December 12th

​Dear Friends,
​
A generous (anonymous) parishioner wanted us to have rose vestments for the Third Sunday of Advent and the Fourth Sunday of Lent, and so made a special donation for their purchase. (thank you!) The rose color of “Gaudate (rejoice) Sunday” is intended to convey the joy of the nearness of Christ’s coming and our celebration of His Nativity, and reflects the tenor of the Readings of the day.

The roof over the Saint Gabriel vestibule has finally been replaced, although the work we did was not as extensive as it probably should have been. Much of the inner brickwork of the parapets also had to be pulled out and replaced, but the terra cotta coping tiles will eventually also need attention. We’ll install a poured membrane product there as flashing in order to buy us 10 years or so. With luck, the interior vestibule repairs and painting will be completed and fully open in time for Christmas, but I can’t promise that yet. Right now I am trying to keep our main focus on the bell tower. Bidding documents for that work went out to prospective contractors last week, and I hope to have a good idea before Christmas the exact dollar amount we need to plan for. I really want to get this done in 2022, and hopefully we can put in the order for the needed custom brick fabrication over the winter so that the bricks will be ready to go when we are.

Flashing near the Nativity bell tower was repaired a few weeks ago, and some church roof work was also done in the Fall. That roof will need to be replaced sooner rather than later, but not tomorrow. We do have a water issue in the section where the rectory/parish center joins to the church and plans are in place for those repairs to be done soon.

The Christmas mailing will go out soon (maybe it already has), but for those who are trying to line things up now, here’s the Mass Schedule: Christmas Eve 3pm at St Gabriel, 4:30pm at Nativity, and then we are going to try a 10pm “Midnight Mass” at Nativity (it is the church feast day, after all )… on Christmas morning we’ll have Mass at 9:30 at St Gabriel and 11am at Nativity of our Lord.

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