The purpose of a variety in the color of the sacred vestments is to give effective expression even outwardly to the specific character of the mysteries of faith being celebrated and to a sense of Christian life’s passage through the course of the liturgical year.
–General Instruction of the Roman Missal (No. 345)
General Instruction of the Roman Missal,
346. As to the color of sacred vestments, the traditional usage is to be retained: namely,
White
White is used in the Offices and Masses during the Easter and Christmas seasons; also on celebrations of the Lord other than of his Passion, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of the Holy Angels, and of Saints who were not Martyrs; on the Solemnities of All Saints (November 1) and of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist (June 24); and on the Feasts of St. John the Evangelist (December 27), of the Chair of St. Peter (February 22), and of the Conversion of St. Paul (January 25).
Red
Red is used on Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion and on Good Friday, on Pentecost Sunday, on celebrations of the Lord’s Passion, on the feasts of the Apostles and Evangelists, and on celebrations of Martyr Saints.
Green
Green is used in the Offices and Masses of Ordinary Time.
Purple or Violet
Violet or purple is used in Advent and Lent. It may also be worn in Offices and Masses for the Dead (cf. below).
White or Black
Besides violet, white or black vestments may be worn at funeral services and at other Offices and Masses for the Dead in the dioceses of the United States of America.
Rose
Rose may be used, where it is the practice, on Gaudete Sunday (Third Sunday of Advent) and on Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent).
On more solemn days, sacred vestments may be used that are festive, that is, more precious, even if not of the color of the day.
Gold or Silver
Gold- or silver-colored vestments may be worn on more solemn occasions in the dioceses of the United States of America.
This information is taken from the General Instruction of the Roman Missal.
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