ATTENTION—The Christmas mailing went out earlier this week. It includes our Christmas Mass Schedule, which is also included in these announcements!
Dear Friends,
At this point in Advent, the Church always looks to John the Baptist to rouse our attention and focus our hope for the promised Savior. Quoting from the prophet Isaiah, he announced: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” Our hope for what God has promised is expressed in our readiness to welcome his presence. We prepare by making room for the Lord in our hearts and in our lives—making room in our priorities, in our schedule (what we make time for), and in our devotion (who or what we love). Doing this during this hectic time is certainly not easy, but let’s keep in mind WHY this time of year is so busy... all of this is to celebrate the birth of the Savior!
At the 9:30am Mass this Sunday, we will celebrate The Rite of Welcoming with Arthur “Trey” Bourke, Andrew Hurley, James Meyers, Alex Williams and The Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens welcoming Inquirers to the next stage of their journey to Conversion in Jesus Christ. Brittany Ryznar will become a “Catechumen” preparing for Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist as a full member of the Catholic Church at next year’s Easter Vigil. We, the community of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton offers to help – now our catechumen - by our love and prayerful support. If you are not baptized; if you are baptized in another Christian religion; or just want to learn more about the Catholic faith, contact the Parish Office at 410-721-5770
The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on December 8th each year, is a Holy Day of Obligation. Masses will be held on Wednesday, December 8 at 9:00am and 7:00pm.
December 8th also marks the 47th Anniversary of Deacon Fred Seibold’s Diaconate Ordination! Please keep him and his wife Chris in your prayers as we thank him for his service to our community.
I hope you have marked your calendars for the International Miracles of the Eucharist Exhbition which opens next Saturday, December 11th at 10:30AM. An October article in the Catholic Review stated, “A 2019 Pew Research Center study showed that 69% of all self-identified U.S. Catholics said they believed the bread and wince used at Mass are not Jesus, but instead are ‘symbols of the body and blood of Jesus Christ.’” I hope this work by Blessed Carlo Acutis serves as evidence of the very real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Please take some time during your busy week to experience it. In addition, we will have Adoration in the Conference Room should you wish to spend some time with the Blessed Sacrament while you’re here.
The Blessing of the Bambinelli returns at all Masses next weekend, December 11th and 12th! Bring the infant Jesus from your nativity set to Mass with you for a special blessing!
On Sunday, December 12, Boy Scout Troop 758, chartered by Seton Parish, is hosting our second annual Light Up Crofton event! The Troop is selling luminary kits that people can set up outside their homes to light on the evening of Sunday, December 12. Each kit comes with the supplies for 10 luminaries, so we encourage you to purchase enough sets to light up your stairs, driveway, or sidewalk. We are hoping to transform Crofton and the local area into a winter village that everyone can drive around and enjoy. You can order your Luminary Kits online at my.cheddarup.com/c/... and find the event on Facebook at Light Up Crofton - Organized by Scout Troop 758.
I encourage you, in the rush of preparations for Christmas, to find some quiet moments to reawaken that sense of longing, desire, and expectation for the Lord. May I suggest the following: Daily Mass at 9:00am (Monday—Thursday), sit before the Lord for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on Tuesdays, 9:30am—7pm, or celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a means of preparing our hearts on Saturdays, 3:30pm—4pm or extended hours on Thursday, December 16, 9:30am—12Noon and 5:00pm—7pm.
Please monitor your heath! If you are not feeling well, have a temperature over 100 degrees, sore throat, have a persistent cough or generally not feeling well, please stay home. Please utilize the hand sanitizers when you enter the Church and the Parish Center. Masks are always available in the Narthex. Daily Mass and the 9:30am Sunday Mass are live-streamed and then archived here on the Parish Website.
For the past few of weeks, we have been publishing the Mass schedule for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the Sunday after Christmas.
Friday, December 24 (Christmas Eve):
4:00pm in the Church—live-streamed, with overflow seating in the Parish Center,
6:00pm
9:00pm
Saturday, December 25 (Christmas Day):
11:00am
(No Confessions and 4:30pm Mass)
Sunday, December 26 (Feast of the Holy Family):
8am, 9:30am, 11:00am, 5:30pm
Finally, have you checked out our Advent E-ZINE here Included in this edition is information on the Year of the Eucharist, an Advent to-do list and Staff recommendations for holiday movies. Enjoy!
Warm regards!
Fr. Paul
From 12/11 through 12/19, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church will be hosting The Year of the Eucharist Exhibit, displaying worldwide Eucharistic Miracles, artifacts used in Eucharistic liturgical celebrations, and a first class relic of Blessed Carlo. Simultaneously, the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist will occur through Exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
For our parish to successfully host this event, we need the help of our SETON community. Adult and youth volunteers are needed to:
- Be present with the Blessed Sacrament while it is exposed in the adoration room to maintain a reverent atmosphere
- Monitor the exhibit tables and artifacts to ensure they are respected
- Offer any assistance to exhibit visitors
Please review the available slots from the following link and click on the button to sign-up here.
To view the page, enter the following access code: SETON
To protect your identity, only SETON staff will be able to view a volunteer’s name, email, and phone number.
ALL volunteers must be current with VIRTUS training. If you would like to obtain or renew your VIRTUS training, please contact the parish. Under the age of 18 volunteers are also welcome, and require Worthy of the Call training as well. For additional information please contact the parish at (410) 721-5770 or contact Liam Benton at liam.benton@seaseton.org
Time slots range from 2-3 hours. Additionally, SETON staff will sign-off on community service hours for anyone requiring volunteer hours.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email setonvolunteers@gmail.com
On behalf of SETON parish, thank you for your help!