Tag: Journals

Rorate Coeli ~ Advent Music Review

Published on by KateLeave a comment

Advent has always been one of my favorite liturgical seasons. The music, in particular, is something I look forward to each year. I love how mindful our Church has been throughout the centuries to safeguard and celebrate certain passages, melodies and refrains that hold special significance for the various liturgical seasons. I was so happy to be able to receive a copy of Rorate Cœli: Marian Sounds of Advent from The Monks of Clear Creek. 

This CD was recorded at Our Lady of the Annunciation of Clear Creek Abbey in Oklahoma. It is a series of chants that come from different liturgical moments throughout Advent and the Mass the Vigil of Christmas, that being Mass in the morning on Dec. 24. The “Rotate Cœli” which the CD is named after, is heard during the Saturday Mass of the Blessed Virgin in Advent. The text is taken from Isaiah’s lament over the destruction of Jerusalem while keeping our eyes fixed on the promise of God’s salvation. The refrain is specifically Isaiah 45:8:

Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the Just One.

I found this image to be striking. The introduction to the CD, written by Abbot Philip Anderson, reflects that, “It is through Our Lady that the Dew of God in Person finally came down from Heave to fulfill the longings of the prophets of old.” Jesus, the gentle Dew of God. It reminded me of the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19 where God passes by the cave. Not in the mighty wind, not in the earthquake and not in the fire. It was at the lightest wisp of breeze that brought Elijah to his knees before his Lord and God. Jesus didn’t come to earth on the backs of wild horses or flaming chariots. He wasn’t born in a palace or a cultural center. He came, meek and mild, as the dew we often don’t even remark upon or notice. The simplicity of chant mingles with the complexity of what is sung about. It never ceases to cause me to pull away from the demands of my day and to rest in those few moments of peace and prayer. 

As someone who loves to learn, I was so happy to find the booklet that came in the CD to be full of information. Not only are all the chants written out in Latin, but it also includes English and French translations. Additionally, the majority of the translations are also accompanied with an explanation of when the chant is typically sung, a few comments about key notes, chords, or phrases to listen for and how this chant connects to the others in the set. While these chants are beautiful and mediative on their own, their richness comes alive when you journey through them with the booklet to guide you and inform your ear to the subtleties built into the music.

Though Advent isn’t upon us just yet, still a few days to go, I am already making plans to be listening to this CD as part of our daily drive to school. My kids and I have listened through it as I prepared to write this review and there is a definite difference in the overall tone of the car from when we listened to chant and when we did not. Adding chant to our usual day may become a permanent thing. I will definitely be looking to the monks at Clear Creek for more peaceful and thoughtful chants to expand our collection.

If you haven’t yet, this is a great time to visit my previous blog post which has the Advent Journals for this year. Again, these are totally free to you and anyone whom you choose to share them with. I hope they bring you blessings and peace this Advent season.

It’s That Time Again – Advent Journals 2022!

Published on by Kate1 Comment

Can you believe it’s already one month to Advent. Again!? I always thought adults were so silly in their comments about how “quickly time flies” and “don’t grow up too quickly” but boy were they right! I cannot believe we are already bringing 2022 to a close. Funny side story. I had to fill out the usual paperwork and releases that come with going to the dentist for our kids the other day. I had to re-fill out about half of the papers because I dated them all 2023! Time goes fast enough and there I was jumping a whole calendar year.

Time may fly, but there are things that stay constant. I love how our liturgical cycle moves in a predictable manner throughout the year, gently bringing us along as the seasons shift. The world has its own method of transitioning from one season to another, but it feels more jarring. Each year, holiday decorations seem to appear in the stores earlier and earlier. “Back to school season” was already in full swing by mid-June with Halloween candy on the shelves as the first day of school arrived. So much time is spent in anticipation of the next season that we don’t really get the opportunity to celebrate the present one.

Seasons of preparation are important. We prepare for a big trip, prepare for a school year, prepare for a new baby. The Church recognized the need to take time to adequately prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ at Christmas as well as in anticipation of His Passion, Death and Resurrection. Then, when the Christmas and Easter seasons arrive, we are ready to fully participate in the joyful tidings. Our two seasons of preparation have their own markers, symbols and flair that help us settle into their particular moods and themes.

One of Advent’s big symbols is the Advent Wreath. Thinking back on my own celebrations of Advent, the wreath is always a part of this season of preparation. We had a wreath growing up that sat on the dining table. As our kids have grown, we have mostly made homemade wreaths thanks to The Mass Box‘s Advent box. This year, we have a new wooden wreath I am excited about from Shining Light Dolls (no affiliation with either company, just love the stuff!).

As I was beginning to discern what this year’s Advent journal would be about, I found myself drawn to the wreath. I realized that while each year we light the candles, I don’t actually know that much about what the candles symbolize. As I began to explore, the deeper I was drawn. Around the same time, I was so blessed to be able to review a Gregorian chant CD featuring Advent hymns from the monks at Clear Creek Abby. In the introduction, I was struck by this statement regarding the music:

Out of simplicity there can come music worthy to proclaim the holiness of God.

Rorate Coeli CD – The Monks of Clear Creek

I don’t know if you know my brain, but it likes to take a small idea and blow it up really quickly, usually overcomplicating things. My small idea about an Advent wreath based journal had already become overworked and complex within 30 seconds of conceiving it. This quote pulled me back and God used it as a means of refinement. What follows is a very simple journal, but I hope one that helps you to recognize God’s abundant love and mercy in your life.

As every year, this is a completely free resource. This year, it is not tied to the cycle of readings in any substantial way, so it could be used for any Advent from here forward. While there is space for journaling each day, there are only a few specific writing prompts. Instead, there are carefully selected Scripture passages, saint quotes, catechism references and even a song from which you can draw inspiration to spark your conversation with God. The Advent Candles provide the overarching theme for each week – did you know each candle represents something different to guide our thoughts and prayers during that week?! I knew this someplace in the back of my mind but never really let the candles provide any kind of framework to my Advent season. I am excited to continue my meditations on them as Advent draws near.

There are 2 versions, identical in content, different in layout. There is the 8.5×11 print copy which totals 35 pages. You can of course double side that and cut it in half. There is also the booklet layout which needs only 9 pages. Be sure to check your printer’s settings for printing double sided regardless of layout you select.

Due to the small amount of cited Biblical text in this particular journal, you may print copies to share with friends and family (this is different from other Advent journals on the site. Please be aware of any copyright notices on other downloadable resources). With permission from your pastor, you may share this journal in print form with your wider parish community. As always, you are free to link this post in your bulletin, newsletter, personal social media, etc. so anyone can download and print their own copy.

I hope that this journal offers you some space for peace and rest with God during the Advent season.

2022 Advent Journal – BookletDownload
2022 Advent Journal 8.5×11Download

Free Lenten Journal for 2021

Published on by Kate4 Comments

Oh man, Lent is practically here! As I promised in my last post, I’ve been scurrying around finishing up the Lenten Lectio Divina journal. For this year, as with last year as well, there is only the Lectio Divina journal, no reflection journal. This is for two main reasons.

  1. I have struggled to come up with a reflection journal idea/format that is similar to the Advent ones and also works within the whole scope of the season of Lent. I can figure out how to reflect toward the upcoming Sunday, as I did one year in Advent, or looking back to carry the previous Sunday into the week, as I did another Advent year. This works just fine until you get to Holy Week. I almost need 2 journals, one that deals with Lent, and a second that focuses on Holy Week and the Triddum. Maybe next year.
  2. Lent happens fast y’all! I still feel like we are just exiting the Christmas season. I did a great job getting started on Advent early last year (they were ready and done in October – can you imagine!?) but didn’t keep my momentum up during our transition that happened this winter. We have moved from Texas to Kansas. Moving and writing did not go hand in hand for me. With this in perspective, I’m so happy to have finished the Lectio Divina journals since I didn’t really have brain space for anything else.

Ok, to the good stuff. I did manage the booklet format that I did this past Advent. So there are the two print options. The first, per usual, is the print, staple and go. Everything is in order from Ash Wednesday to Easter.

For those of you brave souls who want to make a booklet, there’s that option too. I did not get any negative feedback about the format from Advent, so my fingers are crossed it went well for you since that is what I based this journal on. You will need to print double sided and then fold down the middle. Again, please test your printer with the first few pages before going for the whole thing unless you regularly print double sided and know your machine well.

Also listed here is the blank page that you can print as many times as you would like. This page is useful if you prefer to select your own verse for reflection. It is also especially helpful during Lent if your parish does not have any candidates or catechumens. During Lent, the 3rd-5th Sundays of Lent have a few readings options. The Scrutiny readings (which I have chosen to use for the journal) are used if the parish has candidates (people who are already baptized but need to receive their First Eucharist and/or Confirmation to complete their Sacraments of Initiation) or catechumens (persons who are seeking to receive all 3 Sacraments of Initiation) are at Mass. If they are not present, or the parish does not have any that year, the regularly cycled readings are used. You can find both options on the USCCB’s website.

lenten-lectio-divina-journal-2021Download
2021-lenten-lectio-bookletDownload
2021-lent-lectio-blank-pageDownload

These journals are completely FREE to print. However, due to the copyright restrictions, you are not supposed to print 100 copies to pass out at your parish or slid under your neighbors’ doors. You can, however, use this link in your bulletin announcements, to share with your Bible study group, post on your Facebook page, etc.

It is such an honor to write these journals. It brings me so many blessings and I hope they do for you as well. I hope you have a purposeful, peaceful and hopeful Lenten season.

Daily Graces. kktaliaferro.wordpress.com