News - January 2024 RSS Feed

Hopefully the bitter cold is behind us and the promise of spring comes early. This week we do indeed hit the midpoint of Winter -- February 2 -- as we observe the Solemnity of the Presentation of the Lord. At that Mass (Friday 9am) we will bless all of the candles that are used for Masses in the coming year. Read more.

It sure feels like winter out there these past few days. All things considered, it is nice to see snow, especially as we had no significant snow over the past two winters. I recall that several years ago when Father JM was speaking with his then three-year old niece in the Philippines she asked him what snow felt like. He told her to “go to the kitchen, open the freezer, put your hand inside, and leave it there.” I think that was great advice. When it’s 14o outside, even the freezer is warmer! Read more.

With the Christmas Season over and all of the lights and decorations stowed, the darkness and starkness of winter has finally set in. We are now on that road to Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the Lenten Season in just a few weeks time. Ash Wednesday is, as you heard chanted in Epiphany Chant of Moveable Feasts, on February 14th. As there is a popular secular holiday celebrated that day (based on the legends around another saint of the church) you should consider making those Valentine plans on a date other than the 14th as it is a day of fasting and abstinence. Read more.

As I write this letter there are predictions of some nasty weather this weekend, so I am not sure how many of you will be reading this in the bulletin! It is winter after all, and we haven’t had a significant snowfall in 23 months, so I guess we are due anyway. Read more.