December 12th, Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
The feast in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe goes back to the 16th century. Chronicles of that period tell us the story...
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December 8th, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Today the Church celebrates a mysterious and miraculous event of such importance to God's plan for our salvation in Christ that it happened in a manner that went virtually undetected.
This event is the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Not to be confused with another mysterious and miraculous event, the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus, the Immaculate Conception is about how God acted in an extraordinary way in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, so that from even the first moment of her own conception, she was rescued from the power of original sin.
What does this even mean?
Advent
Advent comes from the Latin word meaning "coming." Jesus is coming, and Advent is intended to be a season of preparation for His arrival. While we typically regard Advent as a joyous season, it is also intended to be a period of preparation, much like Lent. Prayer, penance and fasting are appropriate during this season.
Advent is not as strict as Lent, and there are no rules for fasting, but it is meant to be a period of self-preparation. The purple color associated with Advent is also the color of penance. The faithful should fast during the first two weeks in particular and receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
The color of the Third Sunday of Advent is rose. This color symbolizes joy and represents the happiness we will experience when Jesus comes again. The Third Sunday is a day of anticipatory celebration. It is formerly called "Gaudete" Sunday; gaudete means "rejoice" in Latin.
Finally, Sundays during Advent, just as during Lent, should not be given to fasting, but instead to celebration because we celebrate the resurrection of Our Lord every Sunday.
Nov 22, Thanksgiving Day
For many of us, the meaning of Thanksgiving usually includes feasting, four-day weekends, football games, floats, family reunions, or a forerunner to Christmas festivities. The “first Thanksgiving,” however, was neither a feast nor a holiday, but a simple gathering. Following the Mayflower’s arrival at Plymouth Rock on December 11, 1620, the Pilgrims suffered the lost of 46 of their original 102 colonists. With the help of 91 Indians, the remaining Pilgrims survived the bitter winter and yielded a bountiful harvest in 1621. In celebration, a traditional English harvest festival, lasting three days brought the Pilgrims and natives to unite in a “thanksgiving” observance.
November 22, Memorial of St. Cecilia, virgin and martyr
St. Cecilia, also known as Cecily, lived during the Third Century. The exact dates of her birth and death remain unknown, but her story is legendary.
Installation Mass & 40 Hours Devotion thank you
Fr. Piotr is thankful to all who have in any way contributed to the celebration of his installation Mass and our 40-Hour Devotion last Sunday. Altar servers, children's choir, organist, Rosary Society ladies who baked, ladies who prepared and decorated the auditorium and cooked a delicious dinner, all others who helped in any way; and all parishioners for coming and for their prayers; for every gesture of kindness and good word! Thank you and God bless you!!!