Dear Parishioners and Friends,
This is one of those years that pastors dread – when the Fourth Sunday of Advent is also Christmas Eve! Unlike last year, when Christmas fell on a Sunday, and we had four full weeks of Advent; this year, we will have just three weeks and a few hours of Advent! Needless to say, a lot is going to happen in a shorter span of time.
On this First Sunday of Advent 2023, we are starting the season with our annual Advent Wreath Workshop as well as the return of the Pancake Breakfast, sponsored by our Confirmation classes.
On Tuesday, December 5th, I will present an Advent Daytime Retreat: The Art of the Jesse Tree, from 1:00 to 3:00 PM in the Franciscan Center. If you haven’t signed up for it, that’s okay. We have decided to eliminate the fee and ask only a free-will offering from the participants.
For the remaining Tuesdays in Advent (December 12 and 19), we invite you to participate in “Incarnational Inspiration” with Pat Curtis and LouAnn Warren after the 12:05 Mass, using the stained glass windows in our church. You can find more information about these programs in this bulletin.
On Thursday, December 7th at 7:15 PM, we will hold an Advent Evening of Prayer for Peace in the church. With violence occurring in the Middle East, Ukraine, Haiti and other parts of the world, we want to pray that peace and reconciliation may come upon all who are suffering and forced to leave their homeland to seek safety. We are inviting members of the Jewish and Muslim communities to join us to offer readings and prayers. Three of the world’s major religions – the monotheist traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam – were all born in the Middle East and are all inextricably linked to one another. Christianity was born from within the Jewish tradition, and Islam developed from both Christianity and Judaism. I hope you will be able to join us for this moment during a time in which we Christians are especially attuned to the prophetic promises of peace and justice that embody the spirit of the Advent season.
This year marks the 800th anniversary of the visit of St. Francis to Greccio where he celebrated Christmas and created what is believed to be the first nativity scene. The Franciscan Order wishes to mark this occasion with special observances and events to draw attention to Francis’ deep love for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. At our service of Lessons and Carols on Sunday, December 17th, we will read from a letter by Pope Francis which he wrote to encourage families and individuals to set up a nativity scene in their homes as a way to contemplate the Christmas story and how the various “members” of the nativity scene played their role in it. The children of our parish will present the various figures of our nativity scene.
Please continue sending your photos for our Christmas Tree. Email a digital file to [email protected], or you can bring a photo to the parish office which we will scan.
There is a lot happening here, so blessings on your week ahead!
Blessings on your week ahead!
Fr. Tim Shreenan, O.F.M.Pastor
