MSI Press Blog

    Today holds a quiet duality. On one side:  St. Patrick , the missionary whose legacy became a global celebration of Irish identity, resilience, and spiritual courage. On the other:  St. Gertrude of Nivelles , the contemplative abbess whose feast day shares the date — patron of travelers, gardeners, the recently departed, and (in modern devotion)  cats . Two saints, two temperaments, one date. 🍀 St. Patrick A figure of movement, mission, and outward action Associated with journeys, exile, and the courage to return His feast day became a cultural anchor for people far from home 🐱 St. Gertrude A figure of hospitality, sanctuary, and inward care Associated with tending the vulnerable — the living and the dying Her modern association with cats reflects her legacy of gentleness and guardianship 🌿  A Day of Both Boldness and Shelter March 17 becomes more interesting when you hold both saints together: Patrick represents  the road  — the call outwa...

  The Triduum is the Church’s three‑day passage through the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus — not three separate liturgies, but one continuous movement that begins on Thursday evening and ends at the close of the Easter Vigil. It is the oldest and most important celebration in the Christian year, with roots traceable to the early Church in Jerusalem and described by fourth‑century writers like St. Ambrose. 🌒 What the Triduum Is The word Triduum simply means “three days.” In the context of Holy Week, it refers to the Paschal Triduum , the Church’s annual immersion in the Paschal Mystery — Christ’s Passover from death to life. It begins with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, continues through Good Friday and Holy Saturday , and reaches its high point in the Easter Vigil , the oldest annual Christian liturgy. These days are understood as one liturgy stretched across time : there is no dismissal on Holy Thursday, no opening rites on Good Friday, and no ...