Feast of Immaculate Conception

Immaculate Conception

• Father, You prepared the Virgin Mary to be the worthy mother of your Son. You let her share beforehand in the salvation Christ would bring by His death, and kept her sinless from the first moment of her conception. Help us by her prayers to live in your presence without sin. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
• Make a gingerbread house or bake gingerbread cookies.
• Make a white dinner for Mary's purity.

Feast of St Ambrose

Feast of St Ambrose

• Lord, you made St. Ambrose an outstanding teacher of the Catholic faith and gave him the courage of an apostle. Raise up in your Church more leaders after your own heart, to guide us with courage and wisdom. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
• Bake a honey cake!
• Ingredients:
  4 eggs
  1 cup light brown sugar
  1 cup local honey 
  juice from 1 lemon
  1 cup vegetable oil
  3/4 cup milk
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  1 teaspoon baking soda
  1 teaspoon cinnamon
  1 teaspoon clove
  2 1/2 cup flour
  Method:
  1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
  2. Mix the first 7 ingredients together.
  3. Add the baking soda, flour, cinnamon and clove.
  4. Mix
  5. Pour into a 9" round pan.
  6. Bake for 40 minutes.
  7. Take out and cool.
  8. Dust powdered sugar over the cake.
  

Feast of St Nicholas

Feast of St Nicholas

• O God, Who didst adorn blessed Nicholas,
  the bishop, with miracles unnumbered,
  grant, we beseech Thee, that by his merits
  and prayer we may be delivered from the
  fire of hell. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
• Organize shoe rack and donate unworn shoes to charity.
• Sip a big mug of hot coco and read the history of St. Nicholas.
• Find edible coins!
  

Feast of St. Francis Xavier

Feast of St. Francis Xavier

• God our Father, by the preaching of Francis Xavier you brought many nations to yourself. Give his zeal for the faith to all who believe in you, that your Church may rejoice in continued growth throughout the world. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
• Pray the Litany of St Francis Xavier.
• Xaver Suppe
  
  (Recipe found in Cooking With the Saints)
  

  
  
  This is a delicious clear soup with "dumplings" that is easy to make and can serve a crowd.
  
  INGREDIENTS:
  
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper, white
  
• pinch of nutmeg
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 2 egg yolks
  
• 1 Tablespoon parsley, chopped (for dough)
  
• 12 cups chicken stock
  
• 2 Tablespoon chervil, chopped
  
• 2 Tablespoon parsley, chopped (for soup)

DIRECTIONS:

Over low heat work the flour, cream, butter and Parmesan cheese to a solid dough. Work in the salt, pepper, nutmeg, eggs and egg yolks and parsley. Put the mixture into a piping bag with a big nozzle and pipe pea-sized balls onto a buttered tray. Let stand for about 30 minutes.

In the meantime heat some salted water until it boils, then drop in all the "dough peas". Cook for 5 minutes, then remove them with a slotted spoon and add to the warm chicken stock. Season soup to taste and add the chervil and 2 tablespoons parsley.

Serves 10 to 12 people.

Feast of the Miraculous Medal

Feast of the Miraculous Medal

• Novena to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal
• O Immaculate Virgin Mary,
  Mother of Our Lord Jesus and our Mother,
  penetrated with the most lively confidence in your all-powerful and never-failing intercession,
  manifested so often through the Miraculous Medal,
  we your loving and trustful children
  implore you to obtain for us the graces and favors we ask during this novena,
  if they be beneficial to our immortal souls,
  and the souls for whom we pray.
  (Here form your petition)
  You know, O Mary, how often our souls have been the sanctuaries of your Son who hates iniquity.
  Obtain for us then a deep hatred of sin and that purity of heart
  which will attach us to God alone so that our every thought,
  word and deed may tend to His greater glory.
  Obtain for us also a spirit of prayer and self-denial that we may recover by penance
  what we have lost by sin and at length attain to that blessed abode
  where you are the Queen of angels and of men. Amen.
  O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee (3 times).

Feast of St. Catherine of Alexandria

St Catherine of Alexandria

• Glorious Saint Catherine, virgin and martyr,
  Help me to imitate your love of purity.
  
  Give me strength and courage
  In fighting off the temptations of the world and evil desires.
  Help me to love God with my whole heart
  And serve Him faithfully.
  
  O Saint Catherine,
  Through your glorious martyrdom for the love of Christ,
  Help me to be loyal to my faith and my God
  As long as I live.

• St Catherine, St Catherine, O lend me thine aid
  And grant that I never may die an old maid.

• Make heat shaped pancakes to go along with this adorable tradition!

Feast of Christ the King

Christ the King

• Almighty and merciful God, you break the power of evil and make all things new in your Son Jesus Christ, the King of the universe. May all in heaven and earth acclaim your glory and never cease to praise you. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
• Recite Act of Dedication of the Human Race to Christ the King.

• O Jesus Christ, I acknowledge Thee as universal King. All that has been made, has been created for Thee. Exercise all Thy rights over me. I renew my baptismal vows, renouncing Satan, his pomps and his works; and I promise to live as a good Christian. In particular do I plege myself to labor, to the best of my ability, for the triumph of the rights of God and Thy Church.

  Divine Heart of Jesus, to Thee do I proffer my poor services, laboring that all hearts may acknowledge Thy Sacred Kingship, and that thus the reign of Thy peace be established throughout the whole universe. Amen.