December 23, 2020
Dear Friends,
We share a beautiful poem sent to us by one of our parishioners, entitled “If you look for me at Christmas”:
If you look for me at Christmas
You won’t need a special star – I’m no longer just in Bethlehem,
I’m right there where you are.
You may not be aware of me amid the celebrations,
you’ll have to look beyond the stores and all the decorations.
But if you take a moment from your list of things to do
and listen to your heart, you’ll find I’m waiting there for you…
You’re the one I want to be with, you’re the reason that I came,
and you’ll find me in the stillness, as I’m whispering your name.
Love, Jesus
Wherever and however you find yourself celebrating Christmas this year, please know of our love, prayers, and support! The gift of the Incarnation, the Word who became Flesh and dwelt among us, reminds us that we have a God who never forgets His people. Know that you are remembered and deeply loved – by our Lord and by all of us too. A very blessed Christmas to you and your loved ones!
Next week we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God on January 1st, which is a holy day of obligation. Mass times are 4:00 pm Vigil Mass on Thursday, December 31st and 10:00 am Friday, January 1st. Both Masses will be held at Our Lady of Divine Providence – St. Casimir. Please visit the parish website to register for either of these Masses. We would be delighted to have you worship with us as we ring in the New Year of 2021. Thanks for all that you are and do, and again, know of our prayers in these days of Christmas!
Sincerely, with love,
Fr. Tim, Fr. John, Chad Griesel & the Pastoral Staff of the Family of Four Parishes
Video Mass for Christmas. Here is the recorded Mass for Christmas. We provide a worship aid to help you better enter into the prayer of the Mass. Please know that we will continue these recorded Masses indefinitely. We are so grateful to DV Productions, our Liturgists Mary Robertson and Brian Eggers, and our music ministers for their efforts in making our prayer as beautiful as possible.
Video Mass for Sunday, December 27th. Look for another email on Friday with the link for the Mass for this upcoming Sunday (Feast of the Holy Family).
Coping With the Holidays Booklet. With the loss of a member of your family, holidays and special occasions will be difficult. Holidays are often filled with traditions and memories of closeness. As we face these days without our loved one, the empty space they leave behind looms large in our hearts. By creating new traditions and understanding the common difficulties faced with the holidays, they can be easier to cope with. The Coping with the Holidays Booklet has been created to help in the healing process. Be gentle with yourself, and know of our prayers for you. Please feel free to contact Terri Balash, Director of Pastoral Care, at 414-469-6173 or balasht@archmil.org.
Advent Giving Tree. Once again, THANK YOU for your support of this year's Advent Giving Tree at all four parishes. Many families will be blessed through your generosity to La Causa Crisis Nursery, the Guest House of Milwaukee, St. Ben's Meal Program, the House of Peace, and the Six Saints Conference of St. Vincent de Paul. We are also grateful for your support of the Old St. Mary and Cathedral Conference of St. Vincent de Paul and their Christmas Food Voucher mailing. Thank you for sharing the abundance of God's love with our Milwaukee community!!
New Social Justice Opportunities. We have to NEW opportunities for you to engage in the work of social justice this January:
- During the month of January, we will have the opportunity to look at the art and activism of Luba Lukova through a partnership with the Jewish Museum of Milwaukee! This four part series will explore how the medium of art engages with the work of social justice. Participants will be encouraged to think critically and creatively about the world around them. To learn more or sign up for this online series (that will take place on the four Tuesdays in January from 7:00 - 8:00 pm) please email Laura Hancock at hancockl@archmil.org. You can explore the curriculum at jewishmuseummilwaukee.org/education/designing-justice.
- A NEW discernment and planning committee for racial healing will begin meeting monthly, starting in January, to plan parish events to help us learn, grow, and engage in the ongoing work of racial justice. If you’d like to shape how the parishes engage in this important work, please email Laura Hancock or fill out this Google Form to sign up. We need many perspectives to make a change in the world, so please join us! All are welcome!
Parish Financial Support. We continue to be humbled by your financial support of the parish during these tender and tenuous times. Thank you so much, it has been amazing to witness the generosity of so many! Please mail in your envelopes and contributions to our parish office (Old St. Mary Parish, 835 N Milwaukee St, Milwaukee, WI 53202), and our parish staff will process these.
Please do not hesitate to contact Fr. Tim (Cell: 414-762-7986; kitzket@archmil.org) or Fr. John (Cell: 414-305-3824; baumgardnerj@archmil.org) if you need anything! Be assured of our love and prayers.
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