The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

18 January to 25 January
 

From USCCB:
Beginning today, the entire Christian community is invited to a week of prayer in communion with each other and Jesus “that they may all be one”. (Jn 17:21) Join us, and Christians around the world, as we pray for Christian unity and work together to bring about justice in the world. More information can be found here.


The traditional period in the northern hemisphere for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is January 18 to 25. Those dates were proposed in 1908 by Servant of God, Fr. Paul Wattson, Founder of the Society of the Atonement, to cover the original days of the Feasts of the Chair of St. Peter (January 18) and the Conversion of St. Paul (January 25), and therefore have a symbolic significance. (via Franciscan Friars of the Atonement)


 
O God, who dost restore them that have gone astray, gather together them that are scattered abroad, and preserve them that thou hast gathered: we beseech thee of the mercy to pour out upon all people the grace of thy communion; that, divisions being done away, they may be one flock, in one fold, under one Shepherd, and do thee worthy service; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

RSVP for Wednesday School: 23 January 2019

Joining us for Wednesday School on January 23rd!? Please RSVP using the form below so that we may adequately prepare. Thanks!

Letter from Fr. Allen - January 10, 2019

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+JMJ+

Dear Friends,

Like everything else involving the Church's liturgy, there are disagreements about when the proper ending of the Christmas season ought to be, and of course throughout both the history and the broad geographical and cultural expanse of the Church, there are differing traditions on that matter: does it conclude with the Epiphany on 6 January? With Candlemas on 2 February? Why not extend it to 24 March and then start the whole process over again on the following day, the Solemnity of the Annunciation? Well, as an official liturgical matter, in the Western Rite of the Church, the Christmas season now ends this Sunday, the Baptism of the Lord. So, one last time: Merry Christmas!

If Christmastide is ending, then school must be beginning. Wednesday School resumes next week, on 16 January. Catechesis will continue for young people, and the adults will start a new study, "The Prayers of the Mass," in which we will look at the proper "orations" - Collect of the Day, Prayer over the Offerings, and Postcommunion - for the coming Sunday, with the hope of informing and increasing our "active participation" in Mass. And not only will we talk about praying, but we will actually pray Compline together each week. There's a notice [here], and please be sure to RSVP for supper.

There will be a meeting for parents of children anticipating First Communion or Confirmation during Wednesday School on 30 January.

I also commend to your attention and charity and prayer Josh and Katie Johnson and their children, born and unborn - a beautiful Ordinariate family from Greenville. Please read about their plight [here] and give prayerful consideration to how you might support them.

God bless you,
Fr Allen

More Copies Available For Sale: People’s Edition of the Ordinariate Missal

We have a limited number of copies of Divine Worship Sunday Missal (People’s Edition) available for purchase.

All the readings and prayers for every Sunday and Solemnity are included.

We have a limited number of copies available for purchase. The cost is $40, and they may be purchased here. Once purchased, the missals may be picked up from the parish office.

From the publisher:

Catholic Truth Society presents the first people's Sunday Missal combining the Revised Standard Version (2nd Catholic Edition) lectionary approved for use in the Personal Ordinariates established under the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus and the texts of the Mass from the Divine Worship Missal. 

This Missal beautifully presents all the essentials needed by the laity in the Mass: the Order of Mass alongside propers for Sundays and Holy Days (Year A, B, & C) including Advent and Christmas, Lent, Holy Week and Easter, ember and rogation days. Music is included for the people's responses and a table of Correspondence of Named Sundays to Ordinary Time for every year until 2050. 

Durably and attractively bound with three placeholder ribbons, the Divine Worship People's Missal features clear layouts, beautiful artwork and easy to read fonts. 

RSVP for Wednesday School: 16 January 2019

Joining us for Wednesday School January 16th!? Please RSVP using the form below so that we may adequately prepare. Thanks!

Epiphany Evensong Cancelled!

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Dear friends,

Our music director, Larry Long, is ill and unable to be with us this Sunday (1/6). Therefore we must cancel Evensong and Benediction for the Epiphany. However, King Cake and punch will be served immediately following Mass!

Please pray for a quick and full recovery for Larry.

God bless you,
Fr Allen

Letter from Fr. Allen - January 3, 2019

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+JMJ+

Dear Friends,

While more personal notes are forthcoming, I want here to express my gratitude to all of you who made this such a lovely Christmas for me and my family. You all love us well, and we are very grateful! (My children are particularly grateful to the anonymous giver of two Harry & David Cinnamon Swirls...)

Of course Christmas is not yet over, and I hope your celebrations continue. And speaking of celebrations, I hope you will join us for the great feast of the Epiphany this Sunday, not only for Mass in the morning, but for also Evensong and Benediction at 4.30PM, which will be followed by a reception featuring King Cake - y'all come! [Update Saturday morning, 5 January: Evensong is cancelled due to illness. The King Cake reception will now take place immediately after 11.00AM Sunday Mass.]

The Epiphany is rich and symbolism and mystery: there are the "wise men from the east," the star that guided them, Herod's rage. There are Epiphany traditions: the blessing of chalk and marking of doorways (see [here]) and King cakes. But at its heart Epiphany is the story of a God who is not silent but reveals himself to those who earnestly and diligently seek him. Let us take the magi, these mysterious strangers, as our model, and never turn back from the path on which God is leading us, till at last we see the Lord face to face, and like the wise men, fall down and worship.

Pope Benedict put it this way:
"Let us return to the Wise Men from the East. These were also, and above all, men of courage, the courage and humility born of faith. Courage was needed to grasp the meaning of the star as a sign to set out, to go forth – towards the unknown, the uncertain, on paths filled with hidden dangers. We can imagine that their decision was met with derision: the scorn of those realists who could only mock the reveries of such men. Anyone who took off on the basis of such uncertain promises, risking everything, could only appear ridiculous. But for these men, inwardly seized by God, the way which he pointed out was more important than what other people thought. For them, seeking the truth meant more than the taunts of the world, so apparently clever."

God bless you,
Fr Allen

Epiphany Blessing of Chalk this Sunday

Epiphany Blessing of Chalk this Sunday!

"For the glorious feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, it is an old and holy tradition to mark the doors of homes with blessed chalk. The letters have two meanings. They are the initials of the traditional names of the Three Magi: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. They also abbreviate the Latin words Christus mansionem benedicat: 'May Christ bless the house.' The letters recall the day on which the inscription is made, as well as the purpose of blessing.

The crosses represent the protection of the Precious Blood of Christ, Whose Sacred Name we invoke, and also the holiness of the Three Magi sanctified by their adoration of the Infant Christ.

The inscription is made above the front door, so that all who enter and depart this year may enjoy God’s blessing. The month of January still bears the name of the Roman god Janus, the doorkeeper of heaven and protector of the beginning and end of things. This blessing 'christens' the ancient Roman observance of the first month. The inscription is made of chalk, a product of clay, which recalls the human nature taken by the Adorable and Eternal Word of God in the womb of the Virgin Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit."

(From Vultus Christi)

May each of our homes be known to all who visit as places of peace and welcome, where Christ may be found!