Join us in a great New Year’s resolution that will change your life – let’s read the entire Catechism in a year!
Along with yourself, please invite family, parishioners, and friends to join us in reading the entire Catechism of the Catholic Church together using Fr. Mike Schmitz’s podcast, “The Catechism in a Year,” beginning January 1st. With this podcast, we won’t just read the Catechism in 365 days… this podcast will help us understand what it means to be Catholic and allow those truths to shape our daily lives!
You can find this podcast on any podcast app, on YouTube, or just by clicking this link! www.ascensionpress.com/pages/ciy-registration-parish
This series is also available on the Hallow App! You can get three months free

Dear friends in Christ Jesus, 
 
            A very Blessed and Merry Christmas to you as this holy season continues! 
 
Yes, as it begins and continue.  [Look below to see what it all entails]   The TWELVE DAYS of Christmas begin on Christmas Day, not leading up to it.  [The explanations and real meaning of these twelve days are explained further below.]  Christmas Day begins the Octave of Christmas, that is, the 8-day expansion of Dec. 25th, where we are to live as it is Christmas Day until the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, Jan. 1st.  As I like to say, no one knows how to party like the Church. :o)


       Finally, FIND BELOW, please enjoy other material gathered for your reading enjoyment and spiritual benefit.
​
-"The 12 Days of Christmas"
-FOUR WAYS TO HAVE A MORE JOYFUL CHRISTMAS
-POPE BENEDICT SPEAKS ON NATIVITY SCENE AND TREE, SYMBOLS OF CHRIST'S NATIVITY 
-excerpts from the Diary of St. Faustina on the Infant Jesus 
Blessings for a Christmas Tree and Manger Scene
A bit of humor… 
           
Peace and prayers in Jesus through Mary, loved by Saint Joseph, 
Father Robert
 

P.S.  This coming Sunday is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God .   The readings can be found at:  https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/010123.cfm

Listen (8min)

Listen (15min)

​C atholics in England during the period 1558 to 1829 were prohibited by law to practice their faith either in public or private. It was illegal to be Catholic until Parliament finally emancipated Catholics in England in 1829.
"The Twelve Days of Christmas" was written in England as one of the "catechism songs" to help young Catholics learn the basics of their faith. In short, it was a coded-message, a memory aid. Since the song sounded like rhyming nonsense, young Catholics could sing the song without fear of imprisonment. The authorities would not know that it was a religious song. 
"The 12 Days of Christmas" is in a sense an allegory. Each of the items in the song represents something significant to the teachings of the Catholic faith. The hidden meaning of each gift was designed to help Catholic children learn their faith. The better acquainted one is with the Bible, the more these interpretations have significance. 
T he song goes, "On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me…"
The "true love" mentioned in the song doesn't refer to an earthly suitor, but it refers to God Himself. The "me" who receives the presents refers to every baptized person. i.e. the Church.

1st Day:
The partridge in a pear tree is Christ Jesus upon the Cross. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge because she would feign injury to decoy a predator away from her nestlings. She was even willing to die for them. 
     The tree is the symbol of the fall of the human race through the sin of Adam and Eve. It is also the symbol of its redemption by Jesus Christ on the tree of the Cross. 

2nd Day:
The "two turtle doves" refers to the Old and New Testaments. 

3rd Day:
The "three French hens" stand for faith, hope and love—the three gifts of the Spirit that abide (1 Corinthians 13). 

4th Day:
The "four calling birds" refers to the four evangelists who wrote the Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke and John—which sing the song of salvation through Jesus Christ. 

5th Day:
The "five golden rings" represents the first five books of the Bible, also called the Jewish Torah: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. 

6th Day:
The "six geese a-laying" is the six days of creation. 

7th Day:
The "seven swans a-swimming" refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord. 

8th Day:
The "eight maids a milking " reminded children of the eight beatitudes listed in the Sermon on the Mount. 

9th Day:
The "nine ladies dancing" were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. 

10th Day:
The "ten lords a-leaping" represents the Ten Commandments 

11th Day:
The "eleven pipers piping" refers to the eleven faithful apostles. 

12th Day:
The 'twelve drummers drumming" were the twelve points of belief expressed in the Apostles' Creed: belief in God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, that Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, made man, crucified, died and arose on the third day, that he sits at the right hand of the father and will come again, the resurrection of the dead and life everlasting. 

S o the next time you hear "the Twelve Days of Christmas" consider how this otherwise non-religious sounding song had its origins in keeping alive the teaching of the Catholic faith.   
 
 

FOUR WAYS TO HAVE A MORE JOYFUL CHRISTMAS 

1.  STOP, LOOK, AND LISTEN: 

If you discover yourself becoming dulled to the joys of  the season, STOP!  Slow the pace down and become still, taking time to LOOK and LISTEN.  Take a winter walk, curl up in a favorite chair or before the fireplace. Helen Keller once observed, "The seeing see little."  So feel the comfort of the glow of a candle, or the red of the poinsettias.  Listen with new ears to laughter and bells, and to the expression of love found in the story of the first Christmas.   LOOK UPON THE MANGER, the second home of Love after the womb of His Virgin Mother.

2.  BE WILLING TO BE SURPRISED: 
      
Remember that God can come in the least likely ways - a Holy Child born in a village stable, a brightly shining star, an angel song in the night sky. Watch for Him to come in equally surprising ways to you, too.  When we live as if God is going to "surprise" us at any moment, in any way, in any place, then He usually does! 

3.  FREE YOUR CHILDLIKE SPIRIT:
      
Jesus held up child-likeness as a quality to be cultivated (Mark 10:15 ).  Children are experts at dreaming up simple things as delights that adults don't, or have forgotten how to do.  Can't you picture a little boy singing "Jingle Bells" to a plastic Jesus in a store?  Christmas often comes in precious moments like this, when we spontaneously show our adoration for the Baby in the manger. 

4.  SHARE THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS WITH SOMEONE ELSE:

Nothing multiplies the sense of wonder in your life like giving it away.  The more you share (not just things, but yourself) the brighter Christmas grows.

I hope that these simple steps will help you, or someone you can share these with, keep the wonder and excitement of Christmas alive during this blessed season.  

"Jesus is the reason for the season."
 
 
 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"As He was physically formed in her, so He wills to be spiritually formed in you.  If you knew He was seeing through your eyes, you would see in every fellowman a child of God.  If you knew that He worked through your hands, they would bless all the day through.  If you knew He spoke through your lips, then your speech, like Peter's, would betray that you had been with the Galilean.  If you knew that He wants to use your mind, your will, your fingers, and your heart, how different you would be.  If half the world did this there would be no war!"
(Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen)
  +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 
​

POPE EMERITUS BENEDICT SPEAKS ON NATIVITY SCENE AND TREE, SYMBOLS OF CHRIST'S NATIVITY 

VATICAN CITY, (VIS) -  "This ancient fir," said the Pope Emeritus, "cut down without harming the life of the forest, ... will remain standing by the nativity scene until the end of the Christmas festivities. ... It is an important symbol of Christ's Nativity because with its evergreen leaves it recalls the life that does not die. The fir is also a symbol of the popular religiosity in your valleys, which finds particular expression in processions." 
 
  "The tree and the nativity scene are elements of that typical Christmas atmosphere which is part of the spiritual heritage of our communities; an atmosphere suffused with religiosity and family intimacy which we must conserve even in our modern societies where the race to consumerism and the search for material goods sometimes seem to prevail. 
 
  "Christmas is a Christian feast," added Benedict XVI in conclusion, "and its symbols, especially the nativity scene and the tree hung with gifts, are important references to the great mystery of the Incarnation and the Birth of Jesus, which are constantly evoked by the liturgy of Advent and Christmas." 
AC/CHRISTMAS TREE/...                                                             VIS 071214 (240)

​

A popular custom is to bless the Christmas tree before lighting. This can be done on Christmas Eve.   It is good to remind our children and ourselves of the part a tree played in the sins of our first parents and of the sacred wood of the Tree (the Cross) on which Jesus Christ, whose birthday we are about to celebrate, wrought our redemption. 
 
The origin of the Christmas tree goes back to the medieval German mystery plays. One of the most popular 'mysteries' was the Paradise play, representing the creation of man, the sin of Adam and Eve and their expulsion from Paradise. It usually closed with the consoling promise of the coming Savior and with a reference to His incarnation. This made the Paradiseplay a favorite pageant for Advent, and its closing scenes used to lead directly into the story of Bethlehem. 
 
These plays were performed either in the open, or the large squares in front of churches, or inside the house of God. The garden of Eden was indicated by a fir tree hung with apples; it represented both the 'Tree of Life' and the 'Tree of discernment of good and evil' which stood in the center of Paradise. 
 
After the suppression of the mystery plays in churches, the Paradise tree, the only symbolic object of the play, found its way into the homes of the faithful, especially since many plays had interpreted it as a symbol of the coming Savior. Following this symbolism, in the fifteenth century the custom developed of decorating the Paradise tree, already bearing apples, with small white wafers representing the Holy Eucharist; thus, in legendary usage, the tree which had borne the fruit of sin for Adam and Eve, now bore the saving fruit of the Sacrament, symbolized by the wafers. These wafers were later replaced by little pieces of pastry cut in the shape of stars, angels, hearts, flowers, and bells. 
 
In some homes the tree is blessed on Christmas eve and the crib on Christmas morning. The following form may be used for the Blessing of the Christmas Tree: 

 ​

When the tree has been prepared, the household gathers around it. All make the sign of the cross.

​

The manger scene has a special place near the Christmas tree or in another place where family members can reflect and pray during the Christmas season. It is blessed each year on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.   It is appropriate to have Holy Water available.
 
All make the sign of the cross. The leader begins:
Our help is in the name of the Lord. 
  
All respond:
Who made heaven and earth. 
  
The leader may use these or similar words to introduce the blessing.
We are at the beginning of the days of Christmas. All through the season we will look on these images of sheep and cattle, of shepherds, of Mary and of Joseph and Jesus. 
  
Then the Scripture is read by a reader:
Listen to the words of the holy gospel according to Luke: 
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea , to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.—Luke 2:1-7 
  
The reader concludes:
This is the Gospel of the Lord. 
  
All respond:
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. 
  
The figures may be placed in the manger. After a time of silence, all join in prayers of intercession and in the Lord's Prayer (the Our Father). 
  
Then the leader invites:
Pray now for God's blessing as we look on these figures. 
  
After a short silence, the leader prays the blessing:

O God of every nation and people,
from the very beginning of creation
you have made manifest your love:
when our need for a Savior was great
you sent your Son to be born of the Virgin Mary.
To our lives he brings joy and peace,
justice, mercy, and love.
 
Lord,
Bless this manger and all who look upon it.
Through all the days of Christmas
may these figures tell the story
of how humans, angels, and animals
found the Christ in this poor place.
 
Fill our house with hospitality, joy,
gentleness, and thanksgiving
and guide our steps in the way of peace.
May this manger remind us 
of the humble birth of Jesus,
and raise our thoughts to him,
who is God-with-us and Savior of all,
and who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
 
R. Amen.

(Then sprinkle Holy Water on the Crèche or Manger.)
  
The leader says:
Let us bless the Lord. 
  
All respond, making the sign of the cross:
And give Him thanks. 
  
Then Christmas songs and carols are sung such as:

It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
  
It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold; 
"Peace on the earth, good will to men, 
From Heaven's all gracious King."
The world in solemn stillness lay,
To hear the angels sing.
  
Still through the cloven skies they come
With peaceful wings unfurled,
And still their heavenly music floats
O'er all the weary world; 
Above its sad and lowly plains,
They bend on hovering wing,
And ever over its Babel sounds
The blessèd angels sing.
  
Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world has suffered long;
Beneath the angel strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love-song which they bring;
O hush the noise, ye men of strife
And hear the angels sing.
  
And ye, beneath life's crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow,
Look now! for glad and golden hours 
Come swiftly on the wing.
O rest beside the weary road,
And hear the angels sing!
  
For lo! the days are hastening on,
By prophet-bards foretold,
When with the ever circling years
Comes round the age of gold;
When peace shall over all the earth 
Its ancient splendors fling,
And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing.
Silent Night
 
Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild 
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night! 
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Saviour is born
Christ, the Saviour is born

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth 
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth "
 
Silent night, holy night
Wondrous star, lend thy light;
With the angels let us sing,
Alleluia to our King;
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!
Feast of the Holy Family Of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
Love is the power force of a Happy Marriage:
    In general , "love" is "to give"...  love is like a smile, we don't have it until we don't give it, if you don't give a smile, you will never have it.  We all expect "love", "to be given", but in marriage, the husband has to love his wife, to give all himself to her, and for the wife to give all herself to the husband. 
Time is essential for the Family:      We have to give "time, "our time" to the one we love, to our spouse and children, and this is very important.:
A child complained to his father, "you don't spend time with me", "I am very busy at work", reply the father. "How much do you make at work? asked the child, $10 per hour, reply the father. The next day the child gave the father a $10 bill, and "What is this for?,” asked the father. So you can give me one hour of your time, you can spend one hour talking with me."

 
 

A bit of humor…




Some Thoughts: 


-Chocolate is the best investment. You buy 100 g – you gain 2 kg!
-It’s all a matter of viewpoint. 250 lbs here on Earth is 94.5 lbs on Mercury. Fat? No. I’m just not on the right planet.


-The trouble with being punctual is that nobody’s there to appreciate it.  
-Insanity is hereditary. You get it from your kids.  
-If Wal-Mart is lowering prices every day, why isn’t anything in the store free yet?  
-Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia: Fear of long words.  
-I’m in shape. Round is a shape isn’t it     


Profound Thoughts of Christmas
Santa Claus has the right idea. Visit people once a year.” ~Victor Borge
Once again, we come to the Christmas Season, a deeply religious time that each of us observes,
in his own way, by going to the mall of his choice.  -Anonymous
Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall.  ~Larry Wilde
Nothing's as mean as giving a little child something useful for Christmas.  ~Kin Hubbard
The office Christmas party is a great opportunity to catch up with people you haven’t seen for 20 minutes.


Office Holiday Memo
To: All Employees 
From: Management 
Subject: Office conduct during the Christmas season 
Effective immediately, employees should keep in mind the following guidelines in compliance with FROLIC (the Federal Revelry Office and Leisure Industry Council).
1. Running aluminum foil through the paper shredder to make tinsel is discouraged. 
2. Playing Jingle Bells on the push-button phone is forbidden (it runs up an incredible long distance bill) 
3. Work requests are not to be filed under "Bah humbug." 
4. Company cars are not to be used to go over the river and through the woods to Grandma's house. 
5. All fruitcake is to be eaten BEFORE July 25. 
6. Egg nog will NOT be dispensed in vending machines. 
In spite of all this, the staff is encouraged to have a Happy Holiday.
 
Christmas Gifts
Some mice enter heaven on Christmas.  St. Peter asks them what they would like for Christmas.   They say some roller skates, so he equips them with some.
 
Next, a cat comes to heaven.  St. Peter asks what the cat would like for Christmas.   The cat looking around seeing the mice enjoying their gifts says, "Meals on wheels."


It is all about Communication

-As a little girl climbed onto Santa's lap, Santa asked the usual, "And what would you like for Christmas?"
The child stared at him open mouthed and horrified for a minute, then gasped: "Didn't you get my text, social media post, and E-mail?"




+JMJ+
SUNDAY MASS READINGS AND QUESTIONS
for Self-Reflection, Couples or Family Discussion
The Octave Day of Christmas-Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God Sunday, January 1st, 2023

The First Reading- Numbers 6:22-27
The LORD said to Moses: “Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them: This is how you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them: The LORD bless you and keep you! The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!  The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace! So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.”
Reflection 
Here we see the priests being instructed on how to bless the people. They are to bless them in the name of the Lord - which communicates the “name”, which involves communicating the presence and holiness of God to them. It is not just a nice gesture - it is an act that brings about a reality - a reality that is invisible to the eye, but real all the same.  
Adults - We still receive this type of blessing today, for our priests, especially at the end of Mass. When the priest blesses us at the end of Mass it is a powerful moment that prepares us with grace - which is invisible but real - for the mission field of the world. Pay special attention to this blessing at the end of Mass.
Teens - Do you tend to zone out, or even leave, after Communion? Be sure to stay for the powerful final blessing - it’s an intricate part of the Mass!  
Kids - Do you have any special holy items? Ask your priest to bless them!

Responsorial- Psalm 67:2-3, 5,6,8
R.May God bless us in his mercy.
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
Reflection 
Just as we saw a focus on blessing in the first reading, this Psalm is a prayer for the blessings of God. Remember to thank God for his blessings!

The Second Reading- Galatians 4:4-7
Brothers and sisters: When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. As proof that you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son then also an heir, through God.
Reflection
Saint Paul speaks here of Christians as adopted children of God, and therefore heirs. What is the inheritance of the children of God? To answer this we look at His Son, Jesus, through whom we are God’s children. Looking at Him shows us what is in store for us as God’s children - eternal life with God, ultimately in a new heavens and a new earth, in our same, though glorified, bodies.
 -Spend some time meditating on what eternal life will be like, especially after the resurrection of our bodies, in the new heavens and new earth, free from all suffering and sin.

The Holy Gospel according to Luke 2:16-21
The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child. All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them. When eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Reflection
Shepherds were not, regardless of what has been said, regarded as “lowest of the low.” It was a humble, but honest profession. The humble shepherds are the ones who were open to hearing the message the angels brought to them about the birth of Christ, and came in haste to worship Him. They are some of the first to “make known the message”, and they praise the Lord for what has been revealed to them. The humility of the shepherds is a good lesson for us - they were open to hearing the word of God and acting upon it. We also see an example in Mary, who reflected on all these things in her heart - meditation. The act of meditation and the virtue of humility are both instrumental in the life of a Christian.
Adults - Mediation and virtue work together. It is through meditating on Sacred Scripture that we are equipped to put in to action in our lives.
Teens  - Try to instill a habit of daily Scripture reading in your life. If you don’t already have this habit, it’s ok to build up slowly. When you read, make sure you leave time to meditate on what you are reading. 
Kids - What is your favorite Bible passage?

The Church celebrates New Year’s Day in a special way too by honoring Mary as the Mother of God.  But Mary isn’t just the Mother of God; she is our mother as well.  And as the Catechism teaches us, because Mary is our mother, she is also our “Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix” (CCC 969).
So how does Mary fulfill all these roles? Let’s look at two key ways.  First, we know that Mary pondered and treasured everything that came from God. As today’s Gospel says, she dwelt on what the shepherds told her. She also pondered and treasured Gabriel’s visit at the annunciation. She pondered and treasured how the Magi were led to the manger by God’s star. She pondered and treasured what the young Jesus said when they found that he had stayed behind to teach the elders in the Temple.
Try to see how Mary is asking you to take time to ponder who Jesus is and what he has done for you. Imagine Mary asking you to treasure him above everything else.  Second, take a look at Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55). This prayer shows how much Mary loved to praise and glorify God.  Right now, try to see how Mary is asking you to join her in praising God with all your heart. Imagine her inviting you to dedicate the first affections of your heart to Jesus by rejoicing in him, singing to him, and worshipping him.
Mary is not only your mother; she can be your prayer partner as well. So join her today, and pray your own Magnificat.   “Jesus, let my soul magnify you! Let my spirit rejoice in your salvation!”
Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. (Luke 2:19)




​

9. What is the full and definitive stage of God's Revelation? (Catechism of the Catholic Church, CCC 65-66, 73) 
a) reached its height with King David 
b) it will only occur at the end of time 
c) Jesus Christ coming among us 
d) no one person or thing is the full and definite Revelation 

10. What is the value of private revelations? (CCC 67) 
a) there is no value 
b) valuable only to the easily confused 
c) these are tricks of the devil trying to confuse devout believers 
d) they may be helpful to individuals living out the Faith in particular times 
The Transmission of Divine Revelation 
​
11. Why and in what way is divine revelation transmitted?(CCC 74)  
a) through Jesus Christ 
b) the proclamation of the followers of Christ 
c) Apostolic Tradition (teaching of the apostles and their successors) is essential 
d) all of the above     (Answers on back) 

​

(As we mark the tenth year time from the Newtown tragedies and all who loose loved ones, we take comfort again in the words of peace.)

"My soul is bereft of peace;
I have forgotten what happiness is;
so I say, "Gone is my glory,
and all that I had hoped for from the Lord."
The thought of my affliction and my homelessness
is wormwood and gall!
My soul continually thinks of it
and is bowed down within me.



But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
"The Lord is my portion," says my soul,
"therefore I will hope in him."
The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul that seeks him.
It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord."
-Lamentations (3:17-26)

"See there's this place in me where your fingerprints still rest, your hugs still linger, and your loving whispers softly echo. It's the place where the best part of you will forever be a part of me." -Anonymous

St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Spillville, Iowa, which dates to 1860, is the oldest Czech Catholic church in the United States. Inset: Antonín Dvořák in 1882. (photo: Carol M. Highsmith / Church, courtesy of the Library of Congress; inset, public domain)
Donald DeMarco WorldDecember 6, 2022Antonín Leopold Dvořák was born on Sept. 8, 1841, in the village of Nelahozeves, near Prague. He was the first of 14 children and was baptized in the village church of St. Andrew. His Catholic faith remained strong throughout his life and was a continual inspiration for his music.
Few composers have a been so richly endowed with musical ability as Dvořák. He claimed that he studied “with the birds, flowers, trees, God and myself.” His music was recognized for its “heavenly naturalness.” The distinguished conductor, Hans Richter, referred to him as “a composer by the grace of God.”
Despite his impoverished circumstances (he did not own a piano until he married in 1873), Dvořák did receive some formal education in music. But his love for the lively folk music and simple church songs that marked his youth never left him. He won several prestigious prizes for his compositions and was championed by Johannes Brahms who was deeply impressed by them.
Dvořák’s fame began to spread, and in 1892 he was invited to serve as the director of the National Conservatory of Music in New York City. He had come a long way from being a peasant who apprenticed as a butcher. The conservatory was founded by a wealthy philanthropist who wanted to make an advanced music education available to women and Blacks, an idea that was unusual for the times. Dvořák strongly supported the concept of African American and Native American music being the foundation for the growth of American music.
In 1893, the New York Philharmonic commissioned him to write his Ninth Symphony. Its first performance was met with tumultuous applause. This monumental work, also referred to as the “New World Symphony,” was immediately seized upon by conductors and orchestras throughout the world. It is interesting to note that Neil Armstrong took a recording of this symphony to the moon during the Apollo 11 Mission in 1969.
At the persuasion of his secretary, Dvořák, together with his entire family, spent the summer of 1893 in Spillville, Iowa — a largely Czech-speaking community of approximately 350 people, situated just below the southern border of Minnesota. 
Dvořák’s summer in Spillville was both happy and musically productive. He went to daily Mass at St. Wenceslaus Church where he played the organ, much to the delight of the other churchgoers. In a letter he wrote to his friends back home, the celebrated composer expressed the joy he felt during his stay: 
“I liked to be among these people and they all liked me as well, especially the elderly citizens, who were pleased when I played, ‘O God, we bow before Thee,’ or ‘A thousand times we greet Thee.’”Dvořák  established a legacy in Spillville, where he provided a stimulus to music that has become an ongoing tradition. His name is remembered and revered.
His list of musical compositions is staggering: 13 operas, nine symphonies, five symphonic poems, 36 chamber works, 68 songs, choral works including Stabat Mater (which was inspired by the death of his daughter, Josefa, who died in infancy), Te Deum, his Mass in D Major, 10 biblical songs, two sets of Slavonic dances and many other works. Dvořák was hard on himself and burned several works that did not satisfy him. Few, if any, composers rival him in his natural feeling for melody, song and dance.
In addition to his musical gift to posterity, he also provides a personal example that should also be an inspiration: his unwavering Catholic faith in times of difficulty (his first three children died in infancy), his love and dedication to his wife and their nine children, his hard work, his love of nature and, despite his worldwide fame, his unfailing love for simplicity. (His favorite workplace, he tells us, was the kitchen, amid the domestic clatter of his large family.)
Antonin Dvořák died at 62 years of age in the year 1904. He left behind many unfinished works. The music he did finish, however, establishes him as one of the truly great composers in the Western tradition. But he has also bequeathed to the world an example of an extraordinary human being.

​

Just inside the entrance to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City is a small area with a bas-relief sculpture of the Virgin Mary on display, designed especially for the blind to encounter Our Lady.
Fr. Umberto Mauro Marsich, an Italian Xavarian missionary priest, explained to ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish language news partner, that the image is made of highly durable nylon fiber and is a gift from the Institute of Italian Culture and the Italian Embassy.
The sculpture is a “gift to the Archdiocese of Mexico so the blind can come here” and venerate Our Lady of Guadalupe, he said.
“They first read the entire description in Braille, the Nahuatl symbology of the image” on a panel to the side, “and then they come over and touch the image with their hands,” he explained.




Marsich, who holds a doctorate in moral theology and teaches at the Pontifical University of Mexico, played a key role in having the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe for the blind made and donated.
The idea came about in 2008 during an exposition of a painting of the Virgin de la Pera in Mexico which was brought to the country along with a much simpler bas-relief version.
The head of an association for the blind was in attendance at the exposition. When he touched the bas-relief image he said, “Why can't we do something similar with Our Lady of Guadalupe?”
Fr. Marsich, who was also there at the time, said he worked with two other Italians to have a bas-relief of Our Lady of Guadalupe made.
“My friend Faranda went back to Italy and looked for people to make donations” for the work of art, Marsich said.
The sculpture was produced in the city of Faenza, Italy, in 2009. It cost about $22,000 to make.
A few days after its completion, it was brought to Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, where Pope Benedict XVI blessed it. It was then transported to Mexico and placed in the Guadalupe Basilica on Dec. 9, 2009.
More than 100 visually-impaired people gathered on the day the statue was installed in the basilica. Marsich said he was touched by their emotion, as, “finally being able to touch her, [they] discovered the beauty of the message conveyed to them by the Nahuatl symbology, which is a very luminous symbology.”
“People were so obviously moved that they were weeping,” he recalled.
However, the image is not just to be contemplated by visually impaired people, he pointed out.
The priest stressed that everyone can express “in some way our affection, our love, our tenderness for Mary, the Virgin of Guadalupe.”
Marsich hopes other bishops will be encouraged to ask for a replica of the image of the Virgin Mary for their dioceses, which he said would cost significantly less than the original.


Our Lady of Guadalupe Remains a 'teacher of the Gospel' Through Her ImageBy Courtney Grogan
Vatican City, Dec 12 (EWTN News/CNA)
Pope Francis celebrated the Mass of Our Lady of Guadalupe Wednesday, reflecting on how Mary continues to evangelize Latin America through her ubiquitous image.

As Our Lady of Guadalupe accompanied Saint Juan Diego on Tepeyac, she continues to encounter people through “an image or stamp, a candle or a medal, a rosary or a Hail Mary,” Pope Francis said in his homily Dec. 12 in St. Peter's Basilica.

Through her image, Mary “enters in a home, in a prison cell, in the ward of a hospital, in a nursing home, in a school, in a rehabilitation clinic to say: ‘Am I not here, that I am your mother?’” he continued in Spanish.

The pope’s homily centered on Mary as a “teacher of the Gospel” through her Magnificat.

“Mary teaches us that, in the art of mission and hope, so many words and programs are not necessary. Her method is very simple: she walked and sang,” Francis said.

In the school of Mary, he said, we “nourish our hearts” with the “multicultural wealth of Latin America, where we can “listen to that humble heart that beats in our villages” with “the sacredness of life.” 

Here, the “sense of God and his transcendence,” as well as “respect for creation, the bonds of solidarity, and the joy of the art of living well” are preserved, he continued.

As her image traveled the continent, Our Lady of Guadalupe is “not only remembered as indigenous, Spanish, Hispanic or African-American. She is simply Latin American,” Francis said. 

Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas and the unborn, appeared to St. Juan Diego on the Hill of Tepeyac in Mexico City in 1531, during a time of conflict between the Spanish and the indigenous peoples.

Mary took the appearance of a pregnant native woman, wore clothing in the style of the indigenous community, and spoke to Juan Diego in a native language, Nahuatl.

She asked Juan Diego to appeal to the bishop to build a church on the site of the apparition, stating she wanted a place where she could reveal to the people the compassion of her son. Initially turned away by the bishop, Diego returned to site asking Our Lady for a sign to prove the authenticity of her message.

She instructed him to gather the Castilian roses that he found blooming on the hillside, despite the fact that it was winter, and present them to the Spanish bishop. Juan Diego filled his cloak – known as a tilma – with the flowers. When he presented them to the bishop, he found that an image of Our Lady was miraculously imprinted upon his tilma. 

Nearly 500 years later, Diego’s tilma with the miraculous image is preserved in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and visited by millions of pilgrims each year.

Our Lady of Guadalupe is a “mother of a fertile and generous land in which all, in one way or another, can find ourselves playing a leading role in the construction of the Holy Temple of the family of God,” Francis said.
​

A bit of humor…
​
Some Thoughts:
-Progress is made by lazy men looking for an easier way to do things.  
-I read recipes the same way I read science fiction. I get to the end and I think, “Well, that’s not going to happen.”  
-Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are getting weak?  
-What if there were no hypothetical questions?  
-For every action, there is a corresponding over-reaction.  
-I’m a humble person, really. I’m actually much greater than I think I am.  
-A celebrity is someone who works hard all his life to become known and then wears dark glasses to avoid being recognized.  
-I don’t have a solution, but I do admire the problem.
Kids Marry The Darnedest ThingsMy young son declared, “When I grow up, I’m going to marry you, Mommy.”
“You can’t marry your own mother,” said his older sister.
“Then I’ll marry you.”
“You can’t marry me either.”
He looked confused, so I explained, “You can’t marry someone in your own family.”
“You mean I have to marry a total stranger?!” he cried.
 
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


A woman went to the Post Office to buy stamps for her Christmas cards.

"What denomination?" asked the clerk.

"Oh, good heavens! Have we come to this?" said the woman. "Well, give me 50 Catholic and 50 Baptist ones."
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Wife :       'Do you want dinner?'   
 
Husband:       'Sure! What are my choices?'   
 
Wife:          'Yes or no.'      
 
--------------------------------------------------------   
 Stress Reliever
Girl:       'When we get married, I want to share all your worries, troubles and lighten your burden.'   

Boy:       'It's very kind of you, darling, but I don't have any worries or troubles.'   
 
Girl:       'Well that's because we aren't married yet.' 
  ________________________________ 
 
A newly married man asked his wife, 'Would you have married me if my father hadn't left me a fortune?'   
 
'Honey,' the woman replied sweetly, 'I'd have married you, NO MATTER WHO LEFT YOU A FORTUNE!'   

​

+JMJ+
SUNDAY MASS READINGS AND QUESTIONS
for Self-Reflection, Couples or Family Discussion
Gaudete Sunday - Third Sunday of Advent – Sunday, December 11th, 2022

The First Reading- Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10
The desert and the parched land will exult; the steppe will rejoice and bloom. They will bloom with abundant flowers, and rejoice with joyful song. The glory of Lebanon will be given to them, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God. Strengthen the hands that are feeble, make firm the knees that are weak, say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing. Those whom the LORD has ransomed will return and enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy; they will meet with joy and gladness, sorrow and mourning will flee.
Reflection
The liturgy of Advent takes us out into the desert to see and hear the marvelous works and words of God—the lame leaping like a stag, the dead raised, the good news preached to the poor (see Isaiah 29:18–20; 61:1–2). The liturgy does this to give us courage, to strengthen our feeble hands and make firm our weak knees. Our hearts can easily become frightened and weighed down by the hardships we face. We can lose patience in our sufferings as we await the coming of the Lord.
Adults - Do you find comfort, courage and renewal in the Mass? Try to enter as fully into the Mass as you can this Advent season.
Teens - How can you enrich your experience of the Liturgy? Try reading the readings ahead of time and pay special attention to the footnotes in your bible (make sure it is a solid Catholic version,) and then see if the readings mean more to you as you hear them at Mass.
Kids - Take a few minutes before Mass to pray for those in need of prayer.

Responsorial- Psalm 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10
R. Lord, come and save us.
The LORD God keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Lord, come and save us.
The LORD gives sight to the blind;
the LORD raises up those who were bowed down.
The LORD loves the just;
the LORD protects strangers.
R. Lord, come and save us.
The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations.
R. Lord, come and save us.
Reflection
-These are the works of the Messiah - of Christ the Lord. How do we act as Christ’s hands and feet in the world today?

The Second Reading- James 5:7-10
Be patient, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord.  See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains.  You too must be patient. Make your hearts firm, because the coming of the Lord is at hand.  Do not complain, brothers and sisters, about one another, that you may not be judged.  Behold, the Judge is standing before the gates.  Take as an example of hardship and patience, brothers and sisters, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
Reflection
James advises us in today’s Epistle that we should take as our example the prophets, so often persecuted and ridiculed, who spoke in the name of the Lord. Spend a few minutes this week looking at the virtue of patience and how you can cultivate it in your life.

The Holy Gospel according to Matthew 11:2-11
When John the Baptist heard in prison of the works of the Christ, he sent his disciples to Jesus with this question, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?" Jesus said to them in reply, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me." As they were going off, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, "What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? Then what did you go out to see? Someone dressed in fine clothing? Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces. Then why did you go out?  To see a  prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you. Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."
Reflection
John questions Jesus from prison in today’s Gospel—for his disciples’ sake and for ours. He knows that Jesus is doing “the works of the Messiah,” foretold in today’s First Reading and Psalm. But John wants his disciples—and us—to know that the Judge is at the gate, that in Jesus our God has come to save us. Jesus points to a prophet—holding up John as a model. John knew that life was more than food, the body more than clothing. He sought the kingdom of God first, confident that God would provide (see Matthew 6:25–34). John did not complain. He did not lose faith. Even in chains in his prison cell, he was still sending his disciples—and us—to our Savior. We come to Him again now in the Eucharist. Already He has caused the desert to bloom, the burning sands to become springs of living water. He has opened our ears to hear the words of the sacred book, freed our tongue to fill the air with songs of thanksgiving (see Isaiah 30:18). Once bowed down, captives to sin and death, we have been ransomed and returned to His Kingdom, crowned with everlasting joy. Raised up we now stand before His altar to meet the One who is to come: “Here is your God.”
Adults - How can we seek first the kingdom of God in our lives today? What can we learn from this reflection on John the Baptist?
Teens  - Reflect before Mass on Who you are truly encountering and receiving in the Eucharist.
Kids - How did John prepare the way for Jesus?

LIVING THE WORD OF GOD THIS WEEK! - Can you still fail to see why Isaiah and the Baptist compare the hardships of the way of the world's Messiah-King to souls with a rough, crooked, and almost impassable road up steep hills and down precipitous valleys and through dangerous mountain passes? Do you wonder that these prophets of His coming insist so strongly that merely sentimental longings and routine prayers, however multiplied, cannot prepare us worthily for the entrance He must expect and the welcome He craves?
Pray very honestly, therefore, that you may begin to see the practical reasons for the Church's crying out in the desert world, and even into your own interior soul and heart:
"Prepare ye the way of the Lord: Make straight in the wilderness His paths; Every valley shall be exalted; Every mountain and hill shall be made low; And the crooked shall be made straight; And the rough ways plain" (Is. 40:3, 4). Then shall you see the salvation of God!  - Excerpted from Our Way to the Father by Rev. Leo M. Krenz, S.J.



9. What is the full and definitive stage of God's Revelation? c) Jesus Christ coming among us
The full and definitive stage of God’s revelation is accomplished in his Word made flesh, Jesus Christ, the mediator and fullness of Revelation. He, being the only-begotten Son of God made man, is the perfect and definitive Word of the Father. In the sending of the Son and the gift of the Spirit, Revelation is now fully complete, although the faith of the Church must gradually grasp its full significance over the course of centuries.   “In giving us his Son, his only and definitive Word, God spoke everything to us at once in this sole Word, and he has no more to say.” (Saint John of the Cross) 


10. What is the value of private revelations?d) they may be helpful to individuals living out the Faith in particular times
While not belonging to the deposit of faith, private revelations may help a person to live the faith as long as they lead us to Christ. The Magisterium of the Church, which has the duty of evaluating such private revelations, cannot accept those which claim to surpass or correct that definitive Revelation which is Christ.           The Transmission of Divine Revelation 


11. Why and in what way is divine revelation transmitted?d) all of the above
God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4), that is, of Jesus Christ. For this reason, Christ must be proclaimed to all according to his own command, “Go forth and teach all nations” (Matthew 28:19). And this is brought about by Apostolic Tradition. 

​

Jesus’ Second Coming in Judgment in the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.
 
Catholic Good News

Receiving the Gospel, Serving God and Neighbor

The Second Coming

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”  Matthew 25:13

Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
 
           During the weeks of Advent we prepare for Christ coming as the word made flesh beginning December 25.  But we also prepare for His final coming at the end of time called His Second Coming, we prepare for this especially during the first two weeks of Advent.

            While much is said about Christ’s Second Coming in the Holy Bible and elsewhere, the most important thing to remember is that when He comes, time and the world as we know it, ends.  It does not mean Christ reigning on earth as we know it.  The Second Coming means the end of time, the Final Judgment, Heaven or Hell forever.  The Church puts it this way:
 
On Judgment Day at the end of the world, Christ will come in glory to achieve the definitive triumph of good over evil which, like the wheat and the tares, have grown up together in the course of history. (Catechism of the Catholic Church #681)

      Today and everyday of our lives, but especially during Advent, we give thanks for His first coming and prepare for His Second Coming!

Peace and prayers in Jesus through Mary, loved by Saint Joseph,
Father Robert
 
P.S.  This Sunday is the Second Sunday of Advent, the second week of the new Church liturgical year!  The readings can be found at:  https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120422.cfm
​

​by NEWS DESK December 3 in US NEWS

The album was recorded over two days in September, and was released the following month.
The recording and sound engineering was done by William Crain of BRC Audio in Kansas City, the abbess said. “We did the editing and production, and Will brought it all together along with the mastering.”
Life in the community is marked by obedience, stability, and “continually turning” towards God. They have Mass daily according to the ancient use of the Roman rite, and chant the psalms eight times a day from the 1962 Monastic Office.
The nuns also support themselves by producing made-to-order vestments, as well as greeting cards.
Since the abbey’s last album release, its church has been built, as has a guest house for families and those wishing to make a silent retreat. The community’s foundress, Sr. Mary Wilhelmina, “went to her heavenly reward at 95 years old,” Mother Cecilia added. The abbess said Sr. Wilhelmina’s “life and the amazing circumstances of her death” were both “a grace beyond our imaginings.”
The community has been blessed with abundant vocations in recent years, Mother Cecilia said.
A group of eight sisters was sent to found a daughter house in southern Missouri, and “We now number 55 Sisters between the two houses, and young women continue to knock on our door,” she related.
The sisters at the daughter house “are living in a temporary residence, and one which does not lend itself to growth. So the construction of this monastery is imperative, as we have no more room here at the abbey either. We certainly do not want to turn away young women who are called to this life on account of no space!”


Carl Bunderson is managing editor of Catholic News Agency. He holds a BA in economics from the University of Colorado Boulder and a BPhil from the Pontifical Lateran University.

By: Lise Alves
Date: December 3

SAO PAULO (CNS) — A Brazilian nun who has moved into the finals of a TV cooking show said she received “divine help” and prayed the entire time she was cooking.
The “divine help,” she said, helped her notice that the shrimp she was supposed to cook were not deveined.
“If I had left them the way they gave them to me I would not have won,” said Sister Lorayne Caroline Tinti, a member of the Sisters of Our Lady of Resurrection. She prepared shrimp stroganoff and tiramisu for the episode of MasterChef Brasil. Sister Tinti is now scheduled to compete in the show’s 2020 final contest, at the end of December.
“Many people mentioned how calm I was throughout the episode, and I tell them it was because I was praying for Our Lord to help me get through it. That gave me confidence,” Sister Tinti told Catholic New Service.
Sister Tinti said she learned to cook early, with members of her family.
“My mother, aunt and grandmother always cooked so I learned from them. My father also was interested in the preparation of food,” she told CNS.
Her culinary skills, she noted, improved while living in the order’s mission house in the state of Minas Gerais.
“We had a bakery there which the sisters ran, so I learned about making pastries and bread,” she added.
While looking at her social media, Sister Tinti came across a call for participants for MasterChef Brasil and decided to register.
“I needed authorization and, at first, the mother superior was not very keen on me leaving the convent to go on TV, but the sisters here convinced her,” she said with a chuckle.
Asked what motivated her to sign up for the contest, Sister Tinti said the show gave her a chance to talk about the social projects that the sisters do with the elderly and children, and to encourage young people into looking to religious life as an option.
“After the show we had many lay persons call up asking how they could help our projects, and a few young people wanting to know more about religious life in general,” she said.
But it was not only laypeople who reached out to Sister Tinti after the cooking challenge: “I received calls congratulating me for my participation from many religious, including two bishops.”
Asked about her favorite food to prepare, Sister Tinti was quick to say eggplant.
“It is so versatile, you can fry it, you can bake it, you can grill it,” she said.
Those who eat her meals, however, say she excels in pastries and deserts.
“Whenever there is a celebration, it is always ‘let Sister Lorayne bake the cake,'” she said as she laughed.
Sister Tinti says she does not know what the organizers will ask her to cook for the finals, but she is certain of two things: She will once again ask for divine help and will pray while cooking.

Everyday Heroes: Army Officer Donates Part of Liver to Save Priest’s LifeCatholic News Service | Andrew Fowler | November 27, 2019 | 0 Comments

Father Dennis Callan’s health was rapidly declining. His situation was so dire that his dentist refused to even pull a tooth out of fear that the he would bleed to death.The cause? Advanced cirrhosis of the liver.

​Father Dennis Callan, a Divine Word missionary, and Chris Moore, a U.S. Army chief warrant officer, are seen in this undated photo. Moore donated part of his liver to Father Callan in 2017. They met one another four years earlier at Camp Humphreys military base in South Korea. CNS photo/courtesy Knights of Columbus

A Divine Word missionary, Father Callan was stationed in South Korea, serving as a military chaplain. He would have to leave Korea to return to the United States for treatment.
When he announced to his parishioners in November 2015 that he had to leave for “personal reasons,” one parishioner took notice: his friend U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Chris Moore.
Moore and his wife, Heidi, met Father Callan in 2014 at Camp Humphreys. The Moores and Father Callan would share meals together and socialize after Mass, particularly at Knights of Columbus council meetings — both men were members of Bishop John J. Kaising Council 14223 on the base. Father Callan was a spiritual guide as the Moores welcomed two children into their growing family.
“He was a support during our time in Korea because my wife was new to Catholicism,” said Moore, currently stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky, while his two children and his wife live in Arizona. “Father Dennis was there to guide us and strengthen us in our relationship and help us to get to where we are today.”
When Father Callan returned to the U.S., his hepatologist in Chicago told him that he was lucky to have survived the trip from South Korea. His only chance of survival was a liver transplant.
Members of family were tested to see if they could donate, but no one was compatible. By the end of December 2016, Father Callan’s health began free-falling.
He began arranging his funeral.
“I decided I did not want to go on this (donor) list,” Father Callan said. “I figured, I’m a priest and I would accept whatever the Lord had in mind for me and I did not want to take the opportunity away from another to receive a liver.”
Throughout the process, Father Callan and the Moores kept in touch. When Father Callan told the Moores that every option seemed exhausted, they offered to be tested to see if one of them was a compatible donor.
Father Callan was completely shocked at the Moores’ offer. Especially because it would not be easy for Chris to donate, due to Army regulations regarding organ donations.
It turned out that navigating these regulations was worth it. Chris was a match.
In May 2017, Moore and Father Callan went in for surgery at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.
“We said our ‘goodbyes’ and I told (the Moores), ‘I’ll see you on the other side,'” Father Callan said. “The next morning I woke up and I said, ‘I feel 100% better already.'”
Father Callan was in surgery for 10 hours and received more than two-and-a-half pounds of his brother Knight’s liver. Moore noticed the immediate health differences in his friend when he visited him the day following the surgery.
“We call each other brothers now because we share something in common, our livers,” Moore said with a smile. “We share a special bond and he’s able to do what he does, continue to be able to do what he wants to do which is minister to people.”
The brotherhood between Father Callan and Moore is shown in “Everyday Heroes,” a video series produced by the Knights of Columbus. The series showcases ordinary men acting in extraordinary ways, who are strengthened by their Catholic faith and membership in the Knights of Columbus.
“One of the things that I felt very strongly about is that the brotherhood among the members of the Knights of Columbus is important because men need a lot of support in the faith,” Father Callan said.
Father Callan and the Moores attended the Warriors to Lourdes pilgrimage — an international event co-sponsored by the Knights of Columbus along with the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services to bring healing to military personnel and their families at the Marian shrine in France.
When reflecting on this period in his life, Father Callan sees God’s providence.
“What we have to realize is that God is present with us,” Father Callan said. “God is leading us, guiding us through the many, many things, many trials that we face. God is always present, caring and loving for us in ways that we don’t necessarily understand.”
Father Callan remains close with the Moores, visiting them at their home in Arizona.
But when apart, the brother Knights still contact each other to talk.
“For me, simply being with Chris or talking with him inspires me and encourages me,” Father Callan said. “We are brother Knights in every sense of the word.”
To see more Everyday Heroes videos go to kofc.org/heroes
​

​How One Diocese is Inviting People Back to the Church This Christmas
By Perry West
Detroit, Mich., Dec 6, 2018 / 02:54 am (EWTN News/CNA)

As part of a recent evangelization outreach, the Archdiocese of Detroit is launching a Christmas campaign to welcome Catholics who may have been away from the Church. 
“This is the way that we are responding to the invitation to share the Gospel with others. This is part of the transformation of being a mission-oriented diocese,” Edmundo Reyes, the archdiocese’s communication director, told EWTN News.
The campaign is called “Part of the Family.”  Its goal is to create a welcoming environment at Mass and encourage evangelization among the parishioners through virtual tools. 
Reyes said these efforts are an extension of the pastoral letter “Unleash the Gospel” released at Pentecost last year. The letter followed several years of preparation, including a year of prayer in 2014 and a synod meeting in 2016.
He said the campaign includes three parts: evangelization training, videos, and a newly published website, specifically focused on Christmas Mass times. 
“Our hope is that, with these combined efforts, people that attend Mass once a year or are there for the first time, they experience what we are calling radical hospitality,” he said. 
“We target at Christmas knowing there are people who come there for the first time or they haven’t been with us for a while,” he said. “One of the things is we want to be unusually gracious and hospitable for people that come to our churches.”
The first component of the campaign was a day-long evangelization event that included discussions, training, and resource material. More than 800 people from over 120 parishes in the archdiocese attended.
According to the Detroit Catholic, one of the speakers broke down the Gospel into four essential parts. Fr. John Riccardo, pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Plymouth, said the Gospel’s message is on the goodness of God found in his creation, sin and its repercussions, God’s response to sin, and mankind’s response to God. 
Hospitality was another major focus of the event, which was held Nov. 16. Regular Mass-goers were presented with simple steps to make people feel welcome, like greeting strangers and sitting in the middle of the pews to allow room on the outsides. 
The second element of the campaign is a series of Christmas videos, focusing on the universal Catholic family and God’s incarnation, Reyes said.
“We are all part of the same family, and it’s hard to imagine, but we are celebrating God becoming part of our family. So let’s do it together,” says the narrator in the video. “This Christmas, we are thankful that you are one of us, a Catholic, part of the family.”
The first video was released on Saturday, Reyes said, and it has already received roughly 30,000 views. He said more videos will be released weekly. 
In addition, paid ads will be run on spotify, youtube, and social media, inviting people to attend Christmas Mass and bring their friends and family. The ads will use geoparameters to reach people in areas near churches in the archdiocese. 
The third aspect of the campaign, Reyes said, is a new website, massfinder.org, to help people navigate Christmas Mass times in the Archdiocese of Detroit. He said the website is accessible, giving people an easy way to discover Mass times and invite friends and family. 
“If we want to be truly hospitable, the first encounter the people have with us is going to be trying to find out what time Christmas Mass happens.”
The website includes “share buttons” for people to send links of a specific Mass time via social media, email, or text. When it is shared, the user has access to a virtual reminder of that Mass and a map to the parish. 
Especially during this season of giving, Reyes said, the most important gift that can be given is the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the love of the Father. 
“This is a time we celebrate the Nativity of the Lord, God becoming part of the family. And that's the theme - Part of the Family. We want make sure that people feel welcome and invited in the celebration of Jesus' birth.”
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A bit of humor…


Some Thoughts:
-My dog is an awesome fashion adviser. Every time I ask him what I look like in my clothes, he says “WOW!” 
-Dentist: "You need a crown." Patient: "Finally someone who understands me"


-Isn’t it odd the way everyone automatically assumes that the goo in soap dispensers is always soap? I like to fill mine with mustard, just to teach people a lesson in trust.  
-The right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously.  
-Why do people keep running over a string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give their vacuum one more chance?  -Only in America… do banks leave both doors open and then chain the pens to the counters.

 
Confessions of a Store Santa
While I was working as a store Santa, a boy asked me for an electric train set. “If you get your train,” I told him, “your dad is going to want to play with it too. Is that all right?”
The boy became very quiet. So, moving the conversation along, I asked, “What else would you like Santa to bring you?”
He promptly replied, “Another train.”

 
4-Year Old
A 4-year-old boy was asked to return thanks before a big dinner. The family members bowed their heads in expectation. He began his prayer, thanking God for all his friends, naming them one by one. Then he thanked God for Mommy, Daddy, brother, sister, Grandma, Grandpa, and all his aunts and uncles. Then he began to thank God for the food. He gave thanks for the turkey, the dressing, the fruit salad, the cranberry sauce, the pies, the cakes, even the Cool Whip.
Then he paused, and everyone waited--and waited. After a long silence, the young fellow looked up at his mother and asked, "If I thank God for the broccoli, won't he know that I'm lying?"
 
I Don't Want to Go
Thanksgiving day was approaching and the family had received a Thanksgiving card with a painting of a pilgrim family on their way to church.
Grandma showed the card to her small grandchildren, observing: "The Pilgrim children liked to go to church with their mothers and fathers."
"Oh yeah?" her young grandson replied, "So why is their dad carrying that rifle?"


 
The Sunday School Teacher asks, "Now, Johnny, tell me frankly do you say prayers before eating?"
"No sir," little Johnny replies, I don't have to. My mom is a good cook."
 
Sign on a church bulletin board: "Merry Christmas to our Christian friends. Happy Hanukkah to our Jewish friends.  And to our atheist friends, good luck.  
 
 
“St. Chromatius reminds us that Advent is a time of prayer, in which we must enter into contact with God.  God knows us, He knows me, He knows each of us.  He loves me, He does not abandon me. Thus trustingly, let us proceed into the liturgical time that has just begun."
-Pope Benedict XVI

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+JMJ+
SUNDAY MASS READINGS AND QUESTIONS
for Self-Reflection, Couples or Family Discussion
Second Sunday of Advent – Sunday, December 4, 2022

The First Reading- Isaiah 11:1-10
On that day, a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom.  The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD, and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD.  Not by appearance shall he judge, nor by hearsay shall he decide, but he shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land's afflicted.  He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.  Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.  Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them.  The cow and the bear shall be neighbors, together their young shall rest; the lion shall eat hay like the ox.  The baby shall play by the cobra's den, and the child lay his hand on the adder's lair.  There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD, as water covers the sea.  On that day, the root of Jesse, set up as a signal for the nations, the Gentiles shall seek out, for his dwelling shall be glorious.
Reflection
“The kingdom of heaven is at hand,” John the Baptist proclaims in the Gospel. The Liturgy today paints us a vivid portrait of our new king and the shape of the kingdom He has come to bring. The Lord whom John prepares the way for in today’s Gospel is the righteous king prophesied in today’s First Reading and Psalm. He is the king’s son, the son of David—a shoot from the root of Jesse, David’s father (see Ruth 4:17). He will be the Messiah, anointed with the Holy Spirit (see 2 Samuel 23:1; 1 Kings 1:39; Psalm 2:2), endowed with the seven gifts of the Spirit—wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord. He will rule with justice, saving the poor from the ruthless and wicked. His rule will be not only over Israel—but will extend from sea to sea, to the ends of the earth. He will be a light, a signal to all nations. And they will seek Him and pay Him homage. In Him, all the tribes of the earth will find blessing. The covenant promise to Abraham (see Genesis 12:3), renewed in God’s oath to David (see Psalm 89:4,28), will be fulfilled in His dynasty. And His name will be blessed forever.
Adults - Jesus is our heavenly king. How does this make Him different from an earthly king?
Teens - Which of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit do you see most at work in your life?
Kids - How is Jesus our light?

Responsorial- Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17
R.Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king's son;
he shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Reflection
-The Lord is perfectly just and perfectly merciful. How do mercy and justice work together?

The Second Reading- Romans 15:4-9
Brothers and sisters: Whatever was written previously was written for our instruction, that by endurance and by the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.  May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to think in harmony with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus, that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Welcome one another, then, as Christ welcomed you, for the glory of God.  For I say that Christ became a minister of the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, to confirm the promises to the patriarchs, but so that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.  As it is written: Therefore, I will praise you among the Gentiles and sing praises to your name.
Reflection
In Christ, God confirms His oath to Israel’s patriarchs, Paul tells us in today’s Epistle. But no longer are God’s promises reserved solely for the children of Abraham. The Gentiles, too, will glorify God for His mercy. Once strangers, in Christ they will be included in “the covenants of promise” (see Ephesians 2:12).
Meditate this week on the fact that you are a treasured member of God’s family.

The Holy Gospel according to Matthew 3:1-12
John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"  It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said: A voice of one crying out in the desert, Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. John wore clothing made of camel's hair and had a leather belt around his waist.  His food was locusts and wild honey.  At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins.  When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers!  Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?  Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.'  For I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones.  Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees.  Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.  I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I.  I am not worthy to carry his sandals.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  His winnowing fan is in his hand.  He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
Reflection
John delivers the same message as Paul in the Gospel. Once God’s chosen people were hewn from the rock of Abraham (see Isaiah 51:1–2). Now, God will raise up living stones (see 1 Peter 2:5)—children of Abraham born not of flesh and blood but of the Spirit. This is the meaning of the fiery baptism He brings—making us royal heirs of the kingdom of heaven, the Church.
Adults - We, as Christians, are children of Abraham. If you are not familiar with the story of salvation history, do a little research on it this week.
Teens  - What does it mean to be baptized with the Holy Spirit?

Kids - What does it mean to be a child of God?
LIVING THE WORD OF GOD THIS WEEK! - In the time of the Roman Empire, rulers rode from city to city for the purpose of official visitations.  Their appearance, called epiphany or parousia, was a great event, one preceded by months of preparation. Something analogous takes place in the Jerusalem of our souls.  From a high watchtower we see the Lord coming afar off. Suddenly John the Baptist appears; he hurries into the city to announce the King's approach.  God condescends to manifest Himself to us in grace; but He demands the proper reception.  (What is my reception for Jesus Christ? -Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace by Pius Parsch
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9. What is the full and definitive stage of God's Revelation? c) Jesus Christ coming among us
The full and definitive stage of God’s revelation is accomplished in his Word made flesh, Jesus Christ, the mediator and fullness of Revelation. He, being the only-begotten Son of God made man, is the perfect and definitive Word of the Father. In the sending of the Son and the gift of the Spirit, Revelation is now fully complete, although the faith of the Church must gradually grasp its full significance over the course of centuries.   “In giving us his Son, his only and definitive Word, God spoke everything to us at once in this sole Word, and he has no more to say.” (Saint John of the Cross)


10. What is the value of private revelations? d) they may be helpful to individuals living out the Faith in particular times
While not belonging to the deposit of faith, private revelations may help a person to live the faith as long as they lead us to Christ. The Magisterium of the Church, which has the duty of evaluating such private revelations, cannot accept those which claim to surpass or correct that definitive Revelation which is Christ.          


The Transmission of Divine Revelation
11. Why and in what way is divine revelation transmitted? d) all of the above
God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4), that is, of Jesus Christ. For this reason, Christ must be proclaimed to all according to his own command, “Go forth and teach all nations” (Matthew 28:19). And this is brought about by Apostolic Tradition.

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