1st Sunday of Advent

Dear Parishioners;

Welcome to a new liturgical year! The liturgical year begins with the First Sunday of Advent. During the Advent season, we prepare for Christ’s coming in three ways: as an infant who came into this world over two thousand years ago, as our Lord and Savior coming into our hearts right here and now, and as the Son of Man who will come into this world again at the end of time. We do not know when the last of these will occur, as this Advent season is a good opportunity to focus on preparing our hearts for Jesus now, perhaps by looking for His face in those we encounter.  

The second collection this weekend will be for the Building-Maintenance Fund. I ask for your continued support of this collection. 

A good way of preparation during Advent would be to spend some time in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.  Our monthly Adoration will be on Wednesday, December 5th, beginning at 1:00 P.M. and concluding with Benediction at 6:00 P.M. 

Saturday, December 8th is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, a Holy Day of Obligation, the patronal feast of the United States of America. The Vigil Mass will be on Friday, December 7th at 5:00 P.M. and the Mass on Saturday, December 8th will be at 9:00 A.M. In order to fulfill your obligation for the Holy Day, you have to attend Mass either on Friday evening or Saturday morning.

The annual collection for the RETIREMENT FUND FOR RELIGIOUS, will be the weekend of December 8th and 9th. Religious life has changed dramatically from what we remembered as children. Very few schools or institutions have the presence of Sisters or Brothers in them. For us here at St. Peter it has been forty (40) years since the Dominican Sisters withdrew from St. Peter because of the lack of vocations. Ten years ago, the New Orleans Dominicans, the Eucharistic Missionaries of St. Dominic in New Orleans and five other Dominican Sisters congregations merged to form the Dominican Sisters of Peace. Last year, the New Orleans Dominican Motherhouse was sold to Loyola University . Many religious communities struggle to provide for their aging members. Your contributions to the Retirement Fund for Religious will help to care for an aging religious.

Have a Blessed Advent!