🦃 Pastor’s Desk ~ December 1, 2024 🦃

Dear Fellow Parishioners,

It’s common knowledge that “Advent” means “coming arrival.” The fact that we celebrate Advent hot on the heels of the Solemnity of Christ the King underscores that there are at least two Advents being observed: the coming of Jesus at Christmas, and the return of Christ at the Second Coming. The readings at this time of the year refer to both. (There is also a third “coming of Christ” into the heart of each believer.)

I’d like to do a brief introduction to the Advent season leading to Christmas 2024.

The four Sundays of Advent will be December 1st, 8th, 15th and 22nd. Each of them, plus the Advent weekdays, have set readings which spell out the prophecies and revelations which lead us to the manger in Bethlehem.

This first Sunday of Advent features the appearance of our Advent wreath. The genius of the Advent wreath is that it adapts to numerous Christian and even Orthodox communities, though its origin is German Lutheran, from the 16th century. Originally, it was a household devotion, though its popularity caused its eventual adaptation to public worship as well.

While we think of the Advent wreath as an ancient custom, it was not adopted by Catholics in Germany until the 1920’s, and spread to the United States in earnest only in the 1930’s – no doubt hastened by waves of German immigration going back to the late 19th century. The symbolism of the wreath is strong and universal. The circular nature of the wreath symbolizes God’s love, without beginning or end. The evergreen fronds represent the hope of resurrection and new life even if in bleak and frozen winter. Traditionally (and correctly) three candles on the wreath are violet, to represent a limited but distinct season of penance. (Blue is not a liturgical color in the Catholic tradition.) The fourth candle is rose-colored, to represent the Third Sunday of Advent, “Gaudete Sunday.” “Gaudete Sunday” is a mid-season break from the “minor Lent” of Advent, with “Gaudete” as the first word of the Introit of the old Latin Mass for that Sunday.

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8th) falls on Sunday, and is therefore moved to December 9th, and is not observed as a Holy Day of Obligation this year.

Our Advent Reconciliation Service will take place on Monday, December 9th at 7 p.m. We will also have a daytime Reconciliation Service on Wednesday. December 18th at 9 a.m.

Our Parish Remembrance Service will take place on Monday, December 23rd at 7 p.m. This service, in which we hang angels on our sanctuary’s Christmas trees, creates a special place in memory of our departed loved ones whose absence we feel perhaps most keenly during the holidays.

I wish you all a blessed and fruitful Advent season of preparation.

Fr. Bill Donahue