Each month, The Tidings lists dates in the church's calendar which commemorate saints and other noteworthy celebrations during the upcoming month, and archdiocesan parishes named in the saints' honor. The list may not include all the feast days in a particular month.

Jan. 1: Octave of Christmas and Solemnity of Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God,. Pope Paul VI unified this multifaceted celebration in 1969, combining the Circumcision of Christ, the octave and feast of Mary. The day also commemorates the New Year, the oldest of all holidays, first observed in ancient Babylon about 4,000 years ago. Pope Gregory XIII established the Gregorian Calendar and confirmed Jan. 1 as the first day of the year in 1582.

Jan. 2: St. Basil the Great, fourth century bishop and doctor of the church; renowned as a theologian, teacher and monastic founder in both the Greek and Latin churches. Parish: St. Basil, Los Angeles.

Jan. 2: St. Gregory Nazianzen, a close friend of St. Basil and also a bishop and doctor of the church famous for his talks on the Trinity. Parish: St. Gregory Nazianzen, Los Angeles.

Jan. 3: Holy Name of Jesus, a feast restored by Pope John Paul II to honor Christ's name. Parish: Holy Name of Jesus, Los Angeles.

Jan. 3: St. Genevieve, fifth century virgin and patroness of Paris whose prayers saved the city from the invasion of Attila the Hun. Parish: St. Genevieve, Panorama City.

Jan. 4: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, 19th century widow and convert who started the Catholic school system in the United States. Parish: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Rowland Heights.

Jan. 5: St. John Neumann, 19th century priest who was named superior of the American Redemptorists and then bishop of Philadelphia. Pope Paul VI canonized him in 1977, the first American male saint and first bishop to be sainted. Parish: St. John Neumann, Santa Maria.

Jan. 13: St. Hilary, fourth century bishop who preached against the Arian heresy. Pope Pius IX named him a doctor of the church in 1851. Parish: St. Hilary, Pico Rivera.

Jan. 20: St. Sebastian, a third century soldier in Rome who defended Christians from persecution and was himself martyred. His legend portrays him in art as pierced with arrows. Parishes: St. Sebastian, Los Angeles (Westwood) and Santa Paula.

Jan. 21: St. Agnes, virgin and martyr of the third century and mentioned in the missal. Her name is derived from Greek for "pure." Parish: St. Agnes, Los Angeles.

Jan. 24: St. Francis de Sales, born in France, bishop and doctor of the church, and the patron of journalists and authors (he was a great preacher and writer). He died in 1622. Parish: St. Francis de Sales, Sherman Oaks.

Jan. 26: St. Timothy, first century bishop and martyr who traveled with St. Paul and is often mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles and Paul's letters. Tradition says he was stoned to death. Parish: St. Timothy, Los Angeles.

Jan. 28: St. Thomas Aquinas, Dominican doctor of the church, canonized in 1323 and recognized as one of the church's greatest theologians. Parishes: St. Thomas Aquinas, Monterey Park and Ojai.