This weeks bulletin article: Dear Friends ion Christ: This Sunday is the third Sunday of Advent and traditionally known as “rejoicing Sunday” taken from the antiphon in Latin beginning the Mass. When you think about it, most of us are really blessed. If we have good health, a family, a house and a roof over our heads, clean water and adequate food, we probably are in the top 5% of the world in being blessed. This should always evoke a sense of joy but also gratitude. As we approach the festivities of Christmas, please take seriously of taking the challenge to invite former or non-practicing Catholics to one of our Christmas Masses. About 10% of Americans are former or non-active Catholics and often they will respond to a thoughtful request to join us in prayer at Christmas. As a parish, we are going to have an area for honored guests for all the Christmas Masses, staffed with several parishioners. If there is some way in which we can make the Christmas Mass such that people want to come back the next week and then the next week, etc., we will have made good use of what the most recent Popes have preached about the “new evangelization” that is necessary in our world today. A couple generations ago, we (Americans and Europeans) were sending missionaries to Africa, South America, and Asia. While those churches are booming in growth, the churches of North America and Europe have really weakened and now we see a “reverse” missionary activity as those churches are sending missionaries to us. In one sense this is good. What I mean is that we faithfully evangelized lands far from our shores and those churches have grown and matured and are now sending us missionaries. But that does not relieve us of the duty to do what we can in our own local churches to evangelize a society that is starving for spirituality and authentic experiences of knowing and loving God. So please bring honored guests to our Christmas Masses. Please introduce them to me and Deacon Jim. Please also have them visit our “honored guests” area in our narthex. Peace in Christ, Fr. Thomas T. Brundage Pastor
Posted on: Sun, 14 Dec 2014 01:57:57 +0000
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