Simple Ways to Celebrate September Feast Days

Caitlan Rangel shares simple ways to celebrate September feast days to cultivate joy and faith in our homes and communities. 

One of my dear friends, who is part of a more charismatic Protestant community, recently said to me, “I was just thinking about how we all encounter Jesus in different ways, and one of the ways I love how you know God is through celebrating the traditions of the Church."

She shared this after I invited her and her daughter to join us in making graham cracker tents, decorated in goldfish, to celebrate the feast of Saints Peter and Paul on June 29. (The tents for traveling and preaching Paul, and the goldfish for fishing Peter.)

Yes! One of the gifts of our Catholic faith is the opportunity to participate in a living tradition.

But sometimes, we don’t quite know how, life feels too full to do so, or we think what we can do doesn’t live up to the social media standard and therefore isn’t worthy or worth it.

I hope this article will encourage and inspire you to say yes to celebrating a few upcoming feast days in simple ways, and invite a couple of friends along as you do. Any raising of the heart and mind to God is worth it — for us and for those around us!

September 5: Saint Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa)

Saint Teresa of Calcutta, known for her love and care of the poorest of the poor, spent most of her life and ministry in Calcutta, India.

To celebrate her feast day, bring items to your church’s food pantry and prepare a simple Indian-inspired meal for supper.

You can also pray and reflect on what she called her simple path: The fruit of silence is prayer. The fruit of prayer is faith. The fruit of faith is love. The fruit of love is service. The fruit of service is peace.

September 8: The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Happy birthday, Mama Mary! Give Mom a call by praying a Rosary (or a decade of the Rosary) or visiting her Son at daily Mass. You could also bring her a flower at your parish or lay a flower near a statue of her at your home.

Finally, have a little fun by putting a candle in your dessert of choice and singing “Happy Birthday” to our Blessed Mother.

September 17: Saint Hildegard of Bingen

Read the story of this fascinating Saint on her feast day! Writer, herbalist, linguist, and musician, she is a Doctor of the Church for a reason!

Go on a nature walk and listen to music that lifts your mind and heart to God to celebrate St. Hildegard!

September 29: Michaelmas: Saints Michael, Gabriel & Rafael

This is one of my family’s favorite feast days of the year! Prepare a traditional, easy, and delicious bread called Saint Michael’s Bannock. If you want to go all out with a feast day feast, other traditional foods for this feast day include a roasted goose (we do a roasted chicken), roasted root vegetables, and a blackberry dessert. To top it all off, we whack a piñata of a serpent or dragon — a memorable way to kick Satan’s booty in honor of the Saint (Michael) who kicked him out of heaven.

Our Catholic faith is rich in traditions that can cultivate joy and faith in us and our communities today. I hope this September you can make time to celebrate!

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Copyright 2026 Caitlan Rangel
Images: Canva