Holy Innocents Catholic Church!

November 24, 2021

Dear Friends in Christ,

As we celebrate the First Sunday of Advent this weekend, we also mark the beginning of a new liturgical year, the Year of Grace 2022.  The liturgical year is called the “Year of Grace,” because by our participation in it, we remember all the mighty deeds God has done for us and allow God the opportunity to pour out his grace into our hearts.  The start of a new year is always a new beginning.  This year in particular, as we hopefully move beyond COVID, is good time to get back to the basics of our faith.  It is a good time to make some “new year of grace” resolutions, so let me suggest a few to help us grow in our sacramental life together.

1.  During the week before Sunday Mass, take some time to reflect on the readings.  I guarantee you will hear the word of the Lord speak to you more profoundly by reading them beforehand.

2.   Come to Mass a little earlier, so that you have five to ten minutes to pray and prepare as an individual or family before entering into the liturgy.  You will be amazed at what difference this makes.  If you think about it, for every important thing we do, we take time to prepare, and what could be more important that our weekly encounter with the Lord?

3.   Come to Daily Mass once in a while, once a week, or every day.  At St. Jude, Daily Mass is offered Monday and Tuesday-Friday at 9AM.  At Holy Innocents it is offered Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 9:00 AM, and Wednesdays at 6:00 PM.  It is a great way to grow in the Lord and sanctify the day.

4.   Take advantage of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We all need God’s mercy. It is a great way to remove those things from our lives which hinder us from following the Lord and loving our neighbor as we should.  Confessions are heard at Holy Innocents every Friday night from 6-7pm and at St. Jude on Saturdays 3:30-4:30 pm.  This we year will  once again have Advent penance services with individual confession at both parishes.  At Holy Innocents on Thursday, December 16 at 7 P and at St. Jude on Monday, December 13 at 7 PM.

5. Make daily prayer as an individual and as family a priority.   Pray the rosary together after dinner.   Take 20 minutes in quiet prayer to speak to God and listen to him to nurture the relationship with the one who loved you into being.  That daily time set aside to converse with God will nurture your most important relationship and will strengthen you and bear you up through many things.

Let us make this new Year of Grace a good one, a year for the Lord to transform us into the disciples he desires us to be.   May God bless you throughout this Advent season of preparation for the coming of the Lord!

ADVENT GIVING

Once again, this year we have the Giving Garland at Holy Innocents and the Giving Garland at St. Jude.  Please take a tag or two and go shopping for someone in need to brighten their Christmas. It is a wonderful way to get into the spirit of the season, looking after others before ourselves, emulating God’s generosity to us.

STEWARDSHIP

Thank you to the many who have returned your stewardship commitment cards.  Your generosity always amazes me.  As a parish, we need everyone’s help to do God’s work.  If you haven’t returned a pledge card, we invite you to pray over how God is calling you to give in the coming year and return it ASAP.  Even if you are giving online, it is an important thing to pray over and then return your card which helps us plan for the future. Many thanks to you all!

THANK YOU TO THE HOLY MOWERS

With the cold weather, the mowing season has ended, and we want to especially thank all our Holy Mowers for their wonderful working keeping our lawns looking great. We so appreciate your tireless efforts.  Special thanks to Jim Webb for keeping the mowers in great shape over this past year.

Eternal God, your promise is spoken in the psalms of David, in the words of the prophets, in the dream of Joseph. Your promise is spoken, eternal God, and takes flesh at last in the womb of the virgin. May Christ find welcome in our hearts, take flesh in our lives, and be for all peoples the welcome advent of redemption and grace. We ask this through him who’s coming is certain, whose Day draws near: your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen

A blessed Advent to you all!

Fr. Johnson