Dear brothers and sisters in Jesus our Lord,    

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 2025, 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.

Thank you to the choir members who participated in the Oratorio of the Messiah of George Frederick Handel, in Carnegie Hall, New York City, on Monday, December 1. It was a historical and memorable event representing Holy Family. Thank you to all donors, who supported the event and for your prayers and good wishes. This was a unique opportunity for the choir members.

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, 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. I extend my appreciation and thanks to the adult and children choir, Faith Formation and MYO members and their teachers, who dedicate much time and effort to continue their programs, especially in this beautiful season of Christmas.

Once again, we will have the Christmas Santa party, which will be held on Saturday, December 20. Thank you, Carolyn and Jack, for organizing this event. Parents, sign up your children via the link on the website and the online bulletin by December 11.

Four 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.

Immaculate Conception. Monday, December 8, is the Feast day of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. Liturgy will be held at 6:00 PM. 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. Wednesday and Thursday, December 24 and 25, the universal Church and whole world celebrates the 2025th Birthday of the child Jesus, the King of Peace, the Emmanuel, 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 Peace on Earth, with Pope Leo XIV, who made a historical visit to Lebanon, visiting the shrines and the saints and blessing the country of the Cedars, especially in these days where violence and terrorism are exploding everywhere. Even in the time of Christmas, Herod the tyrant killed all children, of two years old and younger, in the 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 three 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, Pastor +

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