Dear friends in Christ,
This, That & the Other ... On the
4th Sunday of Advent this weekend we'll hear in the Scriptures the account of the angel of the Lord visiting Joseph and assuring him of the work of the Holy Spirit.
“Do not be afraid,” the angel says to him. What a beautiful message to carry in our hearts in this final week of Advent! … Perhaps we are worried or anxious about any number of things in our life. Maybe the year hasn’t gone as well as we would have hoped, or we are unsure of what the new year will bring. Through it all, our God will be there with us, just as surely as he was with Joseph and Mary. With that assurance in our hearts, let us seek the presence of the Emmanuel, the one who is coming – and indeed has already come – into our lives.
... Let’s review one final time the Christmas Mass schedule for next week.
On Christmas Eve, Tuesday, Dec. 24, masses will be at 4 p.m., (with an additional Mass at the same time in the Parish Hall), 6:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m. and 12 midnight. On Christmas Day, Wednesday, Dec. 25, masses will be at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.
... I encourage you to plan ahead about which Christmas Mass to attend. The 4 p.m. Mass is always extremely crowded with more than 2,500 people in the Church and Parish Hall and the 6:30 p.m. is also very popular. Remember the Mass in the Parish Hall is its own separate liturgy (not a simulcast) with priest, deacon, musicians, and all the ministers. We will not use incense at this Mass (as we will at all the other liturgies in the Church), so it might be a good option for those whose allergies are sensitive. … The nursery will be open for the 4 p.m. Christmas Eve masses only. ... The masses on Christmas morning at 9 and 11 a.m., while usually quite full, are a good option to consider. The trend has been moving for several years to attend on Christmas Eve, but I always find that Mass on Christmas morning is a beautiful way to greet the newborn King of Kings. ... And, as I do every year at this time, I remind you that the answer to the question, “What time does Midnight Mass start?” is “Midnight.”
... Though the Christmas liturgies are always well attended and it seems at times we couldn’t fit one more person into the Church, I think this is the perfect time to invite someone to come with you, perhaps a family member or friend who has not been to Church in a long time. Maybe they are feeling alienated from the Church for whatever reason, but now could be the right time to come back home. We’ll make room for everyone, I promise. ... It is only through personal invitation and witness that we can ever hope to bring more people to know the love of Jesus. Give some thought this week to one person you could invite to attend mass with you on Christmas. Coordinate a time that they can come and make plans to sit with them in the pews. Then let the Lord do the work! But they need our invitation first. All are truly welcome.
... Thank you to all who brought gift cards for Cypress Assistance Ministry as well as toys for the children at Our Mother of Mercy. We had a tremendous response to both of these great parish traditions. On behalf of all those who will benefit from your generosity, thank you very much. We’ll have a full recap on both initiatives in early January. ... And speaking of January, our Knights of Columbus will have 2020 calendars to distribute at Mass the weekend of Dec. 28-29, the Solemnity of the Holy Family.
... Permit me to make one final appeal for
Diocesan Services Fund drive which ends on Dec. 31. It funds the more than 60 ministries of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston that no one parish could ever do on its own, but that collectively allows us to offer, among other things, chaplains at the hospitals, food pantry and soup kitchens, ministry to the imprisoned, senior care centers, and outreach to the most needy, in addition to providing training for lay ministers in Religious Education and Youth Ministry in every parish. … It’s an important work of the Church that benefits many and we all have a role to play. Your pledge of any size helps make it all possible. More than 860 parishioners, including myself, have made their gift already, and I encourage you to join us and do the same so that we might make our goal for the year. It’s quick and easy at
www.archgh.org/dsf.