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Do Not Forget the Advent Saints!
During the season of Advent, most of our
attention is focused, quite rightly, on the story of Jesus, Ma
ry, and Joseph. This wonderful liturgical season also offers other stories, ones that often go overlooked: the stories of the saints James Martin advises us no
t to forget the Advent sa
ints. To explore the saints in December,
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Catholic Traditions for Advent and Christmas
By Michaelann Martin
Issue: How can families better live the spirit of Advent and Christmas in their homes?
Response:
The Catholic church has designated the four weeks preceding Christmas as Advent, a time to prepare the way of the Lord for His coming as our King and Savior. In addition, the Church teaches that:
[w]hen the Church celebrates
the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Saviors first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming....
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For more information please visit:
CERC (Catholic Education Resource Center)
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| Congratulations to four candidates for the Permanent Diaconate who reach new milestones in their formation. Bishop Mark celebrated Mass at Saint Mary Parish in Hollidaysburg on Saturday, October 21. The Liturgy included the Institution of Lectors and Acolytes. (Left to right): Allan Duman, Lector; Christopher Conner, Acolyte; Bishop Mark; Deacon Michael Russo, Director of the Permanent Diaconate; John Roth, Acolyte; and Jerome Nevling, Lector. Continued blessings to the candidates, their wives, and their families. |
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THE HISTORY OF ADVENT
The name Advent (From the Latin word Adventus, which signifies a coming) is applied, in the Latin Church, to that period of the year, during which the Church requires the faithful to prepare for the celebration of the feast of Christmas, the anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ. The mystery of that great day had every right to the honor of being prepared for by prayer and works of penance; and, in fact, it is impossible to state, with any certainty, when this season of preparation (which had long been observed before receiving its present name of Advent) was first instituted.
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Yule Logs, Honeybees, and Church Bells
Beneath the Sea............
Just what is a "Yule log" anyway? I recently wondered aloud to a group of friends. "I think it;s like a cheese ball," one friend said. "No, it's a....
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3-Minute Retreats invite you to take a short prayer break right at your computer. Spend some quiet time reflecting on a Scripture passage.
Knowing that not everyone prays at the same pace, you have control over the pace of the retreat. After each screen, a Continue button will appear. Click it when you are ready to move on. If you are new to online prayer, the basic timing of the screens will guide you through the experience.
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ADVENT READING LIST
by Henri J. M. Nouwen
by Apostleship of Prayer
by Raymond Brown
by Edward Sri
by Raymond E. Brown
by Archbishop Timothy B. Dolan
by Pope John Paul II
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Praying with Mary
by
Chris Sullivan
The very essence of prayer is recognizing that God is with us. That is the meaning of one of the Lord's names, one that we hear over and again in Advent, Emmanuel. The Lord is with Mary. The Lord is with us.
What does it take for us to pause amidst the busyness of this season of preparation-between the shopping and decorating, the family gatherings and holiday parties? Mary's life is dramatically interrupted by the visitation of an angel and a miraculous conception. How do I hear the angelic messenger, that still, small voice of God (1 Kings 19:12) in my days? What does God wish to conceive in me? How does God want to use my flesh to incarnate the living Christ?
Loyola Press
A Jesuit Ministry
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THE HISTORY OF THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
The song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is an English Christmas carol. From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of the Church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.
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