The Angelus is a traditional Catholic prayer that calls us to meditate on the Incarnation of Christ. The word angelus means “angel,” and the prayer invites us to pause in our busy days to recall the Annunciation, when Mary gave the angel Gabriel her consent to bear the Son of God.

Traditionally prayed three times a day (morning, afternoon, and night), many people choose to say it once, at noon. No matter how often we say it, the Angelus is a powerful prayer that enables us to draw closer to the Lord through Mary’s intercession. It provides a brief moment to consecrate ourselves and our day to God and to contemplate the mystery of Christ’s Incarnation.

The Angelus draws us closer to Mary, deepens our prayer life, and leads us into Scripture, all while preparing our hearts for the coming of Christ. It offers a brief moment to consecrate ourselves and our day to God and to contemplate the mystery of Christ’s Incarnation. Through Mary's intercession, the Angelus also invites us to imitate her fiat, her yes to God, calling us to say our own yes in trust and obedience, again and again, in the ordinary moments of our day.

The word fiat is Latin for “let it be done.” We often associate this word with Mary’s yes to the Lord at the Annunciation: Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum (“Let it be done unto me according to your word”), referring not only to her assent to become the mother of the Savior but also her obedience to the Lord all through her life.

We too are called to readily accept the Lord’s will for us. When we study, pray, and ask for guidance, we proclaim our fiats in trust and obedience to the Lord.

Small group discussion questions are included in each week of the devotional for those who want to discuss with friends, family, or a small group.

Additionally, a free downloadable small group guide is available, which includes the devotional weekly discussion questions, plus an opportunity to watch and reflect on Fr. Mike”s Sunday homilies.

The videos will be available on YouTube each Sunday of Advent and linked on the free resources page to the Ascension app.

The devotional itself directs users to the resources page where they can find the videos.

No. Joy to the World: An Advent Journey with the Angelus stands on its own as a complete Advent journey. The app subscription is optional. For parishes that want to offer more, Fr. Mike Schmitz’s daily Advent videos in the app offer a meaningful complement, covering the overarching theme of joy explored in the journal. 

A parish app subscription gives parishioners access to Fr. Mike’s daily Advent series for just $4.99, plus Crux for Lent and hundreds of premium resources through Lent 2027.

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The Crux devotional will follow the Psalms from the daily Mass readings.

The expected shipping date is February 2, 2027.

No. Crux stands on its own as a complete Lenten journey. The app subscription is optional. For parishes that want to offer more, Fr. Columba’s daily Lent videos in the app offer a meaningful complement that delves deeper into the psalms and encourages daily physical and spiritual disciplines.

Parishes can opt to take advantage of the parish subscription to give all their parishioners premium access to the Ascension app for six months for just $4.99.

• Small group discussion questions are included in each week of the journal for those who want to discuss with friends, family, or a small group.
• Additionally, a free printable small group guide will be available before Lent, which includes the journal weekly discussion questions, plus an opportunity to watch and reflect on Fr. Columba’s free weekly videos.

The videos will be available to small groups in the Ascension app.

The devotional itself directs users to the resources page where they can find the videos.

English and Spanish