The word tradition (Greek paradosis) in the ecclesiastical sense, refers sometimes to the thing (doctrine, account, or custom) transmitted from one generation to another.  Here are a few to think about - do you follow any - perhaps you might remember some as a child but forgot as an adult - do you think passing on these and other traditions to the younger generation might help them understand their Catholic faith better?  Look for more information on these traditions and others and help make sure another generation learns that being Catholic is more than attending Mass on Sunday.

Sign of the Cross

The Catholic Sign of the Cross is absolutely ancient, rooted not only in the Old Testament but the New (Apocalypse speaks of those who have the sign of God in their foreheads -- and those who have the sign of the Beast in their foreheads). When Catholics undergo the Sacrament of Confirmation, the Bishop (sometimes a priest) seals the sign on our foreheads with holy chrism.

Crossing one's self recalls this seal, and the invocation that is said while making this holy sign calls on our God -- the Father, His Son, and the Holy Ghost -- and is a sign of our of belief; it is both a "mini-creed" that asserts our belief in the Triune God, and a prayer that invokes Him. The use of holy water when making this sign, such as we do when we enter a church, also recalls our Baptism and should bring to mind that we are born again of water and Spirit, thanks be to God.

Because of what the Sign indicates -- the very Cross of our salvation -- Satan hates it, and our using it makes demons flee. Make the Sign in times of temptation and confusion for great spiritual benefit!

Catholics should begin and end their prayers with the Sign of the Cross and should cross themselves when passing a church to honor Jesus in the Tabernacle, upon entering a church, and after receving Communion. The sign is made, too, in times of trouble or fear (e.g., when receiving bad news, in times of temptation, when hearing an ambulance or fire truck go by), when passing a cemetery or otherwise recalling the dead, when seeing a Crucifix -- any time one wishes to honor and invoke God, or ward away evil, fear, and temptation.

Advent Wreath and Candles

On the first day of Advent, Catholic families will set up Advent wreath -- a wreath of greenery adorned by a set of four candles -- typically, three violet-colored, and one rose-colored to match the priest's vestments on each of the days the candles are lit. The wreath is either set upon a table (especially the dining room table), on the family altar, on pedestals, an end table, etc., or it can by suspended by ribbons from the ceiling, such as from a light fixture. The candles can be long, slim tapers, small votives, or fat pillars. There can be pinecones and such adorning the greenery, but because Advent is a penitential season, it shouldn't be highly decorated with colorful ornaments.

The circular shape of the wreath is a symbol of eternity, and the greenery symbolizes hope and renewal. The colors of the typically-used violet and rose candles symbolize penance and joy, respectively.

Each candle also represents one of the four weeks of Advent, and one thousand years of the four thousand years that (at least metaphorically) passed between Adam and Eve to Christ's coming.

The first candle also recalls the Patriarchs; the second candle recalls the Prophets; the third candle recalls St. John the Baptist; and the final candle recalls Our Lady.

If colored candles are used, the violet candles are lit on the first, second, and fourth Sundays of Advent, and the rose candle is lit on the third Sunday ("Gaudete Sunday," when the priest also wears rose vestments at Mass), a day of rejoicing because the faithful have arrived at the midpoint of Advent and anticipate Christmas. In any case, whether colored or white candles are used, one more candle is lit each week at dinnertime, the progressive lighting of the candles symbolizing the expectation and hope surrounding our Lord’s first coming into the world and the anticipation of His second coming to judge the living and the dead. The candles are kept burning throughout the Sunday supper, and then are immediately blown out afterward (candles can be replaced and greenery freshened as needed).

At midnight on Christmas Eve, the Advent wreath is replaced by a white "Christ candle" that is suitably adorned with holly, or by being carved with symbols of Christ, etc. This Christ Candle is used until the Ephiphany or Candlemas, depending on the family's particular Christmas customs. The greenery of the Advent wreath can now be decorated and turned into a Christmas wreath for use throughout the Christmas season.

Feast of Saint Nicholas

St. Nicholas is the Saint better known as "Santa Claus" (Sinterklaas in the Dutch whence "Santa Claus" comes). His image in America has been mixed up with a lot of traits and imagery from sources as disparate as the poetry of Clement Moore, pagan Norse mythology, and American advertising. In real life, though, St. Nicholas was a beloved and wonderful Bishop of Myra (in modern-day Turkey). He was born in Asia Minor in A.D. 260 and orphaned at an early age. 

When the great Saint died, he was buried in Myra, but the town was later taken by the Saracens in A.D. 1034. The Italians rallied to gather and preserve his relics from desecration, and in 1097, sailors brought them to Bari, Italy. A lovely church -- the Church of San Niccolo -- was built to house them, and tere they can be found today. A curative Oil of Saints -- "Manna di San Niccolo" -- is said to exude from them to this day.

St. Nicholas is the patron of children, sailors, and bakers, and is represented in art as a bearded, older man -- usually mitred -- holding 3 gold coins or a bag of coins, or three orbs. He is also often shown with children, and/or a ship.

On St. Nicholas's Feast Day, December 6th,  it is customary to in some places, especially in the Eastern Catholic churches, "St. Nicholas," dressed as a Bishop, will show up and hand out presents to the little ones, and children put their shoes in front of the fireplace (or outside) to be filled with candy and presents by morning. Because coins are one of the many symbols of St. Nicholas, chocolate coins are a perfect thing to put in the childrens' shoes. In some areas of the world if the child has been bad he will worry that he will be given a piece of coal in place of candy or presents.

In any case, an icon -- even a nice Holy Card -- of St. Nicholas should be visible today if at all possible. Surround it with greenery and candles, and tell your children the story of the Saint Nicholas behind the "Santa Claus."
 

What Do the Seasonal Colors Mean?

Green vestments are worn during Ordinary Time, which is the largest segment of the liturgical calendar including most of the summer. Green signifies new growth, the flourishing of the "vineyard".

White is a symbol of purity, light, rejoicing, and of the Resurrection, and is used on all special feasts of Our Lord, Christmas and Easter season, Corpus Christi, and at festive occasions such as weddings and baptisms.

Since Vatican II, white vestments are also usually used at funerals, suggestive of the Resurrection; however black vestments may still be used. Interestingly, white signifies mourning in the religions of the Far East, but not in the West.

For Marian feasts and solemnities, some parishes have special white vestments ornamented with blue, symbolizing Mary's fidelity. Blue is not a liturgical color, however, and is not to be used as the main vestment color.

Cloth-of-gold, often richly embroidered, may sometimes replace white, especially for very festive feasts, such as Christmas and Easter, or for weddings.

Red vestments are worn on the feasts of martyrs and on Pentecost, Passion Sunday, and feasts of the apostles. The color symbolizes martyr's blood -- also fire, for Pentecost. Usually red is used now on Good Friday, instead of the traditional black.

Purple, preferably a somber, dark shade, is worn during the penitential seasons of Advent and Lent. Purple signifies great solemnity, with connotations of both penance and royal dignity. Decoration of the vestments for these penitential season is appropriately simple.

Black, signifying absence of light and mourning, is properly used on All Souls Day and is still appropriate and permissible for Good Friday and for funerals, although seldom used now.

Rose colored vestments may be worn on the third Sundays of Advent and Lent, to suggest a pause or lift in the penitential focus of these seasons, appropriate because of the initial Latin words of the collects for these Sundays, which mention rejoicing.

This same symbolism in seen in the Advent wreath: three purple candles and one rose. The rose candle is lit on Gaudete Sunday, the third Sunday in Advent, when the rose-colored vestments are used.

Liturgical vestments, including the chasuble and stole worn by the priest, altar cloths, or other fabric appointments used for Mass (e.g. chalice veils, pulpit falls or banners) should ordinarily match in order to reinforce the symbolism.

When Do We Genuflect?

Genuflecting (literally, knee-bending) is a gesture of honor to Jesus and to His Real Presence in the Blessed Sacrament reserved within the tabernacle in all Catholic Churches. A candle lamp hangs near this tabernacle to signify Christ's Presence.

One does not genuflect, therefore, at Good Friday services, when the tabernacle is empty. The door stands open, the candle lamp is extinguished. The reason for this is obvious, when you think about it. When the reserved Sacrament is removed from the tabernacle, Christ is no longer present within it. (One does not genuflect when re-entering the pew immediately after receiving Holy Communion, either, because the Body of Christ is now actually contained within the person who has just received Him.)

There are many biblical references, both Old and New Testament, to the traditional gestures of honor and worship of bending the knee and bowing the head.

Psalm 95 says "Let us kneel before the Lord, Our Maker". Jesus knelt to pray. Saint Paul's Letter to the Philippians (2:10, 11) says "...at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Traditionally, Catholics bowed their heads whenever the name of Jesus was spoken, and genuflected at the Incarnatus ("... and was made man") during the Creed. Some still do. It is still appropriate. Current missalettes contain the rubric (instruction) that people are to bow at this moment during the recitation of the Creed.

These are only a few of the symbols that give many layers of richness and meaning to the Catholic worship ceremonial. Maybe we should not take for granted that all Catholics know these things as if by osmosis, and be sure to pass them along to our children and godchildren -- and to new Catholics.

Chapel Veil

Returning to this tradition will serve to further reinforce the message that the Catholic Church is the same today as it was yesterday, and the time honored customs of the Church have not died out, but on the contrary, live and breath through a new generation of Catholic women.

Sacred Scripture presents several reasons for wearing the chapel veil. St. Paul tells us in Corinthians (11:1-16) that Christian women must cover their heads because it is a Sacred Tradition commanded by our Lord Himself and entrusted to Paul: "The things I am writing to you are the Lord's commandments" (1 Cor. 14:37). "That is why a woman ought to have a veil on her head, because of the angels" wrote St. Paul (1 Cor. 11:10). The invisible hierarchy should be respected because the angels are present at all Christian assemblies during worship, offering the Holy Sacrifice with us according to the honor due to God. St. John the Apostle wrote: "And another angel came and stood before the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given to him much incense that he might offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which is before the throne." (Rev. 8:3, see also Matt. 18:10). They are offended by a lack of reverence at mass. The women of Corinth, beset by modern sensibilities, started coming to church without their heads covered. When St. Paul heard of their neglect, he wrote and urged them to keep the veil. According to St. Jerome's commentary Bible, he finally settled the matter by saying the head covering was a custom of the primitive communities of Judea, "the Churches of God" (1 Thess. 2-14, 2 Thess. 1-4) which had received this Tradition from early times (2 Thess., 2:15, 3:6). The “veil” represented modesty in many religions and cultures, especially in Judaism which was the cradle of the early Christian Church. A veil or head covering, is both a symbol and a mystical sacrifice that invites the woman wearing it to ascend the ladder of sanctity. When a woman covers her head in the Catholic Church it symbolizes her dignity and humility before God. It should not surprise us why so many modern women have so easily abandoned the tradition of the chapel veil (head covering) when the greatest meaning of the veil is modesty. It is purely an anti-Catholic culture that frowns on modesty. Do not be deceived, it was Secular feminism (a militantly anti-Catholic movement), that shunned Catholic women for wearing the chapel veil, telling them that a male dominated Church seeks to repress them. Such lunacy was nothing more than a lie straight from hell. If it were true, women would have been instructed to veil in the presence of men, but that is not the case at all. Both Sacred Scripture and previous canon law instructed women to veil in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament (not men), and particularly during the public prayer of the holy mass. The veil is a sign of modesty before our Eucharistic Lord. It is NOT a sign of male dominance.