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 Jesus 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, (although this might be curtailed this year if the Covid protocols persist), 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 directed that starting with the Feast of St. Martin,  on 11 November until Christmas, one fasts 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 adopted the practice in Tours and soon all France observed three days of fasting a week 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. The vestments of the priest are violet, and 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.
   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; a devotional (found in the narthex in the church)  will guide you through  process. Each evening, light the  candles, read the devotion, read the scripture, and pray. This short season will help all of us truly prepare for a Merry Christmas!
Faithfully,
Your friend and Pastor,
Fr. Christopher C. Stainbrook

   

   The history books will tell you that the first Thanksgiving was celebrated by the pilgrims in 1621. Not true. 
    According to Dr. Taylor Marshall (in an article for the Catholic Education Resource Center) the first American Thanksgiving was actually celebrated on September 8, 1565 in St. Augustine, Florida. The Native Americans and Spanish settlers held a feast and the Holy Mass was offered. This was 56 years before the Puritan pilgrims of Massachusetts. Don Pedro Menendez came ashore amid the sounding of trumpets, artillery salutes and the firing of cannons to claim the land for King Philip II and Spain. The ship's chaplain, Fr. Francisco Lopez de Mendoza Grajales, chanted the Te Deum and presented a crucifix that Menendez ceremoniously kissed. Then the 500 soldiers, 200 sailors and 100 families and artisans, along with the Timucuan Indians celebrated the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in gratitude to God.
   The second American Thanksgiving happened on April 30, 1598,  here in Texas, when Spanish explorer Don Juan de Oñate requested the friars to say a Mass of Thanksgiving, after which he formally proclaimed “La Toma”, claiming the land north of the Rio Grande for the King of Spain. The men feasted on duck, goose, and fish from the river. The actors among them dressed and presented a play. All this took place twenty-three years before the Pilgrims set sail from England on the Mayflower
   The Catholic origins of Thanksgiving don’t stop there. Squanto, the beloved hero of Thanksgiving, was the Native American man who mediated between the Puritan Pilgrims and the Native Americans. Squanto had been enslaved by the English, but he was freed by Spanish Franciscans. Squanto thus received baptism and became a Catholic. So it was a baptized Catholic Native American who orchestrated what became known as Thanksgiving. 
   And let everyone remember that “Thanksgiving” in Greek is Eucharistia. Thus, the Body and Blood of Christ is the true “Thanksgiving Meal”.
   Enjoy your Turkey, stuffing and pie on Thursday, and remember to give thanks to God for all He has given us here at the Catholic Church of St. Mary the Virgin. Holy Mass will be celebrated on Thanksgiving Day at 10:00 a.m. 
Faithfully, Your Friend and Pastor,
Fr. Christopher C. Stainbrook

   Next Sunday, November 22nd, is the Feast of Christ the King, also called Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. This festival is celebrated  in honor of Jesus Christ as the Lord over all creation. Essentially a magnification of the Feast of the Ascension, it was established by Pope Pius XI in 1925. Many  people take the time out of their day on Christ the King to reread Pope Pius XI's encyclical Quas primas; other people participate in many of the Christ the King processions that occur on this day; and some people recite the Act of Dedication of the Human Race to Jesus Christ King of the Universe.
   Quas primas (the encyclical which established the Feast of Christ the King) was Pope Pius XI's response to the world's increasing secularization and nationalism. It was written in the aftermath of World War I, which saw the fall of  many monarchies in Europe, including the Hohenzollerns (Germany), Romanovs (Russia), and Habsburgs.(Austria/Hungary) Indeed, one of the altars in our Church is dedicated to the last Emperor of Austria Hungary, the beatified  Karl von Habsburg.
   In his encyclical, the Holy Father articulated  his purpose for instituting such a universal feast day:
 “The Church, founded by Christ as a perfect society, has a natural and inalienable right to perfect freedom and immunity from the power of the state; and that in fulfilling the task committed to her by God of teaching, ruling, and guiding to eternal bliss those who belong to the kingdom of Christ, she cannot be subject to any external power. Nations will be reminded by the annual celebration of this feast that not only private individuals, but also rulers and princes, are bound to give public honor and obedience to Christ. It will call to their minds the thought of the last judgment, wherein Christ, who has been cast out of public life, despised, neglected and ignored, will most severely avenge these insults; for his kingly dignity demands that the State should take account of the commandments of God and of Christian principles, both in making laws and in administering justice, and also in providing for the young a sound moral education. The faithful, moreover, by meditating upon these truths, will gain much strength and courage, enabling them to form their lives after the true Christian ideal. If to Christ our Lord is given all power in heaven and on earth; if all men, purchased by his precious blood, are by a new right subjected to his dominion; if this power embraces all men, it must be clear that not one of our faculties is exempt from his empire. He must reign in our minds…He must reign in our wills…He must reign in our hearts…He must reign in our bodies and in our members…”
   The Feast of Christ the King reminds us that it is Our Lord who rules over Heaven and Earth, and all persons and principalities are subject to his reign. We will keep this feast with a Procession and  Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament at the 10:30 High Mass next week.
Faithfully, Your Friend and Pastor,
Fr. Christopher C. Stainbrook

Several people have asked: Why are the Clergy wearing black vestments this month, and why are the weekday masses a little different?                                                   
   The answer is that we are celebrating Requiem Masses during many of the weekday masses in November.                      
    A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead (Latin: Missa pro defunctis) or Mass of the dead (Latin: Missa defunctorum), is a Mass in the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, using a particular form of the Missal (found at the back, for those who have purchased a copy of Divine Worship: The Missal- Study Edition). They are often said during the month of November, the “Month of Holy Souls"                     
   The major difference between these Requiems and other weekday masses we usually celebrate here is the choice of Entrance and Communion chants, and the prayers (Collect, aka Opening Prayer, Offertory Prayer, and Communion Prayer) The Dies Irae prayer can also be said (or sung) before the Gospel. (Also, of course, there would be no Gloria or Creed in these masses.) There is nothing morbid about a mass that commemorates earthly death. Remember, for Christians, death is not the end of the story. Our Catholic Faith teaches us to cherish the memory of our dead. It urges us to commune in prayer, especially at Mass, with the souls of those we loved while they walked this Earth. We are continually reminded that “life is changed, not ended.” Actually, many daily masses throughout the year here at the Catholic Church of St. Mary the Virgin have the intention (of the Priest) for the soul of the deceased, either individually or in groups, and can, technically, also be termed “Requiem Mass,” -  but there is effectively no difference from an ordinary Mass, (the vestments are the color of the day, green, red or white, rather than black).                                                         
    The Requiems we say this month are proper Requiems, and the names during the Canon of the Mass (Eucharistic Prayer) are read from the list given to the parish office for All Souls Day.                               
   With over 450 names submitted this year, we felt it to be both expeditious and efficacious to change the “feria” days (those days in the calendar not already set aside for a Saint’s Day) to Requiems.  November is also the month for the traditional All Souls Indulgence - please see the article about the extension of this Indulgence elsewhere in this bulletin.
Faithfully,
Your Friend and Pastor,
Fr. Christopher C. Stainbrook

 
   As you all know, the commutation of the obligation to attend public Mass during the coronavirus pandemic has been in place since the middle of March.  It was already my intention to revisit this in September, but now even the Vatican has beaten me to the punch!  Cardinal Robert Sarah, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, has written to the presidents of the Bishops’ Conferences to remind them of the urgency of encouraging the faithful to return to in-person Mass.
    Our faith is sacramental, not notional.  The Word became flesh, and gives himself to us in the flesh in the Eucharistic sacrifice.  This sacramental principle also applies to the Liturgy of the Word, as the liturgical proclamation of the Word is categorically different than reading the scriptures in our private devotional prayer.  The circumstances of these last months have been exceptional, certainly.  Given the sacramental character of our worship and life, however, we risk great and lasting harm to the Church and to individual souls the longer people stay away from Mass and Confession.
    Beginning October 1, 2020, I am modifying the commutation of the obligation to attend Mass.  As of that date, the commutation applies only to those persons who are at higher risk for the Coronavirus (according to the CDC, those who are 60+ years of age, those with underlying medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, COPD, kidney disease, or are immuno-compromised).  Persons not in this vulnerable group should be encouraged to return to Mass and the Sacraments.
   As always, we seek to balance our religious obligations with a common-sense approach to health and safety.  I encourage each congregation to redouble efforts at disinfecting churches and spaces.  Please, encourage mask wearing. 
   Mass is essential.  Faithfulness in a pandemic takes pastoral courage.  It is our obligation to witness now to the certainty of the redeeming presence of Christ in the Mass and Sacraments.
 
 Sincerely yours in Christ,
 +Steven J. Lopes
Bishop, Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter

I am so grateful that our Governor, Gregg Abbott, has continued to uphold our Religious Freedom (the 1st Freedom as the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has reminded us) and exempted churches from many of the restrictions faced by other entities. With the recent rise of Covid-19 cases in Texas, we will continue to adhere to the directives of state and local authorities and take the necessary safety precautions, namely proper social distancing spacing, disinfecting all pews and the altar rail after every Mass. (Volunteers for this are needed – please call the parish office if you can help) Please consider bringing your own wipes and wipe down your pew and kneeler before you leave – this will ensure a double cleaning of that area. We also have hand sanitizer available in the Narthex. If you have extra hand sanitizer, wipes, disinfectant spray or liquid that you can donate, please contact the parish office.
 
For parishioners over the age of 65, those who have pre-existing conditions and those that prefer to remain at home, we will continue to live stream one of our Sunday Masses on our parish Facebook page.  You may use this link to access the SMV Facebook page.
                                                                                                                                                                        
For those of you who will join us for Mass, welcome!
 
 We ask that you:
Please consider wearing a mask while socializing on the church grounds (the mask can be removed when inside the church and during the mass itself)
Please continue to sit in every other pew; Please do not sit in the pews marked off with blue tape.
Families are encouraged to sit together in a pew. If there are two or more families in the same pew there should be a proper distance between each family;
For those in the overflow seating in the Parish Hall, please follow the Ushers’ instructions, they will direct the flow of traffic to and from the altar rail;
When socializing in the courtyard or parish hall after mass, please continue to keep socially distant from each other.
Please do NOT set up any displays, tables with books or religious items, information booths, or advertisements (for either parish or non parish events such as off campus talks and events, or possible future trips or pilgrimages) or hold any fundraisers in the courtyard, narthex, parish hall or the parking lot until further notice. These displays and tables (with things like books or religious articles) complicate our efforts to maintain Social Distancing.
Please remember that the collection plate is located in the Narthex of the Church. Your generosity is especially appreciated during this unusual time.
 
Please recall that Bishop Lopes has commuted the normal obligation to attend Sunday Mass at this time for some parishioners (See His Excellency's letter above) . This “commutation” means that the Sunday obligation of these Christian faithful who meet the expected conditions (see above) to be present in Church on Sunday is met through one of the two following pious practices:
A. Prayerful reflection upon the Sunday Scripture readings, and concluding that reflection by the recitation of the Prayer of Humble Access or the Anima Christi;
B. The recitation of the Rosary as a family; Having the obligation to attend Sunday Mass commuted does not mean you have a day off, like taking a day off work. It is still The Lord’s Day: the Day of the Resurrection. Below are some prayers which are helpful to fulfill your obligation on Sunday, as well as prayers for making a “spiritual communion.”
 
Prayer of Humble Access We do not presume to come to this thy Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up thy crumbs under thy Table. But thou art the same Lord whose property is always to have mercy. Grant us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his Blood, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his Body, and our souls washed through his most precious Blood, and that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen.
 
Anima Christi (As taken from St. Gregory’s Prayer Book, page 32). Soul of Christ, sanctify me. Body of Christ, save me; Blood of Christ, inebriate me; Water from Christ’s side, wash me; Passion of Christ, strengthen me; O good Jesus, hear me; Within thy wounds hide me; Suffer me not to be separated from Thee; From the malicious enemy defend me; In the hour of my death call me; And bid me come unto Thee; That with thy Saints I may praise Thee; forever and ever. Amen.

Prayers for Spiritual Communion (As taken from St. Gregory’s Prayer Book, page 230) In union, dear Lord, with all the faithful at every altar of thy Church where the blessed Body and Blood are being offered to the Father, I desire to offer thee praise and thanksgiving. I believe you are truly present in the Most Holy Sacrament. And since I cannot now receive thee sacramentally, I beseech thee to come spiritually into my heart. I unite myself unto thee, and embrace thee with all the affections of my soul. Let me never be separated from thee. Let me live and die in thy love. Amen
 
I worship thee, Lord Jesus, and kneeling unto thee, as thou didst come to Mary, I pray thee come to me, I beseech thee, and unite me to thyself. Though I cannot now receive thee sacramentally, yet I believe that thou art able, even when received by faith and desire only, to heal, enrich and sanctify me. Come thou spiritually into my heart. I desire to unite myself to thee with all the affections of my soul. Possess me wholly; let the consuming fire of thy love absorb me, and thy presence abide so intimately in me, that it will be no longer I that live, but thou that livest in me. Come, Lord Jesus, and dwell in my heart. Amen.
 
Please know that your priests and staff at St. Mary the Virgin are praying for you, and we ask that you continue to pray for us as well.
 
Faithfully, Your Friend and Pastor,
Fr. Christopher C. Stainbrook

Eucharistic Adoration is offered on Fridays, beginning after the 12:00 noon Mass and concludes at 5:00 p.m.  Please come and sit with our Lord for an hour. WE NEED MORE ADORERS to maintain this Ministry, as the Blessed Sacrament cannot be left alone in the Church.  Please call the Parish Office to Sign Up for a time.
(2 needed each hour) 

 

The Catholic Church of St. Mary the Virgin wants you to know that the church remains unlocked for private prayer and reflection before and after daily Mass from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

We are now streaming ALL Sunday Masses
(the 8:00 a.m. Low Mass, the 10:30 a.m. High Mass with
full choir and ceremonial and
the 1:00 p.m. Low Mass with Hymns)  on the
St. Mary the Virgin Facebook Page