First Sunday of Advent

My dear friends in Christ,

We begin the new Liturgical Year in the Church on this First Sunday of Advent. Here we are, four Sundays before Christmas, and we enter into a season packed with prayer and reconciliation services, concerts, feasts, rehearsals and Masses. We also have Christmas cards to write, a Christmas tree and decorations to put up, and shopping to do. Will we have time to get some prayerful rest? How do we get through all of this and at the same time, be aware, be prepared and be vigilant at all times? Of course the main focus of all of this is to realize that the only reason for this season is the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ! We prepare for the coming of the Son of Man, the promised Emmanuel, who is yet to come!

We will have a Holy Day of Adoration next Friday, December 7th, 2018. Exposition will be at 6:45 PM. Our Vigil Mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception will be at 7:00 PM. Please consider spending some time with the Lord on this First Friday as we continue to pray for all priests and each other.

We will publish the end of year Annual Financial Report in a couple of weeks. In preparing you for the release of this report, I can only say that it is a constant struggle for our parish to maintain operating costs below budget. I can only rely on your generosity and love in keeping us viable and strengthening our position for the future.

May God bless you all!

Father John