3rd  Sunday of Advent ~ Pastoral Reflection

Kathy Weekly message

advent3The closer we get to Christmas, the more likely we will hear the question, “Are we ready for Christmas?” Besides all the other preparations we do for Christmas like putting up the Christmas tree, decorating the house, baking cookies the 3rd Sunday of Advent adds three more things to our “to do” list: we are called to rejoice, be  patient and be a messenger.

If we are to be ready for Christmas, the prophet Isaiah tells us that we should rejoice, because God is coming to save his people. We are to rejoice because our salvation is nearer, the time of Advent waiting is nearly over, as the celebration of the birth of Christ draws near. St. James in his letter tells us to be patient as we wait for the coming of the Lord. Part of being patient is to avoid complaining about others. Bearing our share of hardships is another part, one that can be a real test of patience. The prophets of old while proclaiming God’s message were patient, they had to face many hardships yet they did their task with persistence. The third week of Advent also calls us to be messengers. In the Gospel Jesus indirectly claims to be the Messiah. He points to the actions that exemplify the presence of the Messianic age. He praises John as a prophet and one even greater than a prophet, a person who prepared the way of the Lord. Each one of us is the messenger and so we too have a very important role to play but before telling others to prepare a way for the Lord we need to set an example. Jesus through his Eucharistic meal nourishes and strengthens us so that we will be able to carry out our task with patience and with joy.

 As we are nearing the celebration of Christ’s birth I invite each one to take advantage of the opportunity for confession during this time. Most of the Churches have confessions on Saturday’s before Mass. Besides our regular confessions we will have our Advent Penance Service on Wednesday December 14th  7.00 pm, at St. Valentine’s Church. There will be a three more priests besides Fr. Henry and myself. Advent is a good time to heal all that keeps us from experiencing the divine love and mercy. Once you take part in this sacrament then if you had confessions on your “To Do” list then you will be able to check it off. Let’s hope that our spiritual preparation for the birth of Our Savior ranks right up there with the many other ways we anticipate December 25th.

On this rejoice Sunday we rejoice that the birth of our Lord and Savior is near! We rejoice in the forgiveness God generously offers us!

Blessings to all,

Fr. Socorro

 

A Christmas Gift for Your Parish

In order to balance our parish budget every year we rely heavily on the generous gifts that come to us through the Christmas collection. We also rely heavily on the weekly Offertory gifts that are made 52 weeks out of the year. Both your Christmas gifts to our parish and your weekly Offertory gifts help us manage our operating budget.  For this reason, we ask you to please be as generous as possible with your Christmas gift to the parish. The Archdiocese gives all parishes a special exemption from the 7% assessment only for the Christmas collection. Your contribution to your parish at Christmas stays right here at St. Valentine. If you can be more generous during the Christmas season, please mark your envelope “Christmas” and the contribution will be recorded as such.

 Thank you for your generosity both throughout the year and at Christmas.

God Bless You.

Fr. Socorro

Two New Auxiliary Bishops Named for Archdiocese

Kathy From the Archbishop

Pope Francis has named two local priests, Father Gerard W. Battersby and Father Robert J. Fisher, to be auxiliary bishops for the Archdiocese of Detroit. Bishops-designate Battersby and Fisher will be ordained as the archdiocese’s 29th and 30th auxiliary bishops, respectively, on January 25, 2017, at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit. Auxiliary bishops aid the archbishop in the pastoral care of the archdiocese.

“All of us in the Archdiocese of Detroit are deeply grateful that Pope Francis has named Father Battersby and Father Fisher, two well-loved and respected priests in our archdiocese, to be auxiliary bishops in our local church,” said Archbishop Allen Vigneron, the Archbishop of Detroit. “Just days ago we celebrated Synod ‘16 to move the whole Catholic community in Southeast Michigan forward in our efforts to Unleash the Gospel. Both of these new bishops bring a rich set of gifts and talents to the roles they will play in leading our community in our mission to share the Good News of Jesus.”

Bishop-designate Gerard W. Battersby: He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Detroit on May 30, 1998. He has served at St. Thecla Parish in Clinton Township and at St. Gerard, Immaculate Heart of Mary and Presentation-Our Lady of Victory parishes in Detroit. He was made director of graduate seminarians at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in 2007 before being assigned to graduate studies at the University of St. Thomas in Rome. Since 2011, he has been serving as vice-rector and dean of seminarian formation at Sacred Heart Major Seminary. He also has been pastor of St. Mary of Redford Parish in Detroit since October 2015.

 “I would like to thank God and Pope Francis for this inestimable blessing,” Bishop-designate Battersby said. “It is with joy and confidence in Jesus Christ that I accepted the Holy Father’s invitation to be a co-worker of his in the apostolic ministry. I would also like to thank Archbishop Allen Vigneron, who has been truly a good shepherd and a sterling exemplar to me.”

 Bishop-designate Robert J. Fisher: He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Detroit on June 27, 1992. Following his ordination he served at Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish in Grosse Pointe Woods, as director of priestly vocations for the archdiocese, at St. Angela Parish in Roseville and at St. Lawrence Parish in Utica. He has been rector of the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica in Royal Oak since March 2014.

 “I am humbled by the Holy Father’s call to serve as an auxiliary bishop,” said Bishop-designate Fisher. “I am grateful for Archbishop Vigneron’s guidance, direction and fraternal support. With the prayers of the community, I will direct all my energy toward sharing Christ in and through the Church.”

 In the Detroit Archdiocese, Bishops-designate Battersby and Fisher join Auxiliary Bishops Donald Hanchon and Arturo Cepeda, and retired Auxiliary Bishops Francis Reiss and Thomas Gumbleton. Archbishop Allen Vigneron serves as chief shepherd for the 1.3 million Catholics who reside in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Monroe, Lapeer and St. Clair counties.

The First Sunday of Advent

Kathy Weekly message

When we start a new calendar year, we often use it as a time to take stock and resolve to make changes in our lives. The Church begins a new year today and the readings remind us to be watchful and prepared. Isaiah announced a vision of the New Jerusalem with all nations streaming toward it. Isaiah’s vision reminds us that true peace is found in God alone.

St. Paul instructs us to turn away from works of darkness and seek the light of truth. We can do this when we put on the Lord Jesus and make no provision for the desires of the flesh. This calls us to see ourselves as new creations in Christ; to love Jesus with our whole hearts and make Jesus the center and foundation of our lives.

This comes about by rejecting the ways of sin, by attending Mass at least every Sunday, by being strengthened and nourished by the Sacraments. It also comes about by praying daily and by loving and serving others. Making Jesus the foundation of our lives brings us the gift of true peace and renews our wearied minds and hearts. Then, when our time comes to stand before the Lord, he will find us prepared and ready.

As Advent begins, we would do well to pause for a few moments and reflect. What might be preventing me from making Jesus the center and foundation of my life? What activities preoccupy my time and my thoughts? What bad habits blur my spiritual vision? How could I really listen to the voice of the Lord this Advent season? Saying a special prayer during these four weeks, committing to some spiritual reading, even simply putting an Advent wreath on the table: any of these things can help us focus on Christ as we continue watching and waiting for His coming.

Blessings during this special season.

Fr. Socorro

The Advent Wreath By Father Paul Turner

advent_wreathAn Advent wreath symbolizes our longing for the coming of Christ. The wreath is a circle of evergreen branches into which are set four candles. Traditionally three candles are violet and one is rose, but four violet or four white candles may also be used.

The wreath symbolizes many things. Evergreens signify God’s enduring promise of redemption, evident like green branches in the midst of snow. The circle signifies our hope for the return of Christ, whose kingdom will have no end. The colors of the candles match the traditional colors of the vesture for the four Sundays of Advent. Violet garments signify our penitent hope for salvation. The rose color, which may be worn on Advent’s Third Sunday, signals that the season is nearly over – joy is at hand!

The wreath’s most luminous symbol is its growing light. One candle is lit on the First Sunday of Advent; two on the Second, three on the Third and all four on the Fourth. In the northern hemisphere, Advent comes at a time when the days decrease to their shortest length. As the hours of darkness increase, we light more candles on the wreath. The wreath, which symbolizes the coming of Christ, grows in intensity as the anniversary of Jesus’ birth draws near.

The Advent wreath may be used at home or at church. It should be blessed on the First Sunday of Advent after the homily at Mass, at evening prayer Saturday night, or during a prayer service including biblical readings and Advent songs. At home, the wreath could be blessed by a family member and lit during the evening meal, to remind everyone of the true meaning of this holy season.