Dear Parishioners,

Here are some important things to note in the days to come. We will have the Our Lady of Guadalupe party today (Dec. 14th ) after the 10:30 Mass at SJ. Come enjoy the festivities. The office will be closed on Thursday Dec. 18th, the staff and I will be on a staff development day off site.

We have our next Spanish Mass on Saturday Dec. 20th at 8 AM at SJ. We have our Night of Beauty on Sunday Dec. 21st. Vespers will be prayed at 5:30 PM, and our penance service will start at 6 PM with music and adoration all at SJ. We will have a number of priests to help with confessions.

Tuesday Dec. 22nd there will be a 1:30 PM Mass at Heartwood in the large conference room.

The Christmas Mass schedule is as follows: Christmas Eve Dec. 24th Mass at 4 PM at SJ, children’s choir will sing prior to Mass, (This one is usually the busy one). Christmas Day Dec.25th 8:30 AM at OLF, and 10:30 AM SJ.

January 1st is a holy day of obligation Mary Mother of God. Mass times are: on Dec. 31st 4 PM at SJ (vigil Mass), on Jan 1st 9 AM OLF, and noon at SJ.

I would like to thank the CCW for their work on the Christmas Market. Thank you to all the women who volunteered and baked for the event. I understand they did very well. The ladies have also purchased new rose vestments for SJ, and they should be on display for Gaudete Sunday. Dear women of the parishes… thank you for your care of the liturgy. For the flowers, the new altar linens and the vestments. I appreciate the help and the care to elevate our worship. So many hands behind the scenes to make our Masses beautiful in so many ways… these are just a few of the latest things I am grateful for.

We have Masses in ad orientem for this weekend and next weekend. Hopefully it will be an experience that we can share together. I want to compliment you all on your singing and chanting of the Mass. You are doing really well. It has been a beautiful thing to observe the dance unfold. When we pray the Mass together it really is an experience much like dancing…when a man and woman dance on the dance floor both must know the dance, and so in the beginning it may feel a little clunky. And undoubtedly some partners are more naturally adept and nimble on their feet… some are quick to learn etc. But all in all when a partner follows or leads well it makes for a joyful experience of the dance. It’s been a long time since I have ballroom danced, but I remember well when dancing with someone who was in-tune with the steps and who I was comfortable with. It made the experience more interesting and effortless. So, to continue the analogy, I am grateful for your willingness to learn these new dance steps.

It’s fun to learn something new together and to slide into it so effortlessly. I am hopeful that we might continue to add little bits to our celebration. Liturgy that is sung and carried out well is both a prayerful experience and gives honor to God. This is the goal… that each of us would be able to honor God and encounter him in this communal prayer. Once the dance steps are learned, you can relax and enjoy the experience. This in turn allows the interior to be free to reach out to God in the soul. This is my hope for us, that our celebration of the Mass becomes a place of encounter and prayer that nourishes our lives.

Happy Guadate Sunday (rejoice)!

In Christ,

Fr. Eli