December 11th

Dear Friends,
A reminder: Giving Tree items are due by today!
I understand that there was a tradition of hosting an evening Mass for the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Saint Gabriel, and I am happy that we will be offering it again this year- this Monday, December 12th. Thanks to Christine Campos and her family and friends who are sponsoring the mariachi group that will be providing the music. This promises to be a festive Mass, and invitations have gone out inside and outside the neighborhood. Mass begins at 6:30, but there will be prelude music starting beforehand. While the devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe is especially prominent in the Latino community, she has been designated “Empress of the Americas” by the Pope and people all over the world venerate Mary under this image (which we have permanently mounted in our St. Gabriel church up front, just under the Infant of Prague statue, and at Nativity of Our Lord in the side chapel by the large crucifix). I think this is a Mass that children would really enjoy, so definitely consider bringing them with you.
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7th and 8th grade students from both of our schools will be performing together Christmas carols from the church stairs at Nativity of Our Lord next Saturday, the 17th, from 5:45 – 6:15 pm (giving those attending the 4:30 Mass time to drive the 8 blocks north to hear them). Thanks to our schools’ music teacher, Mary Bell, for putting this together!

The Christmas schedule is in the bulletin and on the web site- same as last year. I am looking forward to this year’s Christmas celebrations!

I made a mistake in my listing of the members of our parish Evangelization Team last week- Sharon Cordin is on our Finance Council, not our E-Team. Sharon O’Connell is the one I meant to thank for helping with ALPHA and serving on the Evangelization Team. Sorry, Sharon!


May your week reflect the encounter with Christ
we experienced at Mass today!