CATHOLIC FAITH AT HOME RESOURCES

for our STELLA MARIS

Family of Parishes

including:

St. Thomas More, St. Bernadette,

St. Mary & St. Peter

December 17

Adventus:

A Spiritual Pilgrimage

Journey with others on a spiritual pilgrimage

in this documentary filmed on

location in the Holy Land. 



This special documentary allows Catholics all around the world

to unite and make a spiritual pilgrimage to the Holy Land

to see the places associated with Christ’s Birth.

Allow stunning visuals and prayerful music to guide you

to the interior desert of your own heart to await the coming of Jesus.

Click below to watch this spiritual pilgrimage on FORMED.org:

ADVENTUS: A SPIRITUAL PILGRIMAGE

A LONG LIST OF ADVENT RESOURCES

May this Advent be a time of spiritual awakening

and renewal for you as you prepare to

celebrate the birth of the Savior of the World.

 

Click the link below to find daily prayers and reflections

to help you enter into the beauty and splendor of this glorious season:

ADVENT RESOURCES

A SPECIAL ADVENT BOOK:

A FREE eBOOK!!

“You’re not alone in feeling stress, sadness, or anxiety

with all that this season—as glorious and hopeful as it is—can stir up.

“Add guilt for feeling that way, and you’ve got a host

of crushing emotions stealing your joy

and your ability to pray and watch.

“But that’s not what the Lord wants for you.

And there is a way to approach this time of year differently.

“Spiritualdirection.com's newest eBook,

𝑾𝒆𝒍𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑪𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒕: 𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑨𝒅𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑨𝒏𝒙𝒊𝒆𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝒂𝒅𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔

will help you have the best Advent—and Christmas—ever.”

Brought to you by Dan Burke, the founder and president

of the Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation. 

Click below to get your free ebook, Welcoming Christ:

ADVENT FREE eBOOK

The Spirituality

of Advent



Join Dr. Tim Gray as he discusses the spirituality of Advent,

the joy of waiting for Christ,

and how we can live this Advent

season in a deeper way.

Click below to watch Dr. Gray on FORMED.org:

THE SPIRITUALITY OF ADVENT

GOD'S PLAN TO

HEAL OUR LAND

Our nation is hurting.

Plagued by corruption, violence, and division,

we need the healing love of the Eucharistic Jesus.

How are we called to respond as American Catholics?

In a powerful new video, Sr. Josephine Garrett

shares Christ’s deep desire to restore and transform

our nation with his Presence.

Click the link below to find out how the three-year

National Eucharistic Revival,

the first-ever National Eucharistic Pilgrimage,

and the historic rebirth of the National Eucharistic Congress

tradition fit into God’s plan for America

—and discover what it all means for you!

SISTER JOSEPHINE'S VIDEO

Click the link below if you feel called to be a part of the National Eucharistic Revival:

REGISTRATION FOR NATIONAL EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS

NOVENA PRAYER

Holy Innocents Novena

STARTS: DEC.19

FEAST DAY: DEC.28

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Intro Prayer

Father, by their wordless profession of faith in Thy Son, the Holy Innocents were crowned with life at His birth.

Hear their prayers for us in this novena, especially for (mention your request here…)

Holy Innocents, you died before you were old enough to know what life means, pray for all children who die young that God may gather them into His loving arms.

Holy Innocents, you were killed because one man was filled with hatred, pray for those who hate that God may touch their hearts and fill them with love.

Holy Innocents, you experienced a violent death, pray for all who are affected by violence that they may find peace and love.

Holy Innocents, your parents grieved for you with deep and lasting sorrow, pray for all parents who have lost young children that God may wrap a warm blanket of comfort around them.

Holy Innocents, those around you certainly felt helpless to prevent your deaths, pray for all who feel helpless in their circumstances that they may cling to God for courage and hope.

Holy Innocents, you who are now in Heaven, pray for all of us that one day we may join you there to bask in God’s love forever.

Amen.



Concluding Prayer

Our Father

Hail Mary

Glory Be

Holy Innocents, pray for us.

Amen.

SPECIAL PRAYERS

O Antiphons of Advent

The “O Antiphons” are prayed for 7 days in

preparation for Christmas: December 17–23.

They are based on Isaiah’s prophecies

and reveal the different titles given to the Messiah.

O Sapientia (O Wisdom) Isaiah 11:2–3; 28:29

O Adonai (O Lord) Isaiah 11:4–5; 33:22

O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse) Isaiah 1:1; 11:10

O Clavis David (O Key of David) Isaiah 9:6; 22:22

O Oriens (O Rising Sun) Isaiah 9:1

O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations) Isaiah 9:5; 2:4

O Emmanuel (God with us) Isaiah 7:14

December 17

O Wisdom of our God Most High,

guiding creation with power and love:

come to teach us the path of knowledge!

+++

December 18

O Leader of the House of Israel,

giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai:

come to rescue us with your mighty power!

+++

December 19

O Root of Jesse’s stem,

sign of God’s love for all his people:

come to save us without delay!

+++

December 20

O Key of David,

opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom:

come and free the prisoners of darkness!

+++

December 21

O Radiant Dawn,

splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:

come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the

shadow of death.

+++

December 22

O King of all nations and keystone of the Church:

come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!

+++

December 23

O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law:

come to save us, Lord our God!

+++

For Peace in the Middle East

Click the link below for several prayers for Israel

and also a list of the names of the hostages!!

PRAYERS FOR ISRAEL AND HOSTAGES NAMES

NATIONAL EUCHARISTIC REVIVAL

NEW WEEKLY INFO

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

NEW DETAILS NOW AVAILABLE

The wait is over! A daily schedule for the National

Eucharistic Congress is live on our website.

You can now explore what this incredible

experience will look like day by day.

Preview the options for impact sessions in the morning

that speak to your particular vocation and mission.

Then, get excited for the dynamic revival sessions,

when the whole assembly will gather in Lucas Oil Stadium

to experience the power and love of Jesus.

These sessions—and the soon-to-be-announced

afternoon breakout sessions—

will be led by the expansive list of faithful speakers

who will join us in Indianapolis this summer.

Scroll through the updated schedule to

see many powerful opportunities for

encounters with Christ through prayer and the sacraments.

Click the link below for EVENT schedules:

EVENT SCHEDULES

Click the link below for IMPACT Sessions:

IMPACT SESSIONS

Click the link below for the SPEAKERS list:

SPEAKERS LIST



++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Our Lady of Guadalupe, Woman of the Eucharist

Our Lady of Guadalupe helps us become more aware

of the Real Presence of her Son in the Holy Eucharist.

Watch the short feature film produced by the Knights of Columbus,

“Our Lady of Guadalupe: The Woman of the Eucharist,”

to learn more about how Our Lady guides us closer to her Son.

Click below to watch the film:

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE SHORT FILM

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++



In the Streets

Another major moment in the Revival:

National Eucharistic Pilgrimage

one of the largest Eucharistic pilgrimages in history!

We will process with our Eucharistic Lord on 4 routes,

departing from our nation's north, south, east, and west edges.

These branches will meet in Indianapolis in July 2024

for the National Eucharistic Congress.

To see the four routes, and intercessor for each, click below:

NATIONAL EUCHARISTIC PILGRIMAGE ROUTES

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

If you see a link on your device's screen that says,

"View entire message”,

please click that link to continue seeing the entire newsletter.

REGISTRATION INFO FOR THE CONGRESS

WILL YOU BE THERE, TOO?

You can join us!

July, 2024

for the 10th National Eucharistic Congress.

Directly experience the fruits of your intercession and

see its impact around the country.

Click the link below to REGISTER:

REGISTRATION FOR 10TH

NATIONAL EUCHARISTIC CONFERENCE

QUIZ! FOR THE WEEK

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ADVENT AND LENT?

 

Scroll down to find the answer!

HUMOR

HIGHLIGHT

The Chocolate Chip Cookies

An elderly man lay dying in his bed.

Suddenly death's agony was pushed aside as he smelled

the aroma of his favorite homemade chocolate chip

cookies wafting up the stairs.

Gathering his remaining strength, he lifted himself up from the bed

Leaning against the wall, he slowly made his way out of the bedroom,

and with intense concentration, supported himself down the stairs,

gripping the railing with both hands.

In labored breath, he leaned against the door frame,

gazing wide-eyed into the kitchen.

There, spread out on the kitchen table were literally

HUNDREDS of his favorite chocolate chip cookies!

Was it heaven?

Or, was it one final act of heroic love from his devoted wife,

seeing to it that he left this world a happy man?

Mustering one great final effort,

he threw himself toward the table,

landing on his knees in a rumpled posture,

one hand on the edge of the table.

The aged and withered hand quiveringly made its way

to a cookie near the edge of the table;

feeling the warm soft dough actually made the

pain of his bones subside for a moment.

His parched lips parted; the wondrous taste of the cookie

was already in his mouth; seemingly bringing him back to life.

What, then, was this sudden stinging that caused his hand to recoil?

He looked to see his wife, still holding the spatula

she had just used to smack his hand.

"Stay out of those!" she said,

"they're for the funeral."

GOSPEL READING REFLECTION

For December 17, 2023

THE THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT, YEAR B

Gospel:  Jn 1:6-8, 19-28 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS

• In this Gospel we see priests, Levites, and Pharisees—men who were supposed to be completely oriented to God—going to John the Baptist to find out if he might be the messiah or the messiah’s forerunner. They are seekers of the Lord.

• The psalmist says, “Let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice” (Ps 105:3). The Catechism reminds us, “Although man can forget God or reject him, He never ceases to call every man to seek him, so as to find life and happiness” (CCC 30). God made us for life and happiness, not misery and death.

• Yet, in the condition in which we exist on this earth, “this search for God demands of man every effort of intellect, a sound will, ‘an upright heart,’ as well as the witness of others who teach him to seek God” (CCC 30). This Catechism point then ends with the famous beginning passage of St. Augustine’s Confessions:

You are great, O Lord, and greatly to be praised: great is your power and your wisdom is without measure. And man, so small a part of your creation, wants to praise you: this man, though clothed with mortality and bearing the evidence of sin and the proof that you withstand the proud. Despite everything, man, though but a small part of your creation, wants to praise you. You yourself encourage him to delight in your praise, for you have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.

• John the Evangelist says that St. John the Baptist “came to testify to the light.” That light is Christ. Christ is the person who makes it possible for us to see what will really make us happy. What he helps us see most of all is himself. He is what will most make us happy.

• But to see Christ, we need to be “tuned up,” so to speak. Our intellect, will, and heart need to be oriented to Christ and we also need the witness of others to teach us.

• That is what St. John the Baptist was doing for the Chosen People. He was orienting them, tuning them up, preparing them to be able to see the light by repentance.

SCOTT HAHN'S

MASS READINGS REFLECTION

Click the link below to hear Scott Hahn reflect on

the THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT:

" ONE WHO IS COMING"

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT REFLECTION BY DR. HAHN

ANSWER TO QUIZ

Fasts, wreaths, prophets.

Advent is sometimes called “a little Lent,” but there are important differences between the two.

“While Lent lacks flowers, Advent features them moderately.

Lent has images of going into the desert,

Advent has a voice coming from the desert.

Lent has readings of conversion of life;

Advent has readings of fulfillment of prophecy in our lives.

Advent has a joyous anticipation feel,

because it is meant to embody the expectation

for the Messiah with delightful devotion,

whereas Lent has penitential practices like the Way of the Cross.

Click the link below to discover more differences:

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ADVENT AND LENT

ST. THOMAS MORE WEBSITE LINKS

Faith Formation Activities & Events for every Month & Season

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BOOK

RECOMMENDATION

We need to be armed for battle!



At all times, and especially during these crazy times in this vale of tears,

we need to lay our foundation in Christ Jesus.

Spiritual reading helps us build and strengthen that foundation.

Order through your favorite book dealer.

This week's recommendation is:

Behold: A Guided Advent Journal

for Prayer and Meditation

BY

Sr. Miriam James Heidland, SOLT

Let the Holy Family be your light through Advent

as you receive the healing power of Christ.

In this beautiful guided journal for prayer and meditation,

Sr. Miriam James Heidland, SOLT

—author of the bestselling book Restore—

will walk with you as you explore familial wounds

with the help of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

Each week of Behold will focus on a different theme

that you can connect to your life in a practical way:

• Week one: Motherhood—Receive Mary as your mother and let her tender love soften your heart toward your earthly mother;
• Week two: Fatherhood—Adopt Joseph as your father and embrace his loving strength as you seek healing in your relationship with your own father;
• Week three: Childhood—Become childlike with Jesus and remember the core of who you are as you release your inner joy and playfulness; and
• Week four: Stable—Restore peace and unity in your family and regain hope.

Each day you will journey deeper into the meaning of Advent

with a meditation, reflection questions, a prayer, and journaling space.

We pray you will be excited to embark on purposeful

spiritual reading as a way to build a more prayer-filled,

Christ centered life.