Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Advent is the season is a time of preparation and anticipation of the coming of the Christ Child at Christmas. The four Sundays (and weekdays) leading up to the celebration of Christmas. The Advent season also directs our hearts and minds to Christ’s second coming at the end of time.
Advent devotions including the Advent wreath, remind us of the meaning of the season. Traditionally, Advent wreaths are made of a circle and may include evergreen branches into which four candles are inserted, representing the four weeks of Advent. Our gift shop may still have some Advent wreaths on the shelf.
READ MOREDear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I was recently up north enjoying Arizona’s version of the Fall season which lasts about two days. This is one of my favorite times of the year. The weather is beautiful, our programs are in full swing, and people just seem to be more pleasant. It is a great time to focus on our gratitude! Thanksgiving Day most certainly includes giving thanks to God for His countless blessings in our life. We will have two morning Masses (6:30am and 8:30am) on Thanksgiving day. There is no better way to give thanks to God who has given us everything.
READ MOREDear Brothers and Sisters,
I could have never imagined that one day I would be a pastor of a parish that had a school with nearly 640 students, much less a school where almost every student has access 24 hours a day 7 days a week to the internet via a smart phone or tablet . If you would have told me the sort of material that children have access to with just the click of a mouse or push of a button, I would have thought you were crazy. The sad reality is that our young people have access to much more addictive and horrible material than we ever even just a few years ago thought possible .
READ MOREDear Brothers and Sisters,
Are you grieving after the death of a loved one? Prayers for souls in purgatory can help them and console you! While we can derive great comfort from the hope that our loved ones are enjoying Eternal Life with God, it never hurts to pray for their souls in any case.
In purgatory, the souls of many of those who have died in God’s grace undergo purification so that they may enter heaven.
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