THE LIST of Rogation and Ember Days: Days of Penance vs. Care of Creation

Ember days (fasting and penance: themes of mortality and justice)
*MLK, JR. National Holiday
1/27 Int’l Holocaust Remembrance (and Jewish Yom HaShoah following Passover*)
*April events
5/17 IDAHOBIT-Int’l Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia
*May -Memorial Day
6/12 Simpson & Goldman/Pulse Nightclub
6/19 Juneteenth-End of Black Slavery in USA
*6/21 – 7/4 NCCB/USCC Fortnight for Freedom & Religious Liberty
7/27 Korean War Memorial
8/6 Hiroshima/Transfiguration and 8/9 Nagasaki (Catholic Japanese)
9/11 Patriot’s Day: National Day of Mourning and Service
Yom Kippur-Jewish Day of Atonement
October 12 (2nd Monday) Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples/Native American
Day of the Race/Dia de la Raza
11/2 All Souls
11/11 Veteran’s Day/St. Martin of Tours (esp.WWI)
11/20 Int’l Transgender Day of Remembrance
11/25 Int’l Day Against Violence Against Women
M/T/W before Thanksgiving Day (3rd Thursday November) with "Black" Friday being Native American Heritage Day
12/7 Pearl Harbor (WWII)
12/10 Int’l Human Rights Day
12/28 Holy Innocents
*Some of the dates listed in italics are difficult to keep as fasts since they occur on
national holidays OR are questionably mandated by the US Bishops. There are also
numerous tragic events especially in the month of April that can be commemorated.

Rogation (meaning “request, questioning, asking”) praying of a litany
M/T/W before Ascension Thursday-Blessing of crops and harvest
April 25-St. Mark (traditional date)

Focus on Creation Care:
February 1 St. Brigid and IMBOLC fire festival /February 2 Presentation/Groundhog Day
Ash Wednesday “Remember you are of the earth and to the earth you will return.” OR "You are made from the stuff of stars and to the stardust you shall return."
March -Spring equinox and Easter season in general
Holy Saturday -blessing of animals and Easter Vigil blessing of water
April 22 Earth Day and Earth Week with the Easter Greening of the Cross
May 15 Saints Isadore and Maria (farmers)
June -Summer solstice
August 15 Assumption of Mary- Blessing of crops/herbs/harvest
September 1-Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, which begins the "Season of Creation"
Sept. 8-Birth of Mary-Blessing of seeds/seedlings
Sept. 21-St. Matthew & Int’l Day of Prayer for Peace (North American Autumn being an
especially focused time on harvest and crops.)
Rosh Hashana -Jewish New Year and Birthday of the Earth
October 4: St. Francis of Assisi and Blessing of Animals
November-Thanksgiving Day
December 21-Winter Solstice “O Radiant Dawn!”