The Catholic Diary 2020

The

CATHOLIC DIARY

2020 10 minutes each day with the Lord

All booklets are published thanks to the generosity of the supporters of the Catholic Truth Society

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HOW TO USE THIS DIARY

D

o you struggle to spend time with God every day?

Maybe you want to read the Bible more often, but find yourself putting it off because you can’t find the time.

Or perhaps you forget about spending time in prayer, at least until you’re ready for bed. You desire an intimate relationship with God, but aren’t sure how to maintain it. If any of this sounds familiar, then this resource is for you.

The Catholic Diary 2020 has two essential functions. It is designed (1) to support your daily management of tasks, appointments and events, as well as (2) to help you to take ten minutes out of your busy day to meditate on God’s Word.

Following the four principal stages of Lectio Divina (read, meditate, pray and act), you will be guided by Fr Antonio Ritaccio through a Bible reading each week, helping you to encounter God through the text. See the key guide across for more information on how to proceed through each of the stages.

You can choose to do the exercise each day or simply once a week. You may be surprised that you find new meanings and messages each time you read and meditate on a passage.

In addition, this diary also includes a collection of prayers to help you through many difficult situations. These prayers were kindly provided by the Poor Clare Sisters of Galway in Ireland.

So now there’s nothing left to do but to take ten minutes, turn the page and simply relax with God.

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Key Guide

a. Read: What does the text say? While a Bible commentary is not compulsory, you may find that it helps you to understand the context better.

b. Meditate: What is God saying to me through the text? At this point, you can ask yourself whether there is something that God might want to reveal to you through the passage.

c. Pray: After meditating on the Gospel, say the simple prayer and ask for the strength of the Holy Spirit to put the light received from reading and meditating on the passage into practice. You can also add to the prayer by telling God about your own feelings. Remember, God can handle any emotions you may have.

d. Act: What do I want to do, based on my prayer? Prayer should move us to action, even if it simply makes us more aware of the presence of others. Why not adopt the action suggested at the end of each section? They are designed to help you to put into practice the Word (‘lesson’) received that day.

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PERSONAL NOTES Name: Address:

Tel: Fax No: Mobile: Email: In case of emergency please contact: Name: Address:

Tel. Home: Tel. Work: Mobile: Doctor: Tel: Blood Group: Allergies:

National Insurance No: Car Registration No: Passport No:

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NOTABLE DATES January 1 New Year’s Day 2 Bank Holiday (Scotland) February 26 Ash Wednesday March 2 St David’s Day 17 St Patrick’s Day (N. Ireland) 22 Mothering Sunday 29 British Summer Time begins –

clocks go forward April 10 Good Friday (Bank Holiday) 12 Easter Sunday 13 Easter Monday 23 St George’s Day May 8 Bank Holiday 25 Bank Holiday 31 Whitsunday (Pentecost) June 21 Father’s Day July 13 Bank Holiday (N. Ireland)

October 25 British Summer Time ends –

clocks go back 31 Halloween November 8 Remembrance Sunday 30 St Andrew’s Day (Scotland) December 25 Christmas Day 26 Boxing Day 28 Boxing Day Bank Holiday

Roman Catholic Holy Days of Obligation 5 January

Epiphany of the Lord

17 March

St Patrick (Ireland)

21 May

Ascension

28 June

SS Peter and Paul

16 August

Assumption

1 November

All Saints

8 December

Immaculate Conception (Ireland)

25 December Christmas Day

August 3 Bank Holiday (Scotland) 31 Bank Holiday (excluding Scotland)

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SPECIAL DATES January

February

March

April

May

June

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SPECIAL DATES July

August

September

October

November

December

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CALENDAR 2020 JANUARY M

T

6

7

FEBRUARY

W

T

F

S

S

1

2

3

4

5

8

9

10 11 12

S

1

2

8

9

2

3

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

9

10 11 12 13 14 15

T

3

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

MARCH S

M

W

4

T

5

F

6

7

M

T

W

T

4

S

F

5

6

S 1

7

8

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

27 28 29 30 31

24 25 26 27 28 29

23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

APRIL M

T

6

7

MAY

W

T

F

S

S

1

2

3

4

5

8

9

10 11 12

M

T

4

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

W

5

T

6

7

JUNE F

S

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

S

1

2

3

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

8

9

10 11 12 13 14

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

27 28 29 30

25 26 27 28 29 30 31

29 30

JULY M

T

6

7

AUGUST

W

T

F

S

S

1

2

3

4

5

8

9

10 11 12

M

T

3

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

W

4

T

5

SEPTEMBER

F

6

7

S

S

1

2

8

9

M

7

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

T

W

T

F

S

S

1

2

3

4

5

6

8

9

10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

27 28 29 30 31

24 25 26 27 28 29 30

28 29 30

31 OCTOBER M

T

5

W

T 1

7

8

6

NOVEMBER S

S

2

3

4

9

10 11

F

M

T

W

T

5

S

S

7

8

1

6

M

T 1

7

8

T

F

S

S

2

3

4

5

6

9

10 11 12 13

W

2

3

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

9

10 11 12 13 14 15

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

28 29 30 31

26 27 28 29 30 31

4

DECEMBER

F

30

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CALENDAR 2021 JANUARY M

T

4

W

5

T

6

7

FEBRUARY

MARCH

F

S

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

S

1

2

3

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

8

9

10 11 12 13 14

8

9

10 11 12 13 14

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

25 26 27 28 29 30 31

29 30 31

APRIL M

T

5

W

6

7

MAY

T

F

S

S

1

2

3

4

8

9

10 11

M

T

3

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

W

4

T

5

JUNE F

6

7

S

S

1

2

8

9

M

7

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

T

W

T

F

S

S

1

2

3

4

5

6

8

9

10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

26 27 28 29 30

24 25 26 27 28 29 30

28 29 30

31 JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

T

F

S

S

1

2

3

4

8

9

10 11

2

3

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

9

10 11 12 13 14 15

M

T

5

W

6

7

M

T

W

T

4

5

S

F

1

6

S

7

M

8

T

6

7

W

T

F

S

S

1

2

3

4

5

8

9

10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

26 27 28 29 30 31

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

27 28 29 30

30 31 OCTOBER M

T

4

W

5

S

F 1

2

3

1

7

8

9

10

8

6

NOVEMBER S

T

M

DECEMBER

W

T

F

S

S

2

3

4

5

6

7

9

10 11 12 13 14

T

M

T

W 1

7

8

6

F

S

S

2

3

4

5

9

10 11 12

T

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

25 26 27 28 29 30 31

29 30

27 28 29 30 31

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DECEMBER 2019 God is like the outpouring of light, the glimpse of the sun, or the changes of the weather which are the same for everyone without exception.

John Climacus

29 SUN

 The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

30

MON

31

TUES

Sunday  Ecclesiasticus 3:2-6, 12-14 Colossians 3:12-21 Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23

Monday 1 John 2:12-17 Luke 2:36-40

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Tuesday 1 John 2:18-21 John 1:1-18

Wednesday  Numbers 6:22-27 Galatians 4:4-7 Luke 2:16-21

Thursday 1 John 2:22-28 John 1:19-28

Friday 1 John 2:29-3:6 John 1:29-34

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JANUARY 2020

1

WED

 Solemnity of Mary, The Holy Mother of God; New Year’s Day

2

THU

Bank Holiday (Scotland)

3

FRI

4

SAT

JAN

Saturday 1 John 3:7-10 John 1:35-42

W T

F

S

1

3

4 5

2

S M T W T

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6

7

8

F

S

S M T W T

F

S

S M T W T

F

S

S M T W T

F

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

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read THE EPIPHANY

A

fter Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod, some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east. ‘Where is the infant king of the Jews?’ they asked. ‘We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage.’ When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ‘At Bethlehem in Judaea,’ they told him ‘for this is what the prophet wrote: And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah, for out of you will come a leader who will shepherd my people Israel.’

Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared, and sent them on to Bethlehem. ‘Go and find out all about the child,’ he said ‘and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage’. Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And there in front of them was the star they had seen rising; it went forward and halted over the place where the child was. The sight of the star filled them with delight, and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage.

Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. But they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.

Matthew 2:1-12

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meditate In the face of evil, the birth of Jesus announces that God has come to save us from Satan’s power. We do not need to be afraid. Like the Magi, if we search for Jesus, God will always lead us to him despite every opposition.

pray

Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your son Jesus to reign over my fears. Just as the Magi followed the star, may the brightness of your Holy Spirit lead me to surrender to your power.

As this year begins, give me the gift of courage to face every trial.

act When you feel burdened or overwhelmed by an event, ask yourself two questions – ‘what am I afraid of?’ and ‘in what way is God asking me to trust him?’ Write down your answers and bring them to prayer.

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