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St. Joseph Catholic Church

1875 S C R 700 W
North Vernon, IN 47265

Rev. Jonathan P. Meyer, Administrator

Office Hours:

Monday Office closed
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 8:30 AM till 12:30 PM

St. Joseph Rectory Phone: 812-346-4783
Fax: 812-352-9033

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Why do you have different robes for Mass?

This question is a good one for any time of year. Each liturgical color signifies different things. Since Pope Pius the 5th the colors have been five in number: white, red, green, violet, and black. The color rose is used only on Laetare (the 3rd Sunday of Advent) and Gaudete (the 5th Sunday of Lent) Sundays. It is not mandatory and some parishes do not have rose vestments, due to them not being used regularly. Let’s take a look at each color: White- is a color of hope, life, resurrection and solemnity. It is the color proper to the Holy Trinity, the feasts of Our Lord Jesus Christ (His Nativity-The Resurrection-The Ascension etc.), except those of His Passion, the feasts of the Blessed Virgin, angels and archangels, saints who are not martyrs, the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, All Saints Day, to consecrate new churches and altars, the anniversaries of the election and coronation of the pope and of the election and consecration of bishops; also for the octaves of these feasts and from Holy Saturday to the vigil of Pentecost; also in services in connection with the Blessed Sacrament, at the burial of children, in the administration of baptism, Anointing of the Sick and matrimony. Red- is a color of fire, blood and death. It is used on Pentecost Sunday, on the feasts of Christ's Passion and His Precious Blood, the Finding and Elevation of the Cross, the feasts of Apostles and martyrs; and in votive Masses of these feasts. Green- is a color of life and growth. It is employed in Ordinary Time from the Baptism of the Lord until Lent and from Pentecost to the beginning of Advent. Violet- is a color of penance and a color of waiting. It is used during Advent and from the beginning of Lent until the Easter Triduum. Violet is also used for votive Masses of a penitential nature- for example on January 22nd when we remember the Supreme Court Decision Roe vs. Wade or on Sept. 11 when we recall the horrific attacks upon our nation. The stole alone is used in the administration of confession and anointing of the sick. Violet may also be used at funeral masses. Black- is a color of mourning and a symbol of penance. It may be used a funeral Masses, All Souls Day, and votive Masses for the dead/poor souls. These colors are used throughout the year to help us enter into the liturgy. Blue is not a universal liturgical color. It is permitted in some dioceses of Spain for the Mass of the Immaculate Conception and in some other countries for the season of Advent. This is not proper to the United States. Now when we see the colors in the sanctuary change, may we remember what the colors signify and enter into the mystery. What is the Easter Duty? Basic Definition: "The obligation to receive Holy Communion at least 1 time during Easter time......Annual confession is usually made at the same time" Note, the Church also requires one must be in the state of grace (no mortal sin) when receiving Holy Communion. This is why the Sacrament of Confession is utilized at the same time. So, the Easter Duty is the obligation each Catholic has to receive Holy Communion and, if in state of serious/mortal sin, the Sacrament of Penance in preparation for receiving Communion. The Easter Season is defined as the season between the first Sunday of Lent (this year, February 21st ) and Trinity Sunday which is the Sunday after Pentecost (this year, May 30th). One should go to Communion and Confession much more frequently, but these are the required minimum. Now, since reception of communion has become sooo common this duty seems odd to us; but there have been times in the history of the Church when frequent communion was not the norm. People would come to Holy Mass, but they would not come to communion. They did not come to communion, because they felt they were not worthy. They had such a deep honor and reverence for the Blessed Sacrament that they did not approach the sacrament. Thus, the Church had to make laws encouraging people to receive Holy Communion. But, first they had to go to Sacramental Confession. Due to Easter Time being the celebration of Christ’s passion, death, burial and resurrection, it was a good liturgical time for people to go to confession and receive Holy Communion. In fact in the “old days” if one did not make this Easter Duty, they were prevented from entering the physical church building and when dead were denied Christian burial. Currently people take Confession prior to Communion too lightly. Yet the teaching of the church has not changed…the Catholic Church teaches that one should be in the state of grace when receiving Holy Communion: "We should carefully examine whether our consciences be defiled by mortal sin, which has to be repented of, in order that it may be blotted out before Communion by the remedy of contrition and Sacramental Confession. The Council of Trent has defined that no one conscious of mortal sin and having an opportunity of going to confession, however contrite he may deem himself, is to approach the Holy Eucharist until he has been purified by sacramental confession." St. Paul himself states: 1 Cor. 11:29 “He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself." Therefore, if anyone, while in mortal sin, receives this sacrament, he purchases damnation, by sinning mortally. Sacramental Confession and Holy Communion are wedded together in a wonderful way. Summary All Catholics must receive Holy Communion at least once per year during the Easter Season, and when doing so, he or she must be in the state of grace, which can be obtained by making a good confession. To believe otherwise is not Catholic.