On Easter, we will begin singing the appropriate seasonal Marian antiphon, the Regina Caeli.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Lenten Blessings! I hope Lent is going well so far and I hope people are taking advantage of the opportunity to grow spiritually at our Lenten Mission talks which start this weekend. Choose either Saturday evening at 5:45 after the Vigil Mass or Sunday mornings at 9:30 in between the Masses. Some core things to remember this Lent is first God’s mercy which is always available. Don’t ever be afraid to turn back to Him. Also we can do nothing, NOTHING!, on our own. Our good efforts and penance of Lent are only possible because of God’s grace and His inspiring us to grow in His Love. So let us embrace this truth and cooperate with Him more!

Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People Ash Wednesday is a few days away, so it is good for us to prepare to celebrate it well. Ash Wednesday distribution of ashes will be at the 8:30am and 5:30pm Masses. Our Lenten Mission: “Forgiveness” from FORMED.ORG This year for Lent we will focus on the Beauty of God’s Mercy, which of course has been a theme of Pope Francis since he was elected five years ago. Our parish will offer faith formation sessions so that all parishioners can take advantage to learn more about and ultimately live God’s mercy.

Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Our Lenten Mission: “Forgiveness” from FORMED.ORG Lent is not far away, so it is good for us to prepare to celebrate it well. This year for Lent we will focus on the Beauty of God’s Mercy, which of course has been a theme of Pope Francis since he was elected five years ago. Our parish will offer faith formation sessions so that all parishioners can take advantage to learn more about and ultimately live God’s mercy.

Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People Dear Brothers and Sister in Christ, Our Lenten Mission: “Forgiveness” from FORMED.ORG This year for Lent we will focus on the Beauty of God’s Mercy, which of course has been a theme of Pope Francis’ since he was elected Pope five years ago. Our plan is to offer faith formation sessions so that all parishioners can take advantage of a great video series from FORMED.ORG.

Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Last Weekend’s Feast, Devotions, Potluck, and Hall Meeting What a whirlwind of a weekend last week, but also grace filled! Even in the cold the love in our community warmed the church giving glory to God! Thank you all so much for a wonderful Feast Day celebration last weekend! We tried something new and it seemed to work very well.

There was a delay due to the weather in the delivery of the February/March envelope packets. If you still have not received your envelope packet for February/March, please contact the Rectory at 330-724-1263. A replacement packet will be sent to you as soon as possible. Please excuse this inconvenience and we thank you for your patience.

Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, HAPPY FEAST DAY! Based on what I hear from some pastors, January is a slower month for the parish. Because of this and also the cold and snow, a number of them use January for vacation time. But I think we are blessed that this is not the case for us. We are blessed to celebrate the Christmas Season into the new year and celebrate Epiphany with the blessing of chalk and blessing of homes. This gears us up to prepare for our Feast Day, January 25.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Happy Feast of the Baptism of the Lord! This weekend is a good one to remember and celebrate one’s baptism. Do you know the date of yours? If not why not find out so that you can celebrate it like a birthday. Because truly on baptism day you were born again into eternal life!

Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Happy Epiphany! The Christmas season continues as the wise men arrive at the Christ child in the manger! This feast calls us to reflect on how God incarnated and thus takes on our humanity and is connected to every human person, not just one group or nationality. Through the wise men, He is revealed to the nations.

Beginning with the weekend of February 2/3 we will begin singing "Ave Regina Caelorum" before the final hymn through Lent.

Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People Merry Christmas, Brothers and Sisters in Christ! I pray all are continuing to celebrate the Christ Child in this Christmas season. Don’t be afraid to continue saying Merry Christmas to each other and even strangers. Unlike much of our culture which thinks Christmas celebrating is over, we are just starting! Keep the lights on and the trees up.

December 23, 2018 Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, We are almost there! The celebration of Christ’s Nativity is very soon. I am hoping our Advent preparation has been fruitful. All four candles on the Advent wreath are burning, trees are up, stockings hung, cookies baked and gifts wrapped. Even so, we recall always that we are preparing for the coming of the Messiah. “Messiah” or “Christ” means anointed one. Anointed for what? For Mission. What is the Mission? To save our souls from death and sin.

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.

December 9, 2018 Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Cluster Communal Penance Service This Tuesday at Nativity of The Lord Jesus Parish at 7pm is the Advent Communal Penance Service for our Parish Cluster (St. Paul, St. Francis de Sales, Queen of Heaven, and Nativity). All the priests from these parishes will be at Nativity and we invite everyone here to make the trip for this great opportunity to prepare the way of the Lord through the Sacrament of Confession.

December 2, 2018 Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Ad Orientem “People look East, the time is near!” So finally the time to turn east is here. This First Sunday of Advent we are looking East with “ad orientem” worship. This means that during the offertory and Eucharistic Prayer of the Mass the priest and people look together in the same direction “toward the east”.

Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Ad Orientem “People look East, the time is near!” So finally the time to turn east is here. This First Sunday of Advent we are looking East with “ad orientem” worship. This means that during the offertory and Eucharistic Prayer of the Mass the priest and people look together in the same direction “toward the east”.

Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Christ is the King of the Universe! We have come to the final week of this liturgical year. Recently our Mass readings and prayers have been moving us to consider the end times: death, judgment, Heaven, and hell. As Catholics these are realities that we should consider all year round, but especially now, the church emphasizes them as we conclude our liturgical year. Christ will come again in power and glory and judgment; no earthly power can usurp His and the Heavenly Kingdom will reign forever.

Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Ecumenical Thanksgiving Prayer Service Tomorrow evening, Monday, November 20 at 7pm at Firestone Park Presbyterian Church, there will be an Ecumenical Prayer Service in honor of Thanksgiving. The religious groups of our area thought that we should all get together as a Firestone Park community and offer thanks to God. While there are differences in our religious beliefs, one thing we can come together on is thanking God for His many blessings.

Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Preparing for Advent and Turning Eastward Last week I wrote of how we plan to celebrate the Masses of Advent ad orientem, meaning “toward the East.” A couple years ago, the Prefect for the Congregation of the Discipline of the Sacraments, Cardinal Sarah, stated that this liturgical posture is very much a part of our current Tradition and recommended that priests and parishes incorporate this liturgical option in some way. While this was not a mandate, only a suggestion, I believe it has merit.