MSI Press Blog

   The Easter Vigil symbolizes the moment creation is remade, death is undone, and Christ’s light breaks into the deepest darkness. It gathers up the silence of Holy Saturday and answers the question that haunts that day: Is God absent? The Church’s symbols say the opposite — that God is at work precisely where He seems most hidden. 🌑 The Vigil as the Turning of the Ages The Easter Vigil is the hinge between death and resurrection. Ancient Christian writers called it the mother of all vigils because it holds the whole sweep of salvation history in one night. Its structure reveals what it symbolizes: New Fire — a spark struck in darkness, recalling creation’s first “Let there be light.” This echoes the idea that the resurrection is an eruption of divine light that transforms chaos into cosmos. The Paschal Candle — Christ as the Light of the World, carried into a dark church the way the Risen One steps into the world’s night. The Long Readings — a journey through cre...

Sula, as sunset arrives and Easter vigil begins (photo by Peggy Neubauer, SJB)   On this Caturday, as the sun sets and the Easter Vigil begins, my thoughts turn to a very special cat who understood sacred time better than most humans ever could. Sula, the beloved parish cat of Old Mission San Juan Bautista, was always the first in the pews on Holy Saturday. As twilight deepened and people began to arrive for the vigil, she was already there—settled, silent, waiting. She never made a show of it, never demanded attention. She simply was , her quiet presence grounding the space as if she’d been entrusted with keeping the threshold. There is something uniquely moving about a cat in a church. Maybe it’s their natural stillness, or the way they blend into shadow and candlelight. But Sula didn’t just blend in—she belonged. She welcomed without words. She watched without judgment. She was a quiet companion to those arriving in anticipation and reflection, bringing a touch of warmth and l...

  What is a book jewel? A sometimes-overlooked book with remarkable insight and potential significance. Each month, we share near-daily, or as often as possible, reviews of the monthly book jewel - short, succinct reviews that can be read in 1-2 minutes with links to the reviewer by reviewers whose words are worthy of being heard and whose opinions are worthy of being considered. Sometimes a couple of minutes contains more impressive thought than ten times that many. We will let you decide that. This month's book jewel is  Easter at the Mission  by Sula, parish cat at  Old Mission . Description Discover Easter Through the Eyes of a Church Cat! Join Sula, the now-famous church cat, on a fascinating journey through the meaning and traditions of Easter in her fifth book! With her signature mix of history, Catholic dogma, and humor, Sula explores questions like: 🐾 What is Easter, and why is it called the Paschal Mystery? 🐾 Why do Catholics observe Lent, Ash Wednesday, ...