Dear parishioners,
This weekend we celebrate the Second Sunday of Advent. Please join us at our normal Mass times as we continue to prepare our hearts and minds for Christmas.
Our High School Youth Ministry will be meeting this Sunday from 7:00-8:30pm in the school gym. All high schoolers are welcome! Middle School Youth Ministry will be held this coming Wednesday at the same time and the same place. All middle school students are welcome to attend! Youth ministry is great fun, fellowship, and a time to learn more about Jesus and our faith.
The Knights of Columbus still have several Christmas Trees available for sale in our tree lot in front of the Church. Please get your tree soon as the trees are selling quickly. All proceeds from the trees sales go to help different charitable organizations within our community and to assist ministries within our parish.
Our Christmas Giving Tree still has several gift tags available. Let's join together and help get gifts for those in need within our community. We have had a great response thus far! Thank you! Our goal is to have all the gifts purchase and returned to the Church by December 12th.
As a reminder, in addition to our normal Confession times we have added confessions on Friday afternoons from 5:00-6:00pm during Advent. Confessions will be heard in the chapel confessionals at St. Catherine's. This is a great way to prepare our hearts, minds, and souls for Christmas and Christ's coming again.
On December 8th, we celebrate a special solemnity of the Church, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is a Holy Day of Obligation. Mass times will be Wednesday December 7th, at 4:30pm and Thursday December 8th, at 8:00am, 9:15am, Noon, and 7:00pm. We will also have a Mass at St. Mary's in Gilberts at 4:30pm on December 8th.
A Special Holy Hour will take place on Wednesday December 7th from 5:30-6:45pm in the chapel. We will unite together to pray for an end to abortion and greater respect for all human life. We will pray the Litany of Life, the Holy Rosary, and have time for silent prayer. This time of adoration will conclude with Benediction around 6:45pm.
Please mark you calendars for a special night of prayer and reflection on Our Lady of Guadalupe. We will gather on Monday December 12th, her Feast day, from 7:00- 8:00pm. The evening will consist of a candlelight procession with the image of our Lady into the Church, Marian hymns, a brief talk by myself and the Respect Life Group on both the apparitions and the miraculous image details; we will pray the rosary, and finish by presenting roses to the Our Lady of Guadalupe image. The evening will conclude with traditional Mexican hot chocolate and fellowship.
God bless you all,
Fr. John