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Liturgy

Happy New Year 2024!

Happy New Year 2024!

Liturgy Geek Time: This weekend (Jan 6/7, 2024), we celebrate Epiphany which, by the way, is not the end of the Christmas season. The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord marks the last day of the Christmas season which is... wait for it... Monday.  So, Tuesday, we begin Ordinary time. Maybe you know this already, but the Sunday readings are broken into three years, A, B, and C. With the beginning of Advent, we entered into cycle B. Ordinary time gets its name by the fact that we count the weeks. So this coming week, beginning on Tuesday, is the First Week of Ordinary time and the following Sunday will start the second week in Ordinary Time. Ordinary time is not marked by any distinctive character as are Lent, Easter, Advent, and Christmas for example. Rather, note that in Ordinary Time, the Church sets before us the common life of Jesus (if one could actually say anything is common about Jesus' life). During his life, he taught, effected miracles, and lived among humanity in every way, but sin. The weekday readings are broken into a two-year cycle (Cycle I and Cycle II). Beginning on Tuesday we embark on Cycle II. If one were to go to every Mass every day for three years, a person would have heard 71% of the entire Bible proclaimed to them. So, I guess that means each of us nee to read the remaining 29% on our own. Hey! Maybe that could be your new year resolution. Actually, I would recommend simply tuning into Fr. Michael Schmitz's "Bible in a Year" podcast which will help you walk through the entirety of the Scripture much quickly and with excellent commentary. I cannot recommend it more highly. It's not too late to catch up if you want to start now. Check it out at media.ascensionpress.com/category/ascension-podcasts/bibleinayear/

On a Personal Note: Thank you to all who stepped up to give of yourselves this past Advent and Christmas season! So many people offered their gifts in quiet and unseen ways. You know who you are. Thank you! I want to also thank you for your kind Christmas cards. I typically wait until Christmas Day to open and read them. It has been a wonderful way to receive God's love through you. After all the Christmas Masses were completed on Dec. 24 & 25, I came down with a cold which laid me low for several days afterwards. I'm getting better, though I am surprised how long this cold has drawn out. I know that others have experienced a cold with similar results. This is not uncommon for ministers in this season. It was for this reason many of you may have noted that I did not post my regular Friday Reflection or my regular podcast following the Feast of the Holy Family Sunday. No worries. I they will be back soon.

Personal Social Media: If you are not familiar with my personal media ventures, does it surprise you that a geek like me wouldn't have one, but actually several? If you are curious, feel free to check out frbill.org. There you can listen to my various podcasts, Friday Videos, other YouTube videos, some photography (specifically astrophotography), facebook, X (Formerly known as Twitter), Instagram, Threads, and even a blog. Commonly, I release things from this website before they reach the bulletin (in the case of some of my bulletin articles). But, for most of these, you can simply subscribe to them or "follow" them and you will be alerted to anything new.

May this new year bring you a deeper faith, surprise you by joy, and heal whoever wounds plague you. I desire that for myself. So, let's all pray for each other and help reach out to those who need to hear the Gospel the most.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor
Holy Trinity Catholic Parish
Beaverton, Oregon

New Ciborium for Mass

New Ciborium for Mass

[Blog updated May 3, 2023]

Hey there Catholic liturgical geeks! Did you notice something a little different at Mass this past week? If not, I’ll just spill the beans, so-to-speak. We replaced the glass ciborium in the Tabernacle with a metal ciborium. I wanted to share why this change has taken place and explain the reasons behind the decision a bit.

To start, many of you — especially those who weren’t part of the parish when the new (current) church was built in 2000-2001 — might not know why we had a glass ciborium in the first place. It just so happens that our church’s architect, Dave Richen, was also one of my instructors at Mount Angel Abbey when I was a seminarian in the 90’s. He taught a fantastic, eye-opening class on art and architecture in the Church and shared many of his beautiful and innovative ideas, several of which he would use a few years later when designing the “new” Holy Trinity Church.

One such idea was the use of a glass ciborium in a tabernacle that had an inner glass door that locked/ unlocked separately from the tabernacle’s outer doors. This would allow the people, if they desired, to open the tabernacle’s outer doors and see the Blessed Sacrament in the ciborium — secured behind the interior glass door — as they prayed. It was a very creative solution.

In Catholic churches throughout the country, glass or crystal chalices were frequently used for decades. Similar to Richen’s idea with the glass ciborium, the advantage was that the community could see the wine being poured, and, if it was red wine, it would be a more profound visual symbol of the Blood of Christ.

I used them for many years when I was the pastor at St. Anthony in Forest Grove. During my time there, several chalices were broken in the simple process of cleaning and storing them. In short order, we ended up using a mish-mash of different chalices.

In 2003, the Church promulgated a new edition of the General Instructions to the Roman Missal (though the acronym is written as “the GIRM,” it’s verbally referred to as “the Germ”). This is basically the “how-to” for Mass. In the section on “Sacred Vessels,” it specifies what material should be used:

“Sacred vessels should be made from precious metal. . . [or] from other solid materials which in the common estimation in each region are considered precious or noble. . .provided that such materials are suitable for sacred use. In this case, preference is always to be given to materials that do not easily break or deteriorate” (GIRM, 328-329).

It was thus determined by then-Archbishop Vlazny that all glass chalices and ciboria should be phased out. Over the years, the GIRM and Archdiocesan guidelines have offered other adaptations/corrections to previous local traditions. You’ll find throughout the Archdiocese that some changes were immediately implemented and some are still being phased in. To that effect, some time ago I had mentioned in passing at a daily Mass that we would move away from our own use of glass vessels when the timing was right and the funds were available.

Many of you may be asking, “If it ain’t broke, why fix it?” That’s a fair question, and we’re definitely fortunate that it wasn’t broken in the past 22 years! Quite simply (and independent of my earlier comments), in late January we received a donation that the donor specifically wanted used to purchase liturgical items. The timing was right and the funds were available, so we ordered the new ciborium which arrived (finally!) last Wednesday.

So, there you have it! I’m happy to dive deeper on this topic with you, whether or not you’re a Catholic liturgical geek (like me!) or answer any other questions you may have. I pray that the celebration of Mass brings you hope and joy as you hear the Word proclaimed and the Eucharist broken and distributed this weekend — especially for the nearly 100 children celebrating their First Holy Communion!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Lent & Liturgy

Lent & Liturgy

Dear Parishioners,

What is Lent?

Lent is intended to strike out on a 40-day journey which is intended to bring us all closer to Christ. We are being called to participate in the three focused works of prayer, fasting, and alms giving. Liturgically, in order to help focus our attention, the Mass is pared down, the penitential color of purple is adorned, and the rest of the environment is sparse. All of this is intended to help us with these three foci in our preparation for the greatest even of all history: Christ’s Paschal Mystery, his suffering, death, and resurrection.

Lenten Practices

I hope you are also able to take part in “The Search,” the online seven-part video series via our FORMED account. I am looking forward to it. As you journey in Lent, we offer each Friday the Stations of the Cross. Different ministries will host it in the church with versions that either express their own ministerial focus or personal preference. So, each time you come, the way the stations are offered may differ. These all begin at 6 PM followed by a Spanish version at 7 PM. While the Church always encourages us to obtain from meat on Friday’s throughout the year, there is a special emphasis on this practice as a way to memorialize that Jesus gave up his flesh on a Friday. 

It is a tradition that Catholics give up something for Lent as way to gain mastery over ourselves, reduce those things that are not good for us, and potentially replace it with something that is good for the soul. Think of it as fasting and feasting. Give up something and add something. Due to the pandemic, maybe watch less news and write some encouraging letters to others you know. Maybe refrain from drinking that special latte and give that money to Operation Rice Bowl or any other non-profit in which you believe.

Translation Correction

If you did not noticed, beginning with Ash Wednesday, the opening prayer at Masses ended differently than we are used to. Instead of ending with “one God for ever and ever,” the priest now says “God for ever and ever.” One word has removed, and that word is “one.” This comes after guidance was offered from Cardinal Sarah from the Vatican’s Office for Divine Worship, agreed upon by the United States Council of Bishops, and ratified by the Carinal Prefect. While the 2011 ed. of the Roman Missal made a broad range of changes in order to be a more authentic translation form the Latin, this change was purposefully left out. The latin text is, “Deus, per omnia sæcula sæculorum.” In this text, there is no mention of the phrase “one God,” but simply, “God.” So, as of this past Ash Wednesday (the Church loves to make liturgical changes in a way pairs up with a change in liturgical seasons.), this change has become part of our Missal which we priests use to offer Mass.

The previous translation was also theologically problematic, according to the Welsh bishops who wrote, “The addition of 'one' before 'God' in the conclusion of the Collects could be construed as mistaken and problematic. 'Deus' here refers to the earlier mention of 'the Son' and is a Christological, anti-Arian affirmation, and not directly Trinitarian in this context.” Arianism is an early heresy which claimed the Jesus was not fully divine, but somehow less divine than the Father. A correction became the fruit of the Council of Nicaea where we get our Nicene Creed we proclaim every Sunday.  In other words, the use of “one God” in this context could lend people to understand that Christ is one God amongst many, and that the Trinity is actually three gods. That is not orthodox, so this change helps preserve any erroneous ideas going forward. It also preserves the focus on Jesus who is the second person of the Blessed Trinity and not an additional God.

So, as we priests get used to this change, please be patient if we mess up. I’ve heard “one God” all my life and have been using it for all 20 years of my priestly ministry. So, we are bound to forget, goof up, or what have you. However we offer the prayer, please be patient as we settle in with the corrected translation.


Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Liturgical Changes, Part 6, the Confiteor

Liturgical Changes, Part 6, the Confiteor

Dear Parishioners,

If you are a liturgical nerd, this week’s letter is for you. For the rest of you, feel free to quickly skim this letter or go right to the very last sentence… and receive my apology for such a long letter about such a small part of the Mass. My intentions are to help clarify this small point that has baffled many, including myself, and to get some sense of direction prior to our upcoming workshop on the Archdiocesan Liturgical Handbook(ALH). 

When the Roman Missal (think the big red book the priest reads from at Mass) was updated and released for use amounts a decade ago, there were many changes to the wording of the prayers as well as to the rubrics (think instructions) of how to offer Mass. One that seemed clear to me was at the beginning of the Mass, the Introductory Rite, when we confess our sins. The first option for that rite is called the Confiteor (“I confess…”). In the previous (1970 ed.) Missal, it clearly instructed the faithful to recite, “through my fault,” once, and to strike the breast once at that moment. The current (2011 ed.) Missal returned to the three-time repetition of this phrase, yet the rubric did not clearly change to include three strikes of the breast. So, during those first months with the new Missal, I guided the faithful to maintain a single striking of the breast. Now, fast forward almost a decade: our new ALH instructs the faithful to strike the breast three times (1.13.1). So I inquired with Msgr. Gerard O’Connor, our archdiocesan Director of the Office of Divine Worship and principle author of the ALH. He reaffirmed the guidance from the ALH and sent me a link where this was addressed by a professor in Rome who was asked about this small issue. The moderator, Fr. Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum University offered this response about the ambiguity of the new rubric in this regard:

The perceived lack of specificity is in the original Latin rubric which says, "[P]ercutientes sibi pectus," whereas the extraordinary form specifies that the breast should be struck three times.

There is, however, a slight but noticeable change in translating this rubric. The former translation, with only one admission of fault, said that the faithful should "strike their breast," thus specifying a single strike. The current translation says, "[A]nd striking their breast, they say:" before the triple admission of fault.

This use of the gerund indicates a continuous action, and so I would say that even if a number is not specified in the rubric, the use of a dynamic expression implies that the number corresponds to the times one admits to personal faults. I think that this is also what would come naturally to most people in any case.

This would be confirmed by the practice in Spanish- and Italian-language countries, which have always maintained the triple form in the "I Confess." The Spanish missal translates the rubric as "golpeándose el pecho, dicen:" which could mean either once or several times. In these countries it is also common practice for priest and faithful to strike the breast three times.

Although the Second Vatican Council requested the removal of "useless repetitions," it must be said that not all repetition is useless. Some forms of communication necessarily use what is technically called redundancy, that is, reinforcing the signal carrying a message more than would be strictly necessary in order to overcome outside interference and stress its importance.

The triple repetition of words and gestures in the Confiteor could be considered such a case. With the former translation it was fairly easy to omit the gesture of striking the breast or pay scant attention to its meaning. The triple repetition underlines its importance and helps us to concentrate on the inner meaning of what we say and do.

It must be admitted, though, that the above argumentation is not watertight, and a single strike could also be a valid interpretation of the rubric. (for an even more expansive response, go to ewtn.com/library/liturgy/zlitur388.htm).

So, the rubric is not absolutely clear from what Fr. McNamara shares, though there are common traditions that lean us towards one option. This is where the ALH, General Instructions to the Roman Missal(GIRM), and our Director of the Office Divine Worship are helpful. Msgr. O’Connor shared with me an important section of the GIRM which offers guidance regarding liturgical postures in liturgy:

A common bodily posture, to be observed by all those taking part, is a sign of the unity of the members of the Christian community gathered together for the Sacred Liturgy, for it expresses the intentions and spiritual attitude of the participants and also fosters them (42).

 

And then Msgr. O’Connor concludes with the reason the ALH offers the guidance it does in this regard:

I think that given the centuries tradition (paying attention to the traditional practice of the Roman Rite) on the triple striking of the breast and the fact that it has been more or less universally adopted again in the English speaking world, we explicitly mentioned three times. Thinking back we should have left it as just ‘striking’. But I think in practical terms, desiring a common approach for the faithful “A common bodily posture, to be observed by all those taking part, is a sign of the unity”, we should encourage the three strikes.

So, while one striking of the breast once fulfills the rubric at the Confiteor, three times may be in more harmony with the intent of the rubric and tradition of the Church. 

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Liturgical Changes, Part 5, Postures at Mass

Liturgical Changes, Part 5, Postures at Mass

Dear Parishioners,

In the course of time, traditions grow up in parishes, sometimes encouraged by priests, nuns, or other lay leaders. Other times, they come from experiences on retreats and other events. All these are part of the life of a parish. Sometimes, these are laudable for they reinforce or remind the people about the norms of the Church Universal. Sometimes, however, these traditions are not what the Church intended or are problematic expressions of faith that confuse the proper roles of those at Mass. Over time, I have been asked by various parishioners about the proper posture/gestures that are part of the Mass, specifically, the “Our Father” and the “Rite of Peace.” In this regard, the new Archdiocesan Liturgical Handbook (ALH) offers some clarification. Below, I have included salient paragraphs to help clarify:

Our Father
1.57.2  During the Our Father, the Roman Missal instructs the priest to “extend his hands” assuming the Orans posture (GIRM 152). This posture is prescribed only for the priest and although it has been adopted by the faithful in some countries after the approval of the Holy See, in the United States it is still a posture assumed only by the priest.

1.57.3  The faithful holding hands during the Our Father is another posture not envisioned or prescribed by the Roman Missal. While this has been adopted within families with small children it should not be considered a normal posture of the Sacred Liturgy. Indeed some may feel uncomfortable if this posture is imposed upon them.

Rite of Peace 
1.58.2  The sign of peace is not an act of reconciliation, which has already occurred in the Penitential Act at the beginning of the Mass, nor is it a neighborly greeting. This misunderstanding of the meaning of the sign has led to abuses, such as extended or protracted exchanges of handshakes, hugs, and kisses, which delay the Lamb of God and disrupt the flow of the celebration of the Eucharist.

Understanding these guidelines, it is important to be charitable in all we do. Please, if someone does not follow these guidelines, do not chastise them. Be very careful in your pastoral advice so as not to offend. That being said, the above guidelines are from our Archbishop and the ALH.

Related to other gestures, I have noticed that some faithful lower their heads and strike their breast when the Body and Blood are shown/elevated and the priest says, “do this in memory of me.” According to Fr. Paul Turner, STD::

There has never been a rubric for people striking their breast during the elevation, nor for them to lower their heads. The rubrics are quite scant when it comes to what the people are supposed to do. Devotions have evolved apart from the rubrics.  If the people stand for the eucharistic prayer they are supposed to make a low bow while the priest genuflects at the elevations (GIRM 43). (paulturner.org/striking-the-breast-and-bowing)

The General Instructions to the Roman Missal (aka GIRM) in Latin uses the word, “to show,” which then implies that the faithful are to be looking or gazing at the mystery before them. Bowing one’s head, therefore, would seem to be in contradiction to that which is intended by the action in Mass at that moment. So, please, look! Gaze! Let your hearts be filled with the great mystery before you when the priest shows you the precious species of the Eucharist. Do nothing other, for this is primarily a moment of wonder and awe, not of repentance.

Again, charity is first in all we do. Please refrain from being the. “liturgical police” and hunt everyone down that does not follow every gesture perfectly. It is my hope that all will read this letter and come to understand that uniformity in our gestures at Mass offer a more noble and simple liturgy which the Church prescribes. May the Holy Mass be ever more efficacious in our lives, as we all strive to be “led to that full, conscious, and active participation in liturgical celebrations which is demanded by the very nature of the liturgy, and to which the Christian people, ‘a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a redeemed people’ (1 Pet. 2:9, 4-5) have a right and obligation by reason of their baptism.” (Second Vatican Council, Sacrosanctum Concilium 14).

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Liturgical Change, Part 3 The Role of the Reader in Procession in the Absence of a Deacon

Liturgical Change, Part 3 The Role of the Reader in Procession in the Absence of a Deacon

Dear Parishioners,

As we continue to review our liturgy in light of the New Archdiocesan Liturgical Handbook, I would like to draw your attention to a small detail that we have implemented when we don’t have a deacon.  In the entrance procession, again when there is no deacon, the Readers processes in with the Altar Servers and Priest. When the group reaches the front of the Sanctuary, they will all make a gesture of reverence (a bow to the Altar or Genuflection when there is a Tabernacle behind the Altar).  Then all ministers will take their place. The Reader who is carrying the Book of he Gospels will enter the Sanctuary to “enthrone” or put the Book of the Gospels in the holder which is on top of the Altar. The change here is that prior, the Reader would not stop when approaching the Altar and then immediately enthrone the Book of the Gospels. The simple change is that they will wait in the front of the Sanctuary with all the other ministers when they make their sign of reverence. A note to make here is that if a genuflection is the called for gesture, then the ministers do this unless they are carrying something, such as the Book of the Gospels or Candles, or other items. I hope this helps when you notice something is a little different when the procession approaches the Altar. The reason for this change is first, the General Instructions to the Roman Missal (GIRM) call for it, and secondly it does not confuse the roll of the deacon who is the only one who approaches the Altar with the Book of the Gospels straight away upon reaching the Sanctuary, an action I had our Readers doing for quite a long time.  My bad, as they say! This is all in the efforts to keep our liturgy in conformity with liturgical norms.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Archdiocesan Liturgical Handbook

Archdiocesan Liturgical Handbook

Dear Parishioners,

Recently, the Office for Divine Worship, under the leadership of Monsignor Gerard O’Connor, published a 350+ page document to guide parishes and their staff with the Liturgy. It is called the Archdiocesan Liturgical Handbook or ALH for short. It’s intent is “to serve as a guide to many of the aspects of the life of our diocese and our parishes that concern the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy and the understanding of the faith it expresses” (Archbishop Sample, ELH). It is intended to be a “living” document that will be updated over time as new situations arise. It includes “positions, policies, best practices, and particular norms for the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon” (ibid.).

I have been reading this document and highlighting things which may apply to us. Some need more reflection while others don’t even apply to us. For those that do apply to us, I will be sharing those items in the weeks and months ahead. Our Liturgy Committee will also be reflecting on these things to evaluate our own liturgies and determine if any changes are needed.

The chapters of the ALH covers many things about the Mass and beyond. Here are some of the topics: The Archbishop, the priest, deacons, movement and posture, lay ministers, bread and wine, sacred objects and furnishings, music and singing, the parts of the Mass, Masses with the Archbishop, Sunday parish celebrations, reception of Holy Communion, reservation of the Blessed Sacrament including perpetual adoration, aspects related to the RCIA, Baptism of infants, the seven Sacraments, Funerals, Extraordinary Form of Mass, Liturgical year, popular pieties, eastern Christians, and special circumstances.

I have not heard or seen such a document prepared for a diocese. So, this is rather innovative.  I look forward to learning more and seeing where we find ourselves within the norms and guidelines of the ALH. In future bulletin letters, I will publish some of the texts that refer to things that most interest our community. And as always, I am open to your thoughts and constructive comments.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

If It’s All About Sunday, Then What About Christmas? Part II

If It’s All About Sunday, Then What About Christmas? Part II

Dear Parishioners,

Last week, I wrote about how, as Church and evangelization, it is all about Sunday Mass.  Sunday Mass brings in the most people at any discrete time which leverages the potency and ability to evangelize, not just ourselves, but those who are new, visiting, or passing through.  No ministry of our parish does this, nor can it. The Liturgy, the Mass, is the “Source and Summit” of our faith according to the Second Vatican Council. So if it is true that it is all about Sunday, what does this mean about Christmas? Well, let me ask a few simple questions. Isn’t Christmas the single most attended set of Masses in the year? Doesn’t it bring in more people than any other time, many of whom we don’t know? Doesn’t Christmas also bring people to us from other Christian traditions, others who are not Christian, others who are seekers, others who are broken-hearted, others who are mourning, others who are in need? Doesn’t this time draw our family members to Mass with us, and even some when they would not otherwise attend Mass? The answer to these questions is, “YES!”  And because this is so true, all the more we should be mindful of our calling, as Church, when they come on Christmas, to put forward our best efforts to be hospitable, kind, generous, open, and loving. Of course, we should be this way all the time, but at Christmas, this is the most potent time to share the Gospel. Remember, we are called to be an alter cristus, “another christ” to our neighbors.

So, if it is all about Sunday, then in terms of evangelization, it is all about Christmas! Christmastime needs to be our focus and we should be thinking, “All Hands Aboard!” This is why we have so many Masses. Sure, we could cut down on a Mass or two and everyone might still fit. It would be very efficient, reduce our workload, and get us home faster.  But, this is what is called, “church-think.” We employees or leaders of ministries are most prone to this way of thinking. Church-think puts the focus on ourselves, the minister, volunteer, or dedicated parishioner in the pews, and not on others who are new or in need. It pays no attention to what is best for others nor considered the situations in which they live. It is essentially selfish and antagonistic to what it is to be Church, that is evangelizers who desire to share and spread the Good News. We could have one single Christmas Eve or Day Mass by renting the largest space possible which would hold all who will come to that Mass, but that would be evangelical suicide. By having only one time, one door, so-to-speak, for people to come to our Christmas Eve Mass, we are very likely going to lose many people who couldn’t make that one small window of time. In our mission of St. Patrick of the Forest, the same applies. We could have one Mass and the community could likely all fit, but then they would miss out on this potent chance to share the Good News with those who couldn’t make that singular time. In fact, by having two Masses, they double the chances to proclaim the Good News to the newcomer. Another way of looking at this can be seen in the words St. John Paul II spoke when, at his first Mass as pope in 1978, he challenged the Church to, “open wide the doors to Christ.” He challenged us all to get out of our shells, our narcissism, our fears, our tribalisms, and any other things which keep us, and the Faith, to ourselves. He challenged us not to fear. He asked us to help him to serve so as to help humanity know what its true calling is. And what is it?  What is all our calling? To be saints! We are being called to put our Lord first and proclaim the Gospel.

So what are some ways we can put this into practice? Here are some thoughts and recommendations. Consider parking further away than normal so that newcomers will be able to park closer. Sit in the center of a row instead of at the edges so that new people will more easily find a place at Mass. Thank someone for letting you sit next to them. Be willing to move aside to help someone else sit down. Give up your seat if you see others standing, especially those with physical issues and sacrifice yourself by standing at Mass. If you are a liturgical minister, make sure you sign up for a slot, show up early, and even consider helping out at an additional Mass since we will all be stretched thin in this regard. Do not complain or gossip about others. Guests hear this and make judgements very quickly as to what kind of community we are or are not. Smile even if it kills you. Be the first to apologize if there is a misunderstanding. Introduce yourself by name to anyone you don’t know sitting near you. Be gracious while in the parking lot or walking to and from your car.  Wish others a blessed Christmas. Bring some, pre-signed, Christmas cards with you and give them to others, especially those whom you don’t know. Thank others for their presence at Mass, especially if don’t know them. Compliment someone for their good singing. Pray for the person who appears distressed, or otherwise struggling. Be nice to the priests, for they have fourteen Masses to cover from that Saturday night to Christmas Day. Share how happy you are to be part of this faith community. Don’t share your personal pet peeves… honestly, nobody wants to hear them. Wish those around you a blessed Christmas. And I’m sure there are many more ideas each one of us could come up with, right? Please let me know if you have some creative ideas in this regard.

So, remember, in terms of parish evangelization, it is all about Christmas.  Do not give into thinking about yourself, rather be other-centered. Love, laugh, smile, and encourage. Nobody can challenge honest joy. And may this Christmas be one that gives God the glory for his faithful will have lived out out their calling. I look very much forward to celebrating this time with you all!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor