Catholic Faith & Devotions | St. John the Evangelist

Lent

The tradition of abstaining from meat on Fridays, especially during Lent, is older than you might think, and it has nothing to do with the fishing industry.

Lent

Ash Wednesday

A priest marks your forehead and reminds you you're going to die. It's one of the most important days of the year. Here's why.

Lent

Choosing What to Give Up for Lent

The goal isn't to find the most impressive sacrifice. It's to find the one that actually changes you.

Lent

Holy Week

From the palms of Sunday to the empty tomb, this is the week that holds everything. Here's what happens, and why it matters.

Lent

The Three Pillars of Lent

Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, these aren't just Lenten obligations. They're the pattern Jesus himself gave us for turning our hearts back to God.

Lent

Why Purple?

Twice a year, the church turns violet. The color means something, and it's not quite the same both times.

Mass

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Mass

Altar Servers

They carry the cross, ring the bells, and stand closer to the altar than almost anyone else in the parish. For many young people, this is where the liturgy becomes part of them.

Mass

Deacons

The word means "servant." Deacons are ordained not to the priesthood, but to service, and their role at Mass reflects that identity.

Mass

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion

Laypeople holding the Body of Christ in their hands, giving him to others. The word "extraordinary" means something.

Mass

Lectors

When Scripture is proclaimed at Mass, God himself speaks to his people. Lectors lend their voice to that moment.

Mass

The Liturgy of the Eucharist

Bread and wine are brought to the altar. The priest speaks the words of Christ. And what was ordinary becomes holy. This is the heart of the Mass.

Mass

The Liturgy of the Word

Before the altar, there is the ambo. Before the Eucharist, there is the Word. In the first half of Mass, God speaks, and waits for our response.

Sacraments

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Sacraments

Baptism and the New Life of Easter

At the Easter Vigil, the Church baptizes new Christians in the darkness and brings them into the light of the Resurrection. It's the most dramatic night of the year.

Sacraments

Deacons

The word means "servant." Deacons are ordained not to the priesthood, but to service, and their role at Mass reflects that identity.

Sacraments

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion

Laypeople holding the Body of Christ in their hands, giving him to others. The word "extraordinary" means something.

Sacraments

The Liturgy of the Eucharist

Bread and wine are brought to the altar. The priest speaks the words of Christ. And what was ordinary becomes holy. This is the heart of the Mass.

Mary

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Mary

Mary in Advent

She is the first to wait for him. She carries him before anyone else can hold him. In Advent, Mary is not just honored. She is our guide.

Mary

Mary in the Easter Season

She stood at the Cross when nearly everyone else fled. She was given to us as Mother. And the Church believes she was among the first to see him risen.

Mary

Mary, Mother of God

The Church begins each new year not with resolutions, but with a title, one that was worth fighting for in the 5th century, and still shapes how we understand who Jesus is.