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

FATHER JIM'S JOTS - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - Feast of Christ the King - November 24, 2024

ST. ELIZABETH CATHOLIC CHURCH

FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING

November 24, 2024

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Happy Holidays!  This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King as it is the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year.  This is our last Sunday before the start of Advent!

I will leave after Sunday Mass this Sunday to visit my family in Michigan for Thanksgiving week.  In my absence Dcn. Chris will be holding a Communion Service on Wednesday, November 27th and Msgr. Walter Barrett will be celebrating Masses on Sunday, December 1st.  Wow, the time has gone by so fast; we are now reaching the end of November and the start of the new Liturgical Year.

This Sunday, please pick up your free little blue book for Advent and the 2025 Catholic Art Calendar.  They will be available after Mass in the back of Church, so please grab one of each on your way out.  They will also be available next Sunday.

I would like to say a special thank you to all who helped in making last week's Homecoming Celebration a success!  Thank you to our Swahili Choir and our Gospel Choir for the amazing music; we received many compliments from our visitors on how wonderful the liturgy was.  Thank you to all of those in ministry, our volunteers and the Parish staff who worked on the preparation of this event as well as during the services and reception!

Lastly, I would like to say Happy Thanksgiving!  As many of us travel or have family traveling this week, let us pray for their safety during their journeys.

"Heavenly Father, please watch over those who are traveling this Thanksgiving week.  May they reach their destinations and their loved ones safely under Your ever-loving care.  Help us to remember all of the things that we are thankful for.  Help us to appreciate all of the blessings that You have bestowed on us and to have gratitude for all of the people who surround us this Holiday and in our lives.  Amen."

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/

- In the month of November, we have the Book of the Dead available during Mass.  During our meditation hymn or before or after Mass, I welcome and encourage anyone to come up and write the names of your loved one(s) who have passed before us in memory of them.  This will be available all month.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim, Pastor

~ Image Source