The Catholic Church of

St. Mary the Virgin

   This Saturday, January 22nd, is the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of the Unborn for the Catholic Church in the United States.

   A great prayer for life is urgently needed, a prayer which will rise up throughout the world. Through special initiatives and in daily prayer, may an impassioned plea rise to God, the Creator and lover of life, from every Christian community, from every group and association, from every family and from the heart of every believer.

Pope Saint John Paul II
Evangelium Vitae

   The over 60 million abortions since the 1973 decisions of Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton reflect with heartbreaking magnitude what Pope Francis means by a “throwaway culture.” However, we have great trust in God’s providence. We are reminded time and again in Scripture to seek the Lord’s help, and as people of faith, we believe that our prayers are heard.

   The Roman Catholic Church has designated January 22 as a particular day of prayer and penance, called the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children: “In all the Dioceses of the United States of America, January 22 (or January 23, when January 22 falls on a Sunday) shall be observed as a particular day of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life and of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion.” (General Instructions of the Roman Missal)

   As individuals, we are called to observe this day through the penitential practices of prayer, fasting and/or giving alms. We will keep this observation at our regular Saturday Mass at 9:00 am. Purple vestments will be worn at the Mass on Saturday. Another way to take part is through participating in special events to observe the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Please see the article from the Diocese of Fort Worth for information about their Respect Life Mass on Monday, January 24th.

   Let us continue to pray for (and advocate for!) the rights of the most defenseless members of our society, jot only on January 22nd, but at every available opportunity.

Faithfully, Your Friend and Pastor,
Fr. Christopher C. Stainbrook 
 
 

   Today is the 1st Sunday of Advent. The word Advent means 'Coming' in Latin. This refers to the coming of Christ into the world. Christians use the four Sundays and weeks of Advent to prepare and remember the real meaning of Christmas. Some people fast during Advent to help them concentrate on preparing to celebrate Jesus's coming. Advent, then, reminds Christians of the sacred meaning of Christmas.  

Despite the secular preparations taking place, e.g. buying presents and going to parties, Advent reminds Christians to remember and prepare for the birth of Jesus.  

   According to Saint Gregory of Tours, the celebration of Advent began in the fifth century when the Diocesan Bishop ordered that starting with the Feast of St. Martin, on November 11th. until Christmas Day, the faithful were expected to fast three times per week; this is why Advent was sometimes also named "Lent of St. Martin". This practice remained limited to the diocese of Tours until the sixth century. But the Macon Council held in 581 A.D. adopted the practice in Tours, and soon all France observed these three weekdays of fasting (from the feast of Saint Martin until Christmas.) The most devout worshipers in some countries exceeded the requirements adopted by the Council of Macon, and fasted every day of Advent. The homilies of Gregory the Great in the late sixth century showed four weeks to the liturgical season of Advent, but without the observance of a fast. However, under the Emperor Charlemagne, in the ninth century, writings claim that the fast was still widely observed. 

   The color associated with Advent is violet or purple, which in ancient times was the color of royalty (because purple dye was costly and rare). So the liturgical color of Advent is a symbol of looking forward to welcoming the coming of a King.  

   There is an Advent Wreath in the Church with 4 candles. Each candle represents one aspect of our waiting, and is lit to signify Jesus bringing light into people’s lives. In Catholic households, the first two candles are purple in conjunction with the color of penance and the color worn by priests, the third is pink (rose, actually), for the color of rejoicing, and the fourth is also purple. 

   Our music at Mass during Advent changes to a simpler setting (the familiar Missa Orbis Factor), and some of the ceremonial is curtailed. Our High Mass today, for example, begins with the sombre Great Litany in Procession instead of the usual Asperges (sprinkling).  

   How can we at The Catholic Church of St. Mary the Virgin celebrate Advent? Why not set aside 10 minutes every night with your family. Light one candle the first week, two candles the second, and so on. Each evening, light the right candles, read an Advent devotion (multiple choices are available on the web), read the scripture selections for that day, and pray. 

   This short season, then, will help all of us truly prepare for a Merry Christmas!!   

Faithfully, 

 Your friend and Pastor, 
Fr. Christopher C. Stainbrook   

This Sunday is the Feast of Christ the King, the end of the Church year. We welcome our newest parishioners who will be confirmed today at both the 8:00 am and the 10:30 am Mass. May all of us enthrone Christ as the King of our own lives.
 

  "That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow
 of those that are in Heaven, 
on earth and under the earth:
And that every tongue should confess
that the Lord Jesus Christ
is in the glory of God the Father."

Philippians 2:10-11

 
  Christ Himself speaks of His Own kingly authority: in His last discourse, speaking of the rewards and punishments that will be the eternal lot of the just and the damned; in His reply to the Roman magistrate, who asked Him publicly whether He were a King or not; after His resurrection, when giving to His Apostles the mission of Teaching and Baptizing all nations, He took the opportunity to call Himself “King”, confirming the title publicly and solemnly proclaimed that all power was given Him in Heaven and on earth. These words can only be taken to indicate the greatness of his power, the infinite extent of His kingdom.  What wonder, then, that He Whom St. John calls the ”prince of the kings of the earth”: appears in the Apostle’s vision of the future as He Who “hath on His garment and on His thigh written ‘King of kings and Lord of lords!’.” It is Christ Whom the Father “hath appointed heir of all things”; “for He must reign until at the end of the world He hath put all his enemies under the feet of God and the Father.”
   It was surely right, then, in view of the common teaching of the sacred books, that the Catholic Church, which is the kingdom of Christ on earth, destined to be spread among all men and all nations, should with every token of veneration salute her Author and Founder in her annual liturgy and King and Lord and as King of Kings. And, in fact, she used these titles, giving expression with wonderful variety of language to one and the same concept, both in ancient psalmody and in the Sacramentaries.
 
 Pope Pius XI, Encyclical Letter
 Quas Primas #11-12
 
Faithfully, Your Friend and Pastor,
Fr. Christopher C. Stainbrook