Dear friends,
This First Sunday of Advent marks the beginning of the Liturgical Year of Grace 2023 which follows the Sunday Year A cycle and the Weekday Year I cycle. There are several resources available to help us walk this journey through the Advent season together as we prepare for the most splendid event when God becomes man at Christmas. To this end, I urge you to register with FORMED.org and download the free Amen app. In addition to these, the Congregation of Holy Cross is offering the 2022 Virtual Advent Retreat in the Holy Cross Tradition at 7 p.m. each Sunday of Advent. Please register at: MyAdventRetreat@HolyCrossUSA.org.
On Tuesday, 22 November, we celebrated the Memorial of St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr, patroness of music. We therefore take this opportunity to thank Heidi and all the choir members and musicians for their dedication to this ministry. May St. Cecilia continue to inspire and guide them in honoring God through the gift of sacred music.
I warmly welcome Mr. Karl A. Schultz to St. John’s as presenter of this year’s Advent Mission. Karl is an author and international lecturer as well as a very devout and passionate Catholic. Please come and join us at 7:00 p.m. on the following evenings: Monday, 28 November, Tuesday, 29 November, and Wednesday, 30 November. Karl will reflect with us on the theme, “To Joseph and Jesus through Matthew: God with Us at Advent.” Karl’s presentation will focus on the following themes:
Talk 1 – St. Joseph: Matthew’s Model of Identity, Discipleship, Masculinity, and Reconciliation
Talk 2 – The Beatitudes at Advent: The Bible’s Joyful Counter-Cultural Congratulations
Talk 3 – Matthew’s Timely Message: Real Presence, Prayer, Parables of Life and Death, and Passion
Please come and prepare your hearts and minds for the coming of Christ at Christmas.
Have a blessed week!
With love,
Fr. John