Dear Parishioners,
Are you excited or are you stressed out? Or are you in disbelief that it’s the 22nd of December? Today is also the 4th Sunday of Advent and we are just two days away from Christmas Eve and it’s time to light the final candle on the Advent wreath.
Yes, this has been a short Advent season. Since it’s so short, sometimes we let things get in the way of our spiritual preparations. Yet this 4th Sunday of Advent can also be an opportunity for us. For many of us, these next few days will be very busy. But we have to ask ourselves this very important question: Where does the Baby Jesus fit in with all of the many things that I must do or take care of in the next few days? We all know that it’s easy to get caught up with all kinds of other activities or family time. Yet we need to find room in our hearts for our Lord. We can’t lose sight of this.
I invite you to please join us for one of the four Christmas Masses that we will be offering on Christmas Eve (4 PM, 6:30 PM, and 9 PM, all with overflow into Marian Hall) and a 10 AM Mass on Christmas Day. Please note that our offices will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day so that our staff can be with their families.
Speaking of Christmas Eve, the Jubilee Year 2025 for the Universal Church will begin on this night. Pope Francis will open the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome on Christmas Eve, marking the start of the Jubilee Year celebration. In the weeks that follow, the Holy Doors at the other major Basilicas in Rome will also be opened as part of a series of events to commemorate this sacred occasion.
May the Lord bless you and your families as we celebrate our Lord’s birth!
Have a Blessed Christmas!
Fr. Mark