Understanding Liturgical Living

If you have been reading the parish bulletin for the last few weeks, you have probably noticed

this new “Liturgical Living” section. But maybe you have been wondering what that phrase

means and why you would want to practice it.

What is “Liturgical Living”?

Simply put, liturgical living is bringing the Church liturgy and feasts into your home in a tangible

and accessible way. This can be incorporated through praying, cooking, reading, crafting,

decorating, etc. Living liturgically keeps the focus in your home on living the faith of the Church.

Why would you want to “Live Liturgically”?

Liturgical living brings the richness of the Catholic Church into the home, fostering spiritual

growth and family connection. The vocation of every family is to become a small body of Christ.

That is, what we experience in the Church we should experience in our family relationships:

love, forgiveness, sacrifice, mercy.

Pope John Paul II wrote an apostolic exhortation entitled, “Familiaris Consortio”, which

discusses the role of the Christian family in the modern world. He writes, “An important

purpose of the prayer of the domestic Church is to serve as the natural introduction for the

children to the liturgical prayer of the whole Church, both in the sense of preparing for it and of

extending it into personal, family and social life… Likewise, the Christian family will strive to

celebrate at home, and in a way suited to the members, the times and feasts of the liturgical

year.”



How does someone begin “Living the Liturgical Year”?

The Church already has a long-established calendar and well-defined seasons to guide us. You

can begin today by celebrating Eastertide, which continues until Pentecost Sunday. Our website

has ideas from a previous article on ways to celebrate the Easter season.

Look for the Liturgical Living article in the bulletin next week for more ideas on how to practice

living liturgically at home.