Here is the second reading for December 2.
These are good words for all of us to follow.

Romans 13:11-14
Brothers and sisters:You know the time;
it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep.
For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed;
the night is advanced, the day is at hand.
Let us then throw off the works of darknessand put on the armor of light;
let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day,not in orgies and drunkenness,not in promiscuity and lust,not in rivalry and jealousy.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.

Here is a list all the priests that have served at St. Patrick.
Please remember them in your prayers.
Pastors of St. Patrick Parish
1885-1887 James J O’Connor
1887 G. M. Kelley
1888 John Begley
1888 M. J. Walsh
No resident pastor. Pastoral care
provided by the following:
John Begley
John McGee
P. J. McCullough
Jeremiah Lenehan
P. J. Nagle
P. J. Maloney
Wm. L. Rice
A.H. Walsh
1919-1936 Wm. Chawke
1936-1950 Patrick J. O’Leary
1950-1961 Edward J. Albers
1961-1967 Quinton J. Malone
1967-1973 Sean O’Shea
1973-1984 Patrick Larkin
1984 Steve Scheier
1984-1986 Paul Oborny
1986-1998 John Reinkemeyer
1998-2002 Daryl Befort
2002-2005 Joseph C. Tatro
2005 James F. Weldon

Assistants
David O’Leary Charles Regan
John Faust Leroy Linnebur
John Reinkemeyer Donald Hanley
Philip J. Allen Eugene Grabner
Gerald Rowan Joseph Donohoe

This Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent.
Do you have an Advent Wreath?
Do you have an Advent Calendar?
Do you have a plan for daily prayer?
When are you going to confession?
A little fasting and abstinence will help you enjoy the Christmas season even more.
Remember, Christmas starts on December 25 and ends on January 6.
In order to receive God's gifts we must have the proper disposition. Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving will empty us out and dispose our hearts to receive God's presence more fully.

Today's second reading is very powerful. From it we learn who Christ is, what he did for us, and the nature of the Church. I read it every week. Take some time to meditate on it.

Col 1:12-20Brothers and sisters:Let us give thanks to the Father,
who has made you fit to sharein the inheritance of the holy ones in light.
He delivered us from the power of darkness
and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
He is the image of the invisible God,the firstborn of all creation.
For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers;
all things were created through him and for him.
He is before all things,and in him all things hold together.
He is the head of the body, the church.
He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things he himself might be preeminent.
For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell,
and through him to reconcile all things for him,
making peace by the blood of his cross through him,
whether those on earth or those in heaven.

Mark Your Calendar

Sunday, December 2, 2007

The Facility Committee Informational Meetings will be held at the School Gymnasium after the 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. Masses.

Building plans will be unveiled!

Come check them out and receive additional information.

This coming Sunday is the Feast of Christ the King.

Below is the preface for the Mass. It is very beautiful and will help you appreceiate what it means to live in his kingdom.

You anointed Jesus Christ, your only Son, with the oil of gladness, as the eternal priest and universal king.

As priest he offered his life on the altar of the cross and redeemed the human race by this one perfect sacrifice of peace.

As king he claims dominion over all creation,

that he may present to you, his almighty Father,

an eternal and universal kingdom:

a kingdom of truth and life,

a kingdom of holiness and grace,

a kingdom of justice, love, and peace.

And so, with all the choirs of angels in heaven we proclaim your glory and join in their unending hymn of praise.

To pass through toil and sweat, and to arrive at a good end, namely life, is sufficient solace to those who undergo these struggles.
Sailors can make light of storms in the hope of reaching harbor.
Soldiers can make light of wounds in the hope of victory.
Much more should the Christian laugh in the face of this worlds pains and sufferings,
since he looks forward to heaven, which Christ promised to those who persevere.

I just finished my Friday morning Holy Hour. It is such a great time to pray. My mind is silent and I can be a lot more receptive before the Lord.
I'm sorry for not posting for a while. This blog thing is not my #1 priority. I do enjoy putting my thoughts out there in the world. I hope somebody will read this stuff. When I read other blogs I often think it is a bit bold to presume that others would want to read my thoughts about reality. I try to quote liberally from the saints and scripture. That way you can be sure that these thoughts are more than my own.

Sorrow for sin

Three things ought to turn us away from the sin of pride.
1. it disorders a person towards God.
2. it disorders a person towards other people.
3. it dis orders a person towards himself.

Mark 4:19

Today is the Feast of a Church: St. John Lateran. This Church is the cathedral of Rome. The palace that is attached to the Church was the residence of the popes from the 4th century until 1307 when the popes moved to Avignon, France.

Following is the preface for the dedication of a church. It is very beautiful and nourishing to the soul who meditates upon it.

We thank you for this house of prayer

in which you bless your family

as we come to you on our pilgrimage.

Here you reveal your presence by sacramental signs,

and make us one with you through the unseen bond of grace.

Here you build your temple of living stones,

and bring the Church to its full stature as the body of Christ throughout the world,

to reach its perfection at last in the heavenly Jerusalem,

which is the vision of your peace.

In communion with all the angels and saints

we bless and praise your greatness in the temple of your glory.

The Church is the body of Christ. We nourished from his riches which he never fails to pour out upon the Church.

St. Thomas says

" It belongs to perseverance to persevere to the end of the virtuous work, for instance that a soldier persevere to the end of the fight, and the magnificent man until his work be accomplished. There are, however, some virtues whose acts must endure throughout the whole of life, such as faith, hope and charity, since they regard the last end of the entire life of man."

Only the person who perseveres can achieve great things. The greatest thing is eternal life. To achieve eternal life requires the greatest amount of perseverance.

Happy All Souls Day.
It is good to remember that we are not perfect, and that in heaven we will be. Therefore it is necessary for our imperfections to be purified. We must be tested in fire so that only that which is configured to Christ remains. Thank God for the merciful gift of purgatory.

The Preface of All Saints is especially beautiful. As a priest I was able to say it 3 times yesterday. I'm sure the average person in the pews doesn't hear it very clearly. Here it is for you to meditate upon.

Today we keep the festival of your holy city,
the heavenly Jerusalem, our mother.
Around your throne the saints, our brothers and sisters, sing your praise forever.
Their glory fills us with joy,
and their communion with us in your Church gives us inspiration and strength
as we hasten on our pilgrimage of faith, eager to meet them.
With their great company and all the angels we praise your glory as we cry out with one voice.

This would be great to read each day to remind us that we are marching off to battle in a great army under a great King.

Happy All Saints Day!

Heaven is the communion of the blessed. Nothing is more important than going to heaven. Every other kingdom will pass away, but only God's kingdom will endure. As we wander through the world searching for happiness do not forget that the only happiness which will can both satisfy and endure is the happiness of the vision of God in heaven.

peace