Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Merry Christmas and Happy Feast of the Holy Family! We continue in this great octave of Christmas celebrating the sublime truth of God the Son, having assumed a human nature to Himself was born of the Virgin Mary to usher in new hope of salvation. God in perfect love condescends to His fallen sinful creatures and is born among them utterly vulnerable.

Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, The “Advent Turn” Toward the Nativity What we might call the “Advent turn” is complete. I do not mean here the turning toward the Lord with “ad orientem” worship (which we have already been doing for 3 weeks). I mean it here like turning a corner.

Perhaps seventy-five or more people attended Saturday mornings Rorate Caeli Mass. It was a beautiful Mass honoring our Blessed Mother. The entire mass was said in candlelight.

Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Happy Gaudete Sunday and “O” Antiphons 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.

Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, St. Paul’s “4th Journey” Initiative We continue to give thanks as a parish for this 100th year celebration. Our focus is three-fold: History, Spirituality, and Evangelization. We are now emphasizing the evangelization, which is why we started our “4th Journey” to follow the example of St. Paul who reached out to the greater community and preached the Gospel.