Dear Friends of our Pastorate,
This weekend, we celebrate the Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. We are also approaching the end of the Church’s liturgical year in a couple of weeks. Our readings at this time turn toward the coming of Christ again in glory just as we profess in our creed. That time will be characterized by the fulfillment of God’s divine plan—rewards for those who have remained faithful to the Lamb of God and punishment for those who have turned away from God. Jesus warns his disciples to learn from what they already know about how to read the signs of the times so that they are not caught off guard when that day arrives. Jesus doesn’t want us to be caught off guard either.
This weekend, we will be having someone speaking at all Masses about our Shelter Week program that is hosted at OLC. This year’s Shelter Week will be held Jan. 13–20. Shelter Week is a ministry of service to those who do not have adequate shelter during the winter season. It requires many volunteers to make this ministry a success, so please consider volunteering this year. The Shelter Week planning meeting will be held this Tuesday, Nov. 19th at 7:00pm at OLC. The meeting will be held in the Maryland Suite, OLC’s meeting room that is located in the Church.
Please keep our Pastorate’s Confimandi in your prayers this week. We have 39 youth receiving the
Sacrament of Confirmation this Wednesday, Nov. 20th at 5:30pm at St. Jane Frances. Bishop Adam Parker will be the celebrant. The celebration is open to anyone in the pastorate who wishes to attend. I would like to thank our Pastorate’s youth ministry team—Tim Janiszewski and Carrie Hilmer—and all of our dedicated catechists, volunteers, and families who have assisted with preparing our high school youth for Confirmation.
Our Pastorate’s Thanksgiving Mass this year will be taking place at Our Lady of the Chesapeake on Thursday, Nov. 28th at 8:30am. Each parish has a tradition at the Thanksgiving Mass that we would like to honor. OLC’s tradition is to bring a donation of nonperishable food items for the OLC food pantry that are presented at the offertory. St. Jane’s tradition is to bring your family’s Thanksgiving foods for the blessing of foods at the end of Mass. We will be incorporating both traditions at this year’s Mass, so please bring a food pantry donation AND your family’s Thanksgiving food to be blessed after Mass.
Our parish’s Advent and Christmas schedule is included in this weekend’s bulletin. I hope it will be useful for you as you prepare for the coming holiday season.
Thank you for keeping St. Jane Frances and Our Lady of the Chesapeake—our Pastorate of the Visitation—in your daily prayers!
God Bless,
Father Steve
