Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Merry Christmas! We have only just begun our Church’s Christmas season, so “Merry Christmas!” is still our appropriate greeting for each other at least through Epiphany. They call it the twelve days of Christmas for a reason… They even wrote a song about it!

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As we celebrate today the Fourth Sunday of Advent, I sometimes get the question, “Where are the Christmas decorations? The poinsettias? The greenery?” While homes often decorate after Thanksgiving Day (or Halloween, these days), Catholic churches do not because it is Advent, not yet Christmas. You’ll see a few wreaths up by now and possibly some bare trees, but we save the good stuff for the Christmas season, which begins the evening of the 24th and goes through the Baptism of the Lord in January. Our “elves” are making plans and are ready to decorate, and I promise you’ll see a riot of Yuletide colors when you arrive for Christmas Masses!

Dear Brother and Sisters in Christ,

Because of our often busy schedules, we all like (and need) to plan ahead. With that, I bring you our schedule for Masses for Christmas and the Christmas season:

First, please note that on Christmas Day, Saturday, December 25, we will have no confessions or the usual 5pm Mass.

Christmas Eve Masses - 12/24: 4pm, 6pm, & 8pm (in Spanish)

Christmas Midnight Mass - begins at 12 Midnight

Christmas Day Mass - 12/25: 10am

For Sunday, Dec. 26 (Holy Family Sunday), Mass times are like a normal Sunday.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Wednesday, December 8, we joyfully celebrate a special Holy Day of Obligation – the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Masses are: Vigil, 7 Dec. at 5:30pm; and 8 Dec. at 8:20am, 12noon, 5:30pm, and 7pm in Spanish. We celebrate the conception of Mary in the womb of St. Ann, her mother – one of the supreme preparations God made for His Son to literally take flesh from Mary at the Incarnation. By preserving Mary at the first moment of her existence (her conception) from the original sin of Adam and Eve, Mary was made pure and ready for the later overshadowing of the Holy Spirit at the Annunciation. On May 13, 1846, the United States bishops unanimously chose the Virgin Mary under the title of the Immaculate Conception as patroness of our country. Come pray for your family and our nation on this important Holy Day.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Happy New (Church) Year! Each Advent, we disciples begin a new liturgical year. Our Lectionary Cycle (i.e., the Sunday Gospel readings) changes to Year C, which means most of our Gospel readings this year will come from the Gospel according to St. Luke. Luke was a physician by trade who did not grow up in the Jewish faith. He was a Gentile converted to Christianity and became a companion of St. Paul. In addition to composing his Gospel account, Saint Luke also wrote the Acts of the Apostles, a sort-of “sequel” to his Gospel. Although St. Paul wrote more books, Luke’s two contributions are long enough that they actually make up a greater percentage of the New Testament (about 24%) than those of any other author. Because of his emphasis on the Virgin Mary and women in general, St. Luke has been called the “Marian Gospel” and the “Gospel of women.” Luke is also known to emphasize Jesus’ love of the poor and sick. His Gospel has additionally been called the “Gospel of mercy” and the “Gospel of forgiveness.” Pay special attention to these attributes as we make our way through Luke’s amazing Gospel.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Be thankful: This Thursday, November 25, we will have a special Mass at 9:00am in the church for Thanksgiving Day. (Note that there will be no confessions nor a 5:30pm Mass this day.) As is our custom, a collection will be taken up at this Mass, all of which will go to benefit the poor and those in need.

Today, we “crown” our liturgical year with this Solemnity of Jesus Christ the King. Next Sunday is the 1st Sunday of Advent and a new liturgical year – Year C in the Lectionary cycle. During Year C, most of the Sunday Gospels will come from St. Luke. Advent marks the perfect time to make a new spiritual beginning with new spiritual resolutions. Begin with real, concrete, dedicated time for prayer. Everything else will flow from that.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Please note that beginning the 1st Sunday of Advent (November 28), the time for the Mass in Spanish will move from 12:30pm to 1:00pm. This will ease the “pressure” of the transition between Masses and give more time for confessions and the holy rosary before Mass.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

For 2,000 years, the Catholic Church has learned how to lovingly and respectfully say goodbye to our dearly departed loved ones. Together with our Jewish roots, the Church truly knows how to help people grieve. Remember, it’s ok to mourn. Even Jesus wept at the death of His friend, Lazarus. (See John 11:35.)

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all.” – 1 Corinthians 15:19

Inserted in this weekend’s bulletin is To Rise With Christ – Regarding the Burial of the Deceased and the Conservation of the Ashes in the Case of Cremation. It is always good for us to remind ourselves what we believe and why. After all, each of us will one day pass through the door of death.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Don’t miss Requiem by Gabriel Fauré, a concert by the Columbia Choral Society together with the Aiken Civic Orchestra on All Souls Day, November 2 at 7pm in the church. Tickets are $20 (all students are free) and available at the parish office or at the door on the night of the concert.

While Halloween gets a lot of secular attention, the real celebration is not about witches, devils, and zombies, but about Saints – the inspiring men and women who lived holy lives for Jesus Christ and now live forever in Him. “Halloween” comes from older English meaning the night before – or Eve – of All Hallows Day – or All Saints Day. (Think “hallowed ground,” meaning “holy ground,” and “hallowed be thy name,” i.e., “holy is your name.”)

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

For a few years now, one of our parishioners, Alejandro(Alex) Leguizamon, has been participating in our diocesandiaconate training program. A couple of weeks ago, hepassed one of the milestones in his training and was officiallyinstalled as an Acolyte in the Church. Soon, you will beseeing Alex at various Masses, mostly acting as lector andhelping in the distribution of Holy Communion at Mass.Acolytes are sort of the “top-level” of extraordinaryministers, being the only extraordinary ones officiallyinstalled for the universal Church. (All other EM’s are onlycommissioned in individual parishes.)

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As we begin Respect Life Month, here are some thoughts for us to ponder. Life is such a miracle! Give thanks to God, who holds all things in existence, for your existence – for your life. Every child conceived is loved first by Him. – Father Wilson