(If you don’t have time to read this now, please take note of the buttons on the right. They are free for the taking, for you to use on your Web site. Click on a button to pick up the html code.)

Holy Week is just around the corner, but first, the Irish and the Italians have some celebrating to do! In many locations, St. Patrick will be celebrated on March 14 this year, followed by St. Joseph the next day (Palm Sunday is on the 16th). We have e-cards from Catholic Greetings that you can link to from your site. St. Patrick’s Day is one of the most popular days for Catholic Greetings. Place links to our St. Patrick and St. Joseph e-cards on your site, and help your visitors celebrate their faith-filled heritage, even as they enter into this holiest of weeks.

Soon we start the most sacred of Christian celebrations, the sacred Triduum, which starts with Holy Thursday with its institution of the Eucharist. The Triduum continues with the celebration of our Lord’s Passion and death on Good Friday and concludes with the celebration of the Resurrection, beginning with the Easter Vigil. You can help visitors to your site understand the meaning of the Church’s liturgy with a link to our Easter feature.

Did you know that the pope is coming to the United States a few weeks after Easter? April 15-20, Pope Benedict XVI will be in Washington, D.C., and New York City. His trip will also include a speech at the United Nations. We’ll have coverage updated on our site leading up to and during the visit, in the forms of print and audio reports from St. Anthony Messenger editors Susan Hines-Brigger, from D.C., and yours truly, from New York. We’re providing a button for your Web site to make the link to our free section.

Finally, with the election year warming up to be one of the most interesting in decades, we’ve put together news stories about Catholics and the election. We also have a guide to help voters bring their faith to the ballot box, courtesy of Bishop John McCormack of Manchester, N.H. No candidates are endorsed or shunned; but guidance from Catholic social teaching is offered, along with stories as they come to us from Catholic News Service.

Have a blessed Easter!

John Feister
Editor, AmericanCatholic.org

Here’s a parish site that’s ready for Holy Week and Easter. The online home of St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Church stays up-to-date with announcements and events, links to the weekly bulletin, parish calendar and Mass readings, and an event schedule for Holy Week. An attractive Flash presentation provides the site with a lively front door and complements the color scheme, but doesn’t overshadow the important links mentioned above. Last but not least, a nice feature at StACharlotte.com is “Ask Father Forum,” where visitors can anonymously share faith-related questions and problems.

 

Living Our Faith, developed by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, “invites people to meet Christ,” “teaches people to know Christ” and “inspires people to live Christ.” Highlights not to be missed include Catholic trivia questions, “Twenty Something” (a column for young adults) and a weekly reflection by the archbishop. Much of the site’s content is intended to help Catholics in Milwaukee. However, there’s plenty of inspiration for the rest of us. It’s not too late to read “40 Ways to Improve Your Lent.” And be sure to check back for ways to improve and enrich your Easter celebration.

 

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