By Sister Paulette Doyas, SSND
Technically, so I’m told, Ordinary Time in the Catholic Church has two parts, but is considered one season.
Google says "the first part begins right after the feast of the Epiphany and runs until Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday (when Lent begins).
The second part begins the Monday after Pentecost and runs until the First Sunday of Advent.”
I never thought of Ordinary Time at all growing up. By the time I entered the SSNDs, I just took it as the time when there was no Advent, Christmas, Lent, or Easter. It was ordinary, in other words.
Yet, there are so many beautiful feast days during Ordinary Time, I think it can't be ordinary.
What's ordinary about Trinity Sunday (June 15), the Assumption (August 15), All Saints Day (Nov. 1) or all the other important celebrations?
Maybe we just need another name.
