VATICAN CITY, 30 DEC 2011 (VIS) – Pope Benedict’s general prayer intention for January 2012 is: “That the victims of natural disasters may receive the spiritual and material comfort they need to rebuild their lives”.
His mission intention is: “That the dedication of Christians to peace may bear witness to the name of Christ before all men and women of good will”.
BXVI-PRAYER INTENTIONS/ VIS 20111230 (70)
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Photo courtesy of Catholic.org
Men, if you’re in business (and most of you are), did you know one of your patron saints is St. Homobonus?
According to Catholic.org, St. Homobonus was a confessor in the late 12th century who was born in Cremona, Italy, where he became a merchant. Married, he was a model of virtue beloved by all. Homobonus died on Nov. 13 while attending Mass at St. Giles Church in Cremona. His fellow citizens petitioned the Holy See for his canonization, which was performed in 1199.
We celebrate St. Homobonus’ feast day on Nov. 13. He is also a patron of tailors and cloth workers.
Prayer to St. Homobonus
Beloved and Charitable St. Homobonus,
Your Honesty and Good Will served
your community and the Lord well.
Help me follow your example and not give in
to Temptations of Greed and Easy Shortcuts that
wound others.
I ask for guidance in my work, so that I may prosper
by choosing virtue over avarice.
Amen
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Have you yet been on a tour of our new church? If not, you can now tour it from the comfort of wherever your computer is! Take our virtual tour here today and see how blessed our parish community is to now have its own permanent church.
Then, plan on stopping by to see it in person for Mass this weekend!
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Go check out a few photos taken of the first Mass in our new church this past Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011! Don’t forget all future weekend liturgies will now take place in the church, while daily Mass will continue to be in the Holy Family Center (former Worship Space) until the church dedication on March 17, 2012.
Photos taken by Donald Winslow, News Photographer Magazine
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The end of 2011 is fast approaching! What were the 10 most read stories for SJN this year?
9. Life Teen / Confirmation parent meeting documents
8. Memorialize items in the new church
7. Summer camp
6. Slide show of church construction
5. Approved Christmas Market vendors
4. Easter Sunday parking advice
3. First Mass in our new church
1. Holy Week, Easter Mass schedule
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Please note that the parish offices will be closed and there will be no Mass on Jan. 2, 2012 in honor of the New Year’s holiday. The offices will reopen and the Mass schedule will resume as normal on Jan. 3, 2012. Happy new year!
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Everyone loves happy hour! Join us Friday, Jan. 6, 2012 between 6 to 8 p.m. at Peché, located at 208 West 4th St., to enjoy fellowship, conversation and spirits. It’s a laid-back way to come see what we’re about!
RSVP here.
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VATICAN CITY, 20 DEC 2011 (VIS) – The Holy Father [on Dec. 19, 2011] signed decrees acknowledging miracles attributed to the intervention of seven blesseds (four women and three men) who will shortly be canonised. One of the new blesseds is Kateri Tekakwitha, the first native North American to be raised to the glory of the altars.
Kateri Tekakwitha was born in 1656 in Ossernenon (present-day Auriesville, U.S.A.). Her father was a Mohawk chief and her mother a Roman Catholic Algonquian who had been educated by French missionaries. At the age of four she lost her family in a smallpox epidemic which also left her disfigured and with poor eyesight. Adopted by a relative, the chief of neighbouring clan, she continued to nurture an interest in Christianity and was baptised at the age of 20.
The members of her tribe did not understand her new religious affiliation and she was marginalised, practising physical mortification as a path of sanctity and praying for the conversion of her relatives. Having suffered persecutions which put her life at risk, she was forced to flee to a native American Christian community in Kahnawake, Quebec where she made a vow of chastity and lived a life dedicated to prayer, penance, and care for the sick and elderly. She died in 1680 at the age of 24. Her last words were: “Jesus, I love you”. According to tradition, Kateri’s scars disappeared after her death to reveal a woman of great beauty, and numerous sick people who participated in her funeral were miraculously healed.
The process of canonisation began in 1884. She was declared venerable by Pius XII in 1943 and beatified by John Paul II in 1980. As the first native North American to be beatified she occupies a special place in the devotion of her people. Her feast day falls on 14 July.
OP/ VIS 20111220 (320)
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