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The Holyday Book
by Fr Francis X. Weiser, S.J.

Why do we wear our best clothes on Sunday?  What was the Holy Ghost Hole in medieval churches?  How did a Belgian nun originate the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament?  Where did the Halloween mask and the jack-o’-lantern come from?

Learn the answer to these questions, as well as the history behind our traditional celebration of Thanksgiving, in this gem of a book by Fr Weiser.

Paperback, size 5.5" x 8.5", 218 pages

The Christmas Book
by Fr Francis X. Weiser, S.J.

This book unfolds the story of the celebration of Christmas.  Beginning with its gospel and history, the author leads us through the festivities of the Middle Ages, to the decline and eventual revival of Christmas customs in Europe and in America.

Paperback, size 5.5" x 8.5", 188 pages

The Easter Book
by Fr Francis X. Weiser, S.J.

If you enjoyed learning about holiday traditions in The Christmas Book, you are sure to love its sequel, The Easter Book.  Father Weiser has here applied his winning formula to an explanation of the fasts and feasts of the Lenten and Easter seasons with equally fascinating results.

Paperback, size 5.5" x 8.5", 226 pages

Religious Customs in the Family
The Radiation of the Liturgy Into Catholic Homes
by Fr Francis X. Weiser, S.J.

Many beautiful; traditional religious customs that will give Catholic homes a truly Catholic spirit year round: E.g.; blessing of children; name days; feast days; Advent and Christmas customs; etc. Great reading for all. Essential to help every Catholic family overcome secularism. Shows the religious source of even such common things as pretzels; hot cross buns; the Easter ham; Thanksgiving Day; Spring Cleaning; etc. What parts of the Christmas Tree are Catholic; and which ones came from secular influence. Very interesting and useful!

Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 132 pages

Handbook of Christian Feasts and Customs
The Year of the Lord in Liturgy and Folklore
by Fr Francis X. Weiser, S.J.

The Church’s Liturgical Year reflects the fullness of Divine Revelation. In the various celebrations and commemorations of the Year of the Lord, the Church recalls the mysteries of faith: the Incarnation of God’s only-begotten son, his passion, death, and resurrection which won redemption for mankind, and his institution of the sacraments and founding of his Church for the salvation of souls. Handbook of Christian Feasts and Customs, first published in 1958, is a masterful summary of the origin, history, development, and observance of the events on the Christian calendar as they developed to the mid-twentieth century.

With warmth, wit, and due reverence, Francis X. Weiser, S.J., presents the liturgical and devotional aspects and the cultural expressions—the food and drink, music and dancing, and more—found in these salvific occasions. Set in three parts, the study progresses through the temporal rhythm of the seasons (Sundays and weekdays), the recollection of Christ’s redeeming work (Advent and Christmas, Lent and Easter, Pentecost and Corpus Christi), and the jubilation over the fruits of that work (the Blessed Mother and the angels and saints).

An easily accessible and richly detailed guide to the holy-days and celebrations of the Christian liturgical year, Handbook of Christian Feasts and Customs remains true to its testament as “a key to a devout and meaningful observance of the Year of the Lord.”

Paperback, size 9" x 6", 384 pages