Shows
InPrincipio PodcastPractice During Christmas — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearChapter 3, of the Introduction to the Season of Christmas: Practice During Christmas, from Volume II of "The Liturgical Year" by Dom Prosper Guéranger.In Chapter 3 of the Introduction to the Season of Christmas, Dom Guéranger explains that Christmastide is the time for the faithful soul to reap the fruit of Advent by welcoming the Incarnate Word not only in history but mystically within the heart. Having prepared through repentance, the soul now meets the Bridegroom and learns from the Church how to honor the Divine Infant through four fundamental dispositions: adoration, joy, gratitude, and love. Adoration acknowledges th...
2025-12-2432 min
InPrincipio PodcastAurora Mass: Second Mass of Christmas — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearMusic: “The First Noel” (Latin). Performed by Corpus Christi Watershed. Used with permission. Visit ccwatershed.org for more beautiful chants,hymnals, scores, and liturgical resources. Please pray for their good work!A meditation for the liturgy of the ‘Aurora Mass’, the second Mass of the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.In the meditation on the Aurora Mass, Dom Guéranger explains that this second Christmas Mass honors not only Christ’s historical birth but especially His birth of grace within the souls of the faithful, symbolized by the dawn and the risin...
2025-12-2421 min
InPrincipio PodcastMidnight Mass of Christmas — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearMusic: “The First Noel” (Latin). Performed by Corpus Christi Watershed. Used with permission. Visit ccwatershed.org for more beautiful chants,hymnals, scores, and liturgical resources. Please pray for their good work!A meditation for the liturgy of Midnight Mass, the first Mass of the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.The meditation for Midnight Mass contemplates the solemn and ineffable moment when the eternal Word of God is born in time, and Light breaks forth in the midst of the world’s deepest night. Dom Guéran...
2025-12-2338 min
InPrincipio PodcastAfternoon of Christmas Eve — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for the liturgy of the afternoon of Christmas Eve, including First Vespers and Matins, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.The liturgy of the afternoon of Christmas Eve draws the Church into a joyful threshold between Advent’s longing and the imminent birth of Emmanuel. As Advent offices conclude and the fast is eased, the faithful are invited to interior gladness and reverent anticipation, while First Vespers solemnly inaugurates the feast with chants proclaiming the nearness of redemption and the completion of Mary’s days. Dom Guéranger meditates on the Church’s praise at sunset, her hy...
2025-12-231h 42
InPrincipio PodcastChristmas Eve (December 24th) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for Christmas Eve, Vigil of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.The meditation for Christmas Eve draws the faithful into the solemn stillness of the final hours before the Nativity, when the long expectation of centuries is at last about to be fulfilled. Dom Guéranger presents this day as the sacred transition from Advent’s penitential longing to the joy of Christmas, urging the Church to unite herself interiorly to the prophets, patriarchs, and just souls of the Old Covenant who pleaded for the coming of the Redeemer...
2025-12-2325 min
InPrincipio PodcastWednesday of the Fourth Week of Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Advent presents Christ as the divine Restorer who comes to transform barrenness into life and desolation into joy. Drawing on the prophecy of Isaias, Dom Guéranger contemplates the nearness of the Savior whose coming renews Zion, restores what sin has laid waste, and establishes an everlasting salvation that outlasts heaven and earth. Christ is hailed as the heavenly Flower and Tree of Life, transplanted from heaven to earth, first taking root in the fertile soil of...
2025-12-2306 min
InPrincipio PodcastTuesday of the Fourth Week of Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for the Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Advent presents Christ as the gentle Servant foretold by Isaias, whose coming is marked not by force or clamor but by meekness, mercy, and quiet power. Dom Guéranger dwells on the sweetness of the Savior’s entrance into the world, as the eternal Son approaches humanity in humility, sparing the bruised reed and preserving the faintly burning wick rather than crushing or extinguishing them. Christ comes as the living covenant between heaven and earth, the...
2025-12-2205 min
InPrincipio PodcastSeventh Great Antiphon of Advent (December 23) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for the Seventh Great Antiphon of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.The meditation for the Seventh Great Antiphon, O Emmanuel, contemplates the final fulfillment of all prophecy as Christ, hidden yet truly present, enters Jerusalem on His way to Bethlehem. Dom Guéranger dwells on the profound mystery that the Lord visits His temple unnoticed, carried within Mary, who becomes the living Ark of the Covenant, holier than the sanctuary built by human hands. In her womb dwells not the stone of the Law but the Lawgiver Himself, Emmanuel, God with us. This quiet vi...
2025-12-2203 min
InPrincipio PodcastMonday of the Fourth Week of Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent proclaims the nearness of the Lord and offers strong consolation to a people conscious of their weakness yet sustained by divine promise. Drawing from the prophecy of Isaias, the liturgy presents Israel, chosen and upheld by God, as an image of fallen humanity reassured by the words, “Fear not, for I am with thee,” and strengthened by the Redeemer who takes His servant by the hand. Dom Guéranger reflects that this consolation is fulfilled in...
2025-12-2106 min
InPrincipio PodcastSixth Great Antiphon of Advent (December 22) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for the Sixth Great Antiphon of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.The meditation for the Sixth Great Antiphon, O Rex gentium, contemplates Christ as the long-desired King drawing very near to Bethlehem, bearing within Himself the salvation and unity of mankind. Dom Guéranger lingers on the intimate mystery of the journey, as the Blessed Virgin advances toward the hour of birth in adoration, gratitude, and holy fear, overwhelmed by the double love of Mother for her Child and creature for her God. While Mary trembles at the nearness of the moment when she must...
2025-12-2103 min
InPrincipio PodcastFifth Great Antiphon of Advent (December 21) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for the Fifth Great Antiphon of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.The meditation for the Fifth Great Antiphon, O Oriens, contemplates Christ as the divine Sun rising to deliver mankind from the darkness of sin and death, yet still hidden as He approaches His Nativity. Dom Guéranger dwells on the humility of the Incarnation: the Sun of Justice passes unnoticed through Judea, carried in the womb of Mary, while crowds hurry past unaware that their Redeemer is so near. This hiddenness becomes a trial of faith and love, for Christ does not force re...
2025-12-2003 min
InPrincipio PodcastFourth Great Antiphon of Advent (December 20) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for the Fourth Great Antiphon of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.The Fourth Great Antiphon, O Clavis David, hails Christ as the true Son of David who holds the sovereign key that alone can open and shut the gates of salvation, fulfilling the ancient promise of royal authority given to the house of Israel. As Dom Guéranger meditates, this antiphon contemplates the mystery of the Savior already present in the womb of the Virgin, passing silently through the land once ruled by His ancestor, now darkened and enslaved, yet destined soon to witness...
2025-12-1902 min
InPrincipio PodcastEmber Friday of Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for Ember Friday in the season of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.The liturgy for Ember Friday of Advent turns our gaze to the mystery of the Visitation, contemplating the humble charity of the Blessed Virgin as she bears Christ to others even before His birth, while St. Ambrose’s reflections deepen this Marian focus. Stationed at the church of the Holy Apostles, the day unites expectation of Christ’s first coming with vigilance for His second, recalling the apostles who await His return in glory. Through ancient hymns and prayers, the Church implores cl...
2025-12-1803 min
InPrincipio PodcastThird Great Antiphon of Advent (December 19) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for the Third Great Antiphon of the season of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.The liturgy of the Third Great Antiphon of Advent, "O Radix Jesse", contemplates Christ as the promised shoot from the root of David, who comes as a universal standard raised before all peoples, silencing earthly power and drawing the nations to prayer and hope. The Church mystically accompanies the Blessed Virgin on her journey toward Bethlehem, recognizing her as the living Ark who bears within her the divine King and Savior. The antiphon unites royal prophecy with humble expectancy, proclai...
2025-12-1802 min
InPrincipio PodcastThursday of the Third Week of Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for Thursday of the Third Week of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.Thursday of the Third Week of Advent, directs the faithful to the moral preparation required for welcoming the King who is near at hand, drawing especially on the prophecy of Isaias that describes the security and joy of those who walk in justice and truth and whose eyes are granted to behold the King in His beauty. The liturgy teaches that only those who renounce sin, avarice, and hypocrisy, and who cultivate virtue, will be able to dwell safely before the holines...
2025-12-1706 min
InPrincipio PodcastSecond Great Antiphon of Advent (December 18) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for the Second of the Great Antiphons of Advent and the Feast of the Expectation of Our Lady, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.The second of the Great O Antiphons, O Adonai, hails Christ as the sovereign Lord of Israel who once revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush and gave the Law on Sinai, yet now comes not in terror or thunder but in humility, to redeem His people by the outstretched arm of His saving mercy; as Dom Guéranger emphasizes, the Almighty chooses to show His greatest power in seeming weakness...
2025-12-1706 min
InPrincipio PodcastEmber Wednesday of Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for Ember Wednesday in the season of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.Wednesday in Ember Week of Advent marks the beginning of the Church’s ancient Ember fast for the season, a practice inherited from apostolic times to consecrate the four seasons of the year to God through penance, gratitude, and prayer. This fast, traditionally called that of the tenth month, invites the faithful to detach themselves from earthly goods, give alms to the poor, and renew interior fervor during Advent, especially since the Church’s present discipline is comparatively mild. A second and very im...
2025-12-1609 min
InPrincipio PodcastCommencement of the Great Antiphons of Advent (December 17) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for the Commencement of the Great Antiphons of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.The Commencement of the Great Antiphons on December 17 marks the Church’s entrance into the final and most solemn days of Advent, known as the Greater Ferias, during which the liturgy becomes more intense and explicitly focused on the imminent coming of the Messias. Each evening at Vespers, the Church sings one of the seven great “O Antiphons,” ancient and solemn invocations that address Christ by His scriptural titles and express the ardent longing of Israel and the Church for His coming. S...
2025-12-1606 min
InPrincipio PodcastSt. Eusebius of Vercelli (December 16) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for the Feast of St. Eusebius, Bishop of Vercelli, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.Dom Prosper Guéranger's The Liturgical Year, a monumental fifteen-volume work, offers a comprehensive exploration of the Catholic Church’s liturgical calendar, guiding readers through the spiritual and historical richness of the Church’s worship. Written in the 19th century, the series provides daily meditations, historical context, and liturgical texts for the Mass and Divine Office, covering the entire cycle of seasons—Advent, Christmas, Lent, Passiontide, Easter, and the Time after Pentecost—as well as feast days of saints. Guéranger’s work, ro...
2025-12-1514 min
InPrincipio PodcastTuesday of the Third Week of Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent proclaims the Lord’s merciful nearness and invites the faithful to wait for Him with confident hope. Through the prophecy of Isaias, the liturgy assures God’s people that their tears will cease, their wounds will be healed, and abundance, light, and peace will follow the coming of the Redeemer. Christ is presented both as the gentle teacher who feeds and enlightens His people and as the just Lord whose coming overthrows error and false secur...
2025-12-1509 min
InPrincipio PodcastOctave of the Immaculate Conception — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for the Octave of the Immaculate Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.The Octave of the Immaculate Conception marks the eighth and final day of celebrating Mary’s preservation from original sin, a privilege granted in view of Christ’s Incarnation. Rooted in the ancient Hebrew practice of extending great feasts for eight days, this octave is a “common octave” in the Church’s liturgical tradition. The day invites renewed reverence for the mystery of Mary’s immaculate beginning, prepared by God to be the pure vessel of the Word made flesh. Re...
2025-12-1411 min
InPrincipio PodcastMonday of the Third Week of Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for Monday of the Third Week of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.Monday of the Third Week of Advent emphasizes the nearness of the Lord and calls the faithful to adore Him as the firm foundation God is about to set in Sion. Drawing on the prophecy of Isaias, the liturgy presents Christ as the tried and precious cornerstone upon whom the Church is built, a foundation that destroys falsehood and breaks humanity’s pact with sin, death, and hell. The day invites believers to place their trust in this divine Stone rather than in u...
2025-12-1405 min
InPrincipio PodcastGaudete Sunday: The Third Sunday of Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for Gaudete Sunday, the Third Sunday of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.The Third Sunday of Advent, or Gaudete Sunday, is marked by a brightening of the season’s penitential character, as the Church expresses increasing joy at the nearness of Christ’s coming. Rose-colored vestments, the sound of the organ, and texts that call the faithful to rejoice all signal this shift from somber expectation to hopeful anticipation. The liturgy emphasizes that the Lord is close at hand, urging Christians to cast off fear, prepare their hearts, and remain watchful in prayer. St. John th...
2025-12-1317 min
InPrincipio PodcastSt. Odilia (December 13) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for feast of Saint Odilia, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.Saint Odilia, also known as Odile of Alsace, was an eighth-century abbess revered as the patroness of Alsace and of the blind. Born blind to Duke Adalrich, she was initially rejected by her father and raised in a monastery, where she miraculously received her sight at baptism. Her conversion of heart deeply moved her father, who eventually granted her the castle of Hohenbourg, which she transformed into a monastery dedicated to a life of prayer, charity, and hospitality. Renowned for her humility, healing miracles, and dev...
2025-12-1217 min
InPrincipio PodcastSt. Lucy (December 13) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for feast of Saint Lucy, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.Saint Lucy of Syracuse was a young Christian virgin-martyr of the early fourth century, celebrated for her unwavering fidelity to Christ during the Diocletian persecution. Born to a noble family, she consecrated her life to God and secretly vowed perpetual virginity, resolving to distribute her dowry to the poor. When a rejected suitor denounced her as a Christian, Lucy bravely confessed her faith and miraculously withstood various tortures before being executed. Her name, associated with light, has long made her a symbol of purity, spiritu...
2025-12-1207 min
InPrincipio PodcastSaturday of the Second Week of Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for Saturday of the Second Week of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.Saturday of the Second Week of Advent contemplates the triumphal nearness of the Redeemer, drawing on Isaiah’s prophecy of the day when God will overthrow the city of sin, destroy death forever, wipe away every tear, and gather all nations to a heavenly feast. Dom Guéranger teaches that this vision stirs hope in the faithful, who long to say with joy, “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him.” Because Saturday belongs especially to Mary, he urges the faithful t...
2025-12-1206 min
InPrincipio PodcastFifth Day within the Octave of the Immaculate Conception (Dec 12) — Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearThe Fifth Day within the Octave of the Immaculate Conception invites the faithful to contemplate the unique and awe-filled interior life of Mary, who now carries within her womb the eternal Son of God. Dom Guéranger reflects on the incomparable dignity given to the Virgin foretold by Isaiah and Jeremiah, a dignity so wondrous that even ancient pagan nations preserved traces of the prophecy of a Virgin-Mother. He considers the hidden glory that surrounds Mary, a glory veiled by divine wisdom so as not to overshadow the humility chosen by the Incarnate Word. Drawing on the Canticle of C...
2025-12-1107 min
InPrincipio PodcastFriday of the Second Week of Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for Friday of the Second Week of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.Friday of the Second Week of Advent meditates on Isaiah’s vision of a world collapsing under the weight of its sin, a desolation so complete that joy, justice, and even the memory of God seem nearly extinguished. Dom Guéranger explains that this prophetic wasteland reflects both the state of humanity at the First Coming of Christ and the state it will reach again before His Second Coming. In the first case, idolatry, moral corruption, and violence had reduced mankind to a few f...
2025-12-1107 min
InPrincipio PodcastPope St. Damasus (December 11) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for the Feast of Pope St. Damasus, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.Pope St. Damasus I, who governed the Church in the latter half of the fourth century, stands out as a resolute defender of orthodox faith during one of the most turbulent eras of doctrinal conflict. Elected in 366, his pontificate was immediately marked by intense factional strife in Rome, yet he proved a steady and courageous shepherd, working tirelessly to restore unity and strengthen ecclesial discipline. He is most remembered for promoting the authority of the Roman See, combating Arianism with clarity and firmnes...
2025-12-1011 min
InPrincipio PodcastThursday of the Second Week of Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for Thursday of the Second Week of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.Thursday of the Second Week of Advent turns the soul toward Isaiah’s prophecy of the Lord entering Egypt on a “light cloud,” a mysterious image that Dom Guéranger unfolds with rich theological depth. Egypt becomes a symbol of the city of Satan, whose idols and powers collapse at the coming of the true King. Yet this divine conquest is marked not by force but by gentleness, for the Lord enters His domain upon a cloud that conceals His majesty while revealin...
2025-12-1005 min
InPrincipio PodcastSt. Eulalia (December 10) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for the Feast of Saint Eulalia, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.Saint Eulalia, venerated especially in Spain, is remembered as a young virgin martyr who gave a striking witness to Christ during the fierce persecutions of the early fourth century under the emperor Diocletian. Tradition portrays her as a girl of remarkable purity, courage, and zeal who, moved by a burning love for God, boldly confronted the Roman authorities in Mérida and reproached them for their cruelty toward Christians. Refusing to offer sacrifice to pagan gods, she endured brutal tortures with steadfast serenity, her cons...
2025-12-0917 min
InPrincipio PodcastThird Day within the Octave of the Immaculate Conception — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for the Third Day within the Octave of the Immaculate Conception, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.The Third Day within the Octave of the Immaculate Conception turns the soul toward the mystery of the Annunciation, inviting us to contemplate the moment in which Mary conceived the eternal Son of God. Dom Guéranger, drawing on the vivid and tender meditations of St Bonaventure, sets before us the humility of the Virgin, the reverence of the Archangel Gabriel, and the loving expectancy of the Most Holy Trinity awaiting Mary’s consent. The scene unfolds with striking i...
2025-12-0909 min
InPrincipio PodcastWednesday of the Second Week of Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent centers on the prophetic longing for the coming Messiah, depicted as the gentle yet sovereign Lamb sent by God to bring justice, refuge, and redemption. Isaiah’s oracle about Moab becomes a figure of humanity in need of shelter, pointing to Christ who arrives in meekness to conquer pride and destroy sin. Patristic reflection emphasizes the paradox of the divine King hidden in Mary’s womb—already ruling, yet veiled in humility—whose birth will soon revea...
2025-12-0907 min
InPrincipio PodcastSecond Day within the Octave of the Immaculate Conception — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for the Second Day within the Octave of the Immaculate Conception, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.The Second Day within the Octave of the Immaculate Conception invites the faithful to contemplate the early life of the immaculate Mary, whose very presence on earth was already a source of renewed hope for humanity. Dom Guéranger reflects on the plenitude of grace she received from the first instant of her existence and on the reverence with which the angels regarded her as the future Mother of their King. He follows her to the Temple, where, accordin...
2025-12-0805 min
InPrincipio PodcastTuesday of the Second Week of Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent reflects on Isaiah’s prophecy against the pride of Babylon and the fall of Lucifer, using it as a vivid warning for the Christian soul while also announcing God’s mercy toward His people. Dom Guéranger shows how Lucifer’s rebellion sprang from a refusal to adore, a pride that led to his eternal ruin and then to his envy-driven assault on humanity. Yet the Lord overturns this dark kingdom by the humility of the Incarna...
2025-12-0806 min
InPrincipio PodcastThe Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.Dom Prosper Guéranger's The Liturgical Year, a monumental fifteen-volume work, offers a comprehensive exploration of the Catholic Church’s liturgical calendar, guiding readers through the spiritual and historical richness of the Church’s worship. Written in the 19th century, the series provides daily meditations, historical context, and liturgical texts for the Mass and Divine Office, covering the entire cycle of seasons—Advent, Christmas, Lent, Passiontide, Easter, and the Time after Pentecost—as well as feast days of saints. Guéranger’s work, rooted in a d...
2025-12-0758 min
InPrincipio PodcastSecond Sunday of Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for the Second Sunday of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.The Second Sunday of Advent is a day filled with hope, joy, and confident expectancy, for the Church invites her children to contemplate the nearness of the Savior’s coming and to welcome His interior visitation to their souls. Drawing on the prophecy of Isaiah, she presents the Messiah as the flower springing from the root of Jesse, endowed with the fullness of the Spirit and ushering in an age of justice, harmony, and peace in which even creation’s fiercest divisions are healed. Dom...
2025-12-0618 min
InPrincipio PodcastSt. Ambrose (December 7) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for the Feast of Saint Ambrose, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.Saint Ambrose of Milan, one of the most luminous figures of the fourth century, was a statesman-turned-bishop whose life unfolded with remarkable swiftness and spiritual authority: born into a distinguished Roman family around 340, he was trained in law and administration and served as governor of Liguria and Emilia until, amid a tense episcopal election in Milan, he was unexpectedly acclaimed bishop by popular acclamation. Though still unbaptized, he accepted the call, received the sacraments, and devoted himself to rigorous study of Scripture and theolog...
2025-12-0635 min
InPrincipio PodcastSt. Nicholas (December 6) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for the Feast of St. Nicholas, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.Saint Nicholas of Myra, a fourth century bishop renowned for his holiness and charity, became one of the most beloved saints of the Christian world through his tireless defense of the faith and his generous care for the poor. Born to wealthy Christian parents in Patara, he used his inheritance to aid those in need, most famously providing dowries in secret for impoverished young women. As bishop of Myra, he was known for pastoral zeal, miraculous interventions, and courageous leadership during persecution, including his imp...
2025-12-0524 min
InPrincipio PodcastSaturday of the First Week of Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for Saturday of the First Week of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.Saturday of the First Week of Advent centers on Isaiah’s great prophecy to the house of David: a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son whose name will be Emmanuel, God with us. Dom Guéranger invites the faithful to rejoice in this promise, showing how Mary’s obedience reverses Eve’s disobedience and brings forth the divine Fruit who repairs the fall, crushes the serpent, and raises the world from ruin. Drawing on the teaching of St Bernard, he emphasizes tha...
2025-12-0505 min
InPrincipio PodcastFriday of the First Week of Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for Friday of the First Week of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.The reading for Friday of the First Week of Advent invites the faithful to contemplate the contrast between the Lord’s heavenly glory and the hidden lowliness of His coming on earth. Isaiah’s vision of God enthroned in majesty, adored by Seraphim crying “Holy, holy, holy,” reveals a splendor before which no mortal could stand. Yet this same Lord now dwells silently in the womb of the Virgin, unseen and unknown except by Mary, Elizabeth, and, after trial, Joseph. Guéranger reflects...
2025-12-0406 min
InPrincipio PodcastSt. Sabbas (December 5) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for the Feast of St. Sabbas, Abbot, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.Saint Sabas (Sabbas the Sanctified), born in 439 in Cappadocia, became one of the most influential monastic leaders of the early Byzantine period, renowned especially for shaping the ascetic tradition of the Judean desert. After entering monastic life at a young age and traveling to Palestine, he joined various communities before embracing a more solitary existence that attracted followers seeking rigorous spiritual discipline. In 483 he founded the Great Lavra—later known simply as Mar Saba—which became one of the most important monastic centers in...
2025-12-0407 min
InPrincipio PodcastThursday of the First Week of Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for Thursday of the First Week of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.Thursday of the First Week of Advent reflects on Isaiah’s song of the vineyard, in which God tenderly prepares and protects His people only to find that they bear wild and bitter fruit instead of justice and fidelity. Guéranger links this prophecy to the parable Christ Himself will later speak, showing how the rejection of the prophets reaches its climax in the rejection of the Son, who is sent into the vineyard with the hope that He will be reverenced...
2025-12-0306 min
InPrincipio PodcastSt. Peter Chrysologus (December 4) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for the Feast of St. Peter Chrysologus, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.Saint Peter Chrysologus, a fifth century bishop of Ravenna, became renowned for his clear, concise, and fervent preaching that earned him the title “Chrysologus,” meaning “golden word.” Born in Imola around 380, he was trained in the local church and unexpectedly chosen as archbishop by Pope Sixtus III, a decision which was guided by divine providence. As bishop he addressed his people with short, vivid homilies that explained doctrine with pastoral warmth, defended the mystery of the Incarnation against contemporary errors, and urged Christians to u...
2025-12-0312 min
InPrincipio PodcastOn Compline During Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearChapter 8: On the Office of Compline During Advent, the final chapter of the Introduction to the Season of Advent, from Volume I of "The Liturgical Year" by Dom Prosper Guéranger.Chapter 8, the final chapter of Dom Guéranger's introduction to the Advent season, presents Compline as the Church’s peaceful yet vigilant close to each Advent day, a final act of trust in God before entering the vulnerability of night. Guéranger explains how the Office begins with a warning against spiritual dangers, followed by a humble confession of sins so that the faithful may rest reconciled and prote...
2025-12-0313 min
InPrincipio PodcastSt. Francis Xavier (December 3) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Feast of Saint Francis Xavier, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.Saint Francis Xavier, a founding companion of Saint Ignatius of Loyola and one of the first Jesuits, became one of history’s most influential missionaries as he carried the Gospel with tireless zeal across India, Sri Lanka, the Malay Archipelago, and later Japan. Born in 1506 in the Kingdom of Navarre, he left his academic career in Paris to join the new Society of Jesus and embraced a life of missionary poverty and daring travel. His work was marked not only by extraordinary dedicatio...
2025-12-0213 min
InPrincipio PodcastOn Holy Communion During Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearChapter 6 of the Introduction to the Season of Advent: On Holy Communion During Advent, from Volume I of "The Liturgical Year" by Dom Prosper Guéranger.Chapter 6 of the introduction to the season of Advent teaches that Holy Communion during Advent is both a present union with Christ and a preparation for His coming at Christmas. Although the Church cultivates a spirit of expectation during this season, Guéranger emphasizes that the faithful can already receive the One for whom they wait, and that each Communion becomes a privileged “visit” that deepens desire, confidence, and love. He invites Christians to mod...
2025-12-0216 min
InPrincipio PodcastOn Vespers During Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearChapter 7 of the Introduction to the Season of Advent: On the Office of Sunday’s Vespers During Advent, from Volume I of "The Liturgical Year" by Dom Prosper Guéranger.Chapter 7 of the introduction to the season of Advent explains the structure, spirit, and principal texts of Vespers as celebrated on the Sundays and feasts of Advent, showing how this evening Office expresses the Church’s longing for Christ’s coming. Guéranger walks through the five psalms with their antiphons, highlighting how each psalm, from the Messianic kingship of Psalm 109 to the Exodus imagery of Psalm 113, speaks of the Inca...
2025-12-0213 min
InPrincipio PodcastWednesday of the First Week of Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation for Wednesday of the First Week of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.In the reading for Wednesday of the First Week of Advent, the soul is urged to consider the ruin that comes to those who abandon God and refuse to think of the judgment that awaits them. Isaiah’s warning to Jerusalem, stripped of its strength and ruled by folly because of its open sin, becomes an image of every heart that forgets the Lord and blinds itself to the abyss ahead. Guéranger contrasts this with the gentle coming of Christ in His fir...
2025-12-0206 min
InPrincipio PodcastTuesday of the First Week of Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Tuesday of the First Week of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.Tuesday of the First Week of Advent invites the faithful to lift their eyes toward the Lord’s holy mountain, the place where God gathers all nations and teaches them His ways. Isaiah’s vision portrays the Messianic age as a time when people from every land stream toward God, longing to walk in His paths and live by His law. The liturgy encourages us to join this great procession by withdrawing from the noise and vanity of the world and set...
2025-12-0105 min
InPrincipio PodcastSt. Bibiana (December 2) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Feast of Saint Bibiana, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.Saint Bibiana (Viviana), a fourth-century Roman virgin and martyr, is remembered for her steadfast faith during the persecutions under Emperor Julian the Apostate. According to tradition, she was the daughter of noble Christian parents who themselves suffered for the faith, and after their death she and her sister Demetria were targeted in an effort to force them to renounce Christ. Demetria died confessing her faith, while Bibiana was subjected to cruel torments and sentenced to a life of degradation, yet she remained unbroken in...
2025-12-0109 min
InPrincipio PodcastOn Hearing Mass During Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearChapter 5 of the Introduction to the Season of Advent: On Hearing Mass During the Time of Advent, from Volume I of "The Liturgical Year" by Dom Prosper Guéranger.Chapter 5 of the introduction to the season of Advent presents Advent as a particularly grace-filled time for hearing Mass, urging the faithful to participate with deeper recollection and longing for Christ’s coming. Guéranger walks through the structure of the Mass step by step, explaining how each prayer, gesture, and ritual acts as an invitation to penance, expectation, and interior renewal. From the opening rites through the Offertory and into...
2025-12-0152 min
InPrincipio PodcastMorning and Night Prayers During Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearChapter 4 of the Introduction to the Season of Advent: Morning and Night Prayers During Advent, from Volume I of "The Liturgical Year" by Dom Prosper Guéranger.This chapter of the introduction to the season of Advent lays out a full framework for daily devotion united with the Church’s longing for Christ’s coming. In the morning, the faithful are invited to begin the day by adoring the approaching King, praising the Trinity, invoking Christ and the Holy Spirit, reciting the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Creed, and entering into meditation focused on removing obstacles to Christ’s reign w...
2025-11-3025 min
InPrincipio PodcastPractice During Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearChapter 3 of the Introduction to the Season of Advent: Practice During Advent, from Volume I of "The Liturgical Year" by Dom Prosper Guéranger.In this chapter, Dom Guéranger presents Advent as a time in which the faithful join the Church in preparing for Christ’s threefold coming by cultivating vigilance, prayer, and conversion of heart. Believers are first called to unite themselves with the longing of the ancient saints who awaited the Messiah, reflecting on the world’s darkness before Christ and gratefully pleading for His saving presence. They must then welcome His gentle, mysterious coming within their...
2025-11-3012 min
InPrincipio PodcastMonday of the First Week of Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Monday of the First Week of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.Monday of the First Week of Advent summons the soul to purification and conversion, echoing the prophet’s call to wash away sin, renounce injustice, and learn to do good. The day’s liturgy emphasizes that the nearness of the Savior demands not only longing but moral renewal, including compassion toward the oppressed, integrity of heart, and a sincere break with past wrongdoing. God promises a transforming mercy, turning scarlet sins as white as snow, yet ask...
2025-11-3004 min
InPrincipio PodcastDecember 1st: a Meditation for Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearAn Advent meditation for the first day of December, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.The meditation for December 1 invites the reader to begin Advent by contemplating the long preparation for Christ’s coming, symbolized by the four thousand years of expectation represented in the season’s four weeks. It reflects on the faith, yearning, and perseverance of the patriarchs, prophets, and righteous of the Old Testament, from Adam to John the Baptist, who handed down the promise of the Messiah yet did not live to see it fulfilled. Their steadfast hope, offered often in the face of sufferin...
2025-11-3011 min
InPrincipio PodcastThe Mystery of Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearChapter 2 of the Introduction to the Season of Advent: The Mystery of Advent, from Volume I of "The Liturgical Year" by Dom Prosper Guéranger.The mystery of Advent centers on the threefold coming of Christ: His first coming in the flesh in humility, His continual coming in grace to the souls who receive Him, and His final coming in glory for judgement. During this season, the Church longs for all three: she recalls with yearning the ancient desire for the Messiah’s birth, implores Christ’s spiritual visitation in the present through grace, and looks with both hope and t...
2025-11-2913 min
InPrincipio PodcastThe First Sunday of Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the First Sunday of Advent, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.The First Sunday of Advent opens the Church’s new year by calling believers to wakefulness, repentance, and hopeful expectation of Christ’s coming. Its prayers and readings dwell on humanity’s need for a Redeemer, vividly acknowledging the wounds left by sin while stirring a longing for the divine healing that the Incarnation brings. Isaiah’s prophecies, read from the very first moments of the liturgy, remind us both of God’s sorrow over a people who often fail to recognize Him and of His un...
2025-11-2920 min
InPrincipio PodcastThe History of Advent — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearChapter 1 of Volume I of "The Liturgical Year" by Dom Prosper Guéranger: The History of Advent. Advent developed in the Western Church as a period of penitential preparation for the celebration of Christ’s Nativity, though its exact origins are difficult to pinpoint. Early evidence shows special preaching on the coming feast by the fifth century, and by the late fifth and sixth centuries various regions, especially in Gaul, observed a lengthy preparatory fast beginning around St. Martin’s day, sometimes lasting forty days and known as “St. Martin’s Lent.” Over time this discip...
2025-11-2913 min
InPrincipio PodcastSt. Andrew’s Day (November 30) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.Saint Andrew the Apostle, brother of Saint Peter and one of the first disciples called by Christ, was originally a fisherman from Bethsaida and a follower of John the Baptist before recognizing Jesus as the Messiah and bringing Peter to Him. Known in the Gospels for his readiness, humility, and missionary zeal, Andrew preached the faith throughout regions traditionally identified as Scythia, Greece, and Asia Minor, becoming a foundational figure for several ancient Christian communities. His martyrdom occurred at Patras in Ach...
2025-11-2740 min
InPrincipio PodcastVigil of St. Andrew (November 29) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Vigil of St. Andrew’s Day, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.The Vigil of Saint Andrew stands at the threshold of Advent, where the first glimmers of Christmas appear and the Church shifts from the close of one liturgical cycle to the dawn of another. This reading highlights how the final scriptural lessons of the year announce the new era foretold by Malachias, when God’s name would be glorified among the nations through a pure and universal sacrifice, and how the day’s Gospel continues this movement as John the Baptist points to...
2025-11-2602 min
InPrincipio PodcastSt. Sylvester Gozzolini (November 26) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Feast of Saint Sylvester Gozzolini, Abbot, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.Dom Prosper Guéranger's The Liturgical Year, a monumental fifteen-volume work, offers a comprehensive exploration of the Catholic Church’s liturgical calendar, guiding readers through the spiritual and historical richness of the Church’s worship. Written in the 19th century, the series provides daily meditations, historical context, and liturgical texts for the Mass and Divine Office, covering the entire cycle of seasons—Advent, Christmas, Lent, Passiontide, Easter, and the Time after Pentecost—as well as feast days of saints. Guéranger’s work, rooted...
2025-11-2507 min
InPrincipio PodcastSt. Catherine of Alexandria (November 25) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Feast of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.Saint Catherine of Alexandria, venerated as a virgin and martyr, is traditionally described as a brilliant young noblewoman of the early 4th century who embraced Christianity and used her extraordinary learning to defend the faith against pagan philosophers. When Emperor Maxentius persecuted Christians, Catherine publicly rebuked him, prompting him to summon the empire’s greatest scholars to dispute her—yet she confounded them all, and several were converted through her words. Enraged, the emperor ordered her tortured, including the famed breaking wheel t...
2025-11-2411 min
InPrincipio PodcastSt. John of the Cross (November 24) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Feast of Saint John of the Cross, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.Saint John of the Cross (1542–1591), the great Spanish mystic, reformer, and Doctor of the Church, was born Juan de Yepes in Fontiveros and entered the Carmelite Order, where he soon met St. Teresa of Ávila and joined her in the reform that would become the Discalced Carmelites. A man of profound interior life, he endured severe trials—including imprisonment by opponents of the reform—during which he composed some of his most sublime mystical poetry, such as the Spiritual Canticle. After esca...
2025-11-2316 min
InPrincipio PodcastPope St. Clement I (November 23) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Feast of Pope Saint Clement I, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.Pope Saint Clement I, traditionally regarded as the third successor of Saint Peter and one of the earliest Fathers of the Church, served as Bishop of Rome in the late first century and is remembered for his steadfast leadership during a period marked by Roman persecution and internal disputes within Christian communities. Born into a noble Roman family and converted to the faith through the preaching of the Apostles, Clement guided the Church with apostolic clarity and firmness, most famously in his...
2025-11-2217 min
InPrincipio PodcastTwenty fourth and Last Sunday after Pentecost — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Twenty-fourth and Last Sunday after Pentecost, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.Dom Guéranger’s account of the Twenty-Fourth and Last Sunday after Pentecost offers a powerful theological vision of how the liturgical year culminates in the mystery of the world’s final consummation. He explains that although the number of Sundays after Pentecost varies, the Church deliberately reserves this Mass for the very end of the cycle, historically viewing the preceding Sunday—the Twenty-Third—as the true liturgical finale in which the reconciliation of Jew and Gentile in Christ symbolizes the completion o...
2025-11-2220 min
InPrincipio PodcastSt. Cecilia (November 22) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Feast of Saint Cecilia, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.Saint Cecilia, one of the most beloved early Roman martyrs, is traditionally remembered as a noble Christian maiden who vowed her virginity to God and converted her husband Valerian and his brother Tiburtius through the preaching of the angel who guarded her. Under the persecutions of the third century, all three were arrested for their steadfast faith, and Cecilia in particular became renowned for her bold witness before the authorities. Though sentenced to death and subjected to several brutal attempts at execution, she mir...
2025-11-2126 min
InPrincipio PodcastThe Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (November 21) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.The Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrated on November 21, commemorates the tradition that Mary, as a young child, was brought by her parents Joachim and Anne to the Temple in Jerusalem and dedicated wholly to God’s service. This ancient tradition—rooted in early Christian writings and long cherished in both East and West—highlights Mary’s total consecration to God from the very beginning of her life. The feast invites the faithful to contemplate...
2025-11-2015 min
InPrincipio PodcastSt. Felix of Valois (November 20) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Feast of Saint Felix of Valois, co-founder of the Trinitarian Order, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.Saint Felix of Valois (c. 1127–1212) was a French hermit and nobleman who devoted his life to prayer, penance, and works of mercy, and who eventually became known as the co-founder of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity for the Redemption of Captives. After years of living in solitude near Meaux, he met Saint John of Matha, whose divinely inspired mission to ransom Christians enslaved by Muslim captors resonated deeply with Felix’s own compassion and zeal. T...
2025-11-1905 min
InPrincipio PodcastSt. Elizabeth of Hungary (November 19) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Feast of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.Saint Elizabeth of Hungary (1207–1231) was a princess renowned for her deep piety, charity, and love for the poor. Married young to Ludwig IV of Thuringia, she lived a life of prayer and generous service, using her royal resources to found hospitals, feed the hungry, and care personally for the sick. After Ludwig’s death during a crusade, Elizabeth embraced even greater austerity, placing herself under spiritual direction and devoting her widowhood entirely to works of mercy. Though she faced misunderstanding and hardshi...
2025-11-1813 min
InPrincipio PodcastDedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter and Paul (November 18) — Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Feast of the Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter and Paul in Rome, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.The Feast of the Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter and Paul, kept on November 18, commemorates the consecration of the two great Roman churches built over the tombs of the Apostles who stand at the very foundation of the Church’s faith and unity. Saint Peter’s Basilica, rising over the site of the Prince of the Apostles’ martyrdom, and the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, marking the resting place of the Ap...
2025-11-1711 min
InPrincipio PodcastSt. Gregory Thaumaturgus (November 17) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Feast of Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year. Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus, or Gregory the Wonderworker, was a third-century bishop of Neocaesarea in Pontus whose life was marked by deep learning, pastoral zeal, and remarkable miracles. Born into a distinguished pagan family, he converted to Christianity as a young man and became a devoted student of Origen, gaining a strong theological foundation that shaped his later ministry. Before his episcopal consecration, he received a celebrated vision in which the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to him accompanied by St. John the Evangelist; St...
2025-11-1610 min
InPrincipio PodcastTwenty-third Sunday after Pentecost: raising if Jairus’ daughter — Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the liturgy of the Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.On the Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost, the Church stands at the threshold of the year’s end, and the liturgy turns our hearts both toward the coming of Advent and the final fulfillment of God’s promises. The prayers and readings speak gently but firmly of God’s enduring thoughts of peace, even as they recall the mysterious plan by which Israel will one day return to the Messiah. The Epistle urges us to keep our eyes fixed on heaven and to im...
2025-11-1523 min
InPrincipio PodcastSt. Gertrude the Great (November 16) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Feast of Saint Gertrude the Great, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.Saint Gertrude the Great (1256–1302) was a German Benedictine nun and mystic whose profound intellectual gifts and deep contemplative life made her one of the most influential figures of medieval spirituality. Entering the monastery of Helfta at a young age, she received a classical education and later experienced a transformative vision of Christ at age twenty-five, which redirected her from secular studies to an intense life of prayer, devotion, and theological writing. Her works—especially The Herald of Divine Love and her Spiritu...
2025-11-1417 min
InPrincipio PodcastSt. Josaphat Kuntsevych (November 14) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Feast of Saint St. Josaphat Kuntsevych, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.Saint Josaphat Kuntsevych (1580–1623) was a Basilian monk, archbishop, and martyr who worked tirelessly for the unity of the Church in Eastern Europe. Born in Volodymyr, in present-day Ukraine, to Orthodox parents, he embraced the Union of Brest, which brought many Ruthenians into communion with Rome while preserving their Byzantine rites. As Archbishop of Polotsk, Josaphat devoted himself to reform, restoring discipline among clergy, promoting the catechism, and fostering reconciliation between Catholics and Orthodox. His zeal for unity, however, provoked fierce opposition, and h...
2025-11-1214 min
InPrincipio PodcastSt. Didacus of Alcalá (November 13) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Feast of Saint Didacus of Alcalá, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.Saint Didacus of Alcalá (c. 1400–1463), also known as San Diego, was a humble Franciscan lay brother from San Nicolás del Puerto in Andalusia, Spain. Drawn to a life of solitude and prayer, he first lived as a hermit before joining the Franciscan Order, where he became known for his deep humility, simplicity, and charity toward the poor and sick. Sent as a missionary to the Canary Islands, he labored zealously for the conversion and care of the native people, then later se...
2025-11-1206 min
InPrincipio PodcastPope St. Martin I (November 12) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Feast of Pope Saint Martin I (reigned 649-655 AD), from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.Pope Saint Martin I, born in the early 7th century in Todi, Italy, served as pope from 649 to 655 and is remembered for his steadfast defense of orthodox teaching on the two wills of Christ against the Monothelite heresy. Shortly after his election, he convened the Lateran Council of 649, which condemned the imperial edicts supporting Monothelitism, provoking the anger of Emperor Constans II. In retaliation, imperial forces seized Martin, brought him to Constantinople, and subjected him to humiliation, imprisonment, and...
2025-11-1108 min
InPrincipio PodcastMartinmas: Feast of St. Martin of Tours (November 11) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Feast of Saint Martin of Tours, patron of France, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.Saint Martin of Tours (c. 316–397) was a Roman soldier turned Christian monk and bishop, renowned for his humility, charity, and missionary zeal. Born in Pannonia (modern-day Hungary), he was conscripted into the Roman army as a young man, where his most famous act occurred—cutting his military cloak in half to clothe a freezing beggar, an image of Christ in disguise. After his conversion and baptism, Martin left military life to dedicate himself to God, founding one of the ear...
2025-11-1025 min
InPrincipio PodcastSt. Andrew Avellino (November 10) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Feast of Saint Andrew Avellino, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.Saint Andrew Avellino (1521–1608) was a Theatine priest renowned for his deep humility, strict asceticism, and zealous reform of clergy and religious life. Born Lancellotto Avellino in Castronuovo, Italy, he studied law and theology in Naples and became a priest, dedicating himself to the confessional and the renewal of ecclesiastical discipline. After joining the Theatine Order, he embraced a life of rigorous penance and prayer, working tirelessly to promote virtue among both clergy and laity. Known for his devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and t...
2025-11-0909 min
InPrincipio PodcastDedication of the Basilica of Saint Saviour (November 9) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Saviour (the Lateran Basilica), from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year. The Feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. Saviour (November 9), also known as the dedication of the Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour at the Lateran, commemorates the consecration of the oldest and highest-ranking church in Christendom—the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome. Dom Guéranger explains that after the end of persecution in the fourth century, Emperor Constantine granted the Church freedom and imperial support to build sanctuaries throughout the empire...
2025-11-0812 min
InPrincipio PodcastOctave Day of the Feast of All Saints November 8 — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Octave Day of the Feast of All Saints, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.The Octave Day of All Saints (November 8) brings to a close the Church’s radiant celebration of the triumph of the blessed, uniting heaven and earth in one hymn of hope and longing. Dom Guéranger, drawing from the Church’s own liturgy, calls the faithful—still pilgrims on earth—to lift their hearts toward their true homeland in heaven, where the saints and our loved ones await us. The readings remind us, through St. Cyprian, to hasten joyfully toward that...
2025-11-0709 min
InPrincipio PodcastSeventh Day within the Octave of All Saints November 7 — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Seventh Day within the Octave of the Feast of All Saints, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year, The Seventh Day within the Octave of All Saints turns the Church’s meditation toward the mystery of Christian death and, in a special way, toward the blessed innocence of children whom God calls early to Himself. The liturgy and commentary for this day recall the serene and faith-filled customs of the early Christians, who saw in the death of the just not despair but triumph—a “mystery of praise and of joy,” as the soul, accompanied...
2025-11-0610 min
InPrincipio PodcastSixth Day within the Octave of All Saints (November 6) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Sixth Day within the Octave of the Feast of All Saints, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.The Sixth Day within the Octave of All Saints turns the Church’s gaze especially toward the souls of the just who, though not yet admitted to the full vision of God, are assured of eternal glory. The liturgy on this day reflects a gentle shift from the triumph of the saints in heaven to the hopeful expectation of those being purified in God’s love. It teaches that the whole communion of saints embraces not only th...
2025-11-0508 min
InPrincipio PodcastFifth Day within the Octave of All Saints (November 5) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Fifth Day within the Octave of the Feast of All Saints, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year. The Fifth Day within the Octave of the Feast of All Saints continues the Church’s solemn commemoration of the heavenly multitude who share in the glory of God. Throughout the octave, the liturgy maintains the joy and triumph of All Saints’ Day, inviting the faithful to persevere in holiness and to honor the countless saints—both known and unknown—who reign with Christ. The prayers and readings emphasize our call to follow their example, to be purified...
2025-11-0407 min
InPrincipio PodcastSt. Charles Borromeo (November 4) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Feast of Saint Charles Borromeo, and the Fourth Day within the Octave of the Feast of All Saints, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.Saint Charles Borromeo (1538–1584) was a cardinal and Archbishop of Milan who became one of the leading figures of the Counter-Reformation and a model of pastoral zeal. Born into a noble family in Italy, he was made a cardinal by his uncle, Pope Pius IV, at a young age and played a key role in reconvening and guiding the final sessions of the Council of Trent. Afterward, he dedicated his life...
2025-11-0323 min
InPrincipio PodcastAll Souls’ Day: Mass of the Dead (November 2) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA reading and meditation on the Mass of the Dead for All Souls’ Day, November 2, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical YearThe Mass of the Dead, offered on All Souls’ Day, is a solemn Requiem Mass dedicated to the commemoration and intercession for all the faithful departed. Stripped of the Gloria and Creed to reflect its penitential character, it centers on the mercy of God and the hope of resurrection through Christ. The propers—such as the moving Introit “Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine,” the Dies Irae sequence, and the Offertory “Domine Jesu Christe”—express both mourning for sin and confident t...
2025-11-0121 min
InPrincipio PodcastAll Souls’ Day: The Office of the Dead (November 2) — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA reading and meditation on the Office of the Dead, from the liturgy of All Souls’ Day, November 2, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.The Office of the Dead, prayed on All Souls’ Day and at other times of remembrance for the faithful departed, is a solemn part of the Church’s liturgy that intercedes for souls undergoing purification in Purgatory. Composed of Matins (the Office of Readings) and Lauds (Morning Prayer), it sets aside the joyful expressions typical of other offices, replacing them with psalms, readings, and responsories marked by deep supplication and hope in God’s mercy. It...
2025-11-011h 05
InPrincipio PodcastTwenty First Sunday after Pentecost — From Dom Guéranger’s Liturgical YearA meditation on the Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.The Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost in the traditional Roman liturgy centers on trust in God’s providence, the call to spiritual vigilance, and the duty of mercy toward others. The Introit and Collect express confidence in God’s sovereign will and protection, reminding the faithful that their refuge and strength are found in Him. The Epistle (Ephesians 6:10–17) exhorts Christians to “put on the armor of God,” highlighting the need for interior strength, faith, and perseverance in the spiritual battle against evil. The Gospel (Matthew 18:23...
2025-11-0121 min
Entretiens Dom GuérangerDom Troupeau, maître des novices à l'abbaye de FontgombaultLe maître des novices de Notre-Dame de Fontgombault nous entretient aujouird'hui sur la foormation initiale des moines, impérégnée du "Réglement du noviciat" appelé aussi "Notions sur la vie religieuse et monastique" écrit par dom Guéranger à l'époque où il est en pleine possession de sa doctrine monastique. Il nous parle également de la fondation de son monastère, dans l'immédiat après seconde guerre mondiale, par 25 moines venus de Solesmes, et à quel point la pensée de dom Guéranger a irrigué les débuts (et continuer à fécodner) la vie monastique de cette communauté co...
2025-04-2633 minEntretiens Dom GuérangerLe temps pascal avec dom Guéranger (dom Paul Debout, Solesmes)Le P. Debout nous introduit aux trois volumes de l'Année liturgique de dom Guéranger consacrés au temps pascal : avec force, enthousiasme.... et afflonement....
2025-04-2431 minEntretiens Dom GuérangerSr Marie-Hélène Deloffre : vocation de la moniale, mystique liturgiqueDans ce second entretien avec Sr Marie-Hélène Deloffre, de l'abbaye Saint Michel de Kergonan, après avoir parlé de théologe et de phoilosophie, autour de l'ecclésiologie de dom Guéranger (cf. Episode 1), nous parlons de prière, de prière liturgique, de la vocation spécifique de la moniale, de la mystique de la liturgie, à l'école de Sainte Gertrude. Nous entrons au coeur de ce que dom Guéranger a apporté à la vie monastique féminine, dans un entretien avec beaucoup d'émotions...!
2025-04-1223 minEntretiens Dom GuérangerDom Guéranger et le chant grégorien - Dom GuilmardA l'occasion du colloque "Dom Pothier" de novembre 2023 en l'abbaye Saint Wandrille de Fontenelle, dom Guilmard est intervenu sur l'histoire du chant grégorien ses origines, et sa restauration, dont dom Pothier, devenu ensuite abbé de Saint Wandrille, a été un des artisans majeurs avec la publication du Graduale romanum que nous utilisons toujours aujourd'hui.Mais il a surtout évoqué la figure et l'action à l'époque de la naissance du chant gréorien de Saint Chrodegang, archevêque de Metz dans la greffe en Francie (la Gaule franque de l'époque) de la liturgie romaine, avec comme intention l...
2025-04-1235 minEntretiens Dom GuérangerConfesser l'Eglise - Sr Marie-Hélène Deloffre - KergonanSr Marie-Hélène Deloffre nous propose aujourd'hui un entretien de très haut niveau sur l'ecclésiologie selon dom Guéranger. L'ecclésiologie ? Voici un terme bien technique mais qui n'est pas si complexe à apréhender et en profite pour aborder des questions brûlantes et tout à fait actuelles dans notre Eglise catholique du XXIème siècle : notre rapport à l'Eglise institution, notre rapport au pontife romain, à sa doctrine, à la définition des dogmes... Et bien sûr à sa liturgie, puisque nous parlons du serviteur de Dieu dom Guéranger !C'est un premier épisode : nous continuerons prochainement avec S...
2025-04-0843 minEntretiens Dom GuérangerDom Guéranger, père spirituel pour l'AfriquePodcast exceptionnel à l'abbaye du Coeur Immaculé de Keur Moussa, au Sénégal, où les moines (2 interviews) nous parlent de l'influence de dom Guéranger sur leur vie monastique, au delà de la mer méditerrannée et du désert du Sahara !
2025-04-0656 minEntretiens Dom GuérangerDom Soltner (1975) - Décès et funérailles de dom GuérangerLe P. Soltner est un spécialiste de dom Guéranger. On lui doit notamment un excellent livre biographique sur dom Guéranger, "Solesmes et dom Guéranger" : dont le premier chapitre est disponible en suivant le lien : https://www.domgueranger.net/solesmes-et-dom-gueranger-par-dom-louis-soltner-enfance-et-jeunesse/En 1975, il enregistrait une conférence lors du colloque marquant le centenaire du trépas de dom Guéranger. Cet enregistrement a été retrouvé, numérisé, et il est aujourd'hui podcasté 50 ans après. Cette archive est incroyable de détails et d'anecdotes marquantes, qui nous feront aimer le serviteur de Dieu !
2025-01-261h 00Entretiens Dom GuérangerDom Pateau (3) - Dom Guéranger et l'amitiéDom Guéranger est connu pour ses écrits, ses oeuvres, et aussi comme directeur spirituel. Mais dans ce troisième entretien avec dom Pateau, abbé de Notre-Dame de Fontgombault, nous aborderons la question des amitiés de dom Guéranger, qui furent variées et nombreuses, et qui marquent très profondément la figure, le portrait spirituel de dom Guéranger. Il fut ami avec les grands, mais aussi avec les anonymes, et sa relation avec ceux qu'il chérissait était emprunte de franchise, de profondeur et de fidélité. Un exemple que nous donne le serviteur de Dieu !
2025-01-1917 minEntretiens Dom GuérangerDom Pateau (2) : Dom Guéranger et la direction spirituelleDom Guéranger est connu comme abbé bénédictin et moine. Mais la direction d'un monastère implique surtout une paternité, et une paternité spirituelle. Dom Guéranger avait un véritable don pour cela, auprès des membres de sa communauté, mais aussi à l'extérieur de celle-ci. D'ailleurs le plus beau fruit de son accompagnement spirituel est la figure de celle qui deviendra la première abbesse de Solesmes, Jenny Cécile Bruyère.
2025-01-1216 minEntretiens Dom GuérangerDom Jean Pateau (1) - La joie de dom GuérangerLe TRP Abbé Dom Jean Pateau, abbé de Notre-Dame de Fontgombault, nous parle aujourd'hui de la place particulière que tient Dom Guéranger dans sa vie monastique. Au delà de son oeuvre exceptionnelle au plan liturgique, en particulier le chant grégorien, Dom Guéranger était aussi un homme profondément joyeux, qui savait communiquer cette joie à ses fils et ses amis. Les traditions de Noël toujours maintenues dans les monastères de la congrégation en sont une des preuves.Cet épisode est le premier volet de 3 épisodes qui seront publiés également prochainement sur ce podcast.
2024-10-1323 minEntretiens Dom GuérangerEntretiens Dom Guéranger - Dom François d'Assise ChéreauDom Guéranger, le grand homme, le fondateur, le théologien, le restaurateur de la vie monastique, le promoteur de la liturgie romaine nous font parfois oublier qu'il est aussi un magnifique modèle de vie chrétienne pour les prêtres, les religieux et les laïcs. Le P. François d'Assise, depuis l'abbaye Sainte Anne de Kergonan, nous montre comment le serviteur de Dieu Dom Guéranger l'a guidé dans l'éclosion de sa vocation monastique et en quoi sa figure de père peut inspirer toute personne aujourd'hui.https://www.domgueranger.net
2024-08-2421 min
Entretiens Dom GuérangerEntretiens Dom Guéranger - Dom Michel du MerleEntretien avec Dom Michel-Marie du Merle, au monastère saint Pierre de Solesmes. Le P. du Merle, nous entretient de son expérience personnelle concernant la vie et l'enseignement de dom Guéranger non seulement sur la liturgie, mais aussi son sens de l'Église, ses amitiés, ses directions spirituelles et aussi une chose moins connue, mais essentielle : sa restauration de la consécration des vierges.
Dom Guéranger, sa spiritualité, l'année liturgique, le règlement du noviciat, direction spirituelle, témoignages, écrits, enseignements, abbaye sainte Cécile de Solesmes, consécration des vierges.
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2024-08-0133 min