Dear brothers and sisters in Jesus our Lord,    

Christ’s Blessings to everyone. Here comes the month of November in the middle of the fall season. The first week of November we start the new liturgical year with the Advent Season, right after the All Saints and All Souls remembrance. This Season prepares us for Christmas and the Nativity of the Lord Jesus. This season of hope and announcements and waiting for the coming Christ, the Savior who was awaited by all generations to come and save the World from sin and slavery and bestow his peace on Earth. This is how the Gospels described the coming of Jesus. Incarnated and born of the Virgin Mary’s womb in total humbleness and poverty to teach us forgiveness and repentance, purification and care. Let us take this example in our lives. Let our lives and souls prepare a place in our hearts for the Child of the Nativity and seek his peace and salvation.

This Season of Advent and Announcements goes from the beginning of November until Christmas. The first feast is All Saints Day on Saturday, November 1. The second event is All Souls remembrance on Sunday, November 2. On November 2, All Souls Remembrance, Catholic Cemeteries open their doors and gates, and Christians, during the day, make their annual visits to the tombs of their departed beloved ones, placing flowers, roses and candles on their memorial stones, and offering prayers for the repose of their souls. The parish remembers her departed family members around the year by offering masses that are celebrated on the church altar during each liturgy. One of the most famous verses in the Maronite office hours prayers says: ‘al Madebhokh Mor netdakhroun Abohayn w ahayn w rabonayn.’ The meaning literally: "On your Altar o Lord, are remembered, our fathers, our brothers and our ancestors." We ask that you please remember Holy Family Church in your will, so after a long and healthy life, your memory and that of your loved ones will stay remembered on your Church Altar. The list of daily masses is printed in the monthly bulletin.

An additional Maronite Liturgical component that enriches the introduction of the New Liturgical Year is the meaningful first two Sundays dedicated to the Sanctification and the Renewal of the Church. Why the Church? Because the Church unites the three essential dimensions of Authority, Revelation and Service. In other words, the Church being Royal, Prophetic and Priestly. It is because it has the King, Jesus Christ, who sent her the Holy Spirit in Pentecost, and gave her the New Priesthood based on the Sacrifice of His Body and His Blood in the form of Bread and Wine on the rank of Melchizedek the King and High Priest of Shaleem. This is based on Christ who is the King, the fulfilment of the Prophecies, and the High Priest who offers Himself as Sacrifice, not only for forgiveness of sins, but for the great and undeserved gift of Eternal Life, that can be obtained upon repentance and purification. One of the most famous Maronite Aramaic melodies that is the first hymn in the office prayers and the most known Sunday Safro morning office in the ShHeemto, its melody’s name Reesh Qolo is: "Toubayk ‘idto dqoleh da Bro ro’em bekh, which means: Blessed are you oh Church, The voice of the Son flourishes in you."

Thank you to all of our generous donors. Their good work continues to make a difference in our community, in the spirituality and souls, through educational and spiritual programs. It makes a difference in social assistance and by indirectly covering the church maintenance and upgrading. May God bless your work and after a long life, may our Lord Jesus bless you and tell you these beautiful words of salvation and reward: “Come, you, the Blessed ones of my Father and inherit the eternal Kingdom of Heaven prepared for the chosen ones before all ages” (Matthew 25, 32).

As always, thank you to the Faith Formation and MYO leaders who never stop. All youth, ages 6 to 12 for Faith Formation and ages 12 to 17 for MYO, are encouraged to join and participate in these wonderful programs. Please contact John Corey for MYO youth activities and gatherings, and Nikki Abbott and Michelle Kloncz for Faith Formation and Grade 2 First Communion programs. We thank Carolyn Marker and her teams for organizing the Halloween kids’ gift bags.

Some Holy Family Choir members accepted an official invitation to sing a famous music of George Frederik Handel in New York. The group will fly to New York end of November and will sing with a multi-churches choir of approximately 200 members, the Oratorio of the “Messiah,” Monday, December 1, at Carnegie Hall. This will be the first time that a U.S. Maronite Choir performs in Carnegie Hall in New York. If you happen to be in New York that day, consider attending the two hours of this amazing and famous Musical Oratorio, the Messiah of Handel. Thank you, all generous donors for covering the cost of flights, hotels and participation of our crew.

On behalf of all the community of the church, we wish you a blessed month of November thanking the Lord for all his gifts and graces that He always bestows upon us.

Yours in Christ Jesus,

Father Emmanuel, Pastor +

Copyright (c) 2019 Holy Family Maronite Church, St Paul.