Town Halls
In our current Mass arrangement, I only get to St. Joseph (Ferndale), St. Joseph (Lynden), St. Peter, St. Joachim, and our two Spanish Masses once every 8-weeks. Because of that, it has always been my intention to do brief town hall meetings after the Masses when I am at those locations. And to schedule similar meetings at St. Anne, Assumption, and Sacred Heart when it makes sense.
Well, I am terrible at looking ahead and my time in Lynden and Deming is this weekend. If I do not do a town hall now, I won’t see those communities again until mid-January. So, surprise, I’ll be available to chat in Lynden and Deming this weekend. Looking ahead, I’ll do town halls at Ferndale, Lummi, and our Spanish Masses the weekend of Dec. 13/14. And we will schedule at Blaine, Assumption, and Sacred Heart in the New Year.
Prepping for the Holidays
This week has really driven home how different and special are the six weeks between Thanksgiving and New Years. We are trying so hard to finish up a bunch of projects so that no one has to think about them during the holidays. At the same time, there are so many additional things that get added to those six weeks, and we are frantically trying to get them running. For example:
- The Parish Family Advisory Committee (PFAC) is working overtime at the moment to finish the summaries and synthesis of our first round of parish listening sessions, so that they can be published before Advent.
- I am trying hard to finish letters to both St. Joseph in Lynden and St. Joseph in Ferndale about financial needs at those parishes, as well as make a final decision about the Assumption projects (link) based on submitted feedback.
- The High School (link) is looking to give update presentations all of our churches sometime in the next two weeks.
In addition, there are a bunch of added things coming because of Advent.
- There are Holiday Bazaars, Lessons and Carols, and all kinds of parties being planned. I believe some members of our staff are trying to put together a list of all the holiday activities around the county.
- We are trying to schedule confessions for our school students.
- Lots of work is being put into a novena of Masses in preparation for Our Lady of Guadalupe, and then Posadas following quickly on their heels.
- Oh, and Immaculate Conception, Guadalupe, Christmas, and New Years liturgical planning. And the schedule of Masses when everyone is on vacation. Right. Should probably work on those.
Holiday Recommendations
The freneticism of the season always leads me to suggest a liturgical approach to these weeks. Namely:
- The first half of Advent focuses on the second coming of Jesus. So use the business and craziness as a reminder that our highest anxiety ought to be for the coming of the Lord. Alternatively, use the coming of the Lord as an excuse to reprioritize and exempt yourself from all of the expectations of December, so that you can make more space for the Lord. 😉
- The Church does not turn her focus to the first coming of Jesus (the nativity) until the 3rd Sunday of Advent or, more powerfully, until Dec. 17. Feel free to put off shopping, decorating, or anything else Christmas related until then. You have my approval and encouragement.
- The liturgical Christmas season lasts until the Baptism of the Lord, which this year is on January 11. If you cannot fit in all the parties and dinners and celebration you want before Dec. 25, no problem! The Church says you have another three weeks to be festive, so feel free to tell people their Christmas party can wait until January.
Fr. Moore 