Sunday, 1 February, 2026

FEBRUARY

Soil under our feet goes unnoticed, though this first foot of soil is where most living organisms’ dwell. The health of the fragile skin of our earth is of utmost importance. Humility comes from the Latin word for soil, "humus." From and unto dust is the humbling message to each of us. Soil is rich and fertile but also prone to erosion and pollution.

Overview of February[1]

Highlights of the Month

The month of February is traditionally dedicated to the Holy Family. Between the events which marked Christmas and the beginning of Christ's public life the Church has seen fit to recall the example of the Holy Family for the emulation of the Christian family.

The Feast of the Presentation (February 2) or Candlemas forms a fitting transition from Christmas to Easter. The small Christ-Child is still in His Mother's arms, but already she is offering Him in sacrifice. February 17, Shrove Tuesday, will find us preparing for Ash Wednesday. The middle of the month will find us on Ash Wednesday accepting the ashes that remind us of our mortality and our need for penance.

Though the shortest month of the year, February is rich in Liturgical activity. It contains a feast (Presentation of our Lord) that bridges two other seasons (Christmas and Easter)! The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on February 2nd harkens back to the Christmas mystery of Light except that now, Christ, the helpless babe, is “the Light of Revelation to the Gentiles who will save his people from their sins.” Candles, symbolizing Christ our Light, will be carried in procession this day, as will be the Paschal candle during the Easter Vigil Liturgy. In addition, the faithful may receive in February three of the four major public sacramentals that the Church confers during the liturgical year: blessed candles and the blessing of throats and blessed ashes.

"The Light of Revelation" shines more brightly with each successive Sunday of Ordinary Time, until its magnificence–exposing our sinfulness and need for conversion–propels us into the penitential Season of Lent. We prepare to accept the cross of blessed ashes on Ash Wednesday (February 18) and plunge ourselves into anticipating the major exercises of Lent–fasting, prayer, almsgiving–laying our thoughts and prayers on the heart of our Mother Mary. She, who offered her Son in the temple and on the Cross, will teach us how to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow after her Son.

Members of each family or domestic church have the opportunity to have the candles for their home altar blessed on Candlemas Day (February 2nd); and the next morning, on the Feast of St. Blaise, all might receive the Blessing of the Throats. Always a solicitous Mother, the Church offers this sacramental during the wintry month of February and also sets aside the World Day of Prayer for the Sick on February 11, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.

❄️ February Travel Highlights

🐴 Take a Horse‑Drawn Sleigh Ride (All Month – Yellowstone & Jackson Hole)

Glide through the snow on a horse‑drawn sleigh at the National Elk Refuge (fws.gov in Bing)
(bing.com in Bing) (bing.com in Bing).
Nearby winter fun includes skiing at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, tubing, and the mountain coaster at Snow King Mountain.

🎉 Saranac Lake Winter Carnival (Feb 6–15, 2026)

One of America’s oldest winter festivals, featuring the famous Ice Palace, parades, fireworks, and the crowning of the Carnival King and Queen.
Official Site

🦫 See Punxsutawney Phil’s Prediction (Feb 2)

Join the pre‑dawn crowd at Gobbler’s Knob to watch Phil deliver his winter forecast.
Groundhog Club

❄️ Party in Quebec City (Feb 6–15, 2026)

Snow rafting, ice canoe racing, snow baths, sculptures, and the iconic Bonhomme.
Quebec Winter Carnival

🏈 Super Bowl LX (Feb 8, 2026)

The nation gathers for food, friends, and football.
NFL Super Bowl

🌷 Smell the Flowers at Tulipmania (Mid‑February 2026)

Over 39,000 tulips bloom at San Francisco’s Pier 39. Tours begin at the Crab Statue and end with a treat from Trish’s Mini Donuts.
Pier 39 • Trish’s Mini Donuts

💌 Celebrate Valentine’s Day—International Style (Feb 14)

Different cultures add their own flavor to the feast of love:

Germany: Chocolate, flowers, and lucky pig figurines — traditions at Germany Travel (germany.travel in Bing)
(bing.com in Bing) (bing.com in Bing)

Denmark: Snowdrop‑shaped notes, poems, and playful riddles — cultural background at Denmark.dk (denmark.dk in Bing)
(bing.com in Bing) (bing.com in Bing)

🐎 Attend the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show (Feb 12–22, 2026)

Over 2,400 horses compete for top honors, with family‑friendly activities throughout the event. Kids 17 and under are free.
Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show

🎭 Carnival Season (February–March)

Fat Tuesday — the height of global carnival celebrations — falls on February 17, 2026.

New Orleans: Mardi Gras New Orleans

Rio de Janeiro: Rio Carnival

Mobile, Alabama: Mobile Carnival Museum

Nice, France: Nice Carnival

Venice, Italy: Carnevale di Venezia

Binche, Belgium: Carnaval de Binche

Iceman’s Calendar-February

· Arizona Renaissance Festival February 1-March 30

· Go Back in Time to The Old West in Tombstone

o Just like the Arizona Renaissance Festival, Tombstone, Arizona, beckons visitors to step back in time during February. However, instead of transporting you back to a mystical medieval era, Tombstone brings visitors to the rough and tumbling times of the Old West.

· Saguaro National Park

o For those seeking a reprieve from the cold and yearning for breathtaking hikes, Saguaro National Park is an excellent choice. With average winter temperatures soaring into the high 60s, it stands out as a premier destination to thaw out and partake in outdoor adventures in February. Upon entering the vast 143-square-mile park, you’ll be captivated by the towering saguaros. Some of these cacti reach an impressive 50 feet and live a lifespan of up to 125 years. The park is divided into two distinct sections: East Saguaro, characterized by its mountainous terrain and abundant hiking and backpacking trails, and the West side, home to a denser Saguaro Forest.

· Wickenburg, Arizona

o 77th Annual Gold Rush Days & Senior Pro Rodeo

§ FEBRUARY 12-15

· Check out Yarnell-St. Joseph of the mountains.

Iceman’s Calendar

· Sun-Feb. 1-Septuagesima

o start 12 week study on the Manhood of Jesus

§ Ends April 26, 2026-Good Shepard Sunday

§ That lands you right on the doorstep of Ascension‑Pentecost season—a powerful place to conclude a study on Christ’s manhood and mission.

o Full Snow Moon

o St. Brigid

· Mon-Feb. 2-MASS Candlemas

· Tue-Feb. 3-St. Blasé Blessing of throats

· Wed-Feb 4-First Wednesday

· Thu-Feb 5 St. Agatha.

o Thursday Feast

· Fri-Feb 6^th First Friday-Fast

· Sat-Feb 7-First Saturday

· Sun-Feb 8-Sexagesima

o Start Novena to Holy Face to end on Shrove Tuesday

· Wed-Feb 11-Our Lady of Lourdes

· Thu-Feb 12-Carnival Thursday

o Lincoln’s Birthday

· Fri-Feb 13^th-Carnival Friday

· Sat-Feb 14-St. Valentines

· Sun-Feb 15 Quinquagesima

· Mon-Feb 16-Presidents Day

o Shrovetide Monday

· Tue-Feb 17-Shrove Tuesday

o Chinese New Year

· Wed-Feb 18-Ash Wednesday

o Ramadan Begins

o real fighters wanted Catholic Fighting Men Call YOU to Lenten Boot Camp

· Sun-Feb 22 First Sunday of Lent, Called “Invocabit”

o Washington’s Birthday

· Mon-Feb 23 Orthodox Lent begins

· Tue-Feb 24 St. Matthias

· Wed-Feb 25-FAST Ember Wednesday

· Thu-Feb 26-Thursday Feast

· Fri-Feb-27 FAST Ember Friday

· Sat-Feb-28-FAST Ember Saturday

[1]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/02.cfm

Confronting evil begins with remembering that we never confront it alone. Padre Pio’s witness makes this unmistakably clear: while we sleep, our guardian angel keeps watch, not as a symbol but as a soldier assigned to our soul. Evil works in shadows, in the hours when we are weakest or unaware — yet Heaven is already there, standing guard, interceding, and pushing back what we cannot see. This is the first truth of spiritual warfare: God equips us with protection long before we recognize the threat. The second is this — our task is not to match evil’s aggression but to remain faithful, transparent, and rooted in the light. When we confront evil in our waking hours, we do so with the same confidence Padre Pio lived by: that the battle is real, but the victory is not ours to manufacture. It is already being fought on our behalf, even in the silence of our sleep.

Claire’s Corner Try “Baobab”

· Today in honor of the Holy Trinity do the Divine Office giving your day to God. To honor God REST: no shopping after 6 pm Saturday till Monday. Don’t forget the internet.

Spirit hour: A Heavenly Lake of Beer: St. Brigid’s Day Blessing

· Arizona Renaissance Festival February 1-March 30

Bucket Item trip: Baja, Mexico Whale watching

· Carnival Time begins in Catholic Countries.

Clark Gable, born on February 1, 1901
How to celebrate Feb 1st

Start your day by enjoying a delicious breakfast of ice cream, celebrating Ice Cream For Breakfast Day. Treat yourself to a scoop of your favorite flavor and kick off the day with a sweet indulgence. Consider trying out a new recipe that incorporates ice cream into your morning meal for a fun twist.
As you savor your breakfast treat, take some time to change your passwords for added security on Change Your Password Day. Update your online accounts with strong, unique passwords to protect your information and stay one step ahead of cyber threats. Use this opportunity to enhance your digital safety practices and ensure your online presence is secure.
Next, show appreciation for freedom on National Freedom Day.
Take a moment to reflect on the importance of freedom and rights, and consider ways to support and advocate for equality and justice in your community. Engage in conversations about freedom and human rights to raise awareness and promote positive change.
Cap off your day with some relaxation and self-care on Spunky Old Broads Day. Treat yourself to a pampering session with a DIY spa night at home. Indulge in a soothing bubble bath, apply a face mask, and unwind with a good book or your favorite movie. Celebrate your resilience and strength as you embrace the spirit of spunky old broads everywhere.
Embrace the diversity and distinctiveness of these holidays, and make the most of each theme throughout your day. From indulging in ice cream for breakfast to advocating for freedom and enjoying some self-care, there are plenty of ways to celebrate and appreciate the unique qualities of each holiday. Let your imagination run wild as you embark on a day filled with fun, creativity, reflection, and relaxation. Enjoy the adventure!

Plan winter fun:

Soak in hot springs
Hit the snow slopes
Ride a snowmobile
Go for a dog sled ride
Ride a hot air balloon

Claire’s Perfect Weather World Tour

🌿 Week 5 — Madeira, Portugal

“Garden Paths & Atlantic Grace”
February 1–7, 2026
Base: Funchal — the Floating Garden of the Atlantic

🌦️ Overview

Madeira in early February is a dream: 68–72°F, ocean breezes, flowers in bloom, and a Catholic heritage woven into every village. Funchal gives you gardens, levada walks, cliff views, and daily Mass — all within easy reach.
Theme: renewal, quiet abundance, and walking with God through green places.

📅 Daily Outline with Built‑In Links

📌 Feb 1 — Arrival (Sexagesima Sunday)

Flight: Lisbon → Funchal via TAP Air Portugal

Mass: Sé Cathedral of Funchal (visitmadeira.com in Bing)

Lodging: Castanheiro Boutique Hotel (~$150/night)

Meals: ~$55/day

Symbolic Act: “Planting New Intentions” — write three graces you seek this month

Fun: Try your first bolo do caco (Madeiran garlic bread)

📌 Feb 2 — Monte & Botanical Gardens (Candlemas)

Visit: Monte Palace Tropical Garden + Funchal Cable Car

Mass: Candlemas at Nossa Senhora do Monte (visitmadeira.com in Bing)

Tickets: ~$12

Symbolic Act: Light a candle for clarity and direction

Fun: Ride the Monte toboggan sledges — wicker baskets on wooden runners steered by two men in straw hats

📌 Feb 3 — Levada Walk: 25 Fontes (St. Blaise)

Visit: Levada das 25 Fontes

(visitmadeira.com in Bing) — waterfalls, moss, and quiet streams

Mass: Evening Mass in Funchal

Symbolic Act: “Streams of Mercy” — pray for healing of speech and relationships

Fun: Count how many waterfalls you pass — most people lose track around 12

📌 Feb 4 — Cabo Girão Skywalk

Visit: Cabo Girão Skywalk — glass platform over a 1,900‑ft cliff

Mass: Câmara de Lobos parish

Symbolic Act: “Standing on the Heights” — reflect on God’s protection

Fun: Grab a poncha (Madeiran citrus drink) in the fishing village below

📌 Feb 5 — Funchal Old Town & Cathedral (St. Agatha)

Visit: Sé Cathedral (visitmadeira.com in Bing) + Zona Velha Art District

Symbolic Act: Pray for purity of heart inside the cathedral

Fun: Explore the painted doors — every one is a surprise

📌 Feb 6 — Pico do Arieiro Sunrise (St. Paul Miki)

Visit: Pico do Arieiro (visitmadeira.com in Bing) — sunrise above the clouds

Transport: Local tour (~$30–$45)

Mass: Evening Mass in Funchal

Symbolic Act: “Rise Above” — journal at the summit

Fun: Watch the clouds spill like waterfalls between the peaks

📌 Feb 7 — Coastal Promenade & Farewell

Visit: Funchal Promenade

(visitmadeira.com in Bing) — ocean walk + final coffee

Mass: Saturday Vigil at Sé Cathedral

Symbolic Act: Leave a written prayer of gratitude at the shoreline

Fun: Try a passionfruit poncha or a fresh coconut by the water

💰 Cost Snapshot (Per Person)

Lodging (6 nights): ~$900

Meals (7 days): ~$385–$420

Tickets/Activities: ~$60–$90

Local Transport: ~$120–$160

Flight (Lisbon → Madeira): ~$80–$150

➡️ Total: $1,545–$1,720

FEBRUARY 1 Septuagesima Sunday

Feast Of St. Brigid-Manhood of Christ-54-day Rosary-Full Snow Moon

Exodus, Chapter 14, Verse 30-31

Thus the LORD saved Israel on that day from the power of Egypt. When Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the seashoreand saw the great power that the LORD had shown against Egypt, the people FEARED the LORD. They believed in the LORD and in Moses his servant.

The Hebrew’s after the crossing of the red sea and seeing Gods great power feared Him with human fear, but not Holy fear. There was no love towards God, only fear. God desires a spiritual union with us; therefore, our belief must be mingled with great love and affection. This is why later Israel would make the golden calf since their hearts were dead to God after 400 years in Egypt.

What was it about Egypt that enslaved the Israelites even after they were freed by God?

Egypt was rich, so rich that even the Israelites were as self-indulgent as the Egyptians. It meant a daily life of giving in to your desires and the brief enjoyments of this passing life. They only thought of satisfying themselves with no thought of He that Is. They made faint offerings to false gods to justify their behavior. Their minds became weak and confused. Their mistakes and sins robbed them of peace that only comes from doing the will of He that Is. We only find peace and happiness when we are in union with God and doing His Holy will. We are created by God for eternal happiness with Him. Things cannot bring us happiness.

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your Heart, and with all your soul, and with your entire mind, and with all your strength.

Power of Egypt[1]

The power of Egypt was the worship of demons back thousands of years ago. The occult still is around today and just as in the Holy Church, some official rites are required and are tied to feast days. The most important is Halloween, which falls on the night between October 31 and November 1 of each year: it is considered the magic New Year. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the extreme danger for our children and youth who participate in the feast of Halloween on that date. The second precedes our feast of the presentation of Jesus in the Temple on February 2. The night before, in fact, begins the magic spring. We need not fear but look with love to our Lord. Perhaps we could attend Mass this day and offer God our prayers and love.

Copilot’s Take

Feb. 1 stands at the crossroads of several powerful currents—Septuagesima Sunday, the feast of St. Brigid, the meditation on the Manhood of Christ, the ongoing 54‑Day Rosary, and the quiet brilliance of the Full Snow Moon—and together they form a single call to return to God with renewed clarity. Evil in our age works the same way Egypt worked on Israel: not through spectacle, but through slow seduction, shaping what people love and what they fear until they forget who they are. Israel crossed the Red Sea with their bodies, yet Egypt still lived in their hearts; they feared God with a human fear but had not yet learned the holy fear that springs from love. Septuagesima interrupts the year precisely for this reason. It is the Church’s ancient wake‑up call, a spiritual Red Sea moment when God invites His people to begin their Exodus before Lent demands it. St. Brigid’s feast, glowing like a hearth-fire beneath the Snow Moon, reminds us that holiness can burn even in winter, and that purity, charity, and courage are the true antidotes to a culture numbed by distraction and confusion. The Manhood of Christ reveals strength without violence, authority without domination, and courage without pride—virtues desperately needed in a world where headlines are filled with corruption, fear, and the normalization of the occult. The 54‑Day Rosary becomes, in this season, not a charm against darkness but a school of love, bead by bead forming the holy fear that steadies the soul. And while the occult claims its own “feast days,” Christians confront evil not with panic but with presence—Mass, prayer, blessing, fasting, and fidelity. The Snow Moon overhead whispers the same truth: winter is real but temporary; night is long but not final. Septuagesima invites us to begin walking toward Easter now, to leave modern Egypt behind, to let Christ’s strength, Brigid’s fire, and Mary’s Rosary shape our desires. This is the moment to turn to God before the waters rise, to reclaim our identity, and to step forward into the freedom of those who belong to the living God.

ON KEEPING THE LORD'S DAY HOLY[2]

CHAPTER II

DIES CHRISTI

The Day of the Risen Lord
and of the Gift
of the Holy Spirit

Growing distinction from the Sabbath

23. It was this newness which the catechesis of the first centuries stressed as it sought to show the prominence of Sunday relative to the Jewish Sabbath. It was on the Sabbath that the Jewish people had to gather in the synagogue and to rest in the way prescribed by the Law. The Apostles, and in particular Saint Paul, continued initially to attend the synagogue so that there they might proclaim Jesus Christ, commenting upon "the words of the prophets which are read every Sabbath" (Acts 13:27). Some communities observed the Sabbath while also celebrating Sunday. Soon, however, the two days began to be distinguished ever more clearly, in reaction chiefly to the insistence of those Christians whose origins in Judaism made them inclined to maintain the obligation of the old Law. Saint Ignatius of Antioch writes: "If those who were living in the former state of things have come to a new hope, no longer observing the Sabbath but keeping the Lord's Day, the day on which our life has appeared through him and his death ..., that mystery from which we have received our faith and in which we persevere in order to be judged disciples of Christ, our only Master, how could we then live without him, given that the prophets too, as his disciples in the Spirit, awaited him as master?". Saint Augustine notes in turn: "Therefore the Lord too has placed his seal on his day, which is the third after the Passion. In the weekly cycle, however, it is the eighth day after the seventh, that is after the Sabbath, and the first day of the week". The distinction of Sunday from the Jewish Sabbath grew ever stronger in the mind of the Church, even though there have been times in history when, because the obligation of Sunday rest was so emphasized, the Lord's Day tended to become more like the Sabbath. Moreover, there have always been groups within Christianity which observe both the Sabbath and Sunday as "two brother days".

Septuagesima Sunday[3]Pre-Lent

Three weeks prior to Ash Wednesday, on the day before Septuagesima Sunday, a touching ceremony is held. A choir assembles, chants the divine office and, afterwards, sings a bittersweet hymn bidding farewell to the word

"Alleluia": We do not now deserve to sing the Alleluia forever; Guilt forces us to dismiss you, O Alleluia. For the time approaches in which we must weep for our sins.

· So important was Lent to both Eastern and Western Christians that they actually had a separate season to prepare for it. Thus, the day after Septuagesima Sunday, they would begin a period of voluntary fasting that would grow more severe as it approached the full and obligatory fast of Lent. The amount of food would be reduced, and the consumption of certain items, such as butter, milk, eggs, and cheese, would gradually be abandoned. Starting on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday, this self-imposed asceticism would culminate in abstinence from meat. Thus the name for this seven-day period before Ash Wednesday, is "Carnival," from the Latin carne levarium, meaning "removal of meat." Finally, within the week of Carnival, the last three days (the three days prior to Lent) would be reserved for going to confession This period was known as "Shrovetide," from the old English word "to shrive," or to have one's sins forgiven through absolution.

· These incremental steps eased the faithful into what was one of the holiest -- and most demanding -- times of the year. Lent is a sacred period of forty days set aside for penance, contrition, and good works. Just as Septuagesima imitates the seventy years of Babylonian exile (see elsewhere), Quadragesima ("forty," the Latin name for Lent) imitates the holy periods of purgation recorded in the Old Testament. The Hebrews spent forty years wandering in the wilderness after their deliverance from the Pharoah and before their entrance into the Promised Land. Moses, representative of the Law, fasted and prepared forty days before ascending Mount Sinai, as did Elias, the greatest of the Hebrew prophets. (So too did the gentile Ninevites in response to Jonah's prophecy.) Moreover, these Old Testament types are ratified by the example of our Lord, who fasted forty days in the desert before beginning His public ministry.

· Given the significance of the number forty as a sign of perfection-through-purgation, it is little wonder that Lent became associated early on with two groups of people: public penitents and catechumens. The former were sinners guilty of particularly heinous crimes. To atone for their sins, they received a stern punishment from their bishop on Ash Wednesday and then spent the next forty days wearing sackloth and ash and not bathing. The visual, tactile, and odiferous unpleasantness of this practice was meant to remind others-- and themselves -- of the repulsiveness of sin. These penitents would remain in this state until they were publicly welcomed back into the Church during a special Mass on Maundy Thursday morning. Catechumens, on the other hand, underwent a rigorous period of instruction and admonition during Lent. They, too, were not allowed to bathe as part of their contrition for past sins. Near the start of Lent they would be exorcized with the formula that is still used in the traditional Roman rite of baptism: "Depart, thou accursed one!" In the middle of Lent they would learn the Apostle's Creed so that they could recite it on Holy Saturday, and on Palm Sunday they would learn the Lord's Prayer. Finally, on Holy Thursday they would bathe and on Holy Saturday undergo a dramatic ritual during the Easter Vigil formally initiating them into the Body of Christ. Over time, all Catholics would imitate these two groups as a recognition of personal sinfulness and as a yearly re-avowal of the Christian faith. Lent is thus not only a time to probe the dark recesses of our fallen souls and to purge ourselves, with the cooperative grace of Christ, of our stains, but to be renewed in our commitment to live a holy Christian life.

· Lent is often thought of as an undifferentiated block of time preceding Easter: It is not. There are actually several distinct "mini-seasons" within Lent designed to move the believer from a more general recognition of the need for atonement (Ash Wednesday to the third Sunday of Lent) to a more specific meditation on the passion of Jesus Christ (Passion Sunday and Palm Sunday). These two periods, in turn, are separated by a brief interlude of restrained joy called mid-Lent, which begins on the Wednesday before Laetare Sunday and ends the Wednesday after. Finally, the meditation on our Lord's suffering culminates during Holy Week with a Mass each day presenting a different Gospel account of the Passion, the divine office of Tenebrae on Spy Wednesday, and the three great liturgies of the Triduum (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday) that dwell at length on the final events of Christ's earthly life and the mysteries of the Christian Pasch.

· Voluntary Fasting As mentioned elsewhere, it was customary for some Christians to voluntarily begin fasting in preparation for the Great Fast of Lent. Their fasts would become progressively more ascetic, culminating in the abstinence of meat beginning on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday. The name for this period, which ends the day before Ash Wednesday, is "Carnival," from the Latin carne levarium, meaning "removal of meat."

The progression of Lent can be understood as follows:

Pre-Lent:

· Septuagesima Sunday. Exile and the need for asceticism. (Depositio of the Alleluia the night before.)

· Sexagesima Sunday. The perils of exile (persecution) and the fruits of asceticism (the Word being sown into our hearts).

· Thursday after Sexagesima: Carnival

· Quinquagesima Sunday (a.k.a. Carnival, or Shrove Sunday). "We are going up to Jerusalem" -- a setting of the stage for the pilgrimage of Lent, and the one thing we must bring with us: charity. [Also, traditional time for going to confession]

· Shrove Monday. [Traditional time for going to confession]

· Shrove Tuesday. [Traditional time for going to confession]

Lent:

· Ash Wednesday. The solemn season begins with a reminder of our mortality and our profound need for repentance and conversion.

· First Sunday of Lent. The model for our fasting, Christ in the desert, and the kinds of temptations we can expect to encounter.

· Lenten Embertide (Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday). See Ember Days, etc.

· Second Sunday of Lent. As Paul exhorts us to keep up our progress, we hear the story of the Transfiguration as a heartening foretaste of Christ's ultimate triumph.

· Third Sunday of Lent. Christ again foreshadows His victory (this time over the devil), but as we move closer to Passiontide, He also hints at the way in which this will be done.

Mid-Lent:

· Wednesday before Laetare Sunday: beginning of Mid-Lent.

· Fourth Sunday of Lent (a.k.a. Laetare, or Mid-Lent Sunday). A note of joy is struck, for having died to sin with Christ during Lent, we will rise again with Him and be part of His mystical Body, the Church which is the new Jerusalem. Thus the Introit: "Rejoice, Jerusalem."

· Wednesday after Laetare Sunday: end of Mid-Lent.

Passiontide:

· (First) Passion Sunday. The Jews' growing hatred of Christ recorded in today's Gospel makes plain His imminent death.

· Friday after Passion Sunday: Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A special commemoration, one week before Good Friday, of Mary's com-passion for (literally, "suffering with") Her innocent son.

· (Second Passion or) Palm Sunday. Christ's triumphant entrance into Jerusalem and the account of His Passion according to St. Matthew.

Holy Week:

· Christ's Triumphant Entry in Jerusalem

· Monday of Holy Week. The Gospel for the Mass gives an account of Judas' character, foreshadowing his act of betrayal.

· Tuesday of Holy Week. The account of Christ's Passion according to St. Mark.

· Spy Wednesday. The account of Christ's Passion according to St. Luke during the daily Mass; and the nocturnal office of Tenebrae, a sustained reflection on the treachery of Judas, the privation of holiness, and the need for conversion.

· Maundy Thursday. A celebration of the institution of the Eucharist and the priesthood.

· Jesus before the High Priest

· Good Friday. A mournful commemoration of the death of our Lord.

· Holy Saturday. During the morning and afternoon, a mournful remembrance of our Lord in the tomb.

Goffine’s 1896 Devout Instructions

WHY is this Sunday traditionally called Septuagesima?

The word means seventy. According to the First Council of Orleans, in the year A.D. 545, many pious ecclesiastics and lay persons of the primitive Church used to fast seventy days before Easter, and their fast was called, therefore, Septuagesima, a name which was afterwards retained to distinguish this Sunday from others. The same was the case with the three following Sundays; many Christians beginning their fast sixty days before Easter, whence the name Sexagesima; others fifty days, whence Quinquagesima; others forty days, whence Quadragesima.

Why did the first Christians fast seventy days?

Alcuin and Amakrius say that the captivity of the Jews in Babylon first suggested it; for as the Jews were obliged to do penance seventy years, that they might thereby merit to return into the promised land, so Christians sought to regain the grace of God by fasting for seventy days.

Why does the Church, from this Sunday until Easter, omit all joyful chants, as the Te Deum, Alleluia, Gloria in Excelsis?

To remind the sinner of the grievousness of his errors, and to exhort him to penance. To incite us to sorrow for our sins, and to show us the necessity of repentance, the Church at the Introit in the name of all nations unites her prayers with David, saying, “The sorrows of death surrounded me, the sorrows of hell encompassed me, and in my affliction, I called upon the Lord, and He heard my voice from His holy temple. I will love Thee! O Lord, my strength; the Lord is my firmament, my refuge, and my deliverer.”

Prayer.

Graciously hear the prayers of Thy people, we beseech Thee, O Lord, that we, who are justly afflicted for our sins, may be mercifully delivered, for the glory of Thy name.

EPISTLE, i. Cor. ix. 24 x. 5.

Brethren: Know you not that they that run in the race, all run indeed, but one receiveth the prize? So, run that you may obtain. And everyone that striveth for the mastery refraineth himself from all things, and they indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown: but we an incorruptible one. I therefore so run, not as an uncertainty: I so fight, not as one beating the air: but I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection: lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway. For I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all in Moses were baptized, in the cloud, and in the sea: and did all eat the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink (and they drank of the spiritual rock that followed them; and the rock was Christ), but with the most of them God was not well pleased.

NOTE--Reflect, O Christian, what we poor sinners ought to be willing to do to gain heaven when the great apostle suffered so much to obtain eternal life.

Prayer.

O Jesus, assist me, that with Thy holy grace I may follow the example of St. Paul, and endeavor to deny myself, to chastise my body, and, by continual exercise of every virtue, to obtain perfection and everlasting life. Amen.

GOSPEL. Matt. xx. 1-16.

At that time Jesus spoke to His disciples this parable: The kingdom of heaven is like to a householder, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. And having agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing in the market-place idle, and he said to them: Go you also into my vineyard, and I will give you what shall be just. And they went their way. And again, he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour: and did in like manner. But about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing, and he saith to them: Why stand you here all the day idle? They say to him: Because no man hath hired us. He saith to them: Go you also into my vineyard. And when evening was come, the lord of the vineyard saith to his steward: Call the laborers and pay them their hire, beginning from the last even to the first. When therefore they were come that came about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first also came, they thought that they should receive more; and they also received every man a penny. And receiving it, they murmured against the master of the house, saying: These last have worked but one hour, and thou hast made them equal to us, that have borne the burden of the day and the heats. But he answering said to one of them: Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst thou not agree with me for a penny? Take what is thine, and go thy way: I will also give to this last even as to thee. Or is it not lawful for me to do what I will? is thy eye evil because I am good? So, shall the last be first, and the first last; for many are called, but few chosen.

In these parables what is to be understood by the master of a family, the vineyard, the laborers, and the penny?

The master of a family is God, Who calls all men as laborers to His vineyard of the true religion, or Church, and to receive the promised penny, which is the divine grace and eternal salvation.

How and when does God call men?

By the instruction of parents and teachers, by preachers and confessors, by spiritual books, edifying conversation, good examples and inspirations; in early youth, in manhood, and in old age which stages of human life are also signified by the different hours of the day.

Who are the laborers in the vineyard?

Those who work, combat, and suffer for God and His honor, for their own salvation and that of others, particularly spiritual teachers.

How should we work in the vineyard of the Lord?

As in a vineyard men must dig, destroy the weeds, cut off what is useless and bad, manure, plant, and bind, in like manner must we, in the spiritual vineyard of our souls, destroy the weeds of vice by rooting out sinful inclinations and their causes, and by real penance.

In other words:

1. We must hate every sin.

2. We must produce in ourselves a fervent desire to destroy vice.

3. We must earnestly beg God’s grace, without which we can do nothing.

4. We must attend zealously at instructions, sermons, and catechism.

5. We must often go to confession and communion and follow our confessor’s directions.

6. Every morning, we must make firm resolutions, and every night an examination of conscience.

7. We must read in some spiritual book, treating of the predominant sin which we have to root out.

8. We must venerate some saint who in life committed the same sin, as, for instance, Mary Magdalen, who from being a great sinner became a great penitent.

9. We must fast, give alms, and do other good works.

Why did the last man, as mentioned in the gospel, receive as much as those who came first?

Because God does not reward men according to the time of their labor, but according to the zeal, love, fidelity, and humility with which they have concurred with His grace (Wis. iv. 7, 8, 11; n. Cor. ix. 6).

What is meant by “many are called, but few chosen?”

It is as if Our Savior should say, do not wonder that the last shall be first, and the first last, for many will not be received at all. From among the Jews and gentiles He has called many, but few only have followed Him, and of these again only few can be the chosen. How many Christians are there who do not accept His calling, or who fail to live according to their vocation, neither cooperating with His grace nor trying forcibly to enter the kingdom of heaven!

Prayer.

O most merciful and benign Lord, Who, without any merit of our own, hast called us, Thy unworthy servants, out of mere mercy, into Thy vineyard the Church and commanded us to work therein, grant us grace, we beseech Thee, never to be idle, but as faithful servants to be always doing Thy holy will. Whatever we have heretofore left undone, we will in future endeavor to do with persevering zeal, through the grace of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Things to Do[4]

· Read the more detailed, corresponding passage in Matthew 5:3-12 on the Beatitudes. Choose a beatitude to focus on for the rest of this month. Write it in conspicuous places throughout your house — desk, home altar, fridge, bathroom mirror. Think of some small practical ways to put this beatitude into action in your daily life. For some ideas on how to live the poverty and detachment prescribed by the first beatitude (Blessed are the poor in spirit), read this interview with spiritual director and writer Fr. Dubay.

· Read a summary of St. Bernard's advice for living the Beatitudes, and the Holy Father's exhortation to the youth at Toronto's World Youth Day to be people of the Beatitudes.

Septuagesima Sunday

· Get an indulgence

o Visiting the Blessed Sacrament when it is exposed during the weeks between Septuagesima Sunday and Ash Wednesday is a traditional practice that can earn a plenary indulgence.

o Septuagesima Sunday: The third Sunday before Ash Wednesday, and the ninth Sunday before Easter.

o Plenary indulgence: A full remission of sins that can be earned by visiting the Blessed Sacrament during a specified time period.

o Confession and Communion: A requirement for earning the plenary indulgence.

o What to do

§ Visit the Blessed Sacrament when it is exposed in a church.

§ Visit for three days in any church during the specified time period.

§ Visit on the Thursday after Sexagesima Sunday, also known as "Giovedì grasso" in Rome.

o Prayer

§ Some people pray before the Blessed Sacrament, asking for pardon of sins, help from God's grace, and eternal life.

o Generative AI is experimental.

§ [1] http://liturgialatina.org/raccolta/sacrament.htm

§ [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Septuagesima

§ [3] https://eucharisticrevival.dor.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/Prayers-Before-the-Blessed-Sacrament-II.pdf

· Devotion of the Seven Sundays: St Joseph-1^st Sunday

Feast of St. Bridget, Abbess, and patroness of Ireland[5]

BRIDGETT was born about the year 453 at Fochard, in Ulster. When about twenty years old she received the veil from St. Mel, the nephew and disciple of St. Patrick. So many sought the religious life under her direction that a convent, the first in Ireland, was erected for her and she was made superior. From this parent stem branched forth other convents in different parts of Ireland, all which acknowledged her as their mother and foundress. Several churches in England and Scotland are dedicated to God under her name, and some also in Germany and in France.

After seventy years devoted to the practice of the most sublime virtues, corporal infirmities admonished our saint that the time of her dissolution was nigh. For half a century she had irrevocably consecrated herself to God, and during that period great results had been attained. The day on which our abbess was to quit this life, February 1, 523, having arrived, she received the blessed body and blood of her Lord in the Blessed Eucharist, and, as it would seem, immediately after her spirit passed forth, and went to possess Him in that heavenly country where He is seen face to face and enjoyed without danger of ever losing Him.

Her body was interred in the church adjoining her convent, but was some time after exhumed, and deposited in a splendid shrine near the high altar. In the ninth century, the country being desolated by the Danes, the remains of St. Bridget were removed to Down-Patrick, where they were deposited in the same grave with those of St. Patrick. Their bodies, together with that of St. Columba, were translated after wards to the cathedral of the same city, but their monument was destroyed in the reign of King Henry VIII. The head of St, Bridget is now kept in the church of the Jesuits at Lisbon.

Feast Day of St Brigid of Ireland[6]

Bridget (Brigid, Bride, Bridey) of Kildare was born around 450 into a Druid family, being the daughter of Dubhthach, court poet to King Loeghaire. At an early age, Brigid decided to become a Christian, and she eventually took vows as a nun. Together with a group of other women, she established a nunnery at Kildare. She was later joined by a community of monks led by Conlaed. Kildare had formerly been a pagan shrine where a sacred fire was kept perpetually burning. Rather than stamping out this pagan flame, Brigid and her nuns kept it burning as a Christian symbol. (This was in keeping with the general process whereby Druidism in Ireland gave way to Christianity with very little opposition, the Druids for the most part saying that their own beliefs were a partial and tentative insight into the nature of God, and that they recognized in Christianity what they had been looking for.) As an abbess, Brigid participated in several Irish councils, and her influence on the policies of the Church in Ireland was considerable.

Things to Do

Read Amy Steedman's biography of Saint Brigid of Ireland to gain a greater appreciation and devotion for this holy woman, who had a great tenderness for mothers and their children.
Read Saint Brigit: The Mary of the Gael (Catholic Culture Library) or go to this fascinating page St. Brigit - The Giveaway where you will find some folklore and recipes.
Saint Brigid always recognized Christ in the sick and the poor. Visit Christ in a nursing home or hospital today, and pray for the grace of clear vision, even when you encounter Him in a distressing disguise.
Meditate on 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13. Is this the kind of love you share with your family? Pray to Saint Brigid for the grace to be patient, kind, and gentle with those entrusted to your care.
For more recipes and for a craft go to Brigid's Day Foods and How to Make a Traditional St. Brigid's Cross.

THE RACCOLTA[7]

73. THE ROSARY OR CHAPLET CALLED AFTER ST. BRIDGET.

Pope Leo X., in his Bull of July 10, 1516, and Pope Clement XI., in his Bull De salute Dominici gregis, of Sept. 22, 1714, granted many Indulgences to all who carry about them, or who say, the Chaplet, called after St. Bridget because she first conceived the idea of it and promulgated the usage of it. These Indulgences were confirmed by Pope Benedict XIV., in his Brief of Jan. 15, 1743, wherein he added others, of all which a summary will now be given.

This Chaplet is said in honour of the sixty-three years which the most holy Mary lived upon this earth, being made up of six divisions, each division consisting of one Pater noster, ten Ave Maria, and one Credo;; after these is said one more Pater noster, and three more Ave Maria: thus in all there will be seven Pater noster, to mark the number of her Seven Dolours and Seven Joys; the three Ave Maria being added to make up the full number of sixty-three years. (See the Archivium of the Segretaria of the S. Congr. of Indulgences, tom. vi. p. 144.) It will be seen in the following summary that the Indulgences may be gained by saying the fifteen decades, or five decades only, as mentioned in the Rosary above.

It is requisite, in order to gain these Indulgences, that the Chaplet, being made, as has been said, of six decades, &c., should be blessed by the superiors of the monastic houses or other priests of the order of St. Saviour, sometimes called the order of St Bridget, deputed for this purpose; and after they have been blessed they cannot be sold, or lent for the purpose of communicating the Indulgences to others, according to the express command of the said Pope Clement XI. in the Bull above named, and according to the general decrees of the S. Congr. of Indulgences, confirmed by Benedict XIV., under date Feb. 9, 1743.

SUMMARY OF INDULGENCES ANNEXED TO THE CHAPLET OF ST. BRIDGET.

i. The Indulgence of 100 days for each Pater, 100 days for each Ave, and 100 days for each Credo, to all the faithful who say the Rosary or Chaplet of St. Bridget. Pope Leo X., July 10, 1515.

ii. The Indulgence of seven years and seven quarantines, besides the above, to every one who says the said Rosary or Chaplet of fifteen decades. Grant of the same Pope Leo. (Whenever this Rosary is said with others, each person may gain the Indulgences I. and II. precisely the same as when the said Rosary is said by one person alone. The same Pope Leo.)

iii. The Plenary Indulgence to all who shall say at least five decades daily for a year, on any one day in the year when, after Confession and Communion, they shall pray for the Holy Church. Pope Clement XI., Sept. 22, 1714.

iv. The Plenary Indulgence, on the Feast of St. Bridget (Oct. 8), to all who say the said Rosary of five decades at least once a week, and, after Confession and Communion, visit their own parish church, or any other church, and pray to God there for the Church as above. Benedict XIV., Jan. 15, 1743.

v. The Plenary Indulgence to all who have been accustomed to say this Rosary, as in No. IV., when, in articulo mortis, recommending their soul to God, they say the holy name Jesus with their hearts, if unable to do so with their lips, having at the same time Confessed and Communicated; or, if these conditions are impossible, being contrite of heart. Benedict XIV.

vi. The Plenary Indulgence, once a month, to all who say this Chaplet daily for a month, on any one day when, after Confession and Communion, they visit a church and pray as above. Benedict XIV.

vii. The Indulgence of forty days to all who carry this Rosary with them, if, at the tolling of the bell for a passing soul, they kneel down and pray for that soul. Benedict XIV.

viii. The Indulgence of twenty days, to all who carry this Rosary, whenever they make examination of conscience, and say three Pater noster and three Ave Maria. Ben. XIV.

ix. The Indulgence of 100 days to all who carry this Rosary whenever they hear Mass (feast-day or ferial), or assist at a sermon, or accompany the Most Holy Viaticum, or bring back any sinner to his way of salvation, or do any other good work in honour of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin, or St. Bridget, provided they say also three Pater noster and three Ave Maria. Benedict XIV., as before.

February 1st, St. Brigid (Hist.):

After Dinner Cigars

BEWARE

Tonight, the night before the feast of the presentation of Jesus in the Temple begins the black mass of magic spring

say your rosary it is a weapon and a shield against evil.

The Black Mass[8]

The black mass is a parody of [the Catholic] Mass, in which one adores and exalts Satan. Usually it is officiated at night, because the darkness permits greater secrecy and because during the night fewer people are found at prayer, which disturbs the ritual. During the celebration, the words and the external signs of the Eucharistic liturgy are used, but always in a contrary sense, in order to manifest opposition to God. There is always a satanic priest officiating who wears blasphemous vestments, an altar represented by a nude woman, possibly a virgin, on whom very serious acts of profanity of the Eucharist (usually stolen from a church), are performed, with words of consecration proclaimed in a contrary sense and an overturned crucifix. Only members of the satanic sect, who are sworn to secrecy, may participate. Nonmembers are never permitted to attend unless it is hoped that, having already been seduced by the perversions and the illusion of power, they may decide to enter the sect.

In general, the black masses are celebrated by small groups of ten or at most fifteen of the “faithful.” Once the ritual is concluded, the woman who functions as the altar is raped in turn by all the participants: first by the one who exercised the “rites” of the priest, then by all the others. This woman may have freely accepted that role, or she may have been led there against her will; and aside from the physical violence, she often suffers the terrible consequences of the ritual: [diabolical] possession.

As in the Church, some of the official rites are required and are tied to particular feast days.

· The most important is Halloween, which falls on the night between October 31 and November 1 of each year: it is considered the magic New Year. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the extreme danger for our children and youth who participate in the feast of Halloween on that date.

· The second precedes our feast of the presentation of Jesus in the Temple on February 2. The night before, in fact, the magic spring begins.

· The summer magic is the third satanic “solemnity” and occurs on the night between April 30 and May 1. During the year [Satanists] often choose nights when the new moon is inaugurated, because it is particularly dark.

The officiator of these rites is usually someone who is consecrated to Satan, and although it is not stated, this person is also usually possessed by the devil. Often during these rituals, the Eucharistic hosts are profaned, [having been] stolen from tabernacles or taken by some of the faithful at Communion during Mass and not consumed.

More pagan worship: Serpent Day[9]

Serpent Day is a day of reflection and coming to grips with our fears. It’s dedicated to pondering our reactions to the prime material behind that expensive high-fashion snake-skin handbag. Its unique, slithering form has long been associated with wisdom and power, used for either good or evil. Serpents have been both feared and revered, at times simultaneously, in many different periods of human history. Quetzalcoatl is a Mesoamerican deity, the worship of which was first known documented in Teotihuacan in the first century BCE or first century CE. The veneration of the figure appears spread throughout Mesoamerica between 600–900 AD.

Quetzalcoatl, also called “the Plumed Serpent,” played a dominant role as a god, model, myth, historical figure and symbol in Aztec culture. According to legend, he was incarnated on earth and founded the fabulous capital of the Toltecs, Tollan. Quetzalcoatl represented the universal quest for meaning in life, and was the guardian of water and rain, a precious resource of the Aztecs.

In the Hindu regions of Asia, the serpent, or naga, is considered a nature spirit. As in the Aztec belief system, Naga is the protector of springs, wells, and rivers, and so serpents bring rain, and fertility. The serpent is also a fascinating biblical symbol. Perhaps the most common is the portrayal of the serpent as an enemy in general, or as Satan in particular.

However, a serpent is later used to foreshadow Jesus’ death on the cross and the salvation it makes possible when a bronze serpent appears on a cross that the severely ill Israelites looked upon to recover, which can be found in John 3:14-15. Anthropologists have argued that the serpent as a symbol of death is built into our unconscious minds because of evolutionary history, as for millions of years, snakes were mainly just predators of primates. Nowadays, a snake wrapped around the Rod of Asclepius is on the Star of Life, the worldwide symbol of medical aid.

Bible in a Year Day 214 The Hidden Glory of God

Fr. Mike reflects on how Isaiah's prophecies in 49-50, point to the immediate reality of God's promise of redemption for Israel, as well as to the distant reality of Jesus Christ as the Messiah. In Ezekiel, we also learn how the glory of God departed from the Temple, and how God's presence is often hidden from us as well. Today's readings are Isaiah 49-50, Ezekiel 10-11, and Proverbs 12:17-20.

Full Snow Moon

Copilot: The Full Snow Moon invites us to step outside with our children or grandchildren, to play in the snow, make snow angels, and speak gently to them about our love for God—a simple act that turns winter into a catechism of joy. Snow has always carried a quiet theology, and the Church remembers this in the story of Our Lady of the Snows, when on August 5, 352, a miraculous snowfall covered the crest of Rome’s Esquiline Hill, outlining the future basilica dedicated to the Mother of God. That same purity and wonder echoes in the farthest reaches of the earth, in Antarctica, the land of eternal snows, where explorers, chaplains, and scientists have carried the faith to the bottom of the world. From Capt. Mackintosh’s memorial cross at Cape Evans to Father William Menster’s first Mass on the continent, from Jesuit scientists studying the earth’s mysteries to the chapels scattered across the ice—Notre-Dame des Vents, the Ice Cave Chapel, the Chapel of the Snows at McMurdo, Trinity Church on King George Island, and many more—Christian worship has found a home even where the sun disappears for months at a time. These chapels, carved from ice, concrete, pine, or even shipping containers, stand as small but radiant signs that no place is too remote for grace. The Full Snow Moon, Our Lady of the Snows, and the faith of those who prayed in Antarctica all whisper the same truth: God meets His people wherever they are—on Roman hills, polar ice, or a backyard blanketed in winter—and every snowfall becomes an invitation to remember His presence, His purity, and His love.

Daily Devotions/Activities

· Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: Today's Fast: End to abortion

· Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

· Drops of Christ’s Blood

· Universal Man Plan

· Rosary.

[1]Amorth, Fr. Gabriele. An Exorcist Explains the Demonic: The Antics of Satan and His Army of Fallen Angels

[2]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=419

[3] http://www.holytrinitygerman.org/septlent.html

[4]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2019-02-17

[5] Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.

[6]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2018-02-01

[7]http://liturgialatina.org/raccolta/trinity.htm#:~:text=A%20plenary%20indulgence%20for%20ever%2C%20once%20in%20a,according%20to%20the%20intention%20of%20the%20Sovereign%20Pontiff.

[8]Amorth, Fr. Gabriele. An Exorcist Explains the Demonic: The Antics of Satan and His Army of Fallen Angels

[9]https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/2019/02/01/

🌙 **Overview of Tonight or Never (1931)**

Director: Mervyn LeRoy
Stars: Gloria Swanson (Nella Vago), Melvyn Douglas (Jim Fletcher), Alison Skipworth (Grandmother), Ferdinand Gottschalk (Rudig)
Studio: United Artists
Based on: The 1928 Hungarian play Tonight or Never by Lajos Zilahy
Release: October 31, 1931
Notable Achievement: Marked Melvyn Douglas’s film debut, pairing him immediately with one of Hollywood’s most commanding stars, Gloria Swanson, in a pre‑Code romantic comedy filled with wit, seduction, and European elegance.

🎭 Plot in Brief

Nella Vago is a celebrated Hungarian opera soprano whose voice is technically flawless but emotionally cold. Her teacher insists she will never reach true greatness until she experiences real love.

A mysterious man begins appearing at her performances, unsettling her with his quiet intensity. Believing him to be a gigolo, she decides to risk everything on a single night of passion — a reckless act meant to unlock her artistic soul.

The twist: the man is actually Jim Fletcher, the influential Metropolitan Opera agent whose approval she desperately needs.

The revelation forces Nella to confront pride, vulnerability, and the difference between performing passion and actually living it.

🎬 Swanson & Douglas: Why This Pairing Works

⭐ Gloria Swanson as Nella Vago

Regal, witty, and emotionally guarded — a diva who has mastered control but not surrender.
Her transformation from icy perfection to awakened womanhood is the film’s emotional engine.
Swanson’s elegance, paired with Coco Chanel gowns, gives the film its visual electricity.

⭐ Melvyn Douglas as Jim Fletcher

A remarkably confident debut: suave, observant, and quietly commanding.
Plays the “mysterious stranger” with understatement rather than bravado.
His calm masculinity becomes the catalyst for Nella’s artistic and emotional breakthrough.

⭐ Their Dynamic

Swanson’s intensity meets Douglas’s restraint — a perfect pre‑Code contrast.
Their chemistry is built on curiosity, tension, and mutual unveiling, not melodrama.
The seduction sequence is daring for 1931, yet played with sophistication rather than scandal.

🎼 Style, Setting & Craft

Set in Budapest, Venice, and Paris — a tour of European elegance.
Early cinematography by Gregg Toland, who would later revolutionize film with Citizen Kane.
Pre‑Code freedom allows for flirtation, innuendo, and adult themes handled with wit rather than vulgarity.
The opera sequences blend glamour with emotional stakes, underscoring the theme that art requires vulnerability.

🕊️ Moral & Devotional Themes

✦ Authenticity vs. Performance

Nella’s crisis is spiritual as much as artistic:
she performs passion without ever having surrendered to it.
Her awakening mirrors the Christian call to integrity of heart — to live truthfully, not theatrically.

✦ The Courage to Love

Love requires risk, humility, and the willingness to be seen.
Nella’s transformation echoes the Gospel truth that fear suffocates the soul, while love frees it.

✦ Vocation and Gift

Her voice is a gift — but a gift that must be animated by lived experience.
This parallels the Catholic understanding that talent becomes vocation only when infused with charity.

✦ Humility as Breakthrough

Nella’s pride collapses when she discovers Jim’s true identity.
That collapse becomes the doorway to grace — a reminder that humility is the beginning of greatness.