“The what?!” I said.
“The liturgical calendar,” he said to me. “It’s the Church’s calendar. The whole Catholic Church around the world follows the same calendar. It’s incredible, really.”
How a Protestant Came to Embrace the Liturgical Calendar
I was a staunch Protestant the first time I heard about the Catholic liturgical calendar. Frankly, I thought it sounded too good to be true. The whole world buys in? And it’s color-coordinated?!
As I slowly but surely underwent my conversion from evangelical Protestantism to Roman Catholicism, I began to realize that the liturgical calendar was quietly becoming one of my favorite parts of the Catholic Church.
I was intensely researching the teachings of the Church on big topics—like the Eucharist, the Magisterium, or Mary, the Mother of God—but the liturgical calendar? That I could easily get on board with.
I now embrace the liturgical calendar with sincere thanksgiving, because it makes my life so much better. The ebbs and flows of the various seasons, the way I can coordinate my outfits to certain feast days and cook meals to celebrate the various cultures of the Saints . . . it is all a gift.
I know that the liturgical calendar is a gift to me, because I know that the Catholic Church is a gift to me from Jesus Christ Himself.
No Stone Left Unturned
You can imagine how in awe I was when I found out Blessed Is She created a stunning liturgical planner that includes everything I could want in one place. Inside are various prayers, an examination of conscience (so helpful!), habit trackers, space for notes and to-do lists, color-coordinated feast days, holidays, Bible verses, prayer prompts, meal planning, and beautiful art.
I would like to give you a peek into what makes the Blessed Is She planner the best choice for your Catholic lifestyle. Whether you are a momma of multiple little ones, a single working gal, a grandmother, or a teacher with lots on your plate—this planner was made with you in mind. After all, you are a part of our sisterhood—and you belong here.
The Best Use of Your Time
A mentor of mine once said something to me that changed my life. He said, “If you are not convinced that prayer is the best use of your time, you will not find time to pray.”
I think about his words nearly every time I am tempted to push off my prayer time. What I have learned is that when I give the Lord time in prayer, He blesses every remaining moment of my day. I feel more peaceful, more full of life, and more capable of receiving the grace needed for sainthood when I choose to make time for daily prayer.
The Blessed Is She planner encourages a rich life of prayer. Inside you will find places to track your prayer intentions, daily prayer habits, feast days, daily devotions, the Rosary, and Scripture. Each month you will find an invitation to begin your month in prayer—we even have monthly opportunities to virtually gather as a sisterhood to pray and plan our month ahead (visit the Blessed Is She app for more on this).
Beauty Matters
One of the first things I noticed about the Catholic Church was her attention to beauty. At first, as a Protestant, I thought it was a tad pompous. It felt like the Church was too religious with all of her sacred art, statues, and emphasis on grandeur.
Then, I did a side-by-side comparison. Catholics believe in the Eucharist, which means Christ literally dwells in their churches. Not to mention, they also believe Heaven plays quite a role in the happenings of Earth (the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, intercession in prayer, etc.). Whereas most Protestants believe John 6, the part about eating Jesus’ Flesh and drinking His Blood, to be symbolic and not literal. Also, they are protesting the Catholic Church, so it made sense that our buildings followed our beliefs. We eliminated the doctrine of the Eucharist, so the Church no longer became the dwelling place of God in the tabernacle. We also departed from the belief in the intercession from the angels and Saints, so it made sense that our churches stopped looking like experiences of Heaven on Earth.
I bring this up because Blessed Is She intentionally emphasizes creating beautiful products. And since God is all beauty, His divine touch is present in all co-creation we do of beautiful things. It is in our Catholic DNA and our femininity to cultivate experiences around truth, beauty, and goodness. And the Blessed Is She planner? It does just that.
Because of its beautiful design and sturdy build, I find myself desiring to pick it up, to take my time writing in my schedule, to color coordinate, and to pray that all my hands touch will prosper (see Deuteronomy 28:8).
I am Excited for your Life, Sister
The Father has good plans for you (see Jeremiah 29:11). So, after all, you need a place to write them down.
LITURGICAL PLANNERS
Our Liturgical Planners are based on the Litany of Humility. Enter into prayer every day alongside this beautiful Litany.
Order your days in His peace.
Justine Donahue is a Catholic convert who is captivated by the beauty of the Eucharist and protection of the Magisterium. She is married to her best friend John, and they live in sunny Florida. Justine loves books on Theology, flower dresses, hot vanilla lattes, and being an auntie to her nieces and nephews. She can often be found doing cartwheels and walking on curbs after being a competitive gymnast for many years. Her life mission statement is 'To be an empty vessel used to reveal that Jesus Christ is the Bread of Life.' Justine is currently earning her Master's degree in Catholic Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville.
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