This page contains resources, such as sample petitions for the Prayer of the Faithful, for special observances throughout the year which are promoted by the Holy See and/or the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Resources - English Información en Español
Additional liturgical information pertaining to the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children can be found in The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM 373).
The Vatican Dicastery for Evangelization has created a Liturgical and Pastoral Handbook to be offered to parish communities in preparation for this special observance. The English and Spanish versions of the handbook can be found at the links below. Included in the handbook is an outline for the Eucharistic Celebration, which begins on page 17.
Liturgical & Pastoral Handbook (English)Subsidio Litúrgico-Pastoral (Español)
The handbook is also available in additional languages on the dicastery website HERE.
The U.S. Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions has also put together a guide for celebrating:
Additional Resources
Video Seminars - Catholic.bible
The Lector at Mass
Hearing the Word of God
In 1997, Pope St. John Paul II instituted the World Day for Consecrated Life, celebrated those women and men who have given of themselves in this special way as religious. The date chosen was February 2nd, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. This feast is also known as Candlemas, since it features the blessing of candles, which symbolize the light of Christ. Religious are called in a special way to shine that light of Christ for the world.
February 8th has been designated as an annual day of prayer and awareness against human trafficking, chosen because it is the Memorial of St. Josephine Bakhita, who was kidnapped as a child and sold into slavery in Sudan and Italy.
Sample petitions for the Prayer of the FaithfulThe observances of National Marriage Week (Feb. 7-14) and World Marriage Day (Sunday, Feb. 9) are an opportunity to focus on building a culture of life and love that begins with supporting and promoting marriage and the family. This year's theme as set by the USCCB is "Marriage: Source of Hope, Spring of Renewal. Pursue a Lasting Love!"
Our Diocesan celebration of World Marriage Day will be on Saturday, February 8th, 10:00am at the Holy Family Center in Tracy. For more information, visit this link
The annual World Day of the Sick was instituted by Pope St. John Paul II in 1992 on the Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes, February 11th. As he said in his letter introducing the day, he intended it to be "a special time of prayer and sharing, of offering one's suffering for the good of the Church and of reminding everyone to see in his sick brother or sister the face of Christ who, by suffering, dying, and rising, achieved the salvation of mankind."
Our Diocesan Celebration of the World Day of the Sick will be on Saturday, February 1st, 10am at St. Anthony's in Manteca. For more information, click here.