Gaudete Sunday-Third Sunday of Advent
December 13, 2025 Bulletin Column Father De Celles
GAUDETE SUNDAY. Today is “Gaudete Sunday,” or “Rejoice Sunday” (from the first words of the entrance antiphon, “Gaudéte in Dómino semper”— “Rejoice in the Lord always”). This reminds us that Advent is a season of “expectant joy” as our anticipation of the great joy of Christmas builds everyday as we draw closer to it. This is symbolized in the “rose” colored vestments the priests may where today, “rose” being a shade of advent violet that is brighter than the normal violets of Advent, as if the brightness of Christmas joy is shining through the subdued preparation of Advent.
I hope we all experience this building joy during Advent. First and foremost, we should experience this spiritually, in our prayers and meditation on the mystery of Christmas, and in reception of the sacraments. In this regard, I encourage you to go to confession this week—we rejoice because Christ was born to save us from our sins, and he pours out this salvation in this holy sacrament—there’s nothing like the joy experienced in having our sins forgiven. Remember, we have will have 2 priests hearing confessions every evening this week, Monday through Friday. I also encourage you to attend daily Mass: remember we have an additional Mass at 7pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.
I also encourage you to join us at this Thursday’s (December 18) at 7pm for the final talk in Fr. Bergida’s “Advent Series” on “The Angelic Doctor on the Bread of Angels.” This week’s topic is “Of Evil Men and Holy Things.”
Also, continue your penances this week, especially your extra prayers. Come to Exposition/Adoration, and pray the Rosary, especially as a family. And strive to be heroically kind, patient, forgiving and generous with all you meet.
Decorations. The growing spiritual joy also overflows into our practical lives during this season, and expresses itself in the many of the customs of this season, many of which illustrate how this joy gradually builds as we approach the source of our joy, Christmas. We see this, for example, in how the decoration of our homes get more and more “Christmassy” as the days of Advent pass.
But you don’t see that so much inside our church during Advent. One reason for this is because so many decorations abound outside the church, often lacking any sense of gradualness or progression, that I think it’s important to show a contrast in our liturgies—to remind us that Christ is not here yet, that we are waiting and preparing for Him.
Even so, we do incorporate this progression in the church in several ways, including the Advent wreath, the selection of hymns, and the rose vestments.
And this week we step up the decorations, reminding us that Christmas is so near. “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near” (Num. 24:17).
A “Successful” Advent. I am a happy Pastor after the great extended weekend we had last week. First on Saturday, with Breakfast with Saint Nicholas, then on Sunday with Lessons and Carols, and finally Monday with the Masses of the Immaculate Conception.
The main reason I’m happy is because there were so many who attended each of these “events.” This was especially the case with Lessons and Carols, where there had to be over 500 people—and they sang! But the numbers were also outstanding for the Holy Day on Monday—I’m guessing the numbers were comparable to a Sunday. Finally, there were tons of little ones at the Breakfast, which was a lot of fun.
Thanks, especially to the choir and musicians who worked so hard to provide such a magnificent evening of prayerful song for all of us on Sunday! Bravo! And thanks also to the Knights of Columbus for their hard work in sponsoring “Breakfast with Saint Nicholas.”
Parishioner Wins Big Victory Against FCPS! I’m very proud to say that one of our young parishioners took a brave stand for Catholic values and Religious Libert–and won! Here’s the story reported last week by the Catholic News Agency.
“A Catholic Virginia student will receive payments including attorney’s fees after a school district conceded a lawsuit she brought over the district’s transgender policies.
“The student, identified in the October lawsuit as “Jane Doe,” said the Fairfax County School Board violated her constitutional rights when it subjected her to “extreme social pressure” to affirm transgender pronoun conventions.
“Doe, identified as a “practicing Roman Catholic who strives daily to live in accordance with her faith,” felt compelled to engage in self-censorship in which she attempted to “avoid using pronouns altogether” in many circumstances due to fear of punishment from school officials, according to the suit.
“When she expressed concerns over sharing a bathroom with a male student, meanwhile, she was told she could ‘use a private restroom if she felt uncomfortable,’ according to the suit.
“On Dec. 2 the law group America First Legal called the case a ‘major victory,’ saying the Fairfax school district conceded the lawsuit, offering ‘nominal damages’ and paying costs including attorney’s fees.
“‘This outcome sends a clear message: School systems and officials cannot disregard the safety, privacy, and dignity of students in favor of radical gender policies,’ the group said.
“‘No student should face the threat of punishment or be pushed aside for asserting their fundamental constitutional rights,’ attorney Ian Prior said in the release. “
“The settlement comes amid broader efforts to roll back extreme transgender ideology and LGBT policies at schools around the country, including rules that allow boys to access girls’ restrooms and other private spaces.…
“In August, meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services told states that they would be required to remove gender ideology materials from K–12 education curricula or face the loss of federal funding.”
Parish Finances. I apologize for not releasing this sooner, but please find the Finance Report of the year ended June 30, 2025 (“2025”), inserted in this bulletin. I have included a side-by-side comparison with last year (“2024”) for your reference.
For 2025, Operating Income (mainly from offertory and long-term maintenance collections, and other donations) was $2,527,159, up $35,420 (or 1.4%) from the prior year, while Operating Expenses were $2,383,468, up $69,884 (or 3%) from the prior year, leaving us a Net Operating Income of $ $143,690, down $ $34,463 from the prior year. Note that this number included a one-time increase (doubling) in the interest paid to us on our “DIAL” (savings) account in the amount of $42,472.
We also had Extraordinary Income, a Dividend on our DIAL account of $100,000. This left us with Net Income (the bottom line) of $243,690.
On the Balance Sheet side of things, we had Cash of $ $236,882 in checking and $2,528,961 in savings. Of the cash in savings, $348,424 is restricted, i.e., funds dedicated for specific types of expenditures.
Our sole liabilities amount to only $20,879.09 in Accounts Payable.
Please feel free to contact me or Maerose Naduvilekunnel in the parish office with any questions about the report.
Oremus pro invicem. Fr. De Celles