Letter from the Pastor
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January 31, 2021
This Tuesday, February 2nd will have been 40 days since Christmas. It is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple, as well as the Purificiation of Mary, also known as Candlemas Day, which believe it or not, Groundhog Day comes from this feastday. Also, since 1997 Pope Saint John Paul II instituted a day of prayer for women and men in consecrated religious life.
According to Jewish law, a mother who had given birth to a boy was considered unclean for seven days. She then had to wait another 33 days before she could go to the temple and attend a ceremony of purification. The Gospel of St. Luke relates that Mary was purified according to the religious law, followed by Jesus' presentation in the temple. It is at this ceremony that Simeon and the Prophetess Anna saw Jesus. Simeon was promised that he would not die until he saw the Messiah. He gave praise to God in a beautiful hymn: Nunc Dimittis, “Now you may dismiss your servant in peace, your word has been fulfilled: for mine eyes have seen the salvation…a light to reveal you to the Nations… Because Jesus became the ‘light to the Gentiles,’ the Churches bless the Church candles for the year on that day.
The eve of Candlemas was also the day on which all the Christmas decorations of greenery were finally removed from people's houses and the creche was put away for another year.
Candlemas and Groundhog Day are celebrated on the same date. Groundhog Day was originally called hedgehog day. Hedgehog Day was observed by the Ancient Romans during the Festival of Februa on February 2nd. It was believed that when a hibernating hedgehog emerged from its den on Hedgehog Day and saw its shadow, because of the clear moon, there would be six more weeks of winter.
This popular holiday in Europe was brought to America by German-American settlers in Punxsutaney, Pennsylania and celebrated for the first time on February 2, 1887. They replaced the hedgehog with a groundhog since there are no native hedgehogs in this country.If Candlemas Day is bright and clear,
there'll be two winters in the year.
The next day is the feast of St. Blaise, the patron saint of throats. Traditionally on that day, our throats are blessed with two candles in the form of a cross. St. Blaise, on his way to his own death, stopped and helped a child from choking on a fish bone.
This year we will bless throats only during the 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM Masses. Due to CDC guidelines and safe precautions, we can’t bless you with the crossed-candles, but the blessing will be given collectively.