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!

Friday Penance

FRIDAY PENANCE

Nota bene:
While the Friday in the Octave of Easter is raised to the rank of a Solemnity, the Friday in the Octave of Christmas is not. The normal Friday penance applies, whether you choose to abstain from meat or substitute another form of penance. 

Letter from Fr. Allen - December 20, 2018

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+JMJ+

Dear Friends,

The waiting is almost over and Christmas is almost here. On this fourth Sunday of Advent we will hear again of Our Lady's reaction to the Angel Gabriel's message, which is active love. She goes "in haste" to her kinswoman Elizabeth, bearing a child in her old age, to help and console her, and also to share her joy. In this Christmas season, let us also respond to the glad tidings of the Lord's nativity with active love, seeking out the poor, the sick, the lonely with help and comfort.

I hope by now your preparations are nearly complete for Christmas in your own homes, and that with at least some measure of peace and quietness you will be able to enter in to the mystery of this Child in the manger who is Emmanuel, God-with-us. You will see [here] a schedule of Christmas Masses for St. Mary's (Roman Missal) and Corpus Christi (Divine Worship). I want especially to encourage you to attend, if you are able, our own "Midnight Mass" on Christmas Eve, which will begin at 11PM and have us adoring our Eucharistic Emmanuel, God-with-us on the altar just at midnight. I know (trust me!) that Midnight Mass is difficult, but I believe you will find it more than worth the sacrifice as, with the shepherds of old to whom the angels first announced the birth of the Lord, we keep watch by night, and then rejoice to find "this most holy night to shine with the brightness of the Light of life," as we will pray in the collect. (By the way, as part of our candlelight adoration, we will sing "Silent Night"; did you know this Christmas marks the carol's 200th anniversary?)

Do you need further aesthetic or more mundane encouragement? Well, on the one hand, the music will be beautiful, and on the other, the parking will be easy. So come, let us adore him!

God bless you!
Fr. Allen