Today is Fat Tuesday, or Carnival. It is the day prior to Ash Wednesday (the beginning of Lent.) It is also the Feast of the Holy Face of Jesus. There is a Devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus. I discovered it a few years ago at a talk given after a Latin Mass I used to attend. I was taken by the devotion, and introduced it to you in this post. I expanded upon it here. If you read those articles (please do so soon!) you’ll understand why I referred to it in one of them as the ‘devotion for our times.’ It seems tailor-made to specifically counter the madness of the contemporary political and culture milieu. And, if you want to know more about it, I recommended a few books here.

The Feast Day for the Holy Face of Jesus is not celebrated in the Ordinary Form of the Mass, and in the Extraordinary Form (‘Latin Mass’) is is an optional votive Mass. But in years past the day before Ash Wednesday is dedicated to the ‘work of reparation,’ which is interesting given that the same day in secular cultures is dedicated to getting the last bit of debauchery out of your system before Lent begins the next day.

Want to know more? In this post I mention that you can get a clear insight into the Holy Face Devotion by contemplating the Propers of the Latin Mass. I urge you to prayerfully read them, they’re linked to in it (includes a PDF download.)

Are you a creative Catholic? "The Catholicpunk Manifesto" is my new book exhorting Catholics to apply their faith to change the culture for the better!

Know someone, perhaps yourself, who might like Catholic devotionals for alcoholics? Please take a look at my books! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)