all purpose flour 11. 2 cups red wine, traditionally Burgundy or a full-bodied red wine like Shiraz or a Cabernet Sauvignon 12. 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth 13. 1 tbsp brandy or rum 14. Small bunch thyme 15. 3 tbsp butter 16. Freshly chopped parsley for serving, optional Let's get started! Before you begin cooking peel and cut your carrots, onions, mushrooms, and garlic then set it aside. Take your chicken out of the package and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Use as many chicken thighs as you have family members, hungry children, or guests. Set that aside and get your cutting board, cut the bacon into 1" strips. You can cook this in your dutch oven, no need to dirty more dishes than necessary. ;) Cook until crispy and golden brown. My bacon almost didn't make it passed this part of the recipe. Use a spatula to take the bacon out of the dutch oven and onto a paper plate or bowl lined with a paper towel. In the same dutch oven or pot, brown the outside of the chicken. Work in batches and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side. Don't worry about cooking the chicken all the way through, we will get to that later. Flip! Remove the chicken to a plate. Drain all but about 4-5 tablespoons of oil from the pot, you want a nice coating along the bottom for your veggies. Grab your carrots... and your onion... and your mushrooms... Then dump them all into your dutch oven! Cheater alert, I buy fresh, packaged mushrooms already sliced. Also, the traditional recipe calls for pearl onions but I personally don't really like them so I went with a smaller amount of white onion. Cook for about 5 minutes or until they are golden. Then add the garlic for about another minute, moving it around so as to not burn. Put in one tablespoon of tomato paste and stir it around so that it spreads over the vegetables. Next add two tablespoons all purpose flour and stir that in until the vegetables are coated. Measure out 2 cups of wine for your dish and one cup of wine for yourself. Cheers! Slowly pour the wine over your vegetables. Now would also be a good time to preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Then, measure and pour in 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth. Next, measure out 1 tablespoon brandy and add to the pot. Since we didn't have brandy I went with a brandy substitute, rum! Other substitutes...alcoholic version: bourbon or non alcoholic version: apple juice Stir all your ingredients around until thoroughly combined and get your plate of browned chicken. Put the chicken back in the dutch oven and sprinkle in half of the bacon. If you have more self-control then I do there will probably be more in your pot than mine. Add in a few sprigs of thyme and sprinkle in a little more salt and pepper. Stir around and bring to a boil. Cover the dutch oven and place in the oven which should be at 350 degrees. Cook for about 20-25 minutes or until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees. After 20-25 minutes check the temperature of your chicken, if they have reached 165 degrees remove them from the pot and put them on a plate. Cover the chicken with foil to keep them warm. Put your dutch oven back on the stove over medium heat and add in 3 tbsp butter and simmer until the sauce is thickened. This part of the process took about 15 minutes or so. Once it has thickened plate your chicken and pour the sauce over it. Sprinkle the rest of your bacon on top and add fresh parsley for plate appeal. C’est délicieux! As a side you could do mashed or small roasted potatoes, a big green salad, and dinner rolls. Don't forget to pour yourself a fresh glass of red wine before you delight in this delicious meal. Consecration of Families to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Prayer O most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Thou didst reveal to the blessed Margaret Mary Thy desire to rule over Christian families; behold, in order to please Thee, we stand before Thee this day, to proclaim Thy full sovereignty over our family. We desire henceforth to live Thy life, we desire that the virtues, to which Thou hast promised peace on earth, may flower in the bosom of our family; we desire to keep far from us the spirit of the world, which Thou hast condemned. Thou art King of our hearts by our love of Thee alone, with which our hearts are on fire and whose flame we shall nourish by frequent reception of the Holy Eucharist. Be pleased, O Sacred Heart, to preside over our gathering together, to bless our spiritual and temporal affairs, to ward off all annoyance from us, to bless our joys and comfort our sorrows. If any of us has ever been so unhappy as to fall into the misery of displeasing Thee, grant that he may remember, O Heart of Jesus, that Thou art full of goodness and mercy toward the repentant sinner. And when the hour of separation strikes and death enters our family circle, whether we go or whether we stay, we shall all bow meekly before Thine eternal decrees. This shall be our consolation, to remember that the day will come, when our entire family, once more united in heaven, shall be able to sing of Thy glory and Thy goodness forever. May the immaculate Heart of Mary and the glorious Patriarch Saint Joseph vouchsafe to offer Thee this our act of consecration, and to keep the memory thereof alive in us all the days of our lives. Glory to the Heart of Jesus, our King and our Father! Amen For more information on Home Enthronements and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, check out this prayer companion that I created for you. https://www.hisgirlsunday.com/product-page/home-enthronement-prayer-companion Keep in touch for more liturgical living recipes and prayer companions. Let me know how your dinner goes and share with me some of the things your family likes to do for the Sacred Heart of Jesus! Follow along on FB @hisgirlsunday or IG @steffani_hisgirlsunday!

how to, holy week, liturgical living, catholic lent A Brief History Holy Week is the period of time just before Easter Sunday that commemorates the events leading up to and including the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Tradition tells us that this used to be called the "Great Week" and it included Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. We can confirm that by the 4th century, Christians were making pilgrimages to Jerusalem to celebrate this week, that which we now call Holy Week. Interestingly enough, the Church found the writings of an early Church Christian woman named Egeria that dates back to 381AD which explain the prayers, liturgical experiences, and devotions from that week. As you can see, Christians throughout centuries have observed Holy Week and throughout the history of the Church it has only grown further. The profound aspect about this is that now it is our turn to partake and carry on the traditions that many have done long before us. Understanding the Triduum Triduum is a term that is used to express the solemn three days of prayer that commemorate the Paschal Mystery. It begins at sundown on Holy Thursday through Sundown on Easter Sunday. It is the most significant part of the liturgical calendar and while this does span three individual days, it is considered one consecutive liturgy. From Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday we see the fulfillment of the Jewish Passover and the redemption offered through Christ's great sacrifice for the human race. He is the Paschal lamb, the spotless victim, that is offered for our sins. We receive and partake in the Paschal Mystery every time we receive the Holy Eucharist. Let's Get Started If you are subscribed to my e-newsletter "Liturgy Collective" or you follow me on social media, you may have seen this graphic. It is certainly great for a quick glimpse, but there is so much more that I wasn't able to include, so that is why we're here. 😃 The purpose of this post is to share with you all the liturgical living traditions that come with each day so that you don't have to sift through the internet to consider what might be good for you or your family. I've got it all right here, and if you know of a tradition that I missed, comment on the post and I'll add it. This liturgical living endeavor is communal so feel free to jump in! And the other thing that is worth considering is what tradition will help you grow closer to Jesus. This may look different from person to person or family to family, and that is okay friend! Monday of Holy Week: Extravagant Monday The "Why": In the Aquila home this day is titled, "Extravagant Monday" because in the readings Mary takes a liter of costly perfume and anoints the feet of Jesus with it. She offers an extravagant gesture of love for Christ that is meant to be an imitation of the offering that Christ makes of Himself. To Do: In honor of this profound act, we do an EXTRAVAGANT dinner! I usually print menu cards, do the table up all fancy like, make bread from scratch, serve a multi-course dinner, and invite as many friends over as we can. Just as Mary serves Jesus, we serve our beloved friends and family. This was the menu from a couple of years ago that you can use as is or play off. 1. Focaccia bread made from scratch 2. Fresh mozzarella bruschetta 3. Brown sugar rub slow bake ribs 4. Garlic butter rice 5. Fresh salad 6. Roasted brussels sprouts 7. Chocolate chip cookies from scratch For drinks I usually serve water, tea, wine, and a specialty cocktail. Tuesday of Holy Week: Ten Commandment Tuesday The "Why": The Tuesday of Holy Week is what I call, Ten Commandments Tuesday. This tradition comes straight from my younger years. As many of you might know, I did not grow up in a Catholic or even religious household, but I was always drawn to things relating to God and faith. Right before Easter, a local channel would air the old Charlton Heston version of the Ten Commandments and I used to watch it every year on my own. This may sound strange for a child to sit down and watch this by themselves, but I did. It was my own little tradition and I loved it. It's funny to end up here sharing Catholic tradition after going through life's many twists and turns, but upon writing this it looks like I ended up back at my roots. And little did I know at the time, but it actually ties in perfectly with the Holy Week and the Easter vigil. During the Easter vigil, we sit and listen to all of those Old Testament covenants in the dark. It’s actually one of my favorite parts because it shows how Christ came to fulfill all of the promises that were made before Him that man could not keep. It also reminds us that God has had a plan to pursue us and save us from the very beginning. To Do: Today we will watch the Ten Commandments and pray the Litany of Old Testament Saints, you can find that here. You can also make tablet cookies out of Nutter Butters or Madeleines (pictured below) or just go crazy and pick 10 snacks to go with your 10 Commandment movie night. I'm a little "extra" when it comes to these things but you gotta keep life fun, right? There is no special recipe for this, just cookies, white chocolate coating (you can see this in the first picture), and icing to pipe the numbers. Wednesday of Holy Week: Spy Wednesday The "Why": Spy Wednesday is the day that Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, and is traditionally known in this way because of his sneakiness in talking to the high priest. We all experience betrayal in some way, but Jesus understands this very well as it was His very own friend that turns Him over for a price. We too betray God to the things and people in our lives, myself included, sometimes without even thinking about it. In a way, we all have a price. On this day when we reflect upon that free decision of Judas to let Satan enter him, I have found it so important to think of something that I too need to let go of that stands between me and God and to not let that be the reason that I turn my back on Him. To Do: Today we watch a film noir Spy Movie (my favorites), go to confession, and donate an additional $30.00 to our parish. If you have children, you could also play I Spy or hide 30 coins in your home for them to find. And more than anything, I think it’s important on Spy Wednesday to try to spend time in prayer; reflecting, asking for forgiveness, and also encouraging our children to think about how we can remove any barriers that may be standing between us and Christ. Seeking forgiveness and reconciliation are major themes for this day. My top five vintage spy movie recommendations: 1. Charade (1963) 2. North by Northwest (1959) 3. Notorious (1946) 4. Ministry of Fear (1944) 5. The 39 Steps (1935) Thursday of Holy Week: Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday "The Why": Holy Thursday, also known as Maundy Thursday, commemorates the feast of the Last Supper where Christ gave His mandate, "mandatum," to love one another as He has loved us. There are several important things that we partake in on this day such as the Mass of the Lord's Supper where the priest performs the washing of feet, the tabernacle is left empty and the Eucharist is put in repose for adoration, and the altar is completely stripped. It may look like the Mass has ended, but it actually hasn't, and won't until Saturday evening. The altar of repose is an altar other than the main altar where the consecrated host is kept for adoration and reserved for use on Good Friday. To Do: On Maundy Thursday we typically go out to eat Mediterranean food, an intentional choice made in remembrance of the Last Supper. From there we go to the Holy Thursday liturgy and following that we partake in the 7 churches tradition. This is credited to St. Philip Neri and his friends who would prayerfully join together to go on a "pilgrimage" to seven churches. It came out of a desire to increase prayer and keep with Christ's request to "remain here, and watch," hence why it is called Night Watch (Mark 14:34). By keeping with this custom we become pilgrims staying with Christ in the garden and consoling Him in His agony. Three prayer recommendations to use for this evening of adoration: 1. Anima Christi 2. Tantum Ergo 3. Pange Lingua Friday of Holy Week: Good Friday "The Why": On this day we remember the Crucifixion of our Lord who died for our sins. It is a somber day, challenge yourself to meditate upon this great mystery and take time for silence. The communion service is typically held at 3:00PM, the hour that our Lord took His last breath. We walk into our parish with the altar completely bare, the Eucharist is not in the Tabernacle, and the door is left open for us to see its emptiness. Today is the only day in the year in which the Mass is not celebrated, we are still partaking in what began yesterday on Holy Thursday. To Do: A time honored Good Friday tradition is to venerate the cross. This comes from St. Helen who was said to have discovered the wood of the True Cross. After sharing this with the Church, faithful Catholics would journey to see it and honor the cross by kissing the wood. We imitate this practice by kneeling before the "instrument of salvation" to kiss it as a way of showing honor and reverence. In addition to venerating the cross with our parish we go to Tre Ore and Tenebrae. Afterwards, we come home and seek to make our home a little monastery of quiet reflection. To practically do this we try to observe one full hour in silence. Usually while we are doing that I make traditional hot cross buns. The other form of prayer that is highly recommended for Good Friday are the Stations of the Cross. Many parishes will offer it on this day, and some even arrange the Way of the Cross, a procession of praying through the Stations. My family usually does this prayer at home, so I encourage you to pray them in whatever way makes sense for you. If you would like more explanation and ideas for Good Friday, you can read more from me here. Other Prayers for Good Friday 1. The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary 2. The Prayer to Be Joined With Christ in Death 3. Prayer Before the Crucifix Saturday of Holy Week: Holy Saturday The "Why": We Wait. We sit next to the tomb of of Christ, mourn His death, and imitate Mary in faithful anticipation of the Resurrection. Today we also commemorate the harrowing of hell, when Christ goes down to Sheol (the abode of the dead “hell”) to free the just souls who had gone before Him when the gates of heaven were not open yet. You may have noticed that we say this in the creed, which seems like a rather peculiar event. The Catechism of the Catholic Church 633, explains this further to us if you would like to reference it. Through this act the holy souls are delivered to Heaven. We are also taught that this is the last phase of Jesus’ Messianic mission. To Do: You can honor this day by praying the Liturgy of the Hours, cleaning and decorating for Easter, dying Easter eggs, baking or preparing for Easter lunch tomorrow, and by going to the Easter Vigil this evening. For many, myself included, this is a day to slowly and intentionally prepare our hearts, homes, and families for the Resurrection. What is the Easter Vigil? Tonight we will encounter the most gloriously dramatic liturgy of the entire year which takes place in the evening to celebrate the triumphant Resurrection of Christ. The vigil has four parts: the Liturgy of Light (Lucernarium), the Liturgy of the Word, the Baptismal Liturgy, and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. We also welcome the catechumens and candidates who will enter into full communion with the Catholic Church. Easter Sunday The "Why": Jesus has Risen from the dead, ALLELUIA! We celebrate the empty tomb as a real event and encounter. We praise God for fulfilling the covenants, for confirming His promises, and offering to us the resurrection of our body and life everlasting. Remember, Easter is a 50 day season, the feast proper is celebrated for an octave, and then Eastertide goes until Pentecost. This is a beautiful time to rejuvenate our dedication to prayer and living liturgically. "If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:14). To Do: For Easter we spend the day with family eating, drinking, playing games, dying Easter eggs, and doing an egg hunt. I usually make an Italian Easter Bread that I bring to share and you can find that recipe here. We do the best we can to extend our traditions and joy out over the season. I have a list of 50 fun Easter ideas for you here. This is the beauty of the Catholic faith, there's no need to rush or try to cram everything into one day. For us, Easter is a lifestyle! On Easter, the tradition of the Church is to bring back the Alleluia that we buried on Shrove Tuesday and to begin singing the Regina Caeli. You might also consider using the Blessing for the First Easter Meal, see below. Blessing of the First Meal of Easter A minister who is a priest or deacon says the prayer of blessing with hands outstretched; a lay minister says the prayer with hands joined. God of glory, the eyes of all turn to you as we celebrate Christ's victory over sin and death. Bless us and this food of our first Easter meal. May we who gather at the Lord's table continue to celebrate the joy of His resurrection and be admitted finally to His heavenly banquet. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen. I hope that sharing this makes the meaning behind each day of Holy Week more clear, and gives you enough options to take and/or adapt as you need. At the heart of it all should be praise, that is a liturgical life. So remember, as you are trying new traditions, prayers, and experiences think to yourself, "is this helping me to give God praise?" If yes, then keep it, adapt it, do it again next year too. If not, then ditch it and try something else. Praying for each of you as we step closer to the cross.