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”.