December 5th

Dear Friends,

We are moving into the “Marian week” of Advent-

On December 8th the Church marks the feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. This is also the patronal feast of the United States. We call to mind the wonderful and fitting gift that God the Father gave to the one who would be the mother of His Son, applying to her at her conception the graces available to all after their baptism. Mary was preserved from Original Sin, making her a most suitable vessel for the Christ-child in her womb. Non-Catholics are sometimes confused by this doctrine, thinking it means that Mary did not need to be saved by Jesus’ cross and resurrection. She did indeed need to be saved; but in a beautiful- almost poetic- way, God (who does not exist in time) applied the fruits of salvation to her soul before she was born. Mass on the 8th will be at 8:15 at Nativity of Our Lord (the usual Wednesday morning Mass location); at St Gabriel at 1pm for the School children (others are also welcome to attend), and 7pm at St. Gabriel. 

The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is on December 12th, though it falls on a Sunday this year which means that Masses that day must be focused on the theme of the Third Sunday of Advent. Saint Gabriel had celebrated a Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass in December, but the decision was made the past couple of years to hold off on this until the COVID situation is behind us. 

Some weeks ago, I posted a request from the office of Special Religious Education seeking some volunteers to help with their catechetical program for young people with special needs. This program’s headquarters, chapel and religion classrooms are just up the street at 2956 S Lowe (check out their web site: www.spred-chicago.org). Working with the developmentally disabled is incredibly rewarding and a true exercise in Christian discipleship. The Chicago program for this has become a national model, and this site on Lowe attracts people from all over the country to learn about the process and receive training. They are in great need of help, though, and it seems that a parish like ours, being as close as we are, should be able to help staff their volunteer corps. As part of your Advent prayer I invite you to look into this and then consider/pray over whether God might be calling you to this volunteer ministry. For more information, call Elizabeth at the SPRED Center at 312.842.1039. We did not receive any response when this was posted before; I truly hope some motivated and generous parishioners might consider this now that it is being repeated before Christmas. 

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