Celebrating Fall: A Catholic Guide

Fall is a wonderful time of year. The leaves are changing, the weather is getting colder, life is slowing down. Here are some ways to celebrate the season. 🧡🍂🍁☕️

September 21

Feast day of St. Matthew

September - Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

Sept 8 - Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

• Pray: Hail Mary, Magnificat.

• Music: “Sing of Mary, Pure and Lowly”, “Hail, Holy Queen” (Salve Regina), “Immaculate Mary”, “Ave Maria”, “Magnificat”.

• Decorate: Use blue and white cloths or ribbons, fresh flowers, especially lilies or roses.

• Activity: Have a “Mary’s Birthday Party” with cake, songs, and prayers.

Sept 12 - The Most Holy Name of Mary

• Pray: Litany of the Holy Name of Mary.

• Music: “Ave Maria”, “Immaculate Mary, Your Praises We Sing”, “Hail Holy Queen”, “Mary, the Name that Brings Us Light “, “Ave Maris Stella”.

• Cook: Name day cake - Celebrate Mary’s “name day” with a small cake or cupcakes decorated with her name or an "M" monogram, blueberry pie.

• Decorate: Blue and white cloths – Marian colors, “M” monogram – either handmade or printed, roses, lilies, or white/blue blossoms.

Sept 14 – Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Feast)

• Music: “Lift High the Cross”, “At the Cross Her Station Keeping, Crux Fidelis”, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”, “O Sacred Head Surrounded”.

• Pray: Litany of the Holy Cross, Stations of the Cross.

• Cook: Hot cross buns, cross cookies, red punch or grape juice (symbolize Christ’s blood).

• Decorate: Red cloth, gold or white accents, fresh flowers at base of crucifix.

Sept 15 – Our Lady of Sorrows (Memorial)

• Pray: Pray the Seven Sorrows Rosary, Litany of Our Lady of Sorrows.

• Read: The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ by Anne Catherine Emmerich.

• Music: “Stabat Mater Dolorosa”, “O Sanctissima”, “Mother of Sorrows, Be My Comfort”, “Gentle Woman”.

• Cook: Seven layer dip, tear shaped treats - madeleines, raindrop candies.

Sept 21 – St. Matthew (Feast)

• Read:The Gospel of Matthew.

• Cook: Chocolate coins, fish, pita, humus, olives, lamb, fig bars, footprint cookies.

• Music: “The Summons”, “Come, Follow Me”, “Lord, You Have Come to the Seashore” ,“Go Make of All Disciples”.

• Craft: Trace feet and write the words of Jesus: “Follow me”, make a coin purse and write virtues inside.

Sept 29 – Feast of the Archangels: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael

• Also known as Michaelmas

• Cook: Michaelmas goose or bannock, pick blackberries (old tradition), spiced cake, roasted root vegetables, angel hair pasta.

• Music: "Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones", “Christ the Fair Glory of the Holy Angels”, “Holy God, We Praise Thy Name”, “St. Michael the Archangel, Defend Us in Battle”.

• Decorate: White, gold, and blue color scheme (purity, divinity, sky).

October - Month of the Holy Rosary

Oct 1 – St. Thérèse of Lisieux

• Crafts: Make paper roses or rose-scented candles.

• Read: Story of a Soul, “Saint Thérèse of Lisieux: The Way of Love” by Susan Helen Wallace.

• Prayers: Novena to St. Thérèse.

• Music: “The Little Way” by Audrey Assad, “Therese” by Danielle Rose.

• Cook: A French meal - crepes, madeleines, macarons, petite floral cupcakes.

• Watch: "Therese" (2004), "The Miracle of Saint Thérèse" (1952).

• Write: A letter to Jesus, in the spirit of childlike trust like Thérèse.

• Try: “Little Way Challenge” – see who can do the most hidden, kind acts during the day.

Oct 2 – Guardian Angels

• Activity: Draw your guardian angel or write them a letter to thank them for their protection and guidance.

• Prayer: Traditional Guardian Angel Prayer, Litany to the Guardian Angels, or Guardian Angel Novena.

• Music: “Angel of God”, "Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones", "I Sing the Mighty Power of God", "Angel Voices Ever Singing", “Angels Among Us”, Gregorian Chant or instrumental angel-themed music.

• Cook: Angel food cake, white meringues, whipped cream desserts (cloud-like).

• Craft: Make angel’s wings, angel handprint art, stained glass angel.

• Decorate: White, gold, and silver color theme, angel figurines or statues displayed prominently, feathers, cloud decor, or hanging angel mobiles, candles.

Oct 4 – St. Francis of Assisi

• Traditions: Blessing of pets, nature walks, live simple for a day, eat a meal by candlelight.

• Crafts: Make bird feeders, bake animal-shaped cookies, nature collage, stained glass sun, grow seedlings indoors to plant next spring.

• Pray: Prayer of St. Francis, Canticle of the Sun, Litany of St. Francis of Assisi.

• Read: Testament of St. Francis, "The Song of Francis" or "Francis: The Poor Man of Assisi".

• Music: “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace”, “All Creatures of Our God and King”, “Canticle of the Sun”, Taizé Chants – especially meditative and simple ones like “Ubi Caritas”, Gregorian chant or simple acoustic praise.

• Cook: Italian dishes - minestrone, rustic bread and olive oil, pasta.

Oct 7 – Our Lady of the Rosary

• Celebrate: Pray the Rosary (especially as a family).

• Crafts: Make rosary beads, rosary coloring pages, or paint Mary.

• Gather: Host a tea party in Mary’s honor. Decorate in blue and white (traditional Marian colors).

• Music: "Ave Maria", "Hail, Holy Queen", "Immaculate Mary", "Salve Regina".

• Offering: Bring flowers to a Marian statue or shrine, either at home or church.

Oct 15 – St. Teresa of Ávila

• Read: Interior Castle, The Way of Perfection, St. Teresa of Ávila Autobiography.

• Craft: Decorate favorite quotes from her writings.

• Pray: St. Teresa’s Bookmark Prayer, Prayer for Inner Peace, Novena to St. Teresa of Ávila, Litany of St. Teresa of Ávila, Morning Offering with Teresa’s Spirit.

• Music: “Nada Te Turbe”, “In the Lord I’ll be Ever Thankful”, “Nothing Can Trouble”.

• Cook: Pan con Tomate, Arroz con Leche, Rosquillas, Paella, Tortilla Espanola.

• Decorate: Spanish-style cloth – rustic or embroidered tablecloth.

Oct 18 – St. Luke

• Patron of artists and doctors.

• Activity: Art project or drawing of the Gospel story.

• Read: The Gospel of Luke.

• Pray: Pray for doctors and healthcare workers.

• Cook: St. Luke was likely Greek or Syrian in background. Cook a mediterranean meal with olives, figs, grapes, fish, flatbread, honey, etc.

• Commit: To evangelization. Who comes to mind who is ready to hear the Gospel?

Oct 22 – St. John Paul II

• Watch: Videos of his speeches/homilies, “Pope John Paul II”, “Karol: A Man Who Became Pope”.

• Cook: Polish food (pierogi, poppy seed cake).

• Read: Crossing the Threshold of Hope, Letter to Youth, Theology of the Body.

• Pray: Divine Mercy Chaplet.

• Cook: Polish themed food - pierogi, kielbasa and sauerkraut, rye bread and butter.

Oct 28 – St.s Simon & Jude

• Read: The Letter of Jude.

• Offer: St. Jude Novena.

• Serve: Volunteer to visit the sick or elderly.

• Cook: Decorate with red (martyrdom) and make a middle eastern meal reflecting their missionary territory.

• Craft: Make a St. Jude prayer box or prayer chain. Write down "hopeless" intentions or the names of people going through suffering and place them in a prayer box dedicated to St. Jude. Light a candle beside it and pray each day through their intercession.

Oct 31 – All Hallows’ Eve

• Pray: Litany of Saints, St. Michael Prayer for protection, All Saints Vigil Prayer.

• Cook: “Soul cakes” - small spiced cookies given in exchange for prayers for the dead (origin of trick-or-treating!), saint trail mix - gold-wrapped candies, raisins, pretzels (crosses), and white marshmallows (purity).

• Craft: Saint-O-Lantern, Glow-in-the-dark Rosary, Saint peg dolls, heavenly decorations.

• Music: “When the Saints Go Marching In”, “For All the Saints”, “Behold the Lamb”, “Blessed Are They”.

• Activity: Light a vigil candle, draft a saint for as the family patron saint for the next year.

November - Dedicated to Holy Souls

Nov 1 – All Saints' Day (Holy Day of Obligation)

• Activity: Dress up as saints, have a “Saints Party.”

• Crafts: Saint peg dolls, halos, or saint trading cards.

• Music: “For All the Saints”, “Litany of the Saints”, “Holy God”, “We Praise Thy Name”.

• Pray: Litany of the Saints.

Nov 2 – All Souls' Day

• Pray: For the dead and souls in purgatory, Psalm 130 – “De Profundis”.

• Crafts: Create a memory altar or "Book of the Dead" with names of departed loved ones.

• Food: Soul cakes.

• Activity: Visit a cemetery, light candles for the departed.

• Music: “In Paradisum” (from the Requiem Mass)", “Dies Irae” (traditional chant for the dead), “I Am the Bread of Life”, “Come to His Aid”, “O Saints of God”, “Jesus, Remember Me”.

Nov 11 – St. Martin of Tours

• Activity: Martinmas lantern walks - Children make paper lanterns, light them at sunset, and process through the streets or yard singing songs, giving to the poor - Donate warm clothing, blankets, or food to the poor in honor of St. Martin’s act of giving half his cloak.

• Food: Roast goose, lantern cookies, croissants.

• Craft: Lantern stained glass.

• Decorate: red (cloak), gold, orange, brown.

Nov 21 – Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

• Pray: Joyful mysteries, Litany of Loreto, Marian Consecration or Rededication.

• Craft: Temple steps - Draw or build paper steps with Mary ascending toward the temple as a child.

• Music: “Ave Maria”, “Hail, Holy Queen”, “Immaculate Mary”, “Let It Be Done to Me”, “O Sanctissima”.

• Decorate: Three stars – traditional symbol of Mary’s perpetual virginity, Lily or white rose, Temple or staircase, Blue and white.

• Study: Learn About Saints Joachim and Anne.

Nov 22 – Christ the King (Sunday before Advent)

• Pray: Litany of Christ the King.

• Decorate: purple (royalty), gold, white, set up a prayer space with crucifix.

• Cook: Crown cake, “jeweled” fruit arranged like a crown, make a special kingly meal, croissants, braided crow bread, grape juice, sparkling cider.

• Craft: Paper cut out crown and write qualities of Christ.

• Activity: Do a Spiritual Examination: Who’s Really King in My Life?

• Music: "Crown Him with Many Crowns", "To Jesus Christ Our Sovereign King", "King of Kings", "Jesus Shall Reign Where’er the Sun".

Nov 30 – St. Andrew

• Pray: St. Andrew Christmas Novena (Nov 30 – Dec 24)

• Music: “Come Follow Me”, “Fishers of Men”, “By All Your Saints Still Striving” , Scottish hymns like “Be Thou My Vision”.

• Activity: Do a fishing-themed craft or play a fishing game while talking about how Andrew was called to be a fisher of souls. Make paper fish with names of people you want to bring closer to Jesus and pray for them.

• Craft: Make a St. Andrew’s Cross Banner – Blue background with a white diagonal cross.

• Cook: Scottish shortbread cookies, oatcakes, porridge, haggis, scones.