FATHER JIM'S JOTS - St. Elizabeth Church - Feast of the Holy Family - December 29, 2024

 St. Elizabeth Church

Feast of the Holy Family

December 29, 2024

 

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

This past week, we all celebrated Christmas!  I hope that your celebrations with your family and friends were wonderful!  Our Christmas services at the church were wonderful and I would like to say a special thanks to all involved with our liturgical ministries!  I would also like to congratulate all of the children on their performance of the Nativity.  They memorized all of their lines and worked very hard, rehearsing many times in preparation.  Also, a big thank you to Liz Wiznerowicz, our Director of Religious Education, for directing this production and all of those who worked to assist with the play and get the children to their rehearsals.

Please note that we have a Vigil Mass on December 31st at 5 p.m. for the Solemnity of Mary.  For more information and to sign up for the potluck please see the other page of this bulletin.

This year we had over 15 Baptisms...  Wow!!  If your child needs to be baptized, please contact me or the parish office!  The Children's OCIA (formerly known as RCIA) program has started and has now met a few times.  The Adult OCIA program will start soon.  If you are interested in becoming Catholic or have not received all of your Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, First Communion, or Confirmation) please see the information on our website or in the print bulletin to get in contact with our program director.

As a reminder:

- Our Campaign for Tomorrow will be running until the start of Lent, all information regarding the campaign will be updated on our website here:  stelizcc.org/our-campaign-for-tomorrow/

Blessings,

Fr. Jim, Pastor

~ Image Source

Christmas Morning at St. Elizabeth Church - December 25, 2024 ~ Photo by Ken Wall

 Christmas Morning

St. Elizabeth Church

December 25, 2024

The Advent Wreath became the Christmas Wreath

~ Photo by Ken Wall

 

FATHER JIM'S JOTS - Fourth Sunday of Advent - December 22, 2024

 St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

Fourth Sunday of Advent

December 22, 2024

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Today is the last Sunday of Advent.  We have spent the last few weeks preparing ourselves for Christmas and now it is only a few days away.  The Christmas season can be stressful for many because it is easy to get caught up in the small details of our holiday celebrations and forget the important blessings we are given to enjoy.  This year let us see the family and friends surrounding us and the blessing of their presence.  May we remember those who are no longer here to celebrate with us and recall the love and joy they brought to our lives.  Let us allow Christ to be the center of this Holiday season so that we may not worry about "making everything perfect" but truly enjoy the gifts that our Heavenly Father has bestowed on us.

I am looking forward to our celebrations this week.  Our Christmas Schedule is outlined in this bulletin.  The children of our Parish are putting on a Christmas Nativity Play that will take place during the 5 o'clock program before the Christmas Eve Mass at 6 p.m.

I would like to say congratulations to Steven and Naomi on the baptism of their second child this Sunday!  Our parish has grown significantly this past year and we are so grateful for how much the Parish has flourished with new families.  If you have not registered to be a member of the Parish, you can do so by filling out one of the forms located by the front doors and returning the form to the Parish Office.  In the coming New Year, we will share some updates on how the parish has grown and on the Capital Campaign.

As a reminder: 

- Our Campaign for Tomorrow will be running until the start of Lent; all information regarding the campaign will be updated on our website here:  stelizcc.org/our-campaign-for-tomorrow/

Blessings,

Fr. Jim, Pastor

 

FATHER JIM'S JOTS - Third Sunday of Advent - Gaudete Sunday - December 15, 2024

 St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

Third Sunday of Advent

"Gaudete Sunday"

December 15, 2024

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Happy Gaudete Sunday!  Gaudete is the Latin word for rejoice.  Advent is the season for preparing for the arrival of the Lord Jesus, and by the third Sunday of Advent, we are most of the way through the season.  Thus, it is appropriate to rejoice as we see the goal of the season approaching:  "The Lord is near."

You are invited to the Opening Mass for the Jubilee Year of Hope with Bishop Knestout on Saturday, December 28th, 2024, at 5 p.m.  The Mass will be celebrated at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart and will include additional rites promulgated by the Vatican for bishops, including a Procession and Opening Prayers, the Commemoration of Baptism and the placing of the crucifix in a position of prominence in the sanctuary.  The crucifix will be kept in the sanctuary of the Cathedral for the entire year, as a symbol of hope, for veneration of the faithful.

As a reminder:

- Our Campaign for Tomorrow will be running until the start of Lent, all information regarding the campaign will be updated on our website here:  stelizcc.org/our-campaign-for-tomorrow/

Blessings,

Fr. Jim, Pastor

Advent Retreat - December 14, 2024 - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church ~ Photos by Sr. Beulah ~ Provided by Connie Hom

"WAITING FOR THE LORD" 

Advent Retreat

St. Elizabeth Church

December 14, 2024

Sr. Anns and Sr. Elena Henderson
Retreat Leaders

Inspiration for preparing oneself for the Birth of Jesus.

~ Photos by Sr. Beulah

FATHER JIM'S JOTS - Second Sunday of Advent - December 8, 2024

 St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

Second Sunday of Advent

December 8, 2024

 FATHER JIM'S JOTS

This Monday, we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.  We will have Mass at 5 p.m. in the Church.  Please see the second page of the bulletin for our Christmas Schedule.  Like usual we will have a program led by our youth groups before the start of our Christmas Eve Mass.  This year they are putting on a play of the Nativity!  Please come to support our youth and enjoy their performance.

As a reminder, our Communal Reconciliation Service will be this Saturday at 12 p.m.  I will be leading the service and afterwards, myself and 3 other priests that we have invited will hear individual confessions.  Afterwards, there will be a light lunch in the Parish Hall for those who are interested in staying.  Advent is a time for preparing ourselves for Christmas and one wonderful way to do that is through this Sacrament.

This week, Scott's Funeral Home kindly gave us some 2025 Calendars that highlight some important figures in African American History.  We only have a limited amount so if you are interested in getting one, please do not wait to do so.  They will be on the table by the front doors like usual, please grab one after Mass this Sunday!

As a reminder:

- Our Campaign for Tomorrow will be running until the start of Lent, all information regarding the campaign will be updated on our website here:  stelizcc.org/our-campaign-for-tomorrow/

- Advent Materials are now available.  You can purchase your 2025 Reading God's Word book in the Parish Office or pick up your free Little Blue Book of Advent Reflections and 2025 Catholic Art Calendar after Mass in the Church.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim, Pastor

SCHEDULE FOR THE CHRISTMAS LITURGIES AT ST. ELIZABETH CATHOLIC CHURCH ~ Photo by Connie Hom

Schedule for the Christmas Liturgies

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

- 

National Day of the Rosary - October 12, 2024 - St. Elizabeth's Participation ~ Photos by Connie Hom

ST. ELIZABETH CATHOLIC CHURCH

"National Day of the Rosary"

October 12, 2024

On Saturday, October 12, 2024, Catholic churches across the country prayed the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary at noon on their front steps.  This year there were 5 readers for each mystery:  Karen Yesolitis, Beverley Bryant, Donna Gorman, Eddie Gorman and Maria Barrow.

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - Recent Parish Youth Group Activities! - Photos by Connie Hom

 St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

Youth Group Activities

On Sunday, October 27, 2024, Liz Wiznerowicz took 20 children and 4 adults to the Virginia Repertory Theater to attend the play, "Grace for President." 

On Sunday, December 8th, Liz took the Youth Group  to see the Richmond Ballet's production of "The Nutcracker" at the Dominion Energy Theater. 

FATHER JIM'S JOTS - First Sunday of Advent - December 1, 2024

St Elizabeth Church

First Sunday of Advent

December 1, 2024

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Today is the first Sunday of Advent which marks the first day of the New Liturgical Year!  I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and that those who are traveling back home after visiting their relatives have a safe journey to their destinations.

This Sunday I would also like to thank Msgr. Walter Barrett for visiting while I am in Michigan.  We will have a Communion Service at 12 p.m. led by Dcn. Chris on Wednesday, Dec. 4th.  I will return to Richmond December 5th so we will resume our usual Daily Mass schedule on Friday December 6th and since it is the first Friday of the month we will have an hour of Exposition and Adoration after Mass.

"The word "Advent" is from the Latin word, 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.

During Advent, Catholics celebrate the season with an Advent wreath.  The wreaths are made with a circle of evergreen branches (symbolizing life) and hold four candles representing the four weeks of Advent."  During this time, we can work to prepare ourselves for the Christmas by praying (including the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary), reading Sacred Scripture, and going to Confession, daily Mass and Eucharistic Adoration.

 As a reminder:

- Our Campaign for Tomorrow will be running until the start of Lent, all information regarding the campaign will be updated on our website here:  stelizcc.org/our-campaign-for-tomorrow/

- Advent Materials are now available.  You can purchase your 2025 Reading God's Word book in the Parish Office or pick up your free Little Blue Book of Advent Reflections and the 2025 Catholic Art Calendar after Mass in the Church.

~ We will have a Communal Reconciliation Service and Advent Retreat on December 14th.  For more information, please see the other page of this Bulletin.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim, Pastor

Celebrating Vivian Sullivan's 90th Birthday!!! - November 3, 2024 ~ Photos by Connie Hom

 Celebrating Vivian Sullivan

on her

90th Birthday!!

November 3, 2024

Blessing of the "Saintly Six" Banners - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - November 3, 2024 ~ Photos by Connie Hom

 Blessing of the "Saintly Six" Banners

First Sunday of Black Catholic History Month

Sunday, November 3, 2024

Venerable Henriette Delille

1813 - 1862

Free woman of color - Co-founded the Sisters of the Holy Family - Cause for canonization opened in 1988 - 1st US native born African American to have cause opened - Declared "Venerable" in 2010.

Venerable Fr. Augustus Tolton

1854 - 1897

1st recognized African American to be ordained a priest - Cause for canonization opened in 2011 - Declared "Venerable" in 2019.

"Servant of God" Julia Greeley

18(35-55) - 1918

Former slave - Charitable works and assisted poor families - Secular Franciscan - Daily communicant and devotion to Sacred Heart of Jesus - Cause for canonization opened in 2016.

"Servant of God" Thea Bowman

1937 - 1990

Became a Catholic at age nine - She joined the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration - Worked to break down racial and cultural barriers - Sainthood cause was endorsed by U.S. Bishops in November 2018.

Venerable Pierre Toussaint

1766 - 1853

Former slave . Became a philanthropist - Established first Catholic New York orphanage - Cause for canonization opened in 1968 - Declared "Venerable" in 1997.

Venerable Mother Mary Lange

1794 - 1882

 Co-Founder of the Oblate Sisters of Providence, the first US religious order for women of color - Educated youths and provided homes for orphans - Cause for canonization opened in 1991.

~ Information copied from a parish handout about the "Saintly Six."

RISC: Richmonders Involved to Strengthen Our Communities - 2024-2025 Team Leaders and Members ~ Photos by Connie Hom

Sunday, October 27, 2024

A Blessing and Welcome

for St. Elizabeth's

 RISC Team Leaders

Beverley Bryant, Peg Baker Gnat, Sr. Mary and Connie Hom 

and 

Network Members

RISC Community Problem Meeting

Tuesday, October 29th, where 23 St. Elizabeth Catholic Church parishioner members met with 26 other interfaith organizations.

~ Please Note:  The next Nehemiah Action Day is Tuesday, March 25, 2025.  https://www.riscrichmond.org/

A Special Mass - Blessing the Marriage of Kate and Eitel - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - Sunday, October 27, 2024 ~ Photos by Connie Hom

 Blessing the Marriage

of

Kate and Eitel

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

October 27, 2024

Kate is the daughter of St. Elizabeth parishioner, Mary Downes Amrhein