Gaudete Sunday is the Third Sunday of Advent. Advent is a very short season, and the rose-colored vestments and candle remind us that we have passed the half-way mark. In a very busy season, we need to keep our focus on the coming of the Lord.
Our parish Advent Penance Service will be held this Wednesday evening, December 18, at 7 p.m. We will have a brief prayer together and then ten priests to hear confessions. What better way to prepare for Christmas?
A thought: Christmas is a great time for evangelization. Please invite family, friends and neighbors to join us for a Christmas Mass. If you know someone who doesn’t attend a church regularly, this is a great time to drop a simple invitation.
You may notice some particularly beautiful music coming from our pipe organ this Christmas. We have had organ specialists here for a week adding stops to the organ-- including the sound of some beautiful chimes which I expect we will hear at Christmas. The organ was also “revoiced.” When the organ was installed, we had carpet in the church. The acoustics of the church have changed, of course, with our hard floors. The organ is now adjusted for the new sound environment. I have no idea what is involved in revoicing an organ, but I’m grateful for a beautiful instrument and I’m grateful for a very talented organist who can use it to the full.
We have an engineering student from PFW who has no car and is walking to Mass on Sundays. As the weather is becoming cold, he would be very grateful if someone could provide a ride. Call the parish office if you might be willing.
Please remember in prayer Sophia Braun, a charter member who died last week. Our parish was founded in the summer of 1957; I believe that we now have only seven charter members who have belonged to this parish for all 67 years.
