Dear Family,
In the midst of all the things we do to prepare for celebrating Christmas, I’m very aware that under all the “Merrys,” I feel a wonderful “Happy.”

I hope I haven’t already lost you so early in the Twitch.

”Merry” reminds me of all the wonderful things past that I recall from a long line of Christmases. Tree shopping with Dad... the smell of real pine throughout the house... fancier ornaments toward the top of the tree out of reach of the latest toddler...

Saving ten dollars and buying Christmas presents for the whole family - nine other people, for that $10... I think Old Spice for Dad was $1.00

Riding my bike to Church to serve Midnight Mass and no one being worried about my being out at that time of night...

Dear Family,
With one week to go we ask the Lord to help us ramp up our anticipation of the feast of Christmas 2022. I found a great reflection by Christopher Wells about a homily Pope Francis gave five years ago today. The Pope spoke of St. Joseph.

In difficulties, in troubles, in darkness, we learn from St Joseph who knew “how to walk in darkness,” “how to listen to the voice of God,” “how to go forward in silence.” Jesus, he explained, was born of Mary, the spouse of Joseph, the son of David.

The Pope reflected on the emotions felt by Joseph when the signs of Mary’s pregnancy ap-peared after she returned from the house of Elizabeth: He spoke of his “doubts,” his “sorrow,” of his “suffering,” while all around him people began to murmur – the “gossip of the neighborhood.” He “did not understand,” but he knew that Mary was “a woman of God”: and so, he decided “to send her away quietly,” not accusing her publicly. Such was his intention until “the Lord intervened,” through an angel, in a dream, who explained how the child had been conceived in her through the Holy Spirit. And so “he believed and obeyed”.

Dear Family,
That’s what it’s all about: Ministry.

My heartfelt thanks to the leaders who set up displays for our Ministry Fair last weekend. My twofold hope was that we would not only get people to become more involved, but that we would also have a chance to meet each other and be able to put some names on faces. I don’t know about you, but I always feel badly about not remembering a name and after a while you’re embarrassed to ask someone for their name again. Gathering helps the process. You succeeded so well!

The refreshments after all three Masses were wonderful. Thanks to the Hogans and Guerins for wine and cheese after 5:00, the Council of Catholic Women for 8:30, and Nancy Adams, Judy Fisher and Patrick O’Dea for the mimosas and sandwiches after 11:00. And at the center of it all was, of course, Annie Gardner who made it all hum seamlessly. (Well, I was humming while she was seaming.)

Dear Family,
This Thursday is December 8th, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. It is a Holy Day of Obligation. We will have Mass at 8:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (We will NOT have a Vigil Mass on Wednesday.)

Each country adopts a set of patron saints, members of the heavenly court who are special intercessors for all those within a particular country’s borders. It took the bishops of the newly created United States of America 70 years to appoint the Blessed Virgin Mary as patroness of their country. In doing so, they invoked Mary under her title of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception.

It was a choice met with unanimous support, one that was based on many different factors. The decision was reached on May 13, 1846, during the Sixth Provincial Council of Baltimore.

Having the feast in Advent time helps us focus a little better on the celebration of the great mystery of Jesus becoming man through Mary, one of us as she was one of us.