Welcome to The New Messenger, your weekly archdiocesan newsletter featuring messages from Archbishop Gustavo, news briefs, event previews, and updated information. Look for this newsletter in your inbox every Friday.

MESSAGE FROM

Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, MSpS

Statement about Respect for Marriage Act becoming law

A measure which redefines marriage to include same-sex couples in federal statute was signed into law Tuesday by President Joe Biden following its recent passage by both the Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. Earlier this month leaders from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops stated that decades of social and legal developments have torn sexuality, childbearing, and marriage from each other in the public consciousness, and they emphasized that much of society has lost sight of the purpose of marriage. However, as Pope Francis wrote in 2016, “we can hardly stop advocating marriage simply to avoid countering contemporary sensibilities…. We would be depriving the world of values that we can and must offer.” Let us continue to pray and advocate for marriage in our nation as it was intended by God.

Send Your Christmas Prayer Intentions to Archbishop Gustavo

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The Department for Pastoral Ministries wishes pastors, parish leaders, and the faithful across the archdiocese a beautiful, blessed, and Merry Christmas! During Advent, the department encourages you to send your prayer intentions for which Archbishop Gustavo will pray during his Christmas celebrations of Mass.

Submit a Prayer Intention

An Advent Reflection

“Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths: all flesh shall see the salvation of God” (Lk 3:3, 6)

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The season of Advent has its own wonderful carols. These beautiful texts offer us shelter from the often-frenzied pace of Christmas preparations. Marty Haugen’s “My Soul in Stillness Waits” can become a daily prayer if we take the time to read slowly, ponder, and pray. “For you, O Lord, my soul in stillness waits; truly my hope is in you.” Advent is a gift given to us in anticipation of the Lord’s birth, to slow down, sit still, quiet our minds and hearts. The verses add to our prayer: Lord of Light, come light the hearts of all in dark and shadow. Spring of Joy, rain down joy upon our spirits; quench the thirst and the yearning of our hearts. Renew our hope in the Paschal Mystery – the daily dying and rising with you. Key of Knowledge, guide us in our pilgrimage; open to us the pathway of your peace. Let us “make room in the inn” of our lives, to have Christ be born, again and again until the end of time.

Deaf Ministry Awareness

Deaf Ministry advocates for Deaf individuals in the archdiocese by making accessible all aspects of the Catholic Faith. Through accessibility and providing the necessary resources, the ministry encourages deaf individuals to participate fully in the sacraments and all aspects of parish and diocesan life. If you or a loved one can benefit from these services, contact Angela Mauer, Director of Deaf Ministry, at 210-305-5689 (VP), 210-734-0754 or by email to learn about available resources, upcoming fellowship gatherings, and an interpreted Christmas Mass at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, the newly designated home parish for the Deaf Community.

Photo of the Week

Record breaking crowd attends Catholic and Jewish Hanukkah luncheon

More than 350 people gathered for the annual “Catholics and Jews Celebrate Hanukkah” luncheon December 12 at the San Fernando Cathedral Community Centre. The choir from Providence Catholic School sang traditional Hanukkah songs and later Jewish and Catholic representatives in attendance came forward to light candles together at the large Menorah. The audience also sang prayers in English and Hebrew and heard from keynote speaker Father Ron Rolheiser, OMI, former president at Oblate School of Theology.

To find more archdiocesan events and activities visit our website, www.archsa.org.

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