MSI Press Blog

  Palm Sunday fills churches with palm branches because it reenacts the moment Jesus entered Jerusalem and was greeted like a king. The branches are signs of victory, peace, and messianic hope, and the Church treats them as blessed objects that accompany the faithful into Holy Week. They are not decorations; they are sacramentals that carry the memory of a turning point in the Gospel narrative. Many parishes later save and burn these palms to create the ashes used on Ash Wednesday, a practice that ties the end of one Lent to the beginning of the next and honors the requirement that blessed items be disposed of reverently. Why Palms Matter Palms have symbolized triumph and sacred welcome since antiquity. In the Gospels, the crowds lay palms before Jesus as He enters Jerusalem, shouting Hosanna . That same crowd will call for His crucifixion days later, and the palms become a bittersweet sign: joy shadowed by the Passion. Churches bless the palms before Mass, and the faithful hold...

  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, ...

   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 Wedne...