FATHER JIM'S JOTS - St Elizabeth Catholic Church - Feast of the Holy Family - December 28, 2025

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

Feast of the Holy Family

December 28, 2025

 FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings,

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family.  The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph should inspire us in our lives and in our interactions with our families.  Throughout the year, we read Gospel stories that show the support that Joseph and Mary offered to each other and Jesus.  As we read about the Flight to Egypt in today's Gospel, let us think of and pray for the refugee families around the world who flee violence and seek safety.

The holiday season can be a stressful time for many, and I know that it is not easy for some to get along with family.  It can be easy to be impatient, quick to anger and worry about not everything being perfect.  Let us remember that the most important part of this season is Jesus Christ, Redeemer and Savior of our world.  Pray that we may be more like the Holy Family.

"Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.  Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 4:6-7)

"JESUS, Son of God and Son of Mary, bless our family.  Graciously inspire in us the unity, peace and mutual love that you found in your own family in the little town of Nazareth.

MARY, Mother of Jesus and Our Mother, nourish our family with your faith and your love.  Keep us close to your Son, Jesus, in all our sorrows and joys.

JOSEPH, Foster father to Jesus, guardian and spouse of Mary, keep our family safe from harm.  Help us in all times of discouragement or anxiety.

HOLY FAMILY OF NAZARETH, make our family one with you.  Help us to be instruments of peace.  Grant that love, strengthened by grace, may prove mightier than all the weaknesses and trials through which our families sometimes pass.  May we always have God at the center of our hearts and homes until we are all one family, happy and at peace in our true home with you.  Amen."

Lastly, we will have Mass for the Vigil of the Solemnity of Mary and for peace in the new year on Wednesday, December 31st at 5 p.m.  We will have a potluck following the Mass and you can sign up to bring a dish by scanning the QR code or visiting the link in this bulletin.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim, Pastor

~ Prayer from the Missionaries of ther Holy Family

~ Image Source

Christmas Eve Mass - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - December 24, 2025 ~ Photos by Sister Beulah

St.  Elizabeth Catholic Church

Christmas Eve Mass

December 24, 2025

(Click on photos to enlarge)

~ Photos by Sister Beulah

Christmas Eve at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - Kim and the Children at Christmas Eve Mass - December 24, 2025 ~ Photos by Sister Beulah

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

Kim and the Children at Christmas Eve Mass

December 24, 2025

(click pictures to enlarge)

~ Photos by Sister Beulah

 

Christmas Eve at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - The Children's Christmas Program - December 24, 2025 ~ Photos by Sister Beulah

Christmas Eve 2025

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

The Children's Christmas Program

December 24, 2025

(Click on photos to enlarge)

Telling the Nativity Story

 

  

~ Photos by Sister Beulah

FATHER JIM'S JOTS - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - Fourth Sunday of Advent - December 21, 2025

Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church

Fourth Sunday of Advent

December 21, 2025

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings,

Today, we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Advent!  We are only a few days away from Christmas!  I encourage everyone to come to the children's program at 5 p.m. before Chrisatmas Eve Mass.  All of our young children have been rehearsing for many weeks now and your support would mean so much to them.  The program will consist of four short scenes with narrators and actors.  Inbetween scenes and before Mass starts we will be singing Christmas carols and hymns with the choir.  Mass will start at 6 p.m.

Our Christmas Mass Schedule is the following:

Christmas Eve - Wednesday, December 24th:  Reconciliation Service from 12 p.m. - 1 p.m.

Christmas Eve - Wednesday, December 24th:  Children's Program at 5 p.m., Vigil Mass at 6 p.m.

Christmas Day - Thursday, December 25th:  Mass at 9 a.m.

New Year's Eve - December 31st:  Mass for Peace and Vigil of the Solemnity of Mary. Mass at 5 p.m. (Potluck afterwards!  Sign-up today!)

Our annual raffle was a great success this year!  The net total (after all expenses) was $22,339.19.  All funds raised will go to the general operating fund of the church.  This is our biggest annual fundraiser and will make a big impact in the coming year.  Thank you  to everyone who participated!  With the delays in the construction of our new parish center, we will most likely need to wait another year to hold our Jazz Festival, but we will hold the raffle again in 2026.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim, Pastor

~ Image Source

FATHER JIM'S JOTS - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - Third Sunday of Advent - Gaudete Sunday - December 14, 2025

 St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

Third Sunday of Advent

Gaudete Sunday

December 14, 2025

 FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings,

Today, we celebrate the Third Sunday of Advent!  This Sunday is also known as Gaudete Sunday (Gaudete - the Latin word for "Rejoice").  If you attend 8:30 a.m. Mass, you will hear this Sunday's Entrance Antiphon:  "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say rejoice.  Indeed, the Lord is near."  The Entrance Antiphon comes from the Missal, and we speak it before the 8:30 a.m. Mass if there is no opening hymn.

We are 10 days away before we celebrate the Birth of Christ.  This Sunday, we rejoice that "the Lord is near" and for the next 10 days we should continue to prepare our hearts, minds and souls for the Christmas season.  For one or a few days, I encourage you to join the online Rosary group that meets every day at 7 p.m. (Zoom link is on our website).  We will hold Confessions from 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. on December 24th.

Our Christmas Mass Schedule is the following:

Christmas Eve - Wednesday, December 24th:  Reconciliation Service from 12 p.m. - 1 p.m.

Christmas Eve - Wednesday, December 24th:  Children's Program at 5 p.m., Vigil Mass at 6 p.m.

Christmas Day - Thursday, December 25th:  Mass at 9 a.m.

New Years' Eve - December 31st:  Mass for Peace and Vigil of the Solemnity of Mary:  Mass at 5 p.m.

I would like to say congratulations to the winners of our Annual Raffle that was drawn on Homecoming Sunday.  The prizes went to friends of the Parish and parishioners, The Meyrieux Family, Delores Thompson and Ray Murray.

Lastly, I would like to say thank you to everyone who participated in the Christmas Giving Tree!  It means so much to our parish and community families that children will have presents for Christmas.  There has also been a tremendous response to our Parish Food Pantry.  Thank you for all of your support!  If you would like to learn more about contributin to our food pantry, please speak to Sister Mary Mwangi on Sundays or email her at mmwangi@stelizcc.org.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim, Pastor

~ Image Source

PARISH FOOD PANTRY NEEDS! Want to Help? - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - Advent 2025

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

Parish Food Ministry

Advent 2025

 WHAT WE NEED!

dried rice

dried red beans

dried kidney beans

breakfast cereals

pasta sauce

hygiene products

frozen meat

~ What is not needed at the present time:

Canned green beans, canned beans, canned corn, powdered milk

BRINGING YOUR ITEMS TO THE CHURCH!

Please bring your pantry donations to the Parish Office (1301 Victor St.) during office hours (Tues - Fri, 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.) or contact Sister Mary Mwangi or Family Ministry to schedule another time to assure that someone is there to receive these items.

If bringing frozen food items, please contact us ahead of time to confirm that we have adequate storage space.

Phone:  804-329-4599 (ext.17)

Sister Mary:  mmwangi@stelizcc.org

Family Ministry:  umojafamilyministry@gmail.com

"...Your donations of food have been a tremendous blessings to families in need..."  

- With gratitude, Sister Mary, Social Concerns Advocate

~ Image Source

FATHER JIM'S JOTS - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - Second Sunday of Advent - December 7, 2025

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

Second Sunday of Advent

December 7, 2025

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings,

Mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception will be tomorrow at 12 p.m.

Our Sister in Christ, Rose Costanzo, passed from this life the last week in November.  She was a parishioner for many years and a beloved member of our community.  Her Funeral Mass will be on Saturday, December 13th at 1 p.m.  All are invited to come.  There are now updated plans for the retreat and Reconciliation Service on the same day.  Our Annual Advent Retreat will be on December 13th from 8:30 a.m. - 11 a.m.  More information can be found on the other page of this bulletin and we are asking that if you are planning on attending you email Sister Anns James (anns@stelizcc.org) so that materials can be provided for everyone.

The Communal Reconciliation Service will be from 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.  The Liturgy/prayer service will start at 11 a.m. and will be followed by individual confessions until 11:45 a.m.  We will have additional priests from different parishes in the Richmond Diocese visiting to hear confessions.

I would like to thank everyone who helped with Homecoming on November 23rd.  We had a wonderful Mass, reception and raffle drawing thanks to so many ministry members and volunteers.

The Christmas schedule is on the other page of this bulletin.  Please write these dates in your calendar to save the date!

Blessings,

Fr. Jim, Pastor 

~ Image Source

FATHER JIM'S JOTS - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - First Sunday of Advent - November 30, 2025

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

First Sunday of Advent

November 30, 2025

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings,

Today is the first Sunday of Advent!  I would like to thank Msgr. Walter Barrett for celebrating Masses this weekend.  I am currentloy in Michigan celebrating the Holidays with my family and will return to Richmond later this upcoming week.

Thank you to everyone who helped with our Homecoming Celebration last weekend!  The only way we are able to hold such a special annual event is with the help of many wonderful volunteers.

The word "Advent" is from the Latin adventus for "coming" and is associated with the four weeks of preparation for Christmas.  Advent always contains four Sundays, beginning on the Sunday nearest the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle (November 30) and continuing until December 24.

How do you prepare yourself during Advent?

First, it is a good idea to pray more, possibly including the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary.

It is also important to read Sacred Scripture, especially the Infancy Narratives of Matthew and Luke.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church, chapters 2 and 3 of the Second Part of the Creed, expresses the Church's Fath in the Incarnation and Nativity of the Lord.

Finally, to truly prepare, it is important to go to Confession at least once during the season, and maybe go to daily Mass and do Eucharistic Adoration when you are able.

I encourage you to attend the Communal Reconciliation Service this Advent.  We will have three priests from other parishes visit to hear confessions so there will be time for everyone who wants to participate.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim, Pastor

(Information on Advent from ewtn.com)

 ~ Image Source

TUSOME PAMOJA! - "Let's Learn Together!" - Saturday School sponsored by St. Elizabeth Catholic Church at All Saints School ~ Photos by Mary Romanello, Romanello Photography

Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church

"Tusome Pamoja!"

"Let's Learn Together!"

Saturday School

 

~ Photos by Romanello Photography