But the Church also lives within this world, and shares this world with peoples of other faiths and peoples of no faith; and for most everyone, the civil year of 2008 ends on 31 December and the new year of 2009 begins at midnight, on the 1st of January. My question to you: how will you bring in the New Year?
As all of you liturgists well know, the Catholic Church ends its liturgical year the week of the Solemnity of Christ the King, and we begin our new liturgical year with the first Sunday of Advent. This ancient and ever-young Catholic Church enjoys a complete liturgical life, from Advent through Christ the King, dedicated to the praise and worship of God.But the Church also lives within this world, and shares this world with peoples of other faiths and peoples of no faith; and for most everyone, the civil year of 2008 ends on 31 December and the new year of 2009 begins at midnight, on the 1st of January. My question to you: how will you bring in the New Year?
Please know that we will gather in the late evening of 31 December, and at Midnight, we will begin the celebration of the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God (recognized as a holy day of obligation, for all disciples of the Lord). How will you bring in the New Year of 2009? I invite you to join with me at midnight, on the 1st day of 2009, to remember the mother of our Lord in prayer and to experience the Presence of her Son, during the Divine Liturgy. Come and join with us, as we "ring in the new year" in prayer and praise! If you cannot attend this special "midnight Mass", be assured that there will be other Masses scheduled for the Vigil (31 December) and for the 1st.
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From all that I have seen and heard, our parish family is happy together, and doing well in prayer, in fellowship and in service. I rejoice for the many ministries of the parish, and for the many leaders that coordinate these ministries. To assist me in shepherding these ministries and the whole parish family, I want to re-establish the Pastoral Council of SJN. The Pastoral Council will be composed of twelve members, nine of which will be selected at random by the Holy Spirit. This is what I mean: we will receive every application for service that has been turned in to me by the 7th of January. Then, the applications will be accepted through a determination made by me (as to the active participation of the applicant in the life of the parish). Once the applications have been approved, they will be placed together, and after asking the Holy Spirit to guide our deliberation, nine applications will be drawn, in random fashion, and those applicants will serve as members of the Council.
Please consider making an application for service, in SJN's Pastoral Council. You can find applications on the table across from the parish office or on our web -page (www.sjnlilburn.com).
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I want to take this opportunity to thank ALL OF YOU, for all you have done and are doing, on behalf of our parish family. I am grateful to the liturgical ministries that offered their leadership in the many Masses of Christmas. I am grateful for the teams of workers that decorated the three locations for these Christmas liturgies. I am grateful to you and thankful to God, for allowing me to be a part of SJN.
And in 2009, what will we be grateful for? Watch the parking lot, and see a new worship space growing in our midst...as we commit ourselves to building a legacy of faith! AMDG
AMDG
Msgr. David Talley
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