1 Corinthians:13 --- Christmas version

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love, I'm just another decorator. 

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned mealtime, but do not show love, I'm just another cook. 


If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata...but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point. 

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband. 

Love is kind, though harried and tired. 

Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens. 

Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.

Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who can't. 

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

Love never fails.

This is something I enjoyed and hope you do too.

Thank you priest's wife (Byzantine, of course) written by Sharon Jaymes by way of St. Paul.

 

Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Using Our Lady of Guadalupe to Promote and Confuse in the Archdiocese of Portland

OPEN LETTER TO MATT CATO, Director of the Office of Justice and Peace of the Archdiocese of Portland.      Matt Cato email

Dear Matt,


The latest Catholic Sentinel had an article on VOZ.   Day Laborers/ Our Lady of Guadalupe   VOZ has anti-Catholic ideals (apart from the Catholics that might be in VOZ) Using the Blessed Mother confuses people.  This organization is not as it seems and using the Blessed Mother is very sad and desperate.

Matt Cato holding sign...

The list of allies on their webpage displays the heretical values that run VOZ.  The Blessed Mother is tainted by helping promote them.  Can you tell me please why we are still funding this?  (By the way, giving money for just a "part" of the group is still giving to the group through "fungible funding".)

The Archdiocese of Portland has given this organization money, publicity and credibility for ten years.  It looks like Oregon Catholics have to wait for their new Archbishop to be appointed who uses our collection plate monies in a prudent, thoughtful manner "obeying" the  rules of CCHD and the Church.

By the way, here is an article regarding the $64,000 on the average salaries for VOZ. Is this considered a poverty wage to the CCHD and Archdiocese of Portland?  Most Oregon Catholics would love to have that as a salary.

VOZ is also visible with the Occupy Portland movement. supported the Archdiocese of Portland.

Thanks for any response.

God Bless,
Carolyn Wendell

Digital Catechism of the Nativity

REJOICE!

"Little Lent" + New Liturgical Changes = Loving the Lord, Body and Soul

Come, Lord Jesus, Come.  Our Catholic New Year moves us toward Christ: Body through "Little Lent" or Advent and Soul with the New Liturgical Changes in the Mass.

According to present [1907] usage, Advent is a period beginning with the Sunday nearest to the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle embracing four Sundays. The first Sunday may be as early as 27 November this year, and then Advent has twenty-eight days, or as late as 3 December, giving the season only twenty-one days. 

With Advent the ecclesiastical year begins in the Western churches. During this time the faithful are admonished:

• to prepare themselves worthily to celebrate the anniversary of the Lord's coming into the world as the incarnate God of love,
• thus to make their souls fitting abodes for the Redeemer coming in Holy Communion and through grace, and
• thereby to make themselves ready for His final coming as judge, at death and at the end of the world

(With thanks to NewAdvent.org)

Saint Andrew, the first apostle The Church celebrates the feast of Saint Andrew on November 27th, an important date in the annual liturgical calendar, because it determines the date of the First Sunday of Advent, which is the Sunday nearest this Feast. Saint Andrew is the patron saint fishermen, and of both Scotland and Russia.

Andrew, the first Apostle called by Jesus, was a fisherman from Bethsaida and the brother of Simon Peter. A follower of John the Baptist, Andrew recognized Jesus as the Messiah when John baptized Our Lord in the Jordan River, and he introduced his brother Simon to Jesus. The two brothers continued as fishermen until Jesus called them as Apostles.

After Pentecost, it is believed that Andrew went to Greece to preach the Gospel of Christ Jesus.

Saint Andrew, called the "Protoclet" (or "first called") by the Greeks, was crucified at Achaia by order of Roman Governor Aegeas during the reign of Nero. He was bound, not nailed, to the X-shaped cross in order to prolong his sufferings. According to tradition, he preached from the cross for two days, and died on the third day.

•  Little Lent lasts until Christmas Day.

 First We Fast, Then We Feast:

That's why Advent has traditionally been known as a "little Lent." As in Lent, Advent should be marked by increased prayer, fasting, and good works.  all great feasts have been preceded by a time of fasting, which makes the feast itself more joyful. 

Happy New Year and Christmas Blessings.  

Bishop Steiner's Retirement Letter was Accepted by Rome

Archbishop Vlazny day to resign is his birthday, February 12, 2012.

"Accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the archdiocese of Portland in Oregon, U.S.A., presented by Bishop Kenneth Donald Steiner, upon having reached the age limit."

Coadjutor Bishop Impending?