Tomorrow, December 8, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is a holy day of obligation. 

On May 17,1846, the bishops of the United States proclaimed Mary, under the title of her Immaculate Conception, the patroness of the United States. However, her importance and protection has been an important part of our country from the very beginning. In fact, Bishop John Carroll, who was the first bishop in the United States responsible for the thirteen colonies, placed his diocese under the Blessed Mother's protection in 1792.

Mass times are:

*The school children will attend 8:00 am Mass unless there is a two-hour delay in which they will then attend at noon. 

Please join us for our parish Advent Penance Service on Tuesday, December 13. People can arrive any time between 6:30 pm and 7:30 pm. There will be 17 priests available to hear confessions. 

We will have a "fast pass" line for our older parishioners with limited mobility and families with children in grades 5 and below.

Parishioners Rob Slocum and Steve Reed will be ordained to the permanent diaconate at Saint Matthew's Cathedral in South Bend on Saturday, January 7, 2023. They will serve and give their first homilies as deacons at Saint Elizabeth on Sunday, January 8. Steve will serve at 9:45 am Mass and Rob will serve at 11:30 am Mass. There will be a reception in the parish hall after all morning Masses on January 8.

In preparation for their ordination, there will be a table in the Gathering Area this weekend for parishioners to write notes of congratulations to Rob and Steve.

Stay tuned for next week's Flocknote to learn more about Rob and Steve.

The Mass takes its title, Rorate Caeli, from the first words of the Introit, which are from Isaiah 45:8 - Rorate, caeli, desuper, et nubes pluant justum, aperiatur terra, et germinet Salvatore, which translates as, “Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just: let the earth be opened and bud forth a Savior.”

Blessed Niels Stenson lived in Denmark from 1638 to 1686. He was a famous scientist who converted to the Catholic faith and became a bishop devoted to the Eucharist. As a scientist, he discovered new organs and glands in both animals and humans. He is renowned for his work on the human brain, providing the basis for research over the following two hundred years. His attendance at a Corpus Christi procession moved him to consider Catholicism. After a thorough examination of the original Hebrew and Greek texts of the Bible, he wrote, “I became deeply convinced of the truth of what the Catholics [believe about the Holy Eucharist]. There is only one human response to the self-giving love which shows itself on the cross and lives in the Church as the true bread of humanity. The more we say ‘yes’ to this love, the more we become like Christ.” 

Blessed Niels Stenson's feast day is December 5. Learn more about his Eucharistic devotion at www.diocesefwsb.org/eucharist.