Sunday, November 30th, 2008
Daily Archive
Pope Benedict Rings In the New Year
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 30 Nov 2008 | Tagged as: Liturgical Feasts
Last evening at St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Benedict opened the Church’s new liturgical year with a solemn celebration of Vespers. You can find stunning pictures of the evening service here and here.
In his homily, the Holy Father reflected on how Advent is the season of hope par excellence. In these few short weeks before Christmas, we intensify our longing eastward gaze toward Christ’s second coming, sustained and nourished by the saving mysteries of his first coming. Hence, fixed as we are between Christ and Christ, between the two comings of Christ, for what more could we hope?
A happy and holy Advent to you and yours!
CELEBRATION OF FIRST VESPERS FOR THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
November 29, 2008
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
With these vespers we begin the itinerary of a new liturgical year, entering into the first of the seasons that constitute that year: Advent. In the biblical reading that we just heard, taken from the First Letter to the Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul uses precisely this word: “coming,” which in Greek is “parousia” and in Latin, “adventus” (1 Thessalonians 5:23). According to the common translation of this text, Paul exhorts the Christians of Thessalonica to keep themselves irreprehensible “for” the coming of the Lord. But in the original text we read “in” the coming (“en te parousia”), as if the coming of the Lord were, more than a future event, a spiritual place in which we already walk in the present, during the wait, and in which we are perfectly vigilant in every personal dimension. In effect, this is exactly what we live in the liturgy: celebrating the liturgical seasons, we actualize the mystery — in this case the coming of the Lord — in such a way as to be able, so to speak, to “walk in it” toward its full realization, at the end of time, but already drawing sanctifying virtue from it from the moment that the last times have already begun with the death and resurrection of Christ.
Homilies for the First Sunday of Advent (2008)
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 30 Nov 2008 | Tagged as: Homilies
As the Church enters a new liturgical year, we’re beginning a new service here on CSVF Blog.
Starting today, the parish’s weekend homilies will be posted online.
Bookmark the blog, share the link with friends, and tune in to all of the Sunday preaching here at St. Vincent Ferrer.
First up, the homilies delivered earlier today, the First Sunday of Advent.
Witness for Life – December 6
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 30 Nov 2008 | Tagged as: Parish News
From Sr. Lucy at the archdiocesan Family Life-Respect Life Office:
“A new generation of Christians is being called to help build a world in which God’s gift of life is welcomed, respected and cherished-not rejected, feared as a threat and destroyed. A new age in which love is not greedy or self-seeking, but pure, faithful and genuinely free, open to others, respectful of their dignity, seeking their good, radiating joy and beauty. A new age in which hope liberates us from shallowness, apathy and self-absorption which deaden our souls and poison our relationships. … The Lord is asking you to be prophets of this new age, messengers of his love, drawing people to the Father and building a future of hope for all humanity.” — Pope Benedict XVI, Homily at World Youth Day, July 20, 2008
Join with the Sisters of Life – be prophets of this new age.
Witness for Life
Sat, Dec 6th / 8am Mass at Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral, NYC – Fr. Richard Baker will be the main celebrant. Come to all or part of the morning.
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass begins our day in Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral (the Sisters of Life will provide a Schola), Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament follows, and people can either remain in the Church to adore our Lord or attend the rosary procession to the local abortion clinic.
Upon return from the clinic (approx 10:15am) we will have a social (complete with coffee and bagels) with a short (15 mins) presentation by the Sisters of Life. You will hear of concrete ways to be of service, as Co-Workers, helping vulnerable pregnant women that are currently being served by the Sisters.
Promote this to your friends and keep the spiritual success of this effort for Life in your daily prayers.
Sr. Lucy Marie
Respect Life Coordinator
Archdiocese of New York
1011 First Ave., 7th Floor
New York, NY 10022
212-371-1011 X3192
Mon-Thurs 9:30am-4:30pm
Theology in the City – December 1
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 30 Nov 2008 | Tagged as: Parish Events
