Dear Brothers and Sisters of St. Andrew the Apostle,
As we struggle to close an unusual year, it's comforting to rest in the familiar. I was recently speaking to a friend of mine who told me that she's excited about Advent this year. What was odd is that I was thinking the same thing. Advent is for preparation and reflection. It's an invitation to return to the precepts we believe.
The beginning of Advent invites us to think about meeting our Lord at the end of our lives. We consider how prepared we will be on that day . . . and even how prepared we are today. Advent is a time to refocus on what we believe. In a year when there have been so many disruptions and distractions, Advent asks us to reorder our lives and place Jesus at the center. It's a time for examining our conscience and coming to Confession. It's a time giving up some activities that do not lead us to God and replacing them with prayer. It's a time to come to Church for Mass or Adoration during the week. It's a time to remove some of the clutter in our lives and ask Jesus to draw closer.
We have added some extra Confessions during the season of Advent. Each Wednesday evening, we will have confessions at 8:00 PM. In the days before Christmas, there will be more Confessions added, so please check your Advent calendar. This Wednesday, December 9, will be our Advent Penance Service, in which several priests from outside of the parish will join Fr. Bresnahan and me to offer Confessions beginning at 7:00 PM. Please take advantage of these blessed opportunities to experience the endless mercy of God!
My prayer for all of us this Advent is that we continue to grow in sanctity through our desire to offer more of ourselves to God. May this December allow us to end the year 2020 prepared to meet our Savior that we may glory in his promises.
It was a blessing to have a good turnout for our evening Mass on the Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle on Monday, November 30. While it would be preferred to have more of a celebration as a parish, considering our situation, there is nothing better we can do than to join together at Mass and ask for the prayers of our patron.
This Tuesday, December 8, is a Holy Day of Obligation, the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We will have a vigil Mass on Monday at 7:30 PM, and Masses at 6:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 5:30 PM, and 7:30 PM on Tuesday. We will live stream the 9:00 AM Mass and the 5:30 PM Mass. Please join us in the church or on our YouTube site as we celebrate the Patroness of the United States, the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of the Immaculate Conception.
If you are like me, you find yourself procrastinating to make the rest of your charitable donations before the end of the year. Many good causes need our help, especially amid the coronavirus. This weekend, Bob Mueller, the Director of Development for the Diocese of Arlington, will speak at the end of each Mass to talk about the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington and the charitable work they do in Northern Virginia. The collection for Catholic Charities will be on the weekend of December 13.
As I have mentioned before, I would like to pay off the total debt of the organ by the end of the year. We are currently within $47,000 of the goal. This has also been a difficult year for our school. Our teachers and staff have been working heroically to have both classroom learning and live-streaming available for all grades. However, the costs of providing these dual learning environments and making the necessary additions and changes to keep our students and staff safe according to the protocols for the coronavirus have gone beyond what we had anticipated.
Those interested in giving to these or other parish programs may earmark their gift to the parish to match their intentions. I thank everyone who has already been so generous this year and have been patient with me as I ask for money throughout this year. Believe me, I appreciate your kindness! I am very blessed to be here at St. Andrew the Apostle!
Be assured of my continued prayers for you and your intentions. May the Lord prepare our hearts in this sacred season of Advent!
In Christ,
Fr. Wagner
