Dear brothers and sisters, parishioners and friends,

I hope you all had a beautiful Thanksgiving celebration with your families, relatives and friends. Now we start our Season of Advent.

Here is December, the last month of 2024, and we conclude a year that was full of events and celebrations as occasions of gatherings and activities. The Christmas message says: " Light will arise from the darkness and darkness will never defeat the Light, Christ the Messiah, the Savior will defeat the darkness, sicknesses, and weaknesses of our lives and will shine on us with His marvelous Glory." In the meanwhile, we are always invited to read the signs of the time, in prayers, repentance, purification, fasting and sacrifice. This is how we prepare ourselves for Christmas anyway. Don’t forget, Jesus conquered the World and granted health to the sick and even life to the dead decayed bodies. Prayers are powerful and miracles happen. They are happening. Our families feel the power of the protection of Jesus in prayers and in His saving words of life.

I would like to thank all of the volunteers and teams who worked hard for the church bingo and bake and craft sale held in November, as a fundraiser for the church. We had the traditional delicious Lebanese meat pies, humus, garlic, kibbi and so on.

We thank our generous donors, who keep supporting the church and the children and families of the parish and the towns of origin in Lebanon, through Caritas Lebanon or directly, as well as families in South Lebanon affected by the present tension in the Middle East

With great joy the Holy Family Choir, MYO and the Faith Formation Children will be able to offer to you the annual Christmas Concert jointly on Sunday evening, January 5. We plan on streaming it on Facebook and the Website for parishioners who will not be able to attend physically. I extend my appreciation and thanks to the adult and children choir, Faith Formation and MYO members and their teachers, who dedicate long time and efforts to keep on with their programs especially in this beautiful season of Christmas. Christmas donations and giving are appreciated as part of a fundraising and help for covering the choir and faith formation and youth programs and equipment. Once again, we will have the Christmas Santa party, which will be held on Saturday, December 21. It is a nice gathering and the goal is to keep on with all their activities in order to keep our children bonded and active in their church and religious and faith life. Thank you, Carolyn and Jack, for organizing. Parents, sign up your children via the link on the website and the online bulletin by December 10.

Three years ago, we restarted a Church Maronite Young Adults (MYA) group. The coordinators actively work to get in touch with MYA age church youth, ages 18 to 39, to establish a network group and set an agenda, based on spiritual, religious, community and social activities. All young adults this age are invited to get in contact with the MYA team, so they may receive information about gatherings, mostly in various places of their choice. We ask especially the youth benefitting from the men’s club college scholarships to participate and be active, from wherever they stay in or out of town. Group text and virtual meetings to facilitate participation will be set once or twice a month.

Council Elections. During this month nominations for new church council members will be announced and there will be voting after the weekend Masses of December so in January a new council will be formed. On behalf of the parish I would like to extend my gratitude and thanks to all parish council members who offered their time and participation to help in the church mission and responsibilities. You can nominate one or more members who are active and committed, and then vote later for new council members assuming that you are an active and committed member of the church.

Immaculate Conception. Sunday December 8, is the Feast day of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. Liturgy will be held at 10:00 AM. The Immaculate Conception Feast Day message teaches us how life is sacred since conception. This feast shows that God has chosen the Virgin Mary since ever and has granted her the grace to be exempt from the stain of original sin since conception. Actually, this message of the Immaculate Conception was revealed directly by the Virgin Mary to Saint Bernadette in Lourdes, South France, in the middle of the 19th century and became a dogma and doctrine of the universal Catholic Church since the year 1854.

The Nativity of the Lord Jesus. Tuesday and Wednesday, December 24 and 25, the universal Church and whole world celebrates the 2024th Birthday of the child Jesus, the King of Peace, the Emmanuel, The God is with us, the Messiah, the Son of God, the Light of the world, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The God Incarnate born of the Holy Spirit and of the pure Virgin Mary in a manger. The poor, humble, peaceful child, adored and praised by the kings and the shepherds and the angels. O Come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

Let us pray for the Peace on Earth, especially in these days where violence and terrorism are exploding everywhere. Even in the time of Christmas, Herod the tyrant killed all children, of tow years old and younger of town of Bethlehem. This shows us that no matter to what degree the evil forces work, the Divine Christ’s Peace (Pax Christi) will reign forever. Let us be on December 24 and 25, among the poor humble shepherds and the 3 Magi Kings around the manger, filled with the heavenly presence of the angels in our lives, singing: Glory to God in Highest and good hope to all men and women of good will.

A Message of Life since conception. This season, which includes the Announcements to Zachariah and to the Virgin Mary, the Visitation and the Immaculate Conception and the Nativity of the Lord Jesus, reveals the definition of life according to the Divine Plan. Through these events where God defines that human beings life starts and matters since conception, and any ending of the life of unborn babies is murder of life created by God. This is the clear stand of the Maronite and Catholic Church.

The online Liturgy Sunday services continue in an effort to assist our fellow parishioners and friends who are unable to physically come to church: the sick, the elderly and the distant. People who are healthy and not distant are not exempt from their Sunday obligation liturgy. It is one of the Ten Commandments to respect the Day of the Lord.

God bless you all and Merry Christmas and a Happy, healthy and blessed New Year for you and your families.

Yours in Christ Jesus,

Father Emmanuel Nakhlé-Ghorr, Pastor +

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