From Father George's Desk

Today our observance of Advent “turns the corner” as we celebrate Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is the Latin word for rejoice. Back in the days when there was a much greater emphasis placed on penitence during Advent (like Lent), this Sunday was a day to “lighten up” because we were past the halfway point of the season, thus we light the rose candle on the Advent wreath (this day and the Fourth Sunday of Lent—Laetare Sunday— are the only two days on which rose vestments may be worn, as well). We rejoice as Christmas draws near and the Church focuses more directly over the next ten days on the impending celebration of the Savior’s birth. In the words of St. James in today’s second reading: “Make your hearts firm, because the coming of the Lord is at hand.” Last Saturday 12 of our young parishioners celebrated the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the very first time. They are in this year’s sacramental preparation program and will be receiving first Holy Communion in the spring. Please keep these young members of our parish family and their families in your prayers as they prepare to take the next step on their journeys of faith. Regional Penance Services continue this week; all the priests of our region will be present to hear confessions at these services. Please note that because of the busy schedule leading into Christmas week, there are no confessions scheduled at either parish on the afternoon of December 20. The last scheduled opportunity for the Sacrament of Reconciliation before Christmas will be at the Regional Penance Service at Holy Family at 11:00AM this coming Saturday, December 20. Volunteers are needed to help decorate our churches for Christmas...at St. John on Monday, December 22 at 9:30AM and at Holy Family on Tuesday, December 23 at 9:00AM. All are welcome to come and help for as long as you can. More hands make the work lighter and faster! As previously announced, our weekday Mass schedule will be changing effective Friday, January 2. The new daily Mass schedule will be: Monday 8:00AM at St. John Thursday 8:00AM at St. John Tuesday 8:00AM at Holy Family Friday 8:00AM at Holy Family Wednesday 9:00AM at Holy Family Since we had started scheduling Mass intentions for 2026 before learning of Father John’s retirement, our secretaries have been going through the Mass book to make adjustments to the intentions where necessary because a priest can only accept one intention per Mass. In order to accommodate as many families as possible throughout the year, the limit on the number of intentions per family must be strictly enforced since only so many intentions can be scheduled in a year. While I understand the desire to have Masses celebrated for your loved ones at our parishes, the most important thing is not where the Mass is said but that it is said! Many of our retired priests are able to celebrate particular Mass intentions in short order. If you have Mass intentions that you would like offered beyond our ability to satisfy them here at our parishes, please bring them to either parish office with the customary $10 offering per Mass and they will be forwarded to our retired priests to be satisfied. All Masses sent out to be satisfied will listed in bulletin periodically. Thank you for your understanding as we make this adjustment to our parishes’ Mass schedule. And finally...a little Catholic trivia to astound your friends and family this week...We are all very familiar with the Advent hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”. But did you know that the verses of this popular hymn are derived from the Magnificat antiphons for Evening Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours from December 17-23? These “O Antiphons” were originally composed in the ninth century; in them, Christ is addressed by various titles, O Wisdom, O Lord of might, O Rod of Jesse’s Stem, etc. In Latin the first letter of each title—-Sapientia, Adonai, Radix Jesse, Clavis David, Oriens, Rex Gentium, Emmanuel—forms a reverse acrostic (each letter arranged in reverse order creates another word), spelling the Latin words ero cras (I will be there tomorrow). The hymn, as we sing it today, is an adaptation written by Victorian poet and translator John M. Neale [2011 Sourcebook for Sundays, Seasons, and Weekdays, p. 4].