Calendar Suggestions 

Saint Mark's Feast Day 

    Mark the Gospel writer's feast day is currently celebrated on April 25. As explained in chapter 11, Saint 

Mark the Evangelist died on March 30 of 

A.D.

 50. The feast day for Saint Mark should be moved to March 30. 

In some years, this feast day will not be celebrated because March 30 will sometimes coincide with Holy 

Week. But, in most years, this day will not conflict with Holy Week and so can and should be celebrated in 

remembrance of Saint Mark. 

Other Holy Days 

    Not every event within the liturgical calendar has been mentioned above. It is not my place to make a 

decision about every day of the liturgical calendar. Other celebrations and memorials not mentioned in this 

chapter should still remain in the calendar, on appropriate days with respect to the other celebrations, in 

accordance with the decisions of the Church. 

Secular Holidays 

    In the United States, the secular holiday of Thanksgiving is celebrated in late November. This celebration 

would conflict with the revised date for Christmas of Nov. 25. I suggest that the holiday of Thanksgiving be 

moved to another date, so that it does not interfere with the sacred days of the liturgical calendar. It is also 

possible that, at some point in the future, the holiday of Thanksgiving might be replaced by other holidays of 

thanks and remembrance. 

    On the other hand, Christians should give little time or attention to the pagan holiday called Halloween 

(Oct. 31). How is it that many more Christian children know Halloween than know All Saint's Day? 

Halloween  should not be celebrated in the Holy Sanctuary (in churches) nor in conjunction with the Holy 

Mass, nor should any pagan like holiday. Children should be discouraged from giving too much time or 

preparation or money or effort to this base holiday. Halloween occurs on the eve of All Saint's Day, but the 

current popular use of that eve is not at all religious in nature. It is permissible for Christians to celebrate such 

non religious holidays, in a manner in keeping with the Christian Faith, but they should not give the holiday 

much emphasis. The same is true for other non religious holidays, such as Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday). 

Christians should give little attention to such days and should be careful not to offend God in anything they 

choose to do. And such pagan like celebrations must not be memorialized by being combined with truly 

religious celebrations. 

    Some important religious celebrations, including Easter and Christmas, have been partially secularized by 

the culture of our day. People have added non religious elements, including fictional characters and events, to 

these holy celebrations. These non religious elements take the focus away from God and Jesus Christ. Faithful 

Christians should mostly ignore these non religious elements and focus on the true meaning of these religious 

Holy Days. 

    Even the secular holiday of Thanksgiving has become somewhat cheapened in our modern culture and 

society. The emphasis in more recent years has been on eating and watching sports, with little thought or time 

for  giving thanks to God.

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 Christians can and should celebrate certain secular holidays, such as 

Thanksgiving, Veteran's Day, and other days, but when they do the emphasis should be on remembering God 

and our place in God's creation. Also, unlike some of the other secular holidays, Thanksgiving can be 

celebrated in the context of religious celebrations, including the Sacred Mass. Christians must always give 

thanks to God for all they have received. 

The Decision of the Church 

    The decision of competent authority within the Holy Roman Catholic Church, and within the One 

Christian Church once all Christians are united, is above and beyond this book. No one should use my 

writings to argue against the decisions of the Church regarding the liturgical calendar, once those decisions 

have been made. I myself cheerfully follow the current liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church. I intend 

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