"Peace on earth, goodwill to men!"

Dear Parishioners:                                 

The celebration of Christmas is an occasion for great joy and deep faith. We rejoice in the birth of Our Savior, Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. We remember his First Coming in the stable at Bethlehem and long for the Prince of Peace to come into our homes and hearts now.                                                            

This year, we long fervently for the Prince of Peace to return to the land of his birth. Christmas is subdued and solemn in the City of our Savior's Birth. No Christmas tree adorns Nativity Square. The City of Bethlehem, which neighbors Jerusalem in the  West Bank, is just 30 miles from the war in Gaza. So, our fervent prayer this Christmas must be for peace. Peace in our home and country, Ukraine, the Holy Land, and worldwide. Pope Francis said: "Let us pray for peace: peace in the world and in each of our hearts." 

As we look for the meaning of Christmas, we need to unwrap Jesus from all the glitter and tinsel around us. We must see that Christmas is about something other than giving expensive presents or having the perfect meal. Rather, Christmas is about God's precious gift to us, His Son Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

 With the violence and destruction of war in too many countries today, we need that "peace that the world cannot give." As the Prophet Isaiah reminds us: "For a child is born to us, a son is given to us; upon his shoulder dominion rests, They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace." Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, whose birth two thousand years ago, we celebrate at Christmas, is the same God-made -Man who died thirty-three years later upon the Cross. He did so to bring us true peace and eternal salvation.

Christmas cannot be divorced from the events of Easter. Our faith teaches us that Jesus Christ is the One who can bring true peace to the nations and the peoples of the world. And so, as we celebrate Christmas in peace and tranquility amid the security of our homes and the love of our friends and family, let us remember those who have no peace. 

During the First Week of Advent, I made my annual retreat at St. Joseph's Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts. The Monks dedicate their entire lives to ora et labora (work and prayer). Manuel labor daily except on Sundays. Prayer daily, five times a day, beginning at 2:30 am. Yet, to look upon them is to see not only deep faith but also true joy and peace.  

On retreat, I read a published letter from a young monk written to his parents at Christmas. In it, he writes of his first Christmas in the Monastery: "You perhaps cannot comprehend how we celebrate Christmas here; on Christmas Day, we stay in our cell all day, except for communal prayer in church, occupied with nothing but contemplating what happened in the stable near Bethlehem. No Christmas carols, no crib, no Christmas tree (not even a little branch of it), no gifts, and no candles: nothing, quite nothing save what happened at Bethlehem. And yet, I can assure you quite honestly that I have never experienced such a joyful Christmas. Here, the joy is deeper." We don't have to go to a Monastery to find the joy and peace of Christmas.

Look for it amidst the noise and distractions of the holiday. On Christmas Day, contemplate the birth of our Savior quietly and prayerfully. If we do, we can gratefully appreciate, truly comprehend, and joyfully celebrate the gift of Christmas: God's only Son born on that cold and dark night in the stable at Bethlehem so long ago.   Because of Christmas, we can never be alone.

Those who live in war, injustice, and persecution are not alone. Those in hospitals and nursing homes who suffer from sickness and isolation are not alone. Those who are sorrowful, fearful, lonely, addicted, homeless, and hungry are not alone. For "God is with us!" Emmanuel has come! This is the cause of true joy, the joy of Christians.  

Father Mahoney, Father Connors, and I wish you and your families a Merry Christmas. May it be full of joy, peace, hope, and faith!  You and your families are remembered in prayer and at our celebration of Christmas Masses. May the blessings of the Prince of Peace be yours this Christmas and in the New Year. A Blessed Christmas Season. Be well. Do good. God Bless. "Peace on earth, goodwill to men!" 

Rejoice In the Lord Always

Dear Parishioners:                                

Pope Francis celebrates Guadete Sunday in the traditional Rose Vestment.

It’s Gaudete Sunday, the Third Sunday of Advent., The word “gaudete” is derived from the Latin words “gaudium,” joy, and “gaudeo,” to rejoice. The nearness of the feast of Christmas is the reason for this great joy. The Latin word “Gaudete” is taken from the Entrance Antiphon: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near.” It is often called Rose Sunday because of the color of the vestments.

Advent is the season of preparing for the arrival of the Lord Jesus, his first and second coming. On Gaudete Sunday, we rejoice that “the Lord is near.” This year, Advent is particularly shorter because Christmas falls on a Monday.

  Pope Francis, preaching on Gaudete Sunday, said: “To have this joy in preparation for Christmas, first, pray. Second, give thanks to the Lord. Third, think of how we can go to others to bring unity, peace, and joy. This is the joy of the Christian.”  

We live in a world preoccupied with happiness, not joy. Every decision—even the stupid and sinful—is typically driven by the idea that whatever we do leads us to happiness. There is a good reason: God wants us to be happy in this life and the next. Yet, there is a difference between happiness and joy.

The Lord doesn’t speak about happiness. Jesus speaks only about joy and not simply in passing. In the Gospel of John, we hear the words of Jesus: “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”  Jesus offers these final words to his apostles at the Last Supper before his Passion and Crucifixion.

A difference between joy and happiness is that joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Happiness is not. In many ways, happiness depends on us. But joy, on the other hand, is entirely different. Joy doesn’t come from us. Joy isn’t a mere feeling, a fleeting pleasure, or a momentary emotional response, as is happiness. 

Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit is active in our lives, we experience joy as well as peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, self-control, and all the other fruits of the Holy Spirit. These are not mere feelings of pleasure or delight. Happiness is but a consequence, not a way of being. Everyone desires to be happy and hopes that happiness might be the final goal in life. But being happy does not lead us there. After all, we can’t practice happiness; either we have it or we don’t.

On the other hand, we can practice joy in our lives thanks to the Holy Spirit. St. Pope John Paul II said: “God made us for joy!” Let us celebrate the coming Feast of Christmas with joy! It will soon be here, as Christmas Day is just a week from this Monday!

When Christmas falls on a Monday, we joyfully attend Mass twice the same weekend, once for the Fourth Sunday of Advent and then again for Christmas. Thus, the Masses next Saturday at 4:00 pm and Sunday at 7:30 am, 9:00 am, and 10:30 am fulfill the Sunday obligation for the Fourth Sunday of Advent. While the obligation to attend Mass on Christmas begins on Sunday, Christmas Eve, with the 4:00 pm Vigil Mass, preceded by a concert by our OLM School Children’s Choir. The Christmas Mass at night is at Midnight and is preceded by a concert by our OLM Choir and the guest orchestra. It is always a solemn and beautiful Mass, so please join us on Christmas Eve at 11:30 pm for the concert, followed by Midnight Mass. Christmas Day Masses are at 7:30 am, 9:00 am, and 10:30 am. Keep the Mass in Christmas!

“Confession is an act of honesty and courage - an act of entrusting ourselves, beyond sin, to the mercy of a loving and forgiving God.”-Saint Pope John Paul II

These Late Advent Days are the perfect opportunity to make a good Confession. Prepare yourself and your soul to welcome the Messiah at Christmas. Welcome Him with a clear conscience and clean heart. Pope Saint John Paul II said: “Confession is an act of honesty and courage - an act of entrusting ourselves, beyond sin, to the mercy of a loving and forgiving God.”

This Monday evening, we have four priests, including three Dominican Friars, hearing Confessions from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm. And next Saturday, two priests are hearing Confessions from 2:00 pm until 4:00 pm. The forgiveness of our sins by the Merciful Messiah makes our Christmas more meaningful and joyful.

Do good. Be well. God Bless. “Again, I say rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near!”

Come, Lord Jesus!

Dear Parishioners:                    

The Last Judgment was painted by Stefan Lochner in the 15th century.

We begin a new Church Year with the Season of Advent upon us. It is a time of preparation for Christmas as we remember the First Coming of the Son of God. We also prepare in anticipation for the Second Coming of Christ at the end of time.  St. Bernard of Clairvaux says: "We know that the coming of the Lord is threefold. The first coming was in flesh and weakness, the middle coming is in spirit and power, and the final coming will be in glory and majesty." 

St. Bernard explains that The First Coming was Jesus' birth at Bethlehem. The Second Coming is the Spiritual coming to each believer. And the Third Coming is Jesus coming again at the world's end.    This "middle" coming is Jesus' arrival into our own lives. The Church often explains this through the sacraments, particularly through Baptism and the Holy Eucharist. It is not a "physical" coming but a spiritual one, where Christ comes to dwell within our souls. Each Advent, we are challenged to prepare for all three comings of Christ, celebrating his birth and preparing our hearts to receive him now and at the end of time. 

As we begin the new Church Year, we can look back over the last year at his coming. Each year, we submit the Status Animarum report to the Bishop. This "State of Souls" is a report on our parish's spiritual and sacramental life. All parishes submit this report, and then the Bishop submits one final report of the entire diocese to the Holy Father in Rome.

The Status animarum at Our Lady of Mercy Parish reports that we are a parish of 1,812 families with just about 600 actively supporting the parish. We had twenty-seven baptisms, sixty-one children made First Communion, and fifty-four young adults were Confirmed.  There were just five weddings. Sadly, we had fifty-one parishioners who died and for whom we celebrated funerals. Included in the bulletin this week is a copy of the Annual Financial Report that was approved by the Parish Finance Council, Parish Trustees, and the Parish Auditors.

The report indicates we are financially viable and on good fiscal ground. However, it reports a $45,000 decrease in our weekly budget collection last year. This is attributed to the death of a few very generous parishioners and a decline in support by many families since the COVID-19 pandemic. Our expenses are up due to the increased utilities, insurance, and supplies costs. Also, our diocesan assessment increased by $10,000. However, the subsidy to the school was reduced by $28,000 due to an increase of twenty-six new students enrolled at OLM School.

Our 'State of the Souls" and Annual Financial Report highlight the facts and figures of parish life, both the spiritual and the fiscal. There has been a decline in the spiritual life and the financial support of our parish since the pandemic. Many Catholics in general and many OLM parishioners, in particular, have not returned to the regular practice of the faith.

In a recent Wall Street Journal article, Lockdown Turned to Boycott in Our House: Once interrupted, the habits of religious worship can be hard to re-establish, the paper's deputy editorial features editor, Matthew Hennesey, comments on the effect of the pandemic lockdown on his family's attendance at Sunday Mass. He writes about his 17-year-old daughter, who has Down syndrome. She now refuses to go to Sunday Mass.

He explains that during the lockdown when public Mass was stopped during the pandemic, his family did what many did: watch the livestream Sunday Mass. However, transitioning back to regular attendance at Sunday Mass has been a challenge or, as he described it, a "spiritual disaster" for his family.  His experience is very common among our Catholic families across the country. He comments: "Attendance at my parish has since rebounded modestly. It isn't anywhere near pre-pandemic levels."

As we begin this new church year in this Advent, may it be a time of hopeful, joyful, and prayerful renewal for our parish family. Pray those who have drifted away from parish life may return.  If you know them, invite them to come back to Sunday Mass. Prepare the way for the coming of Christ. Do good. Be well. God Bless. 

The Season of Hope Begins! Prepare the Way!

Dear Parishioners:                    

 The Holy Season of Advent begins this Sunday. It is a season of prayerful preparation that directs our hearts and minds to Christ's second coming at the end of time. It is a time of joyful anticipation for the anniversary of Our Lord's birth on Christmas. From the Church's earliest days, people have been fascinated by Jesus' promise to return. But the scripture readings during Advent tell us not to waste our time with predictions. Advent is not about speculation.

Our Advent readings call us to be alert and ready, not weighed down and distracted by the cares of this world. Like Lent, the liturgical color for Advent is purple since both are seasons that prepare us for great feast days. Advent also includes an element of penance in the sense of preparing, quieting, and disciplining our hearts for the full joy of Christmas. 

However, more than any other season of the year, it is rooted in the virtue of hope. For Catholics, the new year begins not on January 1 but on the First Sunday of Advent, the day the Church begins her annual new cycle of Scripture readings and worship. The season of Advent, deriving from the Latin verb advenire, meaning "to come" or "to arrive," has a two-fold purpose: first, to remind us of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem and all that it implied for the salvation of the world; and, second, to ready us for Christ's second coming at the end of time as king and judge of creation.

For Christians, the virtue of hope enables us to face the burdens of daily life, no matter how heavy. In his 2007 Encyclical Spe Salvi ("Saved in Hope'), Pope Benedict reminds us that "the present, even if it is arduous, can be lived and accepted if it leads towards a goal if we can be sure of this goal, and if this goal is great enough to justify the effort of the journey."

Faith in Jesus Christ leads us to hope for eternal life. Christ's life gives our lives meaning. If we believe in Jesus Christ, we will have confidence in the future, no matter how bleak some days or problems seem. In the end, Jesus has already won our salvation and the happiness that comes with it.

The virtue that Christians call hope is not a warm, fuzzy feeling, a sunny disposition, or a habit of optimism. The great French Catholic novelist Georges Bernanos once wrote that optimism has nothing to do with hope. Optimism is often foolish and naïve — a preference to see good where the evidence is undeniably bad. In fact, Bernanos called optimism a "sly form of selfishness, a method of isolating oneself from the unhappiness of others."

Hope is a very different thing. It's a choice to trust in God while judging ourselves and the world with unsentimental clarity inspired and reinforced by God's grace. "The highest form of hope," Bernanos said, "is despair, overcome." Jesus Christ was born in a stable and died brutally on the cross not to make a good world even better but to save a broken world from itself at the cost of his own blood. Such is the real world, our daily world, the world of Christian hope.

As we ready ourselves for the joy of Christmas this year, let's live Advent fully and well. Remember, even amidst a world often cold and cruel, with war and violence, suffering and pain, why, as Christians, we're called to be joyful. In the end, Christmas is not about the gifts, the carols, or the parties, though all these things are wonderful signs of joy. Christmas is about the birth of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who brings joy, hope, and real meaning to a world that needs redemption. In Christ, and only in him, is our hope.

We celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Friday, December 8. It is a Holy Day of Obligation, and the Mass Schedule is: Vigil Mass at 5:00 PM on Thursday, and on the Holy Day, Friday, Masses are at 7:30 AM, 9:00 AM, and 7:00 PM.

St. Pope John Paul II said of this great Solemnity: "The Immaculate Conception shines like a beacon of light for humanity in all the ages. It guides us to believe and hope in God, in his salvation, and in eternal life."

I am making my annual retreat with the Trappists this week at Saint Joseph's Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts. Please pray for me. Remember to get to Mass on the Holy Day! Do good. Be well. God Bless. It's Advent! Pray for the Lord's coming and prepare the way!

Christ is King! We Need A Little Advent!

Dear Parishioners:                   

 I hope you had a joyful Thanksgiving Day. On my drive to and from my Sister's home in Saratoga, New York, the radio was full of Christmas music. Of course, the stores put up their Christmas displays on Halloween! Good grief, as Charlie Brown would say!      

I get critical this time every year because we celebrate Christmas too early. I prefer to go back to when the tree didn't go up until close to Christmas Eve, the cookies could not be enjoyed until Christmas day, no carols could be heard until mid-December, and no "holiday parties" took place until the great Feast. Then, once Christmas arrives, look out! We celebrated until Epiphany, January 6. No more. The decorations have been up since September in some places. The parties start, the songs are heard nonstop, the trees are up, and sadly, the season will end, not start on December 26.  

 I could complain, but it does no good. What I'm saying, to paraphrase Auntie Mame, is: "We need a little Advent right this very moment!" Mother Church is a wise teacher. She knows that all good things demand preparation. Christmas is worth preparing for, and Advent invites us to prepare for the Savior’s birth properly. Advent begins next Sunday, and in our worship in Church, we Catholics "stand out" these weeks because we will not celebrate Christmas until Advent is over! Somber, purple vestments; no carols yet at Mass; no manger or decorations until Christmas Eve. It may be December 25 already in the world, but in the Church, we slow down, take our time, and prepare because it's Advent.

 I am not an "Advent warrior," as some purists have become. I'm not on the warpath about Christmas being too secular or its celebration coming way too early, although I would agree on both counts.   But I love Advent and know Christmas is more meaningful if we use this holy season to prepare our hearts for Christ’s coming. How can we "salvage" Advent?  For one, enjoy the Advent feasts: St. Nicholas, December 6; the Immaculate Conception, December 8; Our Lady of Guadalupe, December 12; and, of course, the four Sundays of Advent.

If you put up your tree and the crib in your home, save the baby Jesus' arrival until Christmas Eve. Put up an Advent wreath, calendar, giving tree, or "Jesse Tree" in your home. They are wonderful Advent devotions.
  If we worry that Christmas has become "too commercial," shop for others instead of buying more stuff for people who already have too much stuff! OLM Outreach, Emmanuel House, or the Little Sisters of the Poor always need support. Gift cards and financial donations always help.

Advent is a time to be more charitable and generous with our money and also our time.  Visit someone who lives alone, in a nursing home or hospital, or is homebound.  Send a card or make a call to an old friend, someone who is grieving a loss or is lonely.

More silence, reflection, and prayer are much-needed Advent practices in this busy and hectic time. Come to a daily Mass, pray with the bible passages of the season, and make more time for prayer in your daily life. Pray the joyful mysteries of the rosary every day in Advent since they help prepare for Christmas.

Advent is a time of peace and reconciliation. It is time for us to reach out to someone we are estranged from and make peace. It is a time to forgive someone who has hurt us and work for reconciliation. And finally, a time to pray for peace in the world, especially in the Holy Land.

Advent is a great time to make a good confession. You'll find your Christmas Mass and Holy Communion on the Feast more joyful and meaningful if you have experienced the mercy of the Messiah in the Sacrament of Penance this Advent. Mark your calendar for Confessions every Monday and Saturday. On Monday, December 18, Advent confessions are from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. with four priests. On Saturday, December 23, Confessions with two priests are from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.

Today is the Feast of Christ the King! A feast designed to give special recognition to Christ's dominion over all aspects of our lives. Let's truly worship Him as the ruler of our lives this coming Advent so we may truly "keep Christ in Christmas!" Do good. Be well. God Bless. Advent is coming! Prepare the way!

Giving God Proper Thanks & Praise

Dear Parishioners:                    

Patriots celebrate Thanksgiving Day

It’s hard to believe, but we celebrate Thanksgiving Day this Thursday. We watch football games on Thanksgiving Day, and the dining room tables are filled with delicious food. However, this can overshadow the real importance and meaning of Thanksgiving. The English Catholic writer G.K. Chesterton said: “The worst moment for an atheist is when he is really thankful and has no one to thank.”

Thanksgiving Day, first and foremost, is a day to thank God for our blessings and bounty. Scripture is filled with praise and Thanksgiving to God for all He has done for His people. The readings for Thanksgiving Day Mass reflect this gratitude to God, particularly the Gospel story of the ten lepers whom Jesus cured and the one Samaritan who returned to thank Him.

While most Americans know the Puritan history of Thanksgiving Day, some historians claim that the first Thanksgiving was actually a Catholic celebration. More than 50 years before the Mayflower’s arrival to these shores, a group of Spanish colonists celebrated Mass and had a feast with native Timucuans in what would become the oldest settlement in the U.S. — St. Augustine, Florida. Some suggest this was the first Thanksgiving. 

Historians also point to a different group of Spaniards led by Don Juan de Oñate, who, in 1598, journeyed through the dangerous Chihuahuan Desert that spans northern Mexico and southern Texas, seeking to colonize the American southwest. After safely reaching the Rio Grande, Franciscan missionaries offered a Mass of Thanksgiving for the colonists, and a great feast with the natives followed.

The Spaniards eventually settled at Santa Fe. The Texas Almanac notes that various historians point to this event and the new settlement as milestones of Spanish influence in America – “one of hundreds of towns the Spanish had already established in the New World” before the arrival of the Puritans at Plymouth.

Thanksgiving at Plymouth, 1925, Brownscombe.

Even if these other “first Thanksgiving” were not celebrated as the original Thanksgiving, the traditionally held Thanksgiving with the Puritans did have a Catholic attendee — Squanto. He was the Native American who taught the Puritan settlers survival techniques in their new land. Years prior, he had been captured by the English and freed by Franciscans who educated and catechized him.

 When those Spanish priests stopped to celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving, it was the most Catholic thing to do. It is part of our faith as Catholics to thank God for the many blessings he has bestowed on us. Most importantly, we give thanks for the gift of his son, Jesus Christ, who suffered, died, and rose for us and our salvation. 

As Catholics, we celebrate Thanksgiving every time we come to Mass. The word Eucharist comes from the Greek word for Thanksgiving and is a reminder that, as followers of Christ, we have much to be thankful for. We are thankful for his love and his mercy. We are thankful for the Catholic faith passed on to us by the Communion of Saints. In our gratitude, we find peace and joy.  

  Our experience as Catholics shows the path to a fulfilling and joyful life. To be happy is to be grateful. We are called to share our gratitude, bounty, and blessings with others. That is the lesson of the Thanksgiving feast.    So,  this Thanksgiving, be the face, hands, and feet of Christ to all you encounter. Share the mercy and love God has given us. Act generously and charitably to those in need.

Gather not only around the dinner table with family and friends but, most importantly, gather at the Altar of God, where we celebrate the eucharistic Thanksgiving. Join us in giving God thanks on Thanksgiving Day at 9:00 am Mass. There is no better way to offer God our gratitude than attending Holy Mass. St. Teresa of Avila said: “In all created things discern the providence and wisdom of God, and in all things give Him thanks.”

We wish you a Happy Thanksgiving Day. Be assured of our prayers for your safe travel and blessing for the holiday. I am traveling to my Sister’s home in Saratoga, NY, for Thanksgiving Day Dinner. Do good. Be well. God Bless. I’ve given up on the Pats. Bring on the draft!! Happy Thanksgiving