Hello everyone! I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving. This weekend begins the new liturgical year as we enter into the Advent season. The Gospel reading has Jesus warning us about the end of time. He references the days of Noah when the people were “eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark. They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away.” So it will be when Christ comes again. Many will not be prepared and will perish. So, Jesus tells us to be prepared, to stay awake, to be vigilant. The words “eating and drinking” remind me of how we just celebrated Thanksgiving and how we will perhaps do more eating and drinking in the celebration of Christmas or even during Advent parties. Celebrations are good, but we must always be on guard that we are not living only for the pleasures of this world. Too much eating and drinking makes us drowsy, not only physically, but spiritually. We must be alert to the spiritual life or we’ll miss the boat (the ark!) when it comes. The Church is a symbol of the ark. If we live for the pleasures of this world, we have no desire for God and no desire for the Church. With security and comfort in this world, we feel that we have no need of God and the security of the Church. Continuing with the food theme, if we gorge ourselves on the appetizers of this world, we will have no desire or appetite for the main course of the next. If we want to hope, to desire, to hunger for God and heaven, then we must temper our appetites now. Minimize the shopping. Moderate the eating and drinking. Replace those with spiritual exercises – read Advent reflections, read the Scriptures (more on that below), pray the rosary. Pope Francis said, “Today it is our task to keep watch: to overcome the temptation of thinking that life means accumulating…It is up to us to unmask the deception that we are happy when we have many things…and to believe that prayer and charity…are the greatest of treasures.” Homily, First Sunday of Advent, December 1, 2019.
The purpose of Advent is to prepare for Christmas which is the celebration of Jesus coming among us, sharing in our humanity, flesh of our flesh, so that God can suffer with us, and through him to bring us salvation. We celebrate the coming of the Messiah the first time in the Christ child, but Advent helps us as well to prepare for his second coming.
Advent and Christmas traditions make good memories for the kids. The memories help us to enjoy the season as we grow older. In whatever traditions we have, the memories should always lead us to a celebration of the coming of Jesus Christ, our Lord, our Savior, our Healer, our King.
Speaking of reading the Scriptures and Christmas traditions, I saw this on Facebook: Beginning December 1st, read one chapter of the Gospel of Luke each day. There are 24 chapters. On Christmas Eve, you will have read an entire account of Jesus’ life and wake up Christmas morning knowing who and why we celebrate! Sounds like a great new Christmas tradition!
Jesse Tree presentation this Sunday, November 27th at OLL
All are invited to join the PSR students and families for their "Jesse Tree Live" skit on Sunday, November 27th at 10 AM in the church. After the skit, advent-related crafts and activities will be available in the hall.
Brunch after Mass at OLL this Sunday
Please join us for brunch in the church hall after this Sunday’s Mass. If you're willing to donate a dish for brunch, that would be appreciated.
Mass at OLL this Tuesday is at 9am
The priests are meeting with the Bishop in Columbus this Tuesday so Mass at OLL will be at 9am instead of 5:30pm. We will still have Exposition from 6-7pm. If I make it back in time, I will hear confessions from 6-7pm.
Mass at ICC this Wednesday is at 5:30pm
The priests have a Day of Recollection this Wednesday so Mass at ICC will be at 5:30pm instead of at 9am.
No Exposition at ICC this Wednesday
Because I cannot expose the Blessed Sacrament this Wednesday, the church doors will be unlocked at 9am for the regularly scheduled time and the regular adorers are still encouraged to come pray at their regularly scheduled hours.
Christmas Bazaar at ICC
The St. Vincent de Paul Society has put together a bazaar of Christmas items and trinkets to be purchased. They are in the St. Anthony Center and are available after the weekend Masses this weekend and throughout Advent.
Christmas Giving Tree at ICC
Please return your Giving Tree presents by December 2nd. They may be dropped off in the back of church with the tags or to the office.
Donuts with Santa at ICC December 4th
The Knights of Columbus will be hosting their annual Donuts with Santa after the 9am Mass in the St. Anthony Center on December 4th.
Repeat info:
First Saturday Masses
We will have a First Saturday Mass on December 3rd at ICC. After that, we will no longer be having a First Saturday Mass.
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (Holy Day of Obligation) schedule:
Dec 7: vigil Mass at 5:30pm at ICC
Dec 7: vigil Mass at 7pm at OLL
Dec 8: Mass at 9am at ICC
Dec 8: Mass at 5:30pm at OLL
Dec 7: vigil Mass at 5:30pm at ICC
Dec 7: vigil Mass at 7pm at OLL
Dec 8: Mass at 9am at ICC
Dec 8: Mass at 5:30pm at OLL
Christmas Masses:
Dec 24: vigil Mass at 5:30pm at OLL (children's choir)
Dec 24: vigil Mass at 8pm at ICC (adult choir)
Dec 24: Midnight Mass at 12am at OLL
Dec 25: Mass at 10am at ICC (please note that this is Sunday morning, so it is a change from the regular Sunday schedule)
New Weekday Mass schedule
Tuesdays: 5:30pm at Our Lady of Lourdes (OLL)
Wednesdays: 9am at Immaculate Conception Church (ICC)
Thursdays: 9am at ICC
Fridays: 9am at OLL
Wednesdays: 9am at Immaculate Conception Church (ICC)
Thursdays: 9am at ICC
Fridays: 9am at OLL
The weekend Mass schedule remains the same.
Nativity Displays at the Diocesan Museum
The diocesan Museum of Catholic Art and History will have their annual display of Nativity sets. Come be inspired and see their nearly 500 Nativity sets representing cultures from all over the world. The display will be open from November 25th through January 9th. The museum hours are Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1-4 p.m. Adult admission is $10 and students/seniors are $5. The Museum is located in the Catholic Foundation building at 257 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215. Call (614) 618-4030 for more information.
Relics on display
As part of the National Eucharistic Revival, the Relics of St. Manuel Gonzalez Garcia and Blessed Carlo Acutis will be on display for the public at the following locations December 2-5:
- Friday Dec 2, at St. Joseph Cathedral, displayed during the 7:30 a.m. and 12:05 p.m. Masses, with confession at 10:45 a.m. An evening with Bishop Fernandes begins at 5 p.m. with a talk, Vespers, and Holy Hour.
- Saturday Dec 3, at Buckeye Catholic, displayed during the 5 p.m. Mass, with Bishop Fernandes and a talk by Patrick McNulty at 8 p.m.
- Sunday Dec 4, at St. John XXIII, displayed during the 8:30 a.m. Mass and 11:00 a.m. Mass, with public veneration between Masses.
- Sunday Dec 4, at St. Mary Delaware, displayed during the 2 p.m. Mass, with public veneration. Display will continue through an evening youth event “Made for Greatness” from 6- 9 p.m.; Theology of the Body talks featuring Fr. Patrick Shultz, Graeson Dahl, and Damascus Worship. This event is open to any middle and high school youth and their parents in the Diocese. Register at https://forms.gle/ebVL3WKfBxMxxBQs7
- Monday Dec 5, at Christ the King, displayed from 12- 8 p.m., with public veneration with a Bilingual Mass at 7 p.m.
Attached are the bulletins and Sunday readings.
Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!
Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, pray for us!
God bless!
Fr. Ed
