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Wishing you all a blessed Solemnity of Christmas and lots of joy through the octave and season! Thank you for a year of living liturgically with me, and for supporting my family through Liturgy Market. May you have the gift of faith, the blessing of hope, and the peace of His love at Christmas and always. "God rescued us from the power of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of his beloved Son. Through him we have redemption, the forgiveness of our sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creatures." - Colossians 1:13-15 See you in the Eucharist, Steffani

Have you heard of the three epiphanies? These three distinct but theologically interwoven events in the life of Christ used to be celebrated all within the period of time called Epiphanytide. The term epiphany means to manifest or reveal, and these events are actions that God takes to reveal Himself to us through His Son, Jesus Christ. It is meant to direct us to the greatest epiphany which will be that of His second coming. The three epiphanies are: 1. The Epiphany: The Magi coming from the East to find the Christ child 2. The baptism of Christ in the Jordan river 3. The wedding feast at Cana where Jesus turns water into wine Dom Gueranger O.S.B. writes in The Liturgical Year, “The Sixth of January… unite[s] three manifestations of Jesus’ glory: the mystery of the Magi coming from the East, under the guidance of a star, and adoring the Infant of Bethlehem as the divine King; the mystery of the Baptism of Christ, who, whilst standing in the waters of the Jordan, was proclaimed by the Eternal Father as Son of God; and thirdly, the mystery of the divine power of the same Jesus, when he changed the water into wine at the marriage-feast of Cana.” (Liturgical Year, Vol. III, p. 108) Epiphanytide has since fallen away in the Novus Ordo calendar of the West, but for many it is a period of time that is still honored. "Instead of having Christmastide turn into...Ordinary Time..., traditional Catholics will celebrate Christmastide, Epiphanytide, Septuagesima, and then finally begin the penance of Lent." (A Catholic Life). In fact, of the privileged Octaves, Epiphany ranks even higher than Christmas. For reference: Privileged Octaves Privileged Octaves of the First Order Octave of Easter Octave of Pentecost Privileged Octaves of the Second Order Octave of Epiphany Octave of Corpus Christi Privileged Octaves of the Third Order Octave of Christmas Octave of the Ascension Octave of the Sacred Heart Common Octaves Octave of the Immaculate Conception of the BVM Octave of the Solemnity of St. Joseph Octave of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist Octave of Saints Peter and Paul Octave of All Saints Octave of the Assumption of the BVM Simple Octaves Octave of St. Stephen Octave of St. John the Apostle Octave of the Holy Innocents You can read more about why we should celebrate Octaves here. As I began to do further reading about the changes to the liturgical calendar, specifically with regard to Epiphany, I came across a lot of discrepancies and even some very popular blog writings with errors. With this in mind I decided I should probably put that Masters in Theology to work and do my own studying, so I read the writings of liturgical theologians, reviewed Roman Missals from over the years, and consulted with a couple of reputable priests. For those of you that appreciate understanding the liturgical calendar, buckle up for an brief overview. The Then & Now View The Catholic Church's liturgical calendar underwent many revisions over the years, including smaller ones between 1955 to 1962. This overview will be of Christmastide according to the 1962 Roman Missal. The Christmas cycle includes 3 main parts, Advent to Christmas, Christmas to January 14th (the day following the feast of the Baptism of the Lord), and from January 14th to Septuagesima Sunday. The Christmas season, also known as Christmastide, begins with Christmas Eve on December 24th. It includes an 8 day octave beginning on Christmas day and ending on January 1st. The octave also contains special feast days like St. Stephen and the feast of the Holy Innocents. Within the same Christmas season we celebrate the Solemnity of the Epiphany which occured on January 6th every year, 12 days after Christmas. As a side note, the first Sunday after Epiphany was the feast of the Holy Family, that feast is now within the Octave of Christmas. Even before this point in 1962 the octave of Epiphany had already been removed as a result of the 1955 revisions. The feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the second epiphany, took place on January 13th in the Christmas season. And on the second Sunday after the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, the Church would recall and celebrate Jesus' first miracle at the wedding feast of Cana, the third epiphany. All three of these epiphanies would fall within Epiphanytide. Epiphanytide is still a part of Christmastide in 1962. I have seen some writers separate these as if the Christmas season ends and the Epiphany season begins, this is not accurate. Epiphanytide is distinct in its liturgical themes and focus, but it is still a part of the Christmas season. It goes from January 14th to Septuagesima Sunday, which is moveable, and the Sundays would be labeled as the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. Sunday after Epiphany. After that we would enter into pre-lent, the weeks known as the "gesimas," and that would lead us into Lent. Currently, in the Novus Ordo calendar, there still remains a lack of an Epiphany octave, and there is also not a recognizable Epiphanytide where we use that language to describe the Sundays after the Solemnity of the Epiphany. We celebrate the feast of the Epiphany, traditionally January 6th, for one day and in the United States the celebration of Epiphany is moved to the Sunday between January 2nd-8th. The Christmas season ends on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. While we can still see two of the epiphanies present in the Christmas season of the current calendar, most do not even know that the Baptism of the Lord is considered an epiphany, and the wedding feast at Cana is entirely left out. I could go into why this hurts my theology lovin' heart, and I'm sure that you can gather why, but I won't get into that right now. What I will take time to further explain is how we can engage in the customs associated with each epiphany so that your Christmas season (old calendar style) is filled with meaning and tradition. The Solemnity of the Epiphany 1. Obtain Epiphany water for your home The traditional day for Epiphany water to be blessed was on January 5th, the vigil of the Epiphany. You can read more about the connection between water and the visit of the Magi below. While the feast of Epiphany in the Roman Rite is primarily focused on the visit of the Magi, historically it was more focused on the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River. For this reason, there developed a special blessing of Epiphany water in memory of Jesus sanctifying the waters of Baptism. The emphasis of the blessing, however, was less on the commemoration of Jesus’ baptism and more on the symbolic nature of water as a cleansing agent. In this way, the blessing of Epiphany water in the Roman Rite was used to cast out Satan and all his demonic angels. It is a powerful blessing, one that uses strong language to invoke the power of God over evil. It reminds us of the spiritual power of holy water and encourages us to use it in faith, trusting in the protecting help of God over our spiritual enemies. (Philip Kosoloski) To learn more about types of holy water, click here. 2. Bless your home and chalk your doors Partake in this time-honored tradition by chalking your door lintel with the formula 20+C+M+B+23. The CMB hold two meanings, the first being the initials of the Magi: Caspar, Malchior, and Balthazar. Secondly, it is the abbreviation for the Latin phrase, christus mansionem benedicat, which translates to, "May Christ bless this house." The "+" represent the sign of the cross and the "20" at the beginning and "23" at the end tell us the year. We do this as a way to ask God to bless our home and all who dwell in it throughout the year. I have Epiphany blessing kits with everything that you need here. While a priest or the head of the household can bless the home and chalk the doors, only a priest can bless the chalk. Again, I have seen it written by bloggers with large followings that the lay faithful can bless the chalk, and it is simply not the case. If you want your chalk to be used as a sacramental then it must have a constitutive blessing that can only come from a bishop, priest, or deacon. If you would like to learn more about constitutive blessings you can read more here. Chalk is customarily blessed on January 6th by a priest using the Rituale Romanum, though nowadays typically only done by more traditional parishes. The chalk is a sacramental, intended for the blessings of homes. It may only be blessed by a priest. (OnePeterFive) For the full Epiphany Home Blessing, click here. 3. Make king cake In many Catholic countries across Europe the feast of the Epiphany would be celebrated with a King Cake in honor of the Magi. Inside this cake would be a small baby Jesus figurine or another trinket and whoever had the small token in their piece of cake would be the king for the day. That individual would also be the one who had to host next year's Epiphany party. You can read more about that or get a small nativity set here. 4. Exchange gifts In imitation of the Magi, I know several families who wait to open or exchange gifts until the feast of the Epiphany. This might be a meaningful way to experience this feast day too, give it a try. The Baptism of the Lord 1. When we look to commemorate the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, we should really think of our own baptisms and consider how we can renew those promises in our everyday lives. If you click this link, you will find my 10 ways for celebrating this feast day. The Wedding Feast at Cana John’s Gospel … invites us to consider as an “epiphany” the Wedding at Cana, during which, by changing the water into wine, Jesus “manifested his glory; and his disciples believed in him” (Jn 2:11). (Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, homily) 1. Married couples, remember your own wedding and give thanks to God for the many blessings He has done through your marriage. Do something special together, make it a date night. 2. Have a glass of wine this evening in remembrance of Jesus turning water into wine. 3. Pray this Catholic marriage prayer For one couple: O God, who in creating the human race willed that man and wife should be one, keep, we pray, in a bond of inseparable love those who are united in the covenant of Marriage, so that, as you make their love fruitful, they may become, by your grace, witnesses to charity itself. Through Christ our Lord Amen. (USCCB) 4. Make Italian Wedding cake as a dessert for this evening. By learning more about the liturgical year and the rich theology that it is filled with, I hope that you too are inspired to engage in it through prayer and tradition. The three epiphanies are glorious feast days that can draw us into a deeper awareness of how God divinely manifests Himself in our lives and ready us for when He comes again. As always I am so happy to hear about what you learned and the ways that you will live liturgically. Share with me by signing up to comment or through Facebook or Instagram. FB: @hisgirlsunday Insta: @steffani_hisgirlsunday

One of the things that I am honored to do in my work as Director of Liturgical Life is to oversee and teach our baptism program. Every Monday, for over a year now, I have met individually with families that are seeking to bring their sweet babies and children into the Catholic faith. Many families that I talk with simply think that they are fulfilling tradition, they are baptizing their kids because they were baptized. I get to take time to explain to them the importance of why we do this as Catholics. Baptism is the first Sacrament of Initiation and is incredibly important to begin a life of faith for several reasons. 1. Baptism is the first step we take in entering the Catholic faith. Most children under the age of 7 and babies are brought forth by their parents who make promises to raise them as Catholic. 2. This is a necessary purification that cleanses that child of their Original Sin, the sin that each of us inherits from Adam and Eve's sin against God. The recipient receives justifying and sanctifying grace and we believe the Holy Spirit now dwells within them. 3. It leaves a spiritual mark, or an indelible mark, upon that person's soul that can never be removed and signifies that they belong to Jesus Christ. 4. We believe that in order to be saved one must be baptized. Of course God can work outside of the Sacraments, but what we know for sure through revelation is that this is a necessary means of salvation. 5. Partaking in baptism brings us into God's family as adopted sons and daughter, and also makes us a member of the pilgrim church on earth. The Rite of Baptism, an act of purification, comes to us from the example of St. John the Baptist and Jesus. We celebrate this feast of the Baptism of the Lord every year on the first Sunday following the Epiphany of the Lord. This year, 2023, we will celebrate it on January 8th, but it is considered a moveable feast. In the Novus Ordo calendar, this feast day brings a close to the Christmas season. This day commemorates the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River by St. John the Baptist. On this occasion, Jesus entered into His ministry and acquired His first disciples, St. John proclaimed Christ the Lamb of God, whose way he had prepared, and the Triune nature of the Godhead was manifested. (EWTN) Through this humble act of Christ, who had no sin, he enters fully into the human reality through Baptism and sanctifies the waters. It is in imitation of Him that we too are baptized so that we can live our own human reality with sinlessness, virtue, and closeness with God. By being baptized, Christ affirms the necessity of this action and is further emphasized when we read that the Heavens opened up and God the Father affirms His Son. When we look to commemorate the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, we should really think of our own baptisms and consider how we can renew those promises in our every day lives. O Lord, your Baptism shows us that you are not remote. You are at our side. You know sin but are not a sinner. Give us the grace to renew our baptism through a frequent reception of confession and the Holy Eucharist. By receiving one, we strengthen the others. By receiving You, we receive God Himself. Amen. (Prayer from My Catholic Life) Remember your baptismal call by celebrating the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, and your own baptism anniversary, with these liturgical living ideas. See how great this is, you are getting a twofer! 1. Return to a state of grace like you were on your baptism day. Seek to go to confession today, or sometime this week. 2. Light your baptism candle, and your children's, at dinner this evening (the feast of the Baptism of the Lord) and on your baptism anniversaries. If you don't know where yours is, buy another one that can represent that glorious day that you entered the Church. 3. Display baptism gowns in a shadowbox. You can hang them in the room of each child or in your own room, to remind everyone that they belong to Christ. 4. I had a friend who would cut parts of her wedding dress and have them sewn into the baptism gowns of her children. I thought this was so meaningful, the children that poured forth from their wedding vows were now connected through an heirloom to their baptismal promises. 5. Renew your baptismal promises together as a family during prayer time or before/after dinner. You can find those here. 6. Place a holy water font by your front door. As you come and go, tap your fingers in the holy water of your domestic church and remember your baptismal calling. 7. Bless your home with holy water. This is also traditionally done on the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord and I have a kit ready to go for you here. 8. Read the story of Christ's Baptism from scripture. You can find that easily here. 9. For dinner on this feast day I usually make stuffed pasta shells. This is one of my favorite recipes because it is so tasty, but it also makes a special connection to the shell used in the Sacrament of Baptism. 10. If you are a godparent, call your godchildren and wish them a happy feast day. Explain to them why this day is special, and maybe share a meaningful story from the day you were present at their baptism. Finding one or two ideas here that fit your family lifestyle will make this feast day, your own baptism anniversary, and that of your children all the more meaningful. I can't wait to hear how these things are going for you! You can sign up to comment here, or share with me on Facebook or Instagram.

St. Lucia Day, also known as the Festival of Light, is a day of celebration that dates back as early as the 4th century. On this day we commemorate our beloved St. Lucy and seek to imitate her acts of charity and service to others. The legend tells us that she used to deliver bread and food to Christians hiding in the catacombs and wore a wreath of candles around her head to light the way. The devotion to St. Lucy is celebrated with great pride in Sweden. It is said that around 1100AD Catholic monks brought the story of St. Lucy to them and their culture has perpetuated the story of this saint ever since. Tradition holds that on December 13th, the eldest daughter in the family will dress in a white gown with a red sash. She would be called “Lucia” and wear a crown of lit candles, or in modern times battery powered ones, and deliver baked goods and coffee to the family. The other children in the family would walk behind the eldest carrying a single lit candle. This is a day of great festivity with community celebrations, processions, and singing that carries on into the evening. In the old calendar, St. Lucy's day marked the longest and darkest night in the year, and it's no coincidence that her name means light! The name Lussekatter translates to "Lucia cats" and the "S" shape is meant to represent the curly tail of a cat. Lussekatter is a Swedish saffron-infused bread that is uniquely designed in various shapes, some "S" shaped as I mentioned, and others resembling a blonde girl's hair. It is a time-honored tradition that is clearly must-bake for the feast of St. Lucy on December 13th. For your domestic church, have your the oldest daughter deliver coffee and lussekatter, or "S" shaped saffron buns, to the rest of your family. You could also make these delicious buns together with your family or friends and light your Advent wreath. You can also read more about my writing on St. Lucy here! Prep Time: 3 hours Cook Time: 8-10 minutes Yields: About 24 servings Ingredients Prep Ahead ½ tsp saffron threads 3 Tbsp milk 55 raisins For the Dough 1 ½ c milk, warmed between 100F-110F 2¼ tsp, or 1 packet, instant yeast ¾ c sugar 1 stick butter, melted and cooled 1 egg, lightly whisked with a fork ½ tsp salt 5½ c unbleached flour For the Egg Wash 1 egg 1 Tbsp water Directions Carefully grind ½ tsp saffron threads with the back of the spoon until it is finely crushed. Add 3 tbsps milk to the crushed saffron and set aside for an hour. Stir occasionally so as to mix in the saffron and infuse the milk. Each vial is about 1/8 tsp! While your saffron is setting, you can also plump your raisins by placing them in a small bowl of warm water and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 ½ cups milk warmed between 100F-110F. I sped up the process by microwaving the milk for about 1 minute and checking the temperature with a thermometer. If it gets over 110F let it rest on the counter to lower back down a bit. Milk that is too hot will kill the yeast. Pour in 1 packet of quick rise yeast and cover with a tea towel for about 10-15 minutes. You will know your yeast is activated if it is foaming and bubbly! In your stand mixer, pour in the yeast mixture, ¾ cup sugar, 1 stick of butter melted and cooled, one slightly beaten egg, and the saffron milk that we prepared earlier. In a separate bowl whisk together 1 tsp salt and 5 1/2 cups flour. Slowly sprinkle in the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in your stand mixer, allowing the dough time to come together. Turn your dough out onto a lightly floured countertop and knead for about 3-5 minutes. When the dough is smooth and springy, shape it into a ball and place it in a bowl greased with cooking spray. Cover the dough with a tea towel and let it rise in a warm place for about 90 minutes or until doubled. Oliver loves the smell of baking and fresh air from open kitchen windows. I like to stop at this point too to take a deep breath and enjoy the beauty of baking. Then I clean the kitchen of all the dirty dishes so that I have a refreshed space for the second phase. You can also take this time to drain the raisins then let them dry on a paper towel. Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 24 even pieces. Roll each piece into a 5-6 inch snake. Then go back to your first piece and roll each snake out even longer to about 12-13 inches. Saffron bun dough has a tendency to spring back so give it time to relax by rolling it in phases. Roll each snake into an “S” shape and place it onto a lined baking sheet. Add one raisin to the center of each curl. I use a toothpick to help me pull the curl ever so slightly apart so that I can fit the raisin in. If they aren't tucked in then will pop out! Make an egg wash by combining 1 egg and 1 tbsp water then brush that on top of each saffron bun. Set the buns in a warm place and let them rise for another 20-30 minutes or until they have doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 400F and bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Let them cool on a rack and serve with coffee or hot tea. You can also garnish with a little bit of powdered sugar if you like! 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.

When my husband was younger he used to make these Italian wafer cookies, called pizzelles, with his mom and grandmother. He has fond memories of baking these and tells me that when he was little it was his special job to make the pizzelles in the iron, with the supervision of his grandma of course. These thin and delicate cookies are his favorite treat to make and as soon as the temperature drops, he begins the annual chant of, "pull out the pizzelle maker." In fact, these are traditionally made around Christmas but they are perfect to add to any special occasion. We love adding these to our Christmas cookie boxes along with some of our other favorite sweet treats that we share with our friends and neighbors. I found out in my pizzelle deep dive that these cookies were first made in the region of Abruzzo (central Italy) in the 8th century. The pizzelle irons used to have the family crest engraved in them so when you made your pizzelle they had your family name or symbol on them. Now, most irons will come with a geometric design or that of a flower or snowflake. Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Yields: Approx. 25 cookies Ingredients 6 medium eggs 1 cup sugar 1 cup melted butter 1 tsps vanilla 2 1/2 tsps anise 3 1/2 cups unbleached flour 4 tsps baking powder Before you begin, preheat your pizzelle maker and melt 1 cup of butter. In large glass mixing bowl, beat together 6 medium eggs and 1 cup sugar. Add 1 cup of melted butter to the egg and sugar mixture. Pour in 1 tsp vanilla extract and 2 1/2 tsps anise. Thoroughly combine these ingredients with a hand beater or whisk. You could also create this batter in your stand mixer with the whisk attachment. In a separate bowl combine 3 1/2 cups flour and 4 tsps baking powder. Slowly add in the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Do you like my very bloggy looking action shot? :) Our pizzelle batter is now complete and we can begin baking the cookies. Drop one tablespoon on to the center of the iron, you could also use a small cookie scoop for this. Press down and hold for about 1 minute. I like mine golden brown and crispy so I typically hold it down for a little longer than that. Remove from the pizzelle press with the help of a fork and place on a cooling rack. Tip: The key to making sure that the pizzelles are crispy is to not stack them or place them in any container before they are cooled. The steam will inevitably make them soft. Tip Two: Dust the pizzelles with a little powdered sugar before serving! 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 a land far, far away in East Texas, there was a little Southern Princess who did not like sweet potato casserole. Every year when Thanksgiving and Christmas would come around she would just skip right past that side in the royal buffet line. Until one day, a magical fairy sprinkled marshmallows and pecans over this the holiday side and her mind was changed forever. Sorry, I just watched Disenchanted and may have gotten a little carried away, but you get the idea. 😉 This traditional dish has been in my family for a long time and we not only serve it at Thanksgiving and Christmas, but it also makes special appearances at Easter and family dinners too. Some might even call this southern-style dish a dessert because of its sweetness. That's exactly how I like it! At the last Thanksgiving gathering there were three sweet potato casserole sides and mine was the only one to completely go, that is how confident I am that your family and friends will love it too. Am I being too self-assured? Naahh... Here we go! Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 35 minutes Yields: 8-10 servings Ingredients 4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 3 lbs) 4 tbsps unsalted butter 1/2 cup whole milk 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp salt 4 tbsps brown sugar 3 cups marshmallows 1 cup chopped pecans Directions Begin by preheating the oven to 350F and get your 3-4 qt casserole dish ready. This is the one that I use. Peel and cube the sweet potatoes, then put them in a large pot and cover them with water. Sprinkle in a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Once the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and let them cook for about 10-12 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender. Before we add in the ingredients, drain them and allow to slightly cool. In your mixing bowl, beat the sweet potatoes until they are mashed and smooth. Add 4 tbsps unsalted butter, 4 tbsps brown sugar, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Once everything is thoroughly combined pour the sweet potato mixture into a casserole dish and spread it out evenly. There is a special little tip that I want you to be aware of and that is to pour your chopped pecans first, and then add the marshmallows. I have baked this many times and have learned that having the marshmallows on top and the pecans underneath will better allow the marshmallows to brown and get that gooeyness that we all like. Bake for 20 minutes or until the marshmallows are toasted to your preference. If you really like the savory taste, you can sprinkle a few more chopped pecans to the surface once it is done baking like I did here. 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.

I have compiled some quick tips, ideas, and links to bring joy and festivity into your domestic church. This is not a list of every single feast day in the Advent season, but will be a very good start. Feast days that you will find in this post! 1. St. Nicholas 2. Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception 3. Our Lady of Guadalupe 4. St. Lucy Note: This is not a full list of resources on my blog for feast day celebrations, activities, and recipes in the month of December. Go browse around for saints and feast days that are special to you. Enjoy! 😊 St. Nicholas About St. Nicholas (died c. 350) was the bishop of Myra in what is now Turkey, where he was famous for his generosity to the poor. The details of his life have not come down to us, but a host of legends have sprung up to fill the void, almost all of them emphasizing Nicholas’ goodness to people in need. It is said that St. Nicholas rescued three innocent men who had been falsely accused of robbery and were about to be executed, and that he saved the crew of a ship that had lost its mast in a storm and was about to sink. The most famous legend tells of a widowed merchant whose business went bankrupt. He and his three unmarried daughters survived by pawning their valuables, one by one. At last there was nothing left to sell and no hope that any man would ask for the hand of a young woman who was a pauper; the father feared that his daughters would be forced to become prostitutes. St. Nicholas heard about the family’s desperate situation, and, so, after dark one evening he walked to the merchant’s house and tossed a bag of gold coins through an open window. Now the eldest daughter had enough for a respectable dowry. The next night, he went again to the merchant’s house and threw in a second bag of gold for the second daughter. Finally, on third night, the merchant and his daughters were waiting for him. As the third bag of coins sailed through the window, the grateful family flung open the door and rushed outside to thank their benefactor. The story of the three bags of gold is the origin of giving gifts on St. Nicholas Day (Dec. 6). But how he became the patron saint of children comes from another legend, which is not for the squeamish. Nicholas was traveling, and when night came he stopped at an inn where he asked for a room and a meal. The inn-keeper, proud of the opportunity to entertain a bishop, declared he would serve Nicholas a splendid dinner, including meat that had been delivered fresh that day. Bishop Nicholas did not say a word, but pushed the man aside and walked into the kitchen. There, in the middle of the room, stood a large wooden tub brimming with fresh meat. Nicholas made the Sign of the Cross over the tub, and the meat vanished, replaced by three little boys. The innkeeper had murdered the children and planned to serve them to his guests. After his death, St. Nicholas’ tomb in his cathedral in Myra became a destination for pilgrims. Then, around the year 1085, the Seljuk Turks conquered Myra. Christians across Europe feared that the Turks would desecrate or destroy the saint’s relics. In Italy, city officials in Venice and Bari resolved to rescue St. Nicholas, but the men from Bari got to Myra first. They took the saint’s casket from the cathedral, and on May 9, 1087, sailed into the Bari harbor bearing the relics of the saint. The relics are still in Bari, enshrined in a crypt beneath the Basilica of St. Nicholas. For centuries, St. Nicholas was one of the most popular saints, with many churches, chapels and altars raised in his honor. Before the Reformation, there were more than 400 churches dedicated to St. Nicholas just in England. He was named the patron of Greece, Russia, Sicily, the French province of Loraine, as well as many cities and towns. Newlyweds, longshoremen, sailors, pawnbrokers, thieves and children venerated him as their patron saint. Today, St. Nicholas is still widely venerated in the Orthodox Church and among Catholics of the Eastern rites, and in many parts of Central and Northern Europe his feast day is still celebrated, especially by children. But in the United States, devotion to the saint is virtually nonexistent. Blame it on Clement Clarke Moore, a professor of biblical studies at the Episcopal Church’s General Theological Seminary in New York City. In 1823 Moore published a poem titled “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” better known today as “’Twas the Night before Christmas.” There was a popular trend among New Yorkers of the early 19th century to try to “recapture” their city’s Dutch heritage. Influential men such as Moore and the author Washington Irving (who wrote the stories of Rip Van Winkle and the Headless Horseman) invented a host of traditions and folklore that they claimed had been part of day-to-day life in old New Amsterdam. Moore, Irving and their friends were especially enchanted by the stories of St. Nicholas, and so claimed that the first Dutch colonists arrived in Manhattan aboard a ship bearing a figurehead of St. Nicholas (it didn’t); that the first church in New Amsterdam was dedicated to St. Nicholas (it wasn’t); and that the Dutch colonists celebrated St. Nicholas Day (they didn’t). Moore took these innocent fabrications and used them as the basis for a full-blown treatment of a brand-new Christmas legend, complete with eight flying reindeer, a sleigh full of toys and an elderly overweight man in a red suit who climbed up and down chimneys. It is a delightful poem; and in Santa Claus, Moore has given the world one of the most memorable characters ever, one that is recognized all across the globe. Moore’s poem kicked off a Santa Claus phenomenon, but it had an unintended side effect — it all but guaranteed that devotion to the real St. Nicholas would not take root in the United States. We shouldn’t be surprised: How could anyone be expected to pray to a saint who is described as “a right jolly old elf”? We don’t have to choose between St. Nicholas and Santa Claus; they are two different figures, and we can have them both. Let Santa keep what’s his — the big chair in the department store, the reindeer and the sleigh, the magic of presents under the Christmas tree. And let St. Nicholas have what is his — the Mass in his honor on Dec. 6, the tradition of giving children a little gift or some chocolates on his feast day as a prelude to Christmas. Most importantly, let us honor St. Nicholas by imitating his virtues, especially his generosity to people in need. (Simply Catholic) Quick Links Classroom Activities Unique Ideas for Celebrating St. Nicholas Ideas and Printables for St. Nicholas St. Nicholas Prayer O good holy Nicholas, you who brought joy to children, put in my heart the spirit of childhood about which the Gospel speaks. Teach me how to sow happiness around me. Amen. Food Candy Cane Coffee Cake Immaculate Conception (Holy Day of Obligation) About Why do we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception? Since the beginning of the Church, the Blessed Virgin Mary has been regarded as the holiest and the most blessed of all disciples. The celebration of the Immaculate Conception began in the 7th century under the title, “Conception of Mary by Saint Anne” and was changed to “Immaculate Conception” with the definition of the doctrine in 1854. We can say that the Immaculate Conception was the beginning of our salvation and is now one of the central doctrines of our faith. Because of this, we celebrate the Feast Day to highlight the significant place Our Lady has in salvation history. This Feast is so essential that the Church has raised it to the rank of a Holy Day of Obligation. (National Shrine) Quick Links Ideas for Teens and Adults Activity Ideas Coloring Pages Prayer to Our Lady Immaculate Most holy Virgin, who wast pleasing to the Lord and became His Mother, immaculate in body and spirit, in faith and in love, look kindly on the wretched who implore thy powerful patronage. The wicked serpent, against whom was hurled the first curse, continues fiercely to attack and ensnare the unhappy children of Eve. Do thou, then, O Blessed Mother, our queen and advocate, who from the first instant of thy conception didst crush the head of the enemy, receive the prayers which, united with thee in our single heart, we implore thee to present at the throne of God, that we may never fall into the snares which are laid out for us, and may all arrive at the port of salvation; and, in so many dangers, may the Church and Christian society sing once again the hymn of deliverance and of victory and of peace. Amen. Food All White Dinner Our Lady of Guadalupe About The Story of Our Lady of Guadalupe The feast in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe goes back to the 16th century. Chronicles of that period tell us the story. A poor Indian named Cuauhtlatohuac was baptized and given the name Juan Diego. He was a 57-year-old widower, and lived in a small village near Mexico City. On Saturday morning December 9, 1531, he was on his way to a nearby barrio to attend Mass in honor of Our Lady. Juan was walking by a hill called Tepeyac when he heard beautiful music like the warbling of birds. A radiant cloud appeared, and within it stood an Indian maiden dressed like an Aztec princess. The lady spoke to him in his own language and sent him to the bishop of Mexico, a Franciscan named Juan de Zumarraga. The bishop was to build a chapel in the place where the lady appeared. Eventually the bishop told Juan to have the lady give him a sign. About this same time Juan’s uncle became seriously ill. This led poor Juan to try to avoid the lady. Nevertheless the lady found Juan, assured him that his uncle would recover, and provided roses for Juan to carry to the bishop in his cape or tilma. On December 12, when Juan Diego opened his tilma in the bishop’s presence, the roses fell to the ground, and the bishop sank to his knees. On the tilma where the roses had been appeared an image of Mary exactly as she had appeared at the hill of Tepeyac. (Franciscan Media) Quick Links Crafts for OLG and St. Juan Diego Celebration Ideas for OLG OLG Story Play Script Prayer to the Virgin of Guadalupe O Immaculate Virgin, Mother of the True God and Mother of the Church! You, who from this place reveal your clemency and your pity to all those who ask for your protection; hear the prayer that we address to you with filial trust, and present it to your Son Jesus, our sole Redeemer. Mother of mercy, Teacher of hidden and silent sacrifice, to you, who come to meet us sinners, we dedicate on this day all our being and all our love. We also dedicate to you our life, our work, our joys, our infirmities and our sorrows. Grant peace, justice, and prosperity to our people; for we entrust to your care all that we have and all that we are, Our Lady and Mother. We wish to be entirely yours and to walk with you along the way of complete faithfulness to Jesus Christ in His Church: hold us always with your loving hand. Virgin of Guadalupe, Mother of the Americas, we pray to you for all the bishops, that they may lead the faithful along paths of intense Christian life, of love and humble service of God and souls. Contemplate this immense harvest, and intercede with the Lord that he may instill a hunger for holiness in the whole People of God, and grant abundant vocations of priests and religious, strong in the faith and zealous dispensers of God’s mysteries. Grant to our homes the grace of loving and respecting life in its beginnings, with the same love with which you conceived in your womb the life of the Son of God. Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Fair Love, protect our families, so that they may always be united, and bless the upbringing of our children. Our hope, look upon us with compassion, teach us to go continually to Jesus and, if we fall, help us to rise again, to return to him, by means of the confession of our faults and sins in the Sacrament of Penance, which gives peace to the soul. We beg you to grant us a great love for all the holy Sacraments, which are, as it were, the signs that your Son left us on earth. Thus, most holy Mother, with the peace of God in our conscience, with our hearts free from evil and hatred, we will be able to bring to all true joy and true peace, which come to us from your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen. Pope John Paul II Food Mexican Hot Chocolate St. Lucy About St. Lucy is a virgin and martyr of Syracuse in Sicily, whose feast is celebrated on December 13th. According to tradition, Saint Lucy was born to rich and noble parents in the year 283. Her father was of Roman origin, but his early death left her dependent upon her mother, whose name, Eutychia, seems to indicate that she was of Greek heritage. Like so many of the early martyrs, Lucy had consecrated her virginity to God, and she hoped to devote all her worldly goods to the service of the poor. Her mother, Eutychia, arranged a marriage for her, but for three years she managed to postpone the marriage. Lucy prayed at the tomb of Saint Agatha to change her mother’s mind about her faith. As a result, her mother's long haemorrhagic illness was cured, and she consented to Lucy's desire to live for God. Saint Lucy’s rejected bridegroom, Paschasius, denounced Lucy as a Christian. The governor planned to force her into prostitution, but when guards went to fetch her, they could not move her even when they hitched her to a team of oxen. The governor ordered her to be killed instead. After a gruesome torture which included having her eyes torn out, she was surrounded by bundles of wood which were set afire, but the fire quickly died out. She prophesied against her persecutors, and was then executed by being stabbed to death with a dagger. According to later accounts, Lucy warned Paschasius he would be punished. When the governor heard this he ordered the guards to gouge out her eyes; however, in another telling, it was Lucy who removed her eyes in an attempt to discourage a persistent suitor who greatly admired them. When her body was being prepared for burial, they discovered her eyes had been restored. This and the meaning of her name ("light" or "lucid") led to her patronage with eyes; the blind, eye trouble, and other eye ailments. (Catholic News Agency) Quick Links St. Lucy Customs St. Lucy Feast Day Celebration St. Lucy's Day in Italy St. Lucy Prayer Relying on Your goodness, O God, we humbly ask You, through the intercession of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr, to give perfect vision to our eyes, that they may serve for Your greater honor and glory. Saint Lucy, hear our prayers and obtain our petitions. Amen. Food Saffron Buns Happy Feasting! If you used any of these ideas, share with me on Facebook @HisGirlSunday or Instagram @steffani_hisgirlsunday. See you in the Eucharist, Steffani

These liturgical life traditions and customs will change your Advent! ...If you use a couple of them with intentionality. With an abundance of beautiful liturgical traditions swirling around this time of year, I highly recommend that you browse through them and pick what works best for your season of life. It can be very easy, especially with one swipe of the screen, to see so many Advent ideas that you either find yourself thinking you have to achieve them all or you end up doing nothing out of sheer overwhelm. I want to help by encouraging you to consider your own personality type, and what means of prayer you find most effective. I would also ask that you think about your lifestyle and that of your family, what does it look like in your home day to day? And who will be partaking in these traditions? Factoring in these things will help you to discern the custom that will work best for you so to enhance this season, and not create further clutter. Here is my simple breakdown for you to use as a springboard! 1. Blessing of a Christmas Tree Blessings set things apart as sacred and express to God our Gratitude. I would especially encourage you bless your Christmas tree because it is easy to do immediately following the tree decorating customs of your home. You can find that here on the USCCB website and print this for your family and or friends to pray aloud together. 2. Advent Calendars Do you like to countdown days or have small children that are anxiously asking if Christmas is almost here yet? This daily Advent interactive will prompt you to anticipate the coming of Christ. There are a lot of options to choose from; cardboard, wooden, individually wrapped gifts or books, bags, tree ornaments, the list goes on! This is the Liturgy Market Advent Calendar, my own hand painted design that has drawers for tiny saint peg dolls. The dolls are placed in the drawer that represents their feast day. I also provide activity cards so each day you can pray or do something fun together as we wait for the birth of Christ. 3. Hay for the Manger This practice can be great motivation for inspiring and practicing virtue in the home. While this is typically done with young ones, you could adapt the good deed opportunities for older children too. You create or prompt opportunities throughout Advent for the children to add straw or yarn to a manger so that baby Jesus has a soft bed to lay on. These moments for virtue can include working on a behavior that your child may be struggling on (impatience, lack of courage, anger, etc.), striving to perform acts of kindness, and any other ways to enhance positive character. Here are two different baby Jesus and manger options if you would like to give this a try. Don't forget to buy hay or yellow yarn so that when your children do a good deed, they see their action provide a more hospitable place for the Christ child to lay. Option One Option Two 4. Nativity Scene This is the perfect way to visualize the Nativity story in your home. Hold off on putting baby Jesus out until Christmas, and the Magi until Epiphany. You can also find the Blessing of a Nativity Scene here. This tradition holds a special place in my heart, as you know from my story, my family wasn't incredibly religious. Yet we had a lot of seasonal traditions and decorating our house for Christmas was one of them. Every time we pulled the Nativity Scene out I felt a welling up of emotions in my heart, it was so beautiful to me, that little porcelain baby Jesus. It was my role in the family to set it up, and while no one else probably noticed, I cherished this moment of unboxing each figurine immensely. It was a scene that was handed down to my dad and when I moved out it was passed on to me. Your Nativity Scene can become an heirloom too, these things have to begin with someone, why not you? 5. The O Antiphons This beautiful prayer is most fitting for those that would like to incorporate more chant into their Advent or begin looking more into Vespers from the Liturgy of the Hours. The Church has been singing the O Antiphons since the 8th century and they are traditionally prayed from December 17th-23rd. Each one with the imperative "come" insights the biblical imagery of hope throughout the Old Testament and leads us to fulfillment in the New Testament. You can use my free O Antiphon printable to assist you in praying. 6. Jesse Tree For those seeking to dive deeper into scripture this Advent, I would highly encourage you to try this. The Jesse Tree is a tradition that is intended to help us better know the ancestry of Jesus and the stories of His family. By praying with these stories you will have the opportunity to create Jesus' family tree. Try this option, it comes with free coloring pages too. Catholic Sprouts has a great video that you can watch here on using the Jesse Tree with little ones. And for those doing the Jesse Tree without children, this is a book that I think would help you along the journey. 7. St. Andrew Christmas Novena Are you seeking to integrate more prayer into your Advent and you like doing a novena? This is perfect for you! The more you pray it, the easier it is to remember which is what I really like about it. It begins on November 30th, the feast of St. Andrew, and goes until Christmas Eve. It is piously believed that whoever recites the St. Andrew Christmas Novena Prayer FIFTEEN times each day from the feast of St. Andrew (November 30th) until Christmas Eve will obtain the favor requested. There is something about this prayer that actually makes you feel like you are there with Our Blessed Mother and Joseph in the dead of night waiting for the birth of a child. Here is the prayer, and you can also find it in my Advent Booklet as a printable. Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen. 8. Advent Wreath Counting down the weeks of Advent can really come to life in your home by using an Advent wreath. Growing up I can remember not doing much of anything for Advent, we just went right into celebrating Christmastime after Thanksgiving. I actually learned this practice from what I saw in the Church, and it taught me a very countercultural lesson. Wait. Pause. Slow down. Anticipate. Cultivate hope. The Advent wreath suspends our anticipation, and we begin to experience waiting with the Holy Family. List of Symbolism The flame of the candle represents the light of Christ. 3 purple candles represent penance, prayer, and preparation. 1 rose candle represents our rejoicing! This is why it is called Gaudete Sunday, and is usually the day that my family decorates for Christmas. There is one candle for each week and also symbolizes the 4,000 years from Adam and Eve to the birth of Christ. The circular wreath represents the eternity of God. Evergreen is traditionally used because it represents everlasting life. I hope that you enjoyed your crash course to Catholic Advent traditions and customs. I would love to hear more about what you have chosen and why you decided to go with that. There are also individual saint customs that we can celebrate throughout these four weeks as well and you can find more ideas for doing that on my Facebook or Instagram. Always remember that no matter what you do, let it be something that draws you and your family nearer to God this Advent season. If all fails, cling to your basics; go to Mass, run to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and find some time in your day to rest and pray. God loves you!

You are just a sprinkle of cheese away from the best bread that you will ever eat! Don't you feel better knowing that? I sure do! For having such simple ingredients and steps this normal loaf of bread is about to be packed with flavor. I made this as a Thanksgiving appetizer and with Christmas around the corner I might just do that again. However, this would also be the perfect side for a spaghetti dinner, soup night, or even a game day treat. Heck why do we even need a reason, it's comfort food! Gather the troops and let's get going! Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 30-40 minutes Yields: 8-10 servings Ingredients 1 lb. round sourdough bread loaf 1 8-oz. jar prepared pesto or make my fresh pesto ahead of time here 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 2 fresh sprigs rosemary, chopped 1 tbsp garlic powder Nonstick cooking spray Directions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut using a bread knife into 1 inch slices, then turn your loaf 45 degrees and cut again into 1 inch slices. After you are finished you should have diamond shaped pieces and a loaf of bread that looks like it is blooming! Spread 8 ounces of store bought or fresh pesto in between the bread slices. Be generous, no one has ever been mad over there being too much pesto. Sprinkle in 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 2 chopped sprigs of rosemary, and 1 tbsp garlic powder. Try to fill every slice with all the ingredients so that each piece will have cheese on it. Place your loaf on a baking sheet and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes then remove the loaf from the oven, take off the foil, and bake for about 10 minutes longer or until the cheese is bubbling. "Bless us, O Lord, and these, Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty.Through Christ, our Lord. 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.

Celebrating Christmas as an adult looks and feels drastically different when I reflect on my childhood. Some of you may have seen me write that I did not grow up in a particularly Catholic household, and if I'm being honest it wasn't really Catholic at all. Nonetheless it was filled with the warmth of baking, the beauty of decorations like you've never seen, and neighborhood cheer. In fact, I remember a small town Christmas shop that we used to visit every year to buy lovely new ornaments and glittery trinkets. We did what everyone else does, after Thanksgiving we immediately put everything out and right after Christmas we took it all down. Christmas songs played in the car all December, especially the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, but that too stopped after celebrating the birth of Christ. December 26th had great strength and it snapped us right back into ordinary days without warning! Somehow our culture developed this pattern and many American families, like my own, have been misinformed to live by it. In what only grace can accomplish, I was given a gift of not just being informed by our culture, but by the Catholic Church, a Catholic college education, and then a Masters in Theology which opened my eyes to a world of knowing and expressing God's love like I had not experienced before. It was in those years that I learned more about how to quietly prepare myself during Advent while the world is jumping into festivity, and to truly celebrate during the Christmas season, that extends well beyond December 25th, while the world has gone back to its ordinary routines. This isn't proven, but I think in general people have disconnected the birth of Christ with the profound theological reality that is the incarnation, God became a man! When Christmas is put into perspective, I think that we can all agree it deserves as much preparing and ongoing celebration as we can sincerely give it. And that is also true of Christmas, the octave, the 12 days, and the season. Much to our neighbors surprise, my tree stays up until February 2nd as we walk through the season of light. Celebrating the 12 days of Christmas is something that I really like doing because it not only embraces the octave, but extends out to Epiphany which ends with the blessing of our home with chalk and the Italian tradition of making panettone. Here are some things that we like to do that you should try too! If you are interested in learning more about the history of the 12 days of Christmas, you can read more here. Day One: Drive around and see Christmas lights. I do this at the start because most people begin to quickly take them down so don't wait too long. Day Two: Host a Christmas party. Invite friends and neighbors to come over to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Do a white elephant swap, play Christmas games, listen to Christmas music, make treats & eggnog. Day Three: Build gingerbread houses. This year I made my own Gingerbread cutouts from scratch and we enjoyed sitting by the Christmas tree with coffee, gingerbread cookies, and cool whip to chat and relax. Day Four: Watch a Christmas movie and make hot cocoa. Day Five: Deliver Christmas cookies or pies to friends. This year we made a couple of pumpkin pies and an assortment of cookies and sweets that we boxed and delivered! Day Six: Attend daily Mass. This is something that most families don't get to do because we are at work and the kids are at school, but find a day off within the 12 days to go together on a week day. Day Seven: Puzzle & Game Day. We love doing this one, our family inevitably breaks out a card or board game while relaxing in our jammies. Day Eight: Have your priest over for dinner. While this isn't the liturgical marathon that is holy week and Easter, it's still immensely busy! After Christmas, while they may have a couple of days off, take the opportunity to to enjoy a good meal together and have time for community. Day Nine: As you get closer to the Epiphany, bundle up and go outside to stargaze. Stargazing is a connection to the Magi that followed the star to find the Christ child. We like to do this off the back patio with a fire, a good book, and cup of hot coffee. Day Ten: Go out to the theatre for a play or movie. My entire family used to do this, especially if there was a Star Wars movie coming out. Day Eleven: Use the fireplace to roast s'mores! Day Twelve: Bless your home with Epiphany chalk and make panettone. If you need a recipe just click here. https://www.hisgirlsunday.com/post/panettone-muffins These are some of our favorite things to do and maybe not in the particular order but we look at our family's schedule and rearrange them to fit what we can do. As with all liturgical living things, we seek to find ways that authentically express our excitement and happiness for the season, and seek to not just "add more things" that will stress us out. I invite you to look at this list and do the same! And for all the dinner and treat ideas, feel free to use this Catholic Christmas Table Prayer! Praying for you and yours this Christmas season! Hoping that it's filled with lots of family time, delicious food, extra sleep, and most importantly... Christ. God love you, Steffani

Happy Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception! Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, the solemn dogma defined by Blessed Pope Pius IX in 1854. She is the patroness of the United States of America and this is a holy day of obligation in the United States. Many people confuse the Immaculate Conception to be about Jesus being born without sin. However, this is actually in reference to Mary being born without sin. This Dogma of the faith revealed by God that the Blessed Virgin Mary "in the first instant of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace granted by God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the human race, was preserved exempt from all stain of original sin" (Denz.-Schonm, 2083). Mary was granted the gift of her Immaculate Conception because she was chosen to be the Mother of God. She received the original grace of purity and the final state of the blessed life that we hope to have one day through accepting and living by God's grace. In other words, Mary's Immaculate Conception shows us the perfect and pure relationship that God desires and has in store for us. In honor of the Blessed Mother's purity and sinlessness, we make an all white dinner and because it's a solemnity I do a full table setting. I like to make treats and special dinners on feast days but on solemnities I will do a more elevated table setting to show in our home that this is one of the highest ranking of liturgical days. The Menu 1. White chicken breast 2. White wine sauce 3. White rice 4. Rolls (white in the inside) 5. White wine to drink 6. Salad... green... checked with Mary and she said it was ok to make this exception for the sake of attempting healthy eating. I also like the green leaf connection between Eve and Mary being the "New Eve". The Table Setting White table cloth and napkins White dinnerware White flowers for the dinner table and our home altar. Prep Time: 10 minutes Bake Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 35 minutes Yields: 4-6 servings Meet the Ingredients For the chicken 1 tbsp olive oil 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (you could also use tenders) salt & pepper garlic powder For the white wine sauce 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1/2 large ellow onion diced 4 garlic cloves minced Salt & Pepper 1 C. White Wine 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream Fresh chopped parsley or basil as garnish (optional) Note: I did not do pictures for this one but will add them in the future just in case you feel you need them. Let's Get Started! 1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, I use a cast iron so this takes about 2 to 3 minutes. 2. While that is heating, season the chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Just give it a little sprinkle, sprinkle! I don't measure for this, just roll with it. 3. Place the chicken in the skillet and cook until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes on each side. I use a kitchen thermometer and wait until it gets almost to 165 degrees. I say almost because the chicken is going to cook a little longer after this in the white wine sauce and nobody likes dried out chicken. 4. Once all your chicken has reached that cooking temperature, remove it from skillet and put it on a plate. 5. Next we will get to the white wine sauce. You do not need to wipe or drain your skillet, just let the excess juice and olive oil stay. 6. Add 1 tbsp butter to skillet and melt over medium-high heat. 7. Toss in 1/2 diced onions and cook for 3 minutes, or until softened. 8. Stir in 4 cloves minced garlic then sprinkle with salt, and pepper; cook for about 30 seconds. 9. Pour in 1 cup white wine and bring to a simmer, stir so as to scrape the bottom of the skillet and mix all together. Cook until half of the wine has reduced, about 5-6 minutes. 10. Sprinkle in 1 tsp thyme and a 1/2 cup half-and-half. 11. Reduce heat to medium- low and put the chicken back in the skillet. Let it simmer until the white wine sauce thickens, this took about 8 or so minutes for mine. 12. Once the sauce has thickened you can garnish with parsley or basil and serve. We really enjoy this dinner and hope that you will to! It's certainly one that we eat more than just at the Immaculate Conception but it's also a great celebratory meal. 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 liturgical living resources check out the blog section of my website or follow me on Facebook to see what Catholic things I am doing to celebrate feast days. Cheers!

On Saturday night, November 5, 2022, the Houston Astros won the World Series against the Phillies, and this city proved to me what I had already known. First, each and every one of us, whether you call yourself religious or not, is inherently ritualistic. Second, that we in fact do know how to be a strong and bonded community. And third, we can pull together vibrant expressions of joy quite literally over a short span of two days. The Unfulfilled Desire I am immensely proud of our city's baseball team, and while we were more of a basketball family, I appreciate talent, hard work, and sportsmanship in any given arena of athleticism. Yet as elated as I was, I found that a quieter place in my interior life felt sad. And I realized that what initially seemed like melancholy, was truly the disappointment of an unfulfilled desire to see ritual, community, and vibrant joy for Christ in my city. I am uniquely tuned into this city in general through seeking to inspire Catholic culture and tradition on the His Girl Sunday platform, but also through my full-time job as the Director of Liturgical Life. Working right in the center of this city gives me a lens with which I can see the lives of a wide range of demographics from age, to race, to faith, to socioeconomic status. And I daily, weekly, and monthly seek to collect all these individuals across the board to come together and express the goodness and beauty of our faith in Christ. Helping others in person, on the ground, to live the liturgical year is the work of my heart, but is not without its challenges. Inspiring a liturgical and sacramental life is one thing when posting on social media or living within my own home, and it is another type of work to instill this in the larger community. When I saw over 1 million people gather for a parade that came together over a quick weekend, I couldn't help but think to myself, "if only I/we could get this many people to our feast day festivals, Eucharistic processions, or even Mass." Of course, this is not a reflection on the Astros, or to say that they are undeserving, but rather to say that Christ too is worthy of such praise and even more so. Ritualistic by Nature Without knowing it, over a million people in the city of Houston proved what the Church and the wisdom of the Church Fathers have long stated; that we are ritualistic by nature. St. Thomas Aquinas, teaches that it is proper for man to “employ sensible signs in order to signify anything” (Summa Theologiae II–II:85:1). In other words, we communicate through our words, gestures, and actions what we honor. It should be no surprise given our human nature that the ritual action we see within the World Series is so closely related to that with which we express our devotion to God. The crowds wore colors and symbols that are fitting to express a sense of allegiance and respect for the team. They chanted and sang out of praise for their win. Each fan came together as a community to show their love in person as one body and to be present for this monumental occasion. And the fans desired to see the team and to be seen by the team in appreciation for what had been accomplished. Yet, these are not just matters that pertain to baseball, but speak to something greater. Proper attire, song, chant, symbols, colors, community, joy, and the desire to see something special (God in the Eucharist) all speaks of the liturgy. I deeply pray that we can grow to see this intimate connection, and offer all of those actions stated above to God as we do to our sports teams. I long to see the day where there is a parade for Jesus Christ in this city with over a million people in attendance. I will be there with the flaming baton. Meant for Community People could have just celebrated within their home, and perhaps some did, but many decided to put the effort into being together. Within two days an impressive parade took place with many offering their talents in congratulations to the Astros. This only further proves that we were meant for community, and not only are we meant for it, we are at our best when we are together. Unity in belief and praise can be an immensely powerful thing, hence why Christ commands us to keep holy the Sabbath. To go to Mass together in person as a community is the most compelling expression of faith we have. When we are together in person, bonded over shared ideas and belief, we become more human. And in that humanity, we can become more like Christ, sharing in one another’s greatness and refining one another’s weaknesses. It is together that we can best express our gratitude for Christ and for our own lives. This is the heartbeat, of liturgical living, Catholic culture, and tradition. We must re-learn, over and over again, how to come together out of gratitude and love for Christ and our own lives. It is in this lived reality that we see culture and tradition form. Traditions arise when we, as a community, value something enough to see it lived out time and time again. And tradition doesn’t just happen, it takes effort and intentionality. Christ is worth the effort, and you are worth it too. After seeing Catholic schools and churches either close or cancel things to be at this parade, many questions arose within me. Of course, not at their parade attendance, again this is not a commentary on sports team pride, but rather a reflection on the lack of similar fervor for our faith. Why, as Catholic schools and churches do we not cancel or close when Solemnities arise? Why do we not have a much larger attendance, as a community of believers, for our own faith-filled gatherings? Why don’t we have thousands gathered for Eucharistic processions? How can that many attend a parade post Covid, but my community won’t come back to Mass in person? I don’t have answers to these questions, but I felt that they were worth bringing up in hopes that it will spark curiosity. Not a curiosity that will just leave you confused, but rather as something that will help us believers spring into action. Again, what the Astros proved to me was positive, we are ritualistic and communal beings. These are two components that are integral to our participation in the liturgy and then the liturgical life that is to follow. I hope to see the day where Catholics gather in droves out of celebration for our resurrected Lord, to see exuberant Easter parades, lively Eucharistic processions, and feast day gatherings that are bursting with culture and happiness.