I announced at the end of Mass last Sunday that I will be leaving St. A’s to focus on my teaching and other ministries. Additionally, the Congregation of Holy Cross will no longer staff the parish. Therefore, Bishop Rhoades has appointed a diocesan priest to take over the pastoral care of St. A’s. Effective January 6, 2025, Monsignor Schooler (“Fr. Bill”) will serve as the Administrator of the parish until June when Bishop Rhoades appoints another priest.
On Christmas Eve, Pope Francis opened the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome marking the beginning of the Year of Hope, the 2025 Jubilee Year. This special year will end on January 6, 2026. Bishop Rhoades has designated six churches as Jubilee sites in the diocese. In our area those churches are St. Pius X (Granger), St. Matthew Cathedral (South Bend), and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart (Notre Dame). In designating these sites, Bishop Rhoades said, “The faithful of the diocese are invited to visit our jubilee churches during the Jubilee Year where they can obtain the Jubilee Indulgence by devoutly participating at Mass or making a pious visit for Eucharistic adoration and meditation with particular prayers … another condition of receiving the indulgence is to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, though that does not have to be at the jubilee site.”
I invite you to recite the Jubilee Year prayer each day: The Jubilee Prayer Father in heaven, may the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom. May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel. May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth, when, with the powers of Evil vanquished, your glory will shine eternally. May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, a yearning for the treasures of heaven. May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth. To you our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise forever. Amen.
A few announcements: Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God … Is a Holy Day of Obligation. We will celebrate Mass at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, January 1.
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd … The January Atrium sessions will be held at 8:30 a.m. on the 12th and 19th.
CORRECTION … Special Collections … Retired Religious – ($1017.00). THANK YOU!
Women’s Group … The next meeting will be at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday January 11, 2025 in the parish hall. All women of the parish are most welcome to participate. If you have any questions, please call Sr. Betty Smoyer at (574) 309-1393 or email her at [email protected]. We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to gather, share, listen, and pray together. Parish Pastoral Council … Is scheduled to meet at 11:00 a.m. on January 18 in the parish hall. Finance Council … Is scheduled to meet at 6:30 p.m. on January 21 in the parish hall. Right to Life Michiana … Is sponsoring a March for Life on January 17 from 10:30 – Noon. There will be a rally at “The Hall” on 553 E. Washington Street followed by a peaceful march to the Federal Courthouse. An information sheet, which includes a cut-off for the Pro-Life Signature Ad, can be found on the table in the gathering space. Martin Luther King, Jr Concert … Once again, the South Bend Symphony Orchestra will host a concert at St. A’s on January 16. More information will be forthcoming. Catholic in Recovery … Provides healing from addictions, compulsions, and unhealthy attachments, such as, alcoholism, drug addiction, compulsive or restrictive eating, lust/pornography, gambling addiction, technology addiction, compulsive spending, codependency, control, fear, resentment, and grief. Weekly meetings are scheduled every Monday from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the church basement meeting room at St. Pius X Parish (Granger). The meetings combine the Sacraments, Scriptural readings, liturgical themes of the Catholic Church, and the principles of 12-step Recovery leading to an honest discussion and prayer. ALL MEETINGS ARE CONFIDENTIAL! For further information, please contact Dennis Traxler at (574) 329-3103 or [email protected]. Pope’s Intention for the Month of January … For the right to an education. Let us pray for migrants, refugees and those affected by war, that their right to an education, which is necessary to build a better world, might always be respected. Saint of the Week … Sts. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen (January 2), bishops. St. Basil was a hermit who became bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia. He was noted for his learning. St. Basil’s writings included a rule on monasticism and is the source of Eucharistic Prayer IV which is still used at Mass. He died on 01 January 379. St. Gregory Nazianzen was the Patriarch of Constantinople. He’s noted for his knowledge of sacred Scripture and is called theologus for his outstanding teaching abilities and eloquence. St. Gregory died on 25 January 389 or 390.