As I was preparing to start writing this Pastor's Column, I was given the Church calendar for December to look over and make changes and/or additions as necessary. Firstly, I hope you always look at this insert in the bulletin (which is included normally on the last weekend of the month). Please do not only look at it, but keep it somewhere prominent where you can reference it throughout the month. Not surprisingly, there are some "out of the normal" liturgies and activities in addition to those that happen on an ongoing basis every month.
After looking over the Christmas Mass schedule, if you are going to be here for Christmas this year, I encourage you to note three special public gatherings for prayer. The first is the Holy Day on December 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. Since Mary is the patroness of the United States under that title, this holyday is ALWAYS celebrated as a Holy Day of OBLIGATION. Please make every effort to join us for Mass either on Friday, December 7, at 4:00 p.m. or Saturday morning, December 8, at 9:00 a.m. We also offer on successive Tuesdays, our Annual Parish Mass of Remembrance on December 11 at 9:00 a.m. and our Advent Reconciliation Service, with opportunity for individual reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation on December, 18 at 4:00 p.m. PLEASE circle both of these opportunities. The Parish Mass of Remembrance gives us a chance to join together to support those of our loved ones who have died this year (no matter where they died) with our prayers and support and comfort for our brothers and sisters in the Lord who lost loved ones this past year. Following this Mass we have, and encourage attendance to, a reception for all who have come to Mass that day. Plan also to join us for our Advent Reconciliation service. We will have at least eight priests available to celebrate God's mercy and forgiveness of our sins and our reconciliation with the Body of Christ, along with God's people who are wounded by our sins.
It is no secret to most of us that the Sacrament of Reconciliation is not being celebrated by most people with the regularity it once was. Please make it a priority to be with your brothers and sisters in the Lord during the holy season of Advent to cleanse your hearts and make room to truly celebrate the Nativity of the Lord. The month of December, perhaps more than any month, is so busy that we truly have to pick and choose what we do and don't do. I pray the Lord will guide us to choose those spiritual opportunities that will make everything else we do, ore fruitful!
After looking over the Christmas Mass schedule, if you are going to be here for Christmas this year, I encourage you to note three special public gatherings for prayer. The first is the Holy Day on December 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. Since Mary is the patroness of the United States under that title, this holyday is ALWAYS celebrated as a Holy Day of OBLIGATION. Please make every effort to join us for Mass either on Friday, December 7, at 4:00 p.m. or Saturday morning, December 8, at 9:00 a.m. We also offer on successive Tuesdays, our Annual Parish Mass of Remembrance on December 11 at 9:00 a.m. and our Advent Reconciliation Service, with opportunity for individual reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation on December, 18 at 4:00 p.m. PLEASE circle both of these opportunities. The Parish Mass of Remembrance gives us a chance to join together to support those of our loved ones who have died this year (no matter where they died) with our prayers and support and comfort for our brothers and sisters in the Lord who lost loved ones this past year. Following this Mass we have, and encourage attendance to, a reception for all who have come to Mass that day. Plan also to join us for our Advent Reconciliation service. We will have at least eight priests available to celebrate God's mercy and forgiveness of our sins and our reconciliation with the Body of Christ, along with God's people who are wounded by our sins.
It is no secret to most of us that the Sacrament of Reconciliation is not being celebrated by most people with the regularity it once was. Please make it a priority to be with your brothers and sisters in the Lord during the holy season of Advent to cleanse your hearts and make room to truly celebrate the Nativity of the Lord. The month of December, perhaps more than any month, is so busy that we truly have to pick and choose what we do and don't do. I pray the Lord will guide us to choose those spiritual opportunities that will make everything else we do, ore fruitful!