In-depth. Accessible. “Guilt-free.” Just a few words to describe the teaching style of Dr. Glenn CJ Byer, who gives us the delightful book Unlocking the Feast and Seasons of the Liturgical Year. With the help of personal stories, liturgical expertise and a disarming sense of humor, Dr. Glenn Byer offers encouragement and wisdom on ordinary ways to take the Mass with us. The goal is to make it a key part of our lives — not only on Sunday, but every day.
Beginning with the high feasts — Holy Week, Easter, Christmas — then moving through the seasons, Dr. Byer imparts wisdom, focusing his attention toward the practical, rather than the excessive. He writes, “…even though I make lots of suggestions about how to create a Catholic prayer plan, it’s best to embrace only those parts of this book that work for you…”
Upon discussing each feast or season, he suggests activities — for couples and families, religious communities, college students, teens, children, and those with challenges remembering or communicating — so that they may live the liturgy. For example, Dr. Byer recommends that parents acquire a Jesse Tree to keep track of the Advent journey, while children create ornaments to use as decoration. For those with autism or similar conditions, he proposes a simple night of looking at Christmas lights to juxtapose the potentially loud and boisterous family gathering soon to come — different activities to meet different needs.
He also addresses the difficulty in managing one’s time and remaining consistent with celebrations throughout the year. For this reason, he includes a calendar with universal feasts and holy days filled in. Readers are then able to add any local feasts and make plans outlining the upcoming celebrations. With this deeper understanding of Catholic tradition, the liturgical year becomes a more personal, transformative experience.
This book is a great choice for:
- Ministers, teachers and catechists
- Parents and children
- Teens, young adults and adults
- Anyone looking to better understand Catholic tradition