Letter from the Pastor
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November 20, 2022We have come to the end of another year of grace, and we crown the year with the Solemnity of Christ the King. It is a relatively new solemnity in the life of the Church. Instituted in October 1925 by Pope Pius XI, this feast was given even greater importance by Pope St. John XXIII in 1960, when he transferred it to the final Sunday of the Church’s year.
The reason for the feast was the politics before and after World War I. It was the rise of socialism, secularism, and atheism, which led the Pope to establish this feast as an antidote. All governments of the world are either a monarchy, dictatorship, or democratic republic and are subjected to Christ the Universal King and His Kingdom of “truth and life, holiness and grace, justice, love and peace.”
We now see clearly the long lasting effects of a godless and secular society, we see what socialism and atheism has done and is still doing to the moral fabric of our society. We are living at a time when human life is not important, when most of our citizens and sadly even our own people see no problem with the evil and the crime of killing the most vulnerable, an innocent life, within the womb of their mother. We need Christ as King even more. Our people, our world is starving for God. Christ is the food; He is the Bread of Life.
We are members of Christ’s Kingdom; we need to bring that kingdom into our family, school, workplaces, and markets. Pray that we will always be loyal subjects.
Thanksgiving Day
We need to be grateful to God for the many blessings and graces He bestowed on us this past year. And so it is fitting that this Thursday is Thanksgiving Day. It is the closest we ever get every year in praying together as a nation.
The focus of our holidays has changed over the years. Our religious holidays have become secularized, even certain of our patriotic holidays are being cancelled; however, Thanksgiving is different. Even though, if you noticed lately, more are calling it, ‘Turkey Day.” Thanksgiving for many is a problematical holiday because if not God, who receives our national and personal gratitude? Certainly, not Tom Turkey!
As Roman Catholics and Americans, we celebrate Thanksgiving each year as we hope and pray that America will always retain the original gratefulness to God displayed by the Pilgrims and many other founding fathers.
I invite you and your family to come to the Parish Mass of Thanksgiving on Thursday morning at 9:00AM. I invite you to bring with you something from your table to be blessed, and then return to your family celebration.
Family Mass and Children’s Choir
Next Sunday, November 27th is the First Sunday in Advent, and as we begin a new Church year, I would like to introduce a Family Mass, on the last Sunday of the month at 10:30 AM. Children and their family will be more involved in the liturgy, and the homily will be more directed at the younger members of our parish family. Also, under the guidance of Mark LaRosa, we would like to start a children’s choir (choristers) program to sing at the Family Mass. More information next week.
Advent Reading and Listening
On the kiosk near the elevator, there are new books and CD’s for Advent and Christmas.
