Advent marks the beginning of the liturgical year. It consists of the four weeks leading up to Christmas

In the Catholic Church, Christmas is more than just one day. It is a season, beginning on Christmas Eve (Dec 24) and continues through the Feast of the Epiphany on the tweltfh day of Christmas (Jan 6). The season concludes with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

The forty days of Lent remind us of Jesus' forty days of fasting in the desert. It is a time for prayer, fasting and almsgiving in preparation for the celebraiton of Easter Day.

The Triduum are the three holiest days of the year: Holy (Maundy) Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. During these three holy days, the Church marks the Passion of the Lord with solemn rites and ceremonies culimnating in the Solemn Paschal Vigil on Holy Saturday night when new Catholics are baptized as we celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord.

Alleluia! Christ is Risen! Easter is the highpoint of the liturgical year and lasts from Easter Day through the celebration of Pentecost Sunday fifty days later, when the Church remembers the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Twelve Apostles.

The remainder of the year, the Church reflects on the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. These weeks are called "Ordinary" (coming from the root 'ordinal', meaning 'numbered').