This is the Pink Sunday of Advent, Gaudete!  Rejoice!  Why?  Because the Lord is near.  You don’t wait until your invited guest arrives before you get joyful about their visit.  The anticipation of their arrival is itself a cause of joy.

The name comes from the entrance antiphon for the Mass of the Third Sunday of Advent in the Roman  Missal:  

“Rejoice in the Lord always.  I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near” (Philippians 4:4-5).

The reconciliation road show rolls on this week.  Queens’ Advent Penance Service is this Wednesday.  Don’t miss out on this opportunity to get off the naughty list before Christmas!  

Below you can find an examination of conscience that might help you to prepare.

You are invited into Vincentian Hall after all the Masses this weekend to browse the collection of gifts from the Holy Land just in time for Christmas. 

On Saturday evening the Parish Life Commission will serve cookies, coffee and milk.  On Sunday they will have coffee and donuts and all their usual offerings after each Mass.  

If your family like so many others celebrates family Christmas on Christmas Eve or even earlier than that, please consider volunteering for the Community Wide Dinner this year.  It takes the efforts of hundreds of people to make this dinner happen.  There will be shifts for set up, serving and clean up, so even if you can’t help Christmas day, perhaps you could help the day before or after.

At the doors of Church this weekend you will find the ornament boards for items we need you to donate toward the dinner.  Please take what you can and bring back what is specified.

Stuff someone’s stocking this Christmas with a Great 50/50 Super Raffle Ticket to benefit Jackson Catholic Schools.  I will have tickets for sale after Masses this weekend on the Carlton porch.  Volunteers will also be selling in the elevator entrance.  Tickets can be purchased at the parish or school office during the week.  Cash, check, credit and debit are accepted. 

The Living Nativity planned for the Pious Union in Grass Lake this Sunday evening has been canceled due to the forecast of frigid cold temperatures and the inability to move the event indoors due to the live animals!  Stay warm. Watch a Christmas movie instead!

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teaching” (Heb 13:8-9).

Fr. Tim MacDonald

Pastor