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.  When we confess our sins this way, it is good to remember that we are reconciled not only with God alone, but with his whole Church.  This is reflected by the communal context in which this penance service is celebrated.  And just in case there are those who have not gone to confession in a while and think they don't need to go, well … you are probably the folks who need to go the most.  Take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. 
 
New Missals
I hope the new missals are growing on you. I have heard some positive feedback and some express that it is taking some getting used to.  The other change that is coming with these missals is that one is given the missal in the narthex rather than leaving the missals in the pew.  This necessitates everyone to return their missals to the narthex after Mass is over.  This may be a little inconvenient, but there is a reason we are doing it this way.  In order to stock the church pews with missals we would need to buy 450 to spread throughout the church.  Our attendance at any one Mass is around 150, maybe 200 on a bigger weekend.  We are paying for twice the number of missals, many of which would not be used at all.  We purchased 250 new missals and pass them out to whoever is present at Mass and they have it no matter where they choose to sit.  In addition to saving some money, perhaps there is another indirect benefit - that in receiving or returning my missal I may run into someone I do not know so as to say hello.  Let’s keep at it a while and see if it grows on us.
 
New Advent Series on FORMED.ORG
Our parish offers free subscriptions for parishioners to the FORMED.ORG website, which has great Catholic streaming content.  If you do not have an account go through our parish website to sign up or call the rectory if you need assistance.  There is a new Advent series available that can help you enter into this beautiful season.
 
“Ad Orientem” Listening Session
Next Sunday during our Faith Formation time 9:30-10:30, will be an opportunity to share thoughts and reflections about the “ad orientem” worship we have employed for Advent.   It will have been a few weeks, so we have had a chance to encounter the Lord in this way.  This way of worship I know is not as common, so it is good and healthy for to share our experiences of the Liturgy.  I would love to hear how God has been working in you this season.  This listening session will be in addition to a brief catechesis on the “O antiphons” of Advent, which is the topic originally listed on the schedule. 
 
Prepare the way of the Lord! 
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Pfr