1. No category

Prepare
the way
Pastor
Fr. Patrick Moses
Parochial Vicars
Fr. Rudy Alumam
Fr. Martin Nguyen
Supply Priests
Fr. Ian Bustonera, AM
Fr. Mark Cruz, AM
Fr. Randy Sampinto, AM
Permanent Deacons
José Campos, Del Davis,
Steve Germain, Gerald Pyne
of the
Lord
School Principal
Monica Hayden
Parish Office Hours
9:00 AM - 7:30 PM*
Monday & Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:30 PM*
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
*Closed for lunch from 12-1 PM
CLOSED SATURDAY
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM Sunday
New Hope
Crisis Counseling Hotline
Hot Line (24/7) 1-714-NEW-HOPE
or 714-639-4673
Sunday Mass
Saturday Vigil: 5:00 PM
Sunday AM: 6:30, 8:00, 9:45, 11:30
Sunday PM: 1:15 (Español),
5:00 (Teen Mass), 6:30
Weekday Mass
Monday – Friday: 6:30, 8:30 AM
Wednesday: 7:00 PM
(Our Lady of Perpetual Help Novena)
(Tagalog Mass every 4th
Wednesday of the month)
Saturday: 8:30 AM
6 December 2015
Second Sunday of Advent
Adoration
Weekly: Fridays 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Monthly: 13th of the month
9:00 AM – 6:00 AM (on the 14th)
Penance (English & Spanish)
Monday: 6:00 PM
Friday: 6:00 PM
Saturday: 3:30 PM
or by appointment
5201 Evergreen Avenue, Cypress, CA 90630  714-826-0760  www.sticypress.org  [email protected]
06 DECEMBER 2015  SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Last weekend we celebrated the First Sunday of Advent and began our
Parish Office 714-826-0760
new liturgical year. From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’
Business Administration
website (www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-year/advent):
Steve Germain, Business Manager
“Beginning the Church’s liturgical year, Advent (from, “ad-venire” in Latin
or “to come to”) is the season encompassing the four Sundays (and weekdays)
leading up to the celebration of Christmas.
Tony Kulassia, Office Manager
Sherri Nelson, Admin. Secretary
Margie Mendez, Secretary
Lisa Giacomi, Bulletin
Adult Formation
The Advent season is a time of preparation that directs our hearts and minds
Rebecca Soto, Director
to Christ’s second coming at the end of time and also to the anniversary of
the Lord’s birth on Christmas. The final days of Advent, from December 17
Ministerio Hispano
to December 24, focus particularly on our preparation for the celebrations of Sr. Maria Teresa Salceda, Director
Humberto Arreola, Coro Hispano
the Nativity of our Lord (Christmas).”
Health Care Ministry
Advent is very similar to Lent in that it is a time of preparation and prayer. I
Sr. Rita O’Connell, Director
urge you to pay attention to the liturgy because it teaches us about this season.
The liturgical color changes to violet, the Gloria is omitted, the sanctuary is very
Worship
simple and the only thing adorning the altar is the Advent wreath. This is done Kimberly Wargo, Director of Music
on purpose. We are in the period of waiting and longing for the coming of Jesus.
Stewardship
The liturgy and the liturgical environment should help us experience this. When
Carlos Ramirez, Director
you come into the church and you feel that there is something missing and a
Youth Formation 714-826-1140
longing for something much greater, then the liturgy and the liturgical
Ruth Bradley, Director
environment is doing what it is supposed to be doing: It is helping you get into
Elaine Brewster, Secretary
the spirit of Advent.
Renee Lloyd, Secretary
However, every year I will have at least three parishioners come to me very
upset, demanding to know why we do not have flowers, Christmas trees and all
sorts of other decorations in our sanctuary. I realize that we are competing
against the likes of Target, Macy’s, Costco, Nordstrom, Ralphs, etc. who have
had Christmas decorations up since Halloween. However, those are Christmas
decorations and we are in the season of Advent. So our altar is kept simple
leaving us with a sense of longing. But I promise you, on Christmas Day, we
will have Christmas trees, poinsettias, manger scenes and all sorts of Christmas
decorations filling our entire sanctuary and church celebrating the glorious
coming of Jesus Christ into the world. And the day after Christmas, when
Target, Macy’s, Costco, Nordstrom, Ralphs, etc. have put their Christmas
decorations away and put up Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day decorations,
our Christmas decorations will continue to remain in the church – the entire
Christmas season – until the Baptism of the Lord which this year is January 10,
2016.
In the meantime, we celebrate Advent and we prepare our hearts through prayer
and emptying ourselves so that we can be filled with the glory of the newborn
King on Christmas Day.
My prayers for all of you to have a blessed Advent longing for Jesus,
Fr. Patrick
Youth Ministry 714-826-0460
Laura Benoit, Director
Denise Gonzales, Secretary
Parish School 714-827-4500
Monica Hayden, Principal
Infant Baptism
It is necessary to attend a
Pre-Baptism Information Evening.
Register in the Parish Office at
least two months prior to the
proposed Baptism date.
Sacraments
To complete sacraments or to
become Catholic, adults contact
the Parish Office; children and
teens contact Youth Formation.
Marriage
Contact the Parish Office.
Six months preparation is required.
Anointing of the Sick
In case of serious illness or surgery,
contact Health Care Ministry.
06 DECEMBER 2015  SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
“And this is my prayer: that your love
may increase ever more and more in
knowledge and every kind of perception, to discern what is of value, so
that you may be pure and blameless
for the day of Christ, filled with the
fruit of righteousness..." (Phil 1:9-10)
My thoughts and feelings about
the food bags that HOPE routinely
distributes have been somewhat
conflicted of late.
My usual practice when I start
my day at the office is to check in
with the staff and then take a quick
stroll around the campus to see if
anything has changed from the
evening before. Invariably, I find the
discarded remnants of “food bags”
laying around. Occasionally I’ll find
an entire bag tossed into a trash can
or stashed behind the hedges - a
favorite hiding place. Admittedly,
seeing these gifts of uneaten food
tossed aside for the “marketable”
items has been clouding my
perception and inhibiting my ability
to discern what is of value. That is,
until early last week...
I judged that he was far too old
to be riding a BMX racing bike. I had
just checked on the sound system
work being done in the church. I
probably would have walked right
past but for the odd sight - the tiny
bike frame compared to the girth of
the man standing upright, balanced
on its pedals, poised in front of the
closed gate to the HOPE office. I
directed him to the Parish Office.
Have you ever had those
encounters where you just “know”
that you should stop what you are
doing and “engage?” A few minutes
later St. Paul’s prayer and “Catholic
guilt” (thank you, Jesus) interceded.
He devoured the food in the bag as
we talked. He needs our prayers. He
and so many others need the food
that you share - you are filled with
the fruit of righteousness. Thank you!
Deacon Steve
PS. Over the past two weeks you
donated $32,046 + $28,010 for the
work of the parish; $3,239 for The
National Needs collection and
$9,513 on Thanksgiving Day for
H.O.P.E. Thank you!
PPS. Helping Other People Every
Day (H.O.P.E.) bags food on the
last Saturday of the month and the
Friday before the 3rd Saturday
distribution. Volunteers are always
needed. Thank you!
MONDAY
LAY APOSTLES: Please join us in praying the Rosary every Monday after the
8:30 a.m. Mass in the crying room. Everyone is welcome.
WOMEN’S CANCER SUPPORT GROUP: 7:00-9:00 p.m. in the Youth Faith
Formation workroom. If you are a cancer survivor, newly diagnosed or dealing
with treatment, your presence will be most welcome. Meetings are held the first
Monday of each month. If you would like to attend, please contact Terry Arenz,
our WCSG Facilitator/Parish Nurse, at 562.924.5335.
TUESDAY
MARIAN MOVEMENT OF PRIESTS: Please join us in praying the rosary every
Tuesday after the 8:30 a.m. Mass in the crying room.
WALKING FOR HEALTH: 9:15 a.m. Meet in front of the Ed Bldg for a 1/2 hour walk.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS MEETING: 7:30 p.m. in classroom #8. For more
information please call Jay Conklin at 714-337-6857.
AL-ANON MEETING: 7:30 p.m. in Room #7. For more info call Betty at 761-4624.
WEDNESDAY
MOTHER OF PERPETUAL HELP NOVENA: Join us in the crying room after the
8:30 a.m. mass.
ROSARY FOR HUMAN LIFE, MARRIAGE, AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM each
week at 9:45 a.m. (after the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Novena ) in the Crying Room.
OUR PARISH "JUNIOR LEGION OF MARY" (AGES 8 TO 14): Meets every
Wednesday from 3:00-3:45 in the Youth Formation workroom. Please call
Brenda Diacajo, the adult president, at 714-828-2516 for further information.
DIVORCE RECOVERY: Journey of Hope is a new program for Catholics
undergoing the pain of separation and divorce. Group meets from 7:00-8:30 p.m.
in the Youth Formation Bldg. conference room to view Journey of Hope videos and
support each other. For more information call Pat Hansmeyer at 714-713-7412.
NEW HORIZONS SUPPORT GROUP: 7:00-8:30 p.m. in the Education Building
(note room change for this month). Planned social activities for single, separated,
divorced or widowed, ages 50+. Meets the second Wednesday of each month.
Contact: Alicia DeAnda at 714-761-8246 or Gerry Terpening at 714-969-0329.
THURSDAY
BIBLE STUDY: 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. We are studying the Gospel of John.
FRIDAY
LEGION OF MARY: 9:30-11:00 a.m. in the Youth Faith Formation office. For more
information please call Grace at 714-742-0960.
H.O.P.E. CHRISTMAS BASKET SET UP: We need people who can do heavy
lifting to help move food to the Education Building for boxing on Saturday. Meet
behind the Education Building by the playground at 5:30 p.m. We also need
volunteers with trucks to move food from storage the Education Building.
ADVENT PENANCE SERVICE: 7:00 p.m. “Let every heart...prepare Him room”.
SATURDAY
OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CELEBRATION: Mananitas from 5:00 - 6:00 a.m.;
Mass in Spanish at 6:15 a.m. followed by refreshments. Please see page five for
more details.
H.O.P.E. CHRISTMAS BASKET BOXING: 8:00 – 11:00 a.m. We will be filling the
Christmas boxes. We need lots of help. Meet at the Education Building.
06 DECEMBER 2015  SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
HEALTH MINISTRY GIVING TREE PROJECT
Our Giving Tree Project is ready and your participation
is greatly appreciated. No need to wrap the gift since
the bags are beautifully decorated by the students.
A suggested gift list is enclosed in each bag so
choose either man or woman and sign on the sheets
to which gender you will give.
If you would like to spread some Christmas cheer to
our elderly and home bound brothers and sisters,
you are welcome to join us for Christmas celebrations
to be held at:
Knott Avenue Manor—Dec. 14 @ 7:00PM
Sunrise Care Center—Dec. 15 @ 3:00PM
Karlton Residential Care—Dec. 16 @ 3:00PM
Knott Avenue Care Center—Dec. 17 @ 2:00PM
Anaheim Terrace—Dec. 18 @ 2:00PM
Important...Please bring all the gift-filled bags by
Sunday, December 13 th,
and place them by the Giving Tree at the north door
parking lot entrance. We appreciate all your help and
assistance and a special ‘Thank You’ to all the artwork
by the students.
For more information, please call...
Betty Borowski—826-0760
DECEMBER 16-24
SIMBANG GABI SPONSORED BY THE FCF
Masses will be at 5:00 a.m.
We accept mass intentions for each of the masses; please
call Josie Ninofranco at 714-761-6375. Please sign in as a
sponsor who will bring food for the fellowship after the
mass. For more information, please call Cora Arevalo at
562-240-7872 or Terry Arenz at 562-924-5335.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 21
GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP
7:00 p.m. in classroom #14
If you have experienced loss and are in need of
non-judgmental, caring support, please join us on the third
Monday of each month.
CURSILLO
Men's weekend: Jan 21 - 24, 2016; Apr 14 - 17, 2016
Women's weekend: Feb 4 - 7, 2016; Apr 28 - May 1, 2016
THURSDAY, JANUARY 21
SHAWL MINISTRY
6:00 - 7:00 p.m. in classroom #6
Meets the 3rd Thursday of every month. We welcome
all crocheters and knitters. Shawls are intended for
members of our parish who are in need of comfort due to
bereavement and/or illness. Contact Donna Kriesel at
714/897-3019 for more information. You earn FISH
hours for participating!
JANUARY 22-24, 2016
ANNUAL PARISH MEN’S RETREAT
Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center, Sierra Madre
The retreat, which is preached by the Passionist Retreat
Team, begins Friday evening and concludes early Sunday
afternoon. The lovely grounds and peaceful atmosphere
of Mater Dolorosa make this a perfect spot for a weekend
of spiritual renewal and growth. This year’s theme is “No
Greater Love”. For more info please call Gary at 714-8263402, Fred at 714-761-8617 or Frank at 714-952-2420.
FEBRUARY 6, 2016 (please note date change)
ST. IRENAEUS CURSILLO ULTREYA!
After the Saturday evening mass at 6:15 p.m. in the
Education Building
This is a gathering of St. Irenaeus parishioners who have
made their weekend and those who want to - We call this
an Ultreya! There will be music and food and fellowship
and fun!
SAVE THE DATE – PRESENTATION SISTERS
25TH ANNIVERSARY RETIREMENT BENEFIT
St. Pius V, 7691 Orangethorpe Ave., Buena Park
We express our deep appreciation for all the people who
have supported our fund raising efforts over the past 25
years. Your participation in our mission to bring the Good
News of Jesus to many people is our great blessing and
we say "Cheers to you" and may God continue to bless
you. We look forward to a great 25th celebration on
Saturday, March 5, 2016 at 12:00PM with a piano
performance by our own Bishop Vann, Diocese of Orange.
Please mark your calendars now for this milestone
celebration. More information to follow. We are in need
of Live and Silent Auction items. Please contact George
O’Hara at [email protected].
FR. PATRICK TO VISIT THE PHILIPPINES
IN JANUARY
His trip will include visits to a couple of orphanages and
major and minor seminaries. He is also scheduled to say
the Tagalog mass at the Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual
Help in Baclaran located in the City of Paranaque.
He will also travel to Cebu and celebrate mass at the
Presentation Sisters' convent.
We are requesting donations of new T-shirts for the
seminarians (sizes Adult - Small, Medium and Large).
For the orphanages, we need new and slightly used
T-shirts for girls ages 7- 16. For more information, please
contact Josie Ninofranco at (714) 761-6375.
06 DECEMBER 2015  SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
06 DECEMBER 2015  SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
JUNIOR HIGH YOUTH MINISTRY—Grades 7 & 8
PEACEMAKERS will be on break until January 5th. Have
a blessed Advent.
HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH MINISTRY—Grades 9-12
NO SUNDAY NIGHT LIVE - We are off until January 3rd.
CHRISTMAS/UGLY SWEATER/WHITE ELEPHANT
PARTY – Sunday, December 20th from 6 – 11 p.m. in the
Education Building.
JANUARY RETREAT – If you are attending the Year II
Confirmation retreat, please do not miss the meeting on
Monday, December 7th at 7pm in the Hall. Parent and
student should attend.
YEAR II CONFIRMATION HOME GROUPS begin the
week of December 13th. Be sure to attend.
REFLECTION
Aside from the necessary love and support found in
families, friendships are the most important relationships
to all of us—no matter our age. Have you ever wondered
what kind of friends Jesus had growing up or how he
acted as a friend toward others? Do you think he
preached lofty pieces of wisdom to his peers, or did he
act more normally? Today’s Second Reading is rich in
love from St. Paul to those in Phillipi. Whenever I read
the first line, I smile and think how blessed I am to have
certain relationships and how I love to support, encourage,
and remind my friends of how amazing they are. Who
are those friends in your life for whom you can say: “I am
confident that the one who began a good work in you
(a.k.a. God!) will continue to complete it”? Just as much
as we need others to remind us of our strengths, we too
need to be people who reflect the light of Christ to our
friends and family. St. Paul continues to talk about being
“pure and blameless for the day of Christ” (Philippians
1:10). That is not easy in our society. There are too
many temptations; too many options to be led astray.
Our friends help ground us and can help us witness the
way of Christ, even without words.
ACTION
Reread today’s Second Reading. As you do, consider
whom you might say this to and how you could rewrite it,
if necessary, in your own language. Choose to send the
message to your friends, making sure to include the
Scripture reference. In this way, you will not only be a
person of support and love, but a person reflecting the
light of Christ. If you are feeling brave and bold, write a
prayer specifically for each friend and send it to them. It
might feel strange, but you never know how God can use
you to help a friend.
God’s Word, Your World! 2015–2016 © 2015 Archdiocese of
Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications. All rights reserved.
Written by Julie M. Krakora. Permission to publish granted by
the Most Reverend Francis J. Kane, dd, Vicar General,
Archdiocese of Chicago, on October 17, 2014.
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY—Pre-school-6th Grade
(and Sacrament Preparation for older students)
CHRISTMAS STEWARDSHIP PROJECT: As in the past,
we will be adopting children of servicemen stationed in
Orange County. Each class adopts one or two
(depending on the size of the class). Money should be
brought in on December 1, 2 and 6. Gifts will be wrapped
the following week and picked up by the group organized
to run this program.
LITURGY OF THE WORD FOR CHILDREN: We still
need adult volunteers to have this program. Please call
Ruth at 714-826-1140 to volunteer. Training is available.
OFFICE HOURS: Sunday Morning: 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Monday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday: 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Wednesday and Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Closed on Friday and Saturday
06 DECEMBER 2015  SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
St. Irenaeus Parish School
learning, believing, and serving…together
PARISH SCHOOL OFFERING PROGRAM
Our Parish School Offering Program (the Red Envelopes)
supports tuition assistance for families who are
challenged to afford to send their children to St. Irenaeus
Parish School. We have been blessed by parents, alumni
and parishioners over the years with their gifts of prayer,
time, and financial donations. Last school year, with
tuition assistance funds provided by alumni, parents of
alumni, parishioners, our own endowment, and the
Orange Catholic Foundation, we helped 39 families and
61 students. Our goal is to offer a Catholic education to
more children in our parish and with your financial
donation we will continue to do that. All donations are tax
deductible and are appreciated. The red envelopes are
always available in the pews and today we’ve included
one in your bulletin. Last year the Parish School Offering
Program received donations totaling $20,818. This year’s
campaign began on July 1, 2015 and so far we have
$4,146 in this year’s fund.
We are very grateful to all of our parishioners and friends
who support our school. Some of the gifts received have
been given in honor or in memory of someone in our
parish/school community. Please include these special
intentions in your prayers.
In Honor of: Michael Connell, and Al & Lupe Faulkner
In Memory of: James Howard Carr, Silvia Martinez,
Edward & Dolores Mazur, Norene Beardsley, Alyssa
Yean, Jan Minter, and Jose C. Gutierrez
SAVE THE DATE! ENROLLMENT INFORMATION
Our school will host an Open House on Sunday, January
24th, immediately following the 11:30am Mass.
Prospective parents are welcome to come see all the
classrooms, meet the teachers and principal, visit the
library, computer lab, new science lab, and other school
facilities. Applications and registration packets will be
available for pick-up that day. If you have any questions
prior to our Open House, please call the School Office at
714-827-4500. You can also visit our website at
www.stischoolcypress.org to learn more about our school.
06 DECEMBER 2015  SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
06 DECEMBER 2015  SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
TO PRAY FOR THE SICK
PARA PEDÍR POR LOS ENFERMOS
Betty Alp  MaryAnne Augustine  Helen Benjamin
Richard Borowski  Mary Ann Bucao
Leo Charbonneau  Doris Cid  Frank Faecke
Mitchell Friedman  Millie Geibe  Lorenzo Griart
Mary Hall  Sharon Hanson  Carol Huff
Tom Hunter  Reginald Mallari  Yolanda Melvin
Michael Moore  Aidan Morallo  Gaylnn Moses
Angelica Perez  Janna Pi`ilani  Colleen Plahy
Annette Reitz  Teiya VanMeter  Pauline Vonderharr
Khalil Wiseman  Nadine Zidar
NEW MISSALS
AND SONGBOOKS!
You may have noticed that we
now have bilingual missals in the
pews. In January, we'll also have
our own Saint Irenaeus custom
songbooks that will contain
beloved songs of our parish community. These two new
additions will build on our parish's tradition of enthusiastic
and active participation in the liturgy. Thank you for your
patience as we transition.
COMPANION HOSPICE CARE IS NOW
RECRUITING VOLUNTEERS FOR OUR
UPCOMING TRAINING PROGRAM
Volunteers can become a needed friend to someone
during the last part of their journey, relieve tired caregivers
for short periods of time or help with errands & shopping.
Assignments will be in YOUR geographical area.
Become a member of our team, whose goal is to
promote quality of life and comfort measures.
Each applicant will receive 16 hours of orientation and
training from our professional team. We are located at
8130 Florence Ave, Suite 200, Downey. Call today to
make a real DIFFERENCE in someone’s life! We also
need help in the office, which does not require attending
the patient Care Training Class. To learn more, contact
Yovana, Volunteer Coordinator, at 562-944-2711 or
email us at [email protected].
Wedding banns
Michelle Bermudez & Michael Harnish
READINGS FOR NEXT SUNDAY
13 December 2015—Third Sunday of Advent
Zeph 3:14-18a / Phil 4:4-7 / Mark 13:10-18; L3C
Sharing Questions: I am most willing to ask Christ
the question, “What should I do?” when… I resist asking
this question when… For me, being baptized in the Holy
Spirit means… For the world, it means…
Preguntas para Compartir: Estoy muy dispuesto a
hacerle a Cristo la pregunta: "¿Qué debo hacer?",
cuando ... Me resisto a hacer esta pregunta cuando ...
Para mí, ser bautizado en el Espíritu Santo significa ...
Para el mundo, esto significa ...
Advent
Give Less, Give More
Advent: Latin, to come.
Advent is a time of preparation and waiting. We
prepare to celebrate Christmas and Christ’s birth.
We are grateful for the Lord incarnate, God becoming
man. We are waiting for the second coming of the
Lord, hopefully filled with joy and thanksgiving.
Advent is a time of peaceful prayer and preparation
in the midst of the bustle and busyness of the
Christmas season.
How can we make this an Advent to celebrate our
faith and discipleship; to glorify God by our lives?
Give less, give more. Give less material gifts and
give more of ourselves. Give gifts that you’ve made,
not bought. Spend less time shopping, spend more
time praying, helping people with your time and
talents, smiling at people, especially the homeless.
Give the gift of your thoughts and prayers on a card.
Pray grace before meals, especially in public.
Spend time with family and friends you haven’t seen
in a while. Wish people “Merry Christmas” at every
opportunity; keeping Christ in Christmas. Make
room in your pew for the expected overflow of
attendees who come to mass only on special
celebrations. Smile and welcome them ... you are
welcoming Jesus.
Come, let us give less things; give more of us.
06 DECEMBER 2015  SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
El pasado fin de semana celebramos el primer domingo de Adviento
y comenzamos nuestro nuevo año litúrgico. Según el sitio web de la
Conferencia Estadounidense de Obispos Católicos: (www.usccb.org/
prayer-and-worship/liturgical-year/advent) nos dice:
"A partir del año litúrgico de la Iglesia, el Adviento (de" ad-venire" en latín
o "por venir a ") es la temporada que abarca los cuatro domingos (y los
días de semana) que conducen a la celebración de la Navidad.
El tiempo de Adviento es un tiempo de preparación que dirige nuestros
corazones y mentes a la segunda venida de Cristo al final de los tiempos y
también para el aniversario del nacimiento del Señor en la Navidad. Los
últimos días de Adviento, del 17 al 24 de diciembre, se centran sobre todo
en nuestra preparación para las fiestas de la Natividad de Nuestro Señor
(Navidad)".
Adviento es muy similar a la Cuaresma, ya que es un tiempo de preparación
y oración. Les insto a que presten atención a la liturgia porque nos enseña
acerca de esta temporada. Los cambios de color litúrgicos al violeta, la
omisión del Gloria, el sencillo santuario, lo único que adorna el altar es la
Corona de Adviento. Esto se hace a propósito. Estamos en el período de
espera y anhelo por la venida de Jesús. La liturgia y el medio ambiente
litúrgico deben ayudarnos a experimentar esto. Al llegar a la iglesia se
siente que hay algo que falta y anhelamos algo mucho más grande,
entonces la liturgia y el medio ambiente litúrgico están haciendo lo que se
supone que deben estar haciendo: Están tratado de ayudarnos a entrar en
el espíritu del Adviento.
Sin embargo, cada año voy a tener por lo menos tres feligreses quien
vienen a mí muy molestos, exigiendo saber por qué no tenemos flores,
árboles de navidad y todo tipo de decoraciones en nuestro santuario. Me
doy cuenta de que estamos compitiendo contra los gustos de Target,
Macy’s, Costco, Nordstrom, Ralphs, etc. quienes han colocado decoraciones
Navideñas desde Halloween. Sin embargo, esas son las decoraciones de
Navidad y estamos en el tiempo de Adviento. Así que nuestro altar se
mantiene simple dejándonos con una sensación de nostalgia. Pero les
prometo que, el día de Navidad, vamos a tener árboles de Navidad, flores
de pascua, escenas del pesebre y todo tipo de adornos navideños llenando
todo nuestro santuario y la iglesia celebrará la venida gloriosa de Jesucristo
al mundo. Y el día después de Navidad, cuando Target, Macy’s, Costco,
Nordstrom, Ralphs, etc. hayan quitado y guardado sus decoraciones de
Navidad y cuando coloquen las del día de San Valentín y después las del
Día de San Patricio, nuestros adornos navideños seguirán estando en la
iglesia - la totalidad de la temporada de Navidad - hasta el Bautismo del
Señor, que en este año cae el 10 de enero del 2016.
Mientras tanto, celebremos el Adviento y preparemos nuestros corazones a
través de la oración y nos hayamos vaciado de nosotros mismos para que
podamos estar llenos de la gloria del Rey recién nacido el día de Navidad.
Mis oraciones por todos ustedes que tienen un bendito anhelo de Adviento
por la venida de Jesús,
Padre Patricio
Adviento es tiempo de conversión,
por eso el ornamento morado en la
misa: "El Padre celestial, que en el
nacimiento de su Hijo unigénito nos
manifestó su amor misericordioso,
nos llama a seguir sus pasos
convirtiendo, como él, nuestra
existencia en un don de amor. Y los
frutos del amor son los «frutos
dignos de conversión» a los que
hacía referencia san Juan Bautista
cuando, con palabras tajantes, se
dirigía a los fariseos y a los
saduceos que acudían entre la
multitud a su bautismo."
(Benedicto XVI, 9 de diciembre de 2007)
Adviento y Navidad deben ser
tiempos de más calma para pasar
más tiempo junto a Cristo
Eucaristía. Sí, hay que tener el
valor de romper esquemas y
centrarse en lo esencial.
ESTA SEMANA EN
NUESTRA PARROQUIA
LUNES
ROSARIO POR LA PAZ Y LAS
FAMILIAS a las 6:30 p.m. en la Iglesia
GRUPO DE BIBLIA a las 7:00 p.m.
en el salón #7.
MARTES
CURSO DE ESPIRITUALIDAD:
“CAMINANDO CON CRISTO” a las
7:00 p.m. en el salón #16.
JUEVES
GRUPO DE ORACION a las 7 p.m.
en el salón #7.
PRACTICA DEL CORO HISPANO a
las 7 p.m. en el salón #12.
VIERNES
JOVENES PARA CRISTO a las 7:00
pm. en el salón # 16
SABADO
CLASES DE CATECISMO para 1ª.
Comunión de 9:30 a 11 a.m.