The Issue: How can families better live the spirit of Advent and Christmas in their homes The Catholic Church has designated the four weeks proceeding Christmas as Advent, a time to prepare the way of the Lord for His coming as our King and Savior. In addition, the Church teaches that: [w]hen the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Savior’s first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming.

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. And yet the picture today’s gospel paints is less regal than it is rugged. How many other royal monarchs can you imagine hanging from a cross, looking disheveled, and aligned with common criminals? Have you ever seen a photograph of Britain’s Elizabeth II, Monaco’s Prince Albert, Spain’s King Felipe or even Albert Maria Lamoral Miguel Johannes Gabriel—the world’s youngest billionaire—looking like a common criminal?

On Sunday, December 4 at the 11 a.m. Mass our parish will experience the Roman Bishop’s Ceremonial Ritual of the consecration of our new altar, which was designed and built specifically for St. Catherine of Siena Parish. And you are invited to watch this unusual and most beautiful ritual happen.

From the time of Christ until today—whether by Cross, imprisonment, local bussing issues, by way of movies, television shows, Hollywood humor or emails—mocking deeply held Christian beliefs, teachings and traditions has always been an acceptable form of persecution—and persecution is usually accompanied by predictions. Today’s gospel illustrates the connection between persecution, predictions and anxiety.

The Pharisees use a laughable example to try and trap Jesus into pitting Himself against one of the two sides of the argument taking place: without belief in the afterlife or resurrection of the body, how are we bound by the laws and rules of this world in Christ’s resurrected life?

The Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has recently issued a document to the whole Church entitled “Ad resurgendum cum Christo” regarding the burial of the deceased and the conversation of the ashes in the case of cremation. Allow me to summarize the lengthy document here...PLEASE CLICK TO READ MORE!