The Catholic Church of

St. Mary the Virgin

   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
 

I am very pleased to introduce our new Secretary/Receptionist at the Catholic Church of St. Mary The Virgin: Eugenia Dijeh.
 
 Eugenia was born in Nigeria and emigrated to the United States in 2010. She has a degree from the University of Texas at Arlington in Business Administration. She has been married to her husband, Edward, for nearly thirty years. Edward is an engineer and he owns his own company, based in Nigeria. He does a substantial part of his work for Shell Oil Company.
 
 Eugenia has three high-achieving children:
 
   Linda, who is currently working on her master’s degree in business at the University of Texas at Dallas;
   Frances, who is a Medical Doctor doing her residency in Buffalo, NY; and
   Edward, who is working on his master’s degree in software engineering at the University of Texas at Dallas.        (Many may already know Edward, because he is a regular server at the Friday daily Mass!)    
 
 Eugenia and her family are parishioners at Mater Dei Catholic Church in Dallas, where they fell in love with the Latin Mass. You have probably seen Eugenia (and Linda and Edward) at Noon Mass here at St. Mary The Virgin, where they are regular attendees. She loves the reverence and beauty of the Ordinariate liturgy and particularly the care with which it is celebrated here.
 
In her non-working time, Eugenia loves to go to Adoration, and to be close to the Eucharist. She is also a big fan of Gregorian music.

Eugenia is happy and eager to begin her work at SMV this Monday, at a parish where the traditions are so close to her own. She is particularly excited to be part of a parish filled with people who are serious about and committed to their faith.
 
Please join me in welcoming Eugenia and her family to the Staff at our parish!
 
Faithfully,
 
Your Friend and Pastor,
Fr. Christopher C. Stainbrook
 
 

Why is November called the Month of Holy Souls?
 
   The Catholic Church dedicates the entire month of November to the Holy Souls in Purgatory. 

   The “Hallowtide" Triduum began on All Hallows’ Eve, followed by All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day. During the entire month we pray for the souls of the faithful departed, especially those whom we have known and loved.

   The season of Holy Souls reveals our reflection of our own mortality, both by celebrating and mourning those who have gone before us, and gathering all of the past into God’s loving embrace. 

   We commemorate all the Faithful Departed during the month of November, by remembering, praying, and giving thanks for all the dead. Praying for the faithful departed pleases God, who makes use of our prayers to help purify these souls in purgatory that He loves. This commemoration presumes that some who die are imperfectly purified of their sinfulness, and while assured of the eventual benefits of eternal life, are barred from immediate access to heaven. Instead, they are held in an unknown place where they are cleansed of their sinfulness, and after an indeterminate time, are finally released to take their place at God’s throne.
   For centuries,  the Catholic Church defines Purgatory is the "intermediate place of temporary punishment and purification", and that the length of time spent there is based upon the number and seriousness of one’s sins. The church defined this doctrine at the Second Council of Lyons (1274), the Council of Florence (1439) and the Council of Trent (1545-1563).

   This term, “Purgatory", still exists in church literature today (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1030-1032) despite the fact that it is not mentioned in the Bible. Two New Testament verses allude to a cleansing fire (1 Corinthians 3:15 and 1 Peter 1:7), and they have served as the basis for the concept of purgatory, which evolved from the fifth to 13th centuries.

   Today, the Church also defines “Purgatory” as “The Final Purification” (as we see in the Documents of Vatican II, Lumen Gen tium, No. 51).

   The Catholic Church has taught for centuries that our prayers serve as an aid to those who have died, and the premier prayer to offer for their intention is the Eucharist, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The Church also recommends almsgiving, indulgences and other works of penance for the deceased (Catechism, No. 1032). 
   Requiem Mass will be offered on the weekdays in November when there is no commemoration (like a Saint’s or Martyr’s Day) which takes precedence. 

   At these weekday Requiem masses, or indeed at any time throughout the month of November, please consider reserving some time to pray for the dead.  
 
Faithfully, Your Friend and Pastor,
Fr. Christopher C. Stainbrook
 
 

I would like to draw your attention to two beautiful celebrations in the Liturgical Year which we will keep next week.
   Tomorrow, Monday November 1st is the Feast of All Saints.
   We will have two masses that day - Our regular low mass at Noon, and a Sung Mass (much like our 10:30 am Sunday Mass)  at 7:00 pm. 
   The All Saint’s Sung Mass will feature the St. Mary the Virgin Youth Choir who will be singing the delightful “Mass for Children” composed for our parish by our own Organist, Mary Nesvadba. We hope many of our parishioners will choose to attend this Mass, even though All Saint’s Day has not been designated a Holy Day of Obligation in 2021 (see https://www.usccb.org/events/2021/all-saints-day)
   The following evening, Tuesday, November 2nd is the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed (aka familiarly as All Souls Day). 
   We will keep this somber occasion with a Solemn Requiem Mass at 7:00 pm. The All Souls Solemn Mass will feature our full choir who will be singing Gabriel Faure’s familiar and much beloved Requiem.
   We hope that a large number of parishioners will attend to remember their own beloved dead, and also to pray for all orphaned souls who have no one else to pray for them. 
   As November is the month of Holy Souls, we will offer Requiem Masses at those regularly scheduled weekday masses which do not have a specific commemoration.
   November also brings us to the end of the Liturgical Year, and the end of the special “Year of St. Joseph” (which ends on December 8th,  2021) Thanks to the generosity of a parish family, we can provide a specially blessed Holy Card of St. Joseph (which have been placed at the St. Joseph Shrine at the church) to everyone in the parish - please pick up one today for you and your family.  As this year of St. Joseph draws to a close, it’s worth reexamining why we’ve had it and how we can benefit from it. 
1. Why did the Pope choose St. Joseph for 2021?
   On December 8, 2020, Pope Francis released an Apostolic Letter titled “Patris Corde,” or “With a Father’s Heart.” In his letter, the Holy Father highlights how St. Joseph is a model for masculinity, courage, and humility. He points out how St. Joseph was a tender and loving father, one who was obedient to God in all things. He surrendered himself to God’s will, even as he feared his own weaknesses. His trust and acceptance of God’s plan for salvation makes him a model for fathers, mothers, and children everywhere! Joseph protected Mary and Jesus through all of their trials (including when they had to flee to Egypt), worked hard to provide for his family, and sacrificed everything to be a good father for Jesus. He did all of this quietly and patiently, without seeking attention or praise.
 
2. What is an indulgence?
   In order to encourage devotion to St. Joseph, Pope Francis has outlined special ways to earn plenary indulgences this year! This is very exciting, as we now have even more ways to participate in God’s grace! What does that mean? First–it means that we are dealing with forgiven sins. That is, sins that God has already forgiven (for mortal sins, through Confession, and a variety of ways for venial sins). Remember: when we sin, there is a need to have God forgive those sins (to remit the eternal punishment for them) and there is also a need to remit the temporal punishment–that is, the effects of the sin need to be cleaned up, too.
3. What’s a plenary indulgence?
   There are two kinds of indulgences: partial indulgences and plenary indulgences. Partial indulgences are just as they sound; only part of the consequences due to sin are removed. For a plenary indulgence, all the temporal punishment due to sin is removed! Plenary indulgences are a big deal, which makes the Year of St. Joseph all the more exciting!
4. How do I gain an indulgence?
   You must fulfill certain “conditions” and then perform a particular act which the Church has specified as having the indulgence attached (called the “Indulgenced act”). Often these acts must be accomplished on a specified date (such as on Feast Day) or within a specified timeframe (such as a novena) or at a certain location (such as a pilgrimage).
Here are the three conditions you must fulfill for every indulgence:
1. Go to Confession within 20 days before or after the indulgenced act”
2. Receive Holy Communion
3. Pray for the Pope’s intentions (any prayer, but an Our Father and a Hail Mary are suggested)
   One Confession can apply to several plenary indulgences, but a separate Communion and prayer for the Pope must apply to each indulgence. To gain the indulgence, you must also be a baptized member of the Catholic Church, not excommunicated, and in a state of Grace (you have not committed any grave sins that you have not confessed).
THEN: to gain a “plenary indulgence” you must have a spirit which is detached from any sin–even venial sin. To the extent that you are not detached even from venial sin, you gain not a plenary indulgence, but a partial indulgence. Indulgences, then, deal with the “temporal effects” of sins.
   A busy month lies ahead for us Spiritually if we choose to take advantage of it! I hope to see many of you at All Saints, All Souls and also taking advantage of these final days of the “Year of St. Joseph.”
Faithfully, Your friend and Pastor,
Fr. Christopher C. Stainbrook
 
 

We will have two beautiful celebrations in the Liturgical Year next week.

Monday November 1st is the Feast of All Saints.

We will have two masses that day - our regular low mass at Noon, and a Sung Mass at 7:00 pm. The Sung Mass will feature the St. Mary the Virgin Youth Choir who will be singing the delightful “Mass for Children” composed by our own Organist, Mary Nesvadba. We hope many of our parishioners will choose to attend this Mass to support our youngest singers.

The following evening, Tuesday, November 2nd is the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed (All Souls Day).

We will keep this somber occasion with a Solemn Requiem Mass at 7:00 pm.

This mass will feature our full choir who will be singing Gabriel Faure’s familiar and much beloved Requiem.

We hope that a large number of parishioners will attend to remember their beloved dead and to pray for all orphaned souls who have no one else to pray for them. As November is the month of Holy Souls, we will offer Requiem Masses at those regularly scheduled masses which do not have a specific commemoration.

  Many of you might remember fondly, as I do, the old TV sitcom “Growing Pains” (which I enjoyed watching every week). It was a family-friendly show about the trials and triumphs of parents raising a bunch of precocious and rambunctious kids, and those kids bristling against their parents’ authority. One of the most exciting things about SMV since my appointment a year ago in July is the continued growth of new families choosing to join our parish. But, as in that old TV sitcom, we at SMV are experiencing some “growing pains” of our own.

  One of these concerns parking. Please practice courtesy and consideration in the parking lot. We are exploring plans to improve our parking situation (which is endemic to almost all churches) but a little logistics while parking and thoughtfulness towards our fellow parishioners will go a long way towards easing the bottlenecks we are currently experiencing. Parishioners without small children might consider parking their cars in the side streets around the church and walking the short distance to mass. Families with large vehicles might consider parking especially carefully in our parking lot in order to allow those in smaller cars enough room to fit comfortably as well.  If your larger vehicle can be safely parked on a nearby side street, we might ask you to consider that option as well (although this option may be impractical for those families with small children).

  We are moving forward towards the erection of our playground (thank you Knights of Columbus!), but until that time, we are asking parents to please keep an eye on your children after mass, and ask them not to climb the small trees by the patio and parish halls (even  a fall from a small tree could cause a nasty sprain!) and encourage them to refrain from running in the parish hall, especially when there are events at which our more elderly parishioners are present (Knight’s Cafes, Tamales Sales, etc.).

  To our long time parishioners, especially those who express nostalgia for the former days of the much smaller church, we urge you to warmly welcome our many new families who bring such zest and vitality to our community. The old expressions is a true one: “If the church isn’t crying, it’s dying” and to be honest, those days of the smaller parish were also days financial insecurity and concern over the long-term viability of the parish.

  Our new families are a gift from God in time, talent, and treasure (as the old stewardship guidelines phrased it) and each of our “first families” can act as ambassadors representing the unique sense of affection and connectedness which first led them to our church. The family on the TV show “Growing Pains overcame their difficulties through communication, cooperation and consideration, and I am confident that our SMV family will overcome our “growing pains” as well.

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