Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People
 
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
 
Happy Gaudete Sunday and Faith Formation
The Third Sunday of Advent is Gaudete (Latin for “Rejoice”) Sunday.  Today is a little liturgical oasis when we wear rose colored vestments pointing us to the joy that is soon to come.  This day also functions as a hinge in our Advent focus.  The first half has focused on Christ’s Second Coming, but now that switches a bit and more directly points us to the celebration of Christ’s First Coming as He was born unto us at Christmas.  It is also at this time that in the Church’s Liturgy of the Hours there are particular antiphons (like the ones chanted after the opening hymn at our Masses) like “O Wisdom,” “O Eastern Light”, “O King.”  They are often called the “O” Antiphons as they call out different titles of the coming Messiah.  Join us at Faith Formation this Sunday at 9:30am (in between the Masses) to learn more about them.
Also we will be scheduling our next few months of Faith Formation topics.  Is there anything you have wondered about regarding faith, the Church or our Catholic teaching?  Let us know. 
 
Ad orientem Listening Session
Along with the “O Antiphons” at Faith Formation on Sunday at 9:30, there will be time for a listening session regarding our Advent liturgical practice of “ad orientem.”  It will be helpful for us to share our experiences of how we have encountered Christ utilizing this option in the Liturgy.  It is something that can affect people differently and that is not a bad thing.  Please come and share and reflect with others.
 
Advent Decorations
As we continue through this season of Advent you will notice the incremental changes of our decorations.  Thank you to our staff and also the many volunteers who continue to help prepare us to enter this season of expectation and hope.  Our Nativity scene will soon be up in the Narthex as well as unlit trees in the sanctuary.  You may have noticed the wise men in the north end of the narthex have been slowing moving each week as they get closer to their destination on the Feast of Epiphany.  This Gaudete Sunday we rejoice because we are getting closer to the feasts of the Christmas season.
 
Pew Missals
Thanks to all as we adjust to the new procedure with our new Pew Missals.  I’m open to comments about them or the way we are utilizing them.  Anything new takes some getting used to.  Are they working and helping you in your participation at Mass? Let us know. 
 
Rejoice on this Gaudete Sunday!
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Pfr