Intentional Living in the New (Liturgical) Year

Show Notes

On this episode of Beyond Sunday, Nicole is joined by guest co-host Tara Stenger, one of the other minds behind 52 Sundays, and the two discuss some of their experiences in entering the Advent season with intention. They talk about some of their favorite Feast of St. Nicholas traditions and encourage listeners to set new liturgical year resolutions as they share some of their own.

This episode of Beyond Sunday is sponsored by the PIME Mission Development Projects Program. This Advent, share the joy of the birth of Christ by educating children living in desperate conditions, feeding abandoned babies, or providing a safe learning space for disabled children. Learn how you can change lives at pimeusa.org/52-projects.

(00:32) Tara Stenger, guest co-host for this episode, introduces herself and shares a little about her family. They discuss this Advent as the official start to the new liturgical year, highlighting how the 52 Sundays resource can help families enter the liturgical year with intention.

(04:17) The two discuss Advent, how quickly the season seems to go by and introduce this coming weekend’s Gospel reading about staying awake. They talk about how to make a theme of it for their families throughout the week.

(10:09) They talk about the Feast Days that will show up at the beginning of Advent (the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and the Feast of St. Nicholas) and share how they make the Feast of St. Nicholas special for their families.

(14:45) They talk about acts of charity and works of mercy like a Giving Tree and how they incorporate those things into the celebration of St. Nicholas and the Advent season.

(18:09) With Advent on their minds, they discuss liturgical New Year resolutions. Nicole shares a few resources she uses with her little ones at adoration, including “Adoring Christ with the Saints” from Catholic Sprouts. They discuss the value of modeling authentic prayer and relationship with Jesus in adoration to our kids.

(23:46) They ask listeners to consider how Jesus asks their family to be more watchful and hold an outlook of joy at the beginning of this new liturgical year. They also encourage them to use 52 Sundays intentionally as a way to help their whole family grow throughout the liturgical year.