Second Sunday of Advent
April 2, 2025 Column Father De Celles
Immaculate Conception. Tomorrow, Monday, December 9, we will celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Remember, this is a Holy Day of obligation. This great feast day celebrates the conception of Mary, free from original sin, in her mother’s womb. In Advent, it reminds us of Mary’s perfect preparation to receive Christ into her life. In addition to the regularly scheduled 6:30am and 8:30am daily Masses we will also offer Masses at noon, 5pm and 7pm. (Note there is no Vigil Mass on Sunday of this feast).
Normally the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception falls on December 8, but this year that is today, the 2nd Sunday of Advent, so the celebration of Immaculate Conception is December 9.
Lessons and Carols. Remember to join the lectors, the choir and me for “Lessons & Carols” tonight, Sunday, December 8th at 7pm in the church. This is a beautiful program of inspiring Advent music and Scripture readings (aka, “Lessons”). By weaving together prophetic readings from the Old Testament and pre-nativity readings from the Gospels, the readers lay out God’s breathtaking plan for the birth of His Divine Son. The choir adds to the atmosphere of joyful expectation by leading us in popular hymns and spreading their vocal wings in leading us in carols and a few more complicated choral pieces. And afterwards there will be an opportunity for joyful fellowship at a short reception.
This “tradition” is rather new, especially to Catholics, originally introduced by the Anglican Church at Cambridge’s King’s College in 1918, but it has recently become very popular in Catholic circles. I first experienced it 35 years ago as a layman at a Catholic parish of Anglican converts in San Antonio. Now I am happy to say it is one of the most cherished Advent traditions at St. Raymond, with hundreds of folks attending. Please join us! Please join us.
Evening Masses. Please don’t miss the opportunity to go to weekday 7pm Mass during Advent. There is no better way to keep Advent than frequent Mass.Also,Pleasejoin me this Thursday December 12, at 7pm, for our Mass and my “extended homily” which is part of my annual “Advent Series”. Last week I spoke about “Hope,” and this week I will speak about “Joy.”
Other Advent Events this Week. Don’t forget to stop by the “Giving Tree” in the narthex today, and help to make Christmas a little merrier for some folks who are having a rough time this year—families of our parish and Our Lady of the Blue Ridge parish in Madison. The last day to turn in the gifts is next Sunday, December 15th, but the sooner the better or our hardworking staff and volunteers.
Also, think about joining in the Family Rosary we say in the church every weekday at 6:30pm and on the weekend after the 9am Mass. (Maybe you can sign your family up to lead? (It’s very easy to lead, just pray out loud! Go to the parish website and click the link on the drop-down menu).
And don’t Forget: go to confession during Advent—we have confessions every single day of Advent.
Formed.Org. Another asset for Advent is the website FORMED.ORG. The website, run by the Augustine Institute in Denver, describes itself, quite accurately as: “a revolutionary online platform featuring the best Catholic videos, audio talks, eBooks and movies from trusted partners like the Augustine Institute, St. Paul Center, Marian Fathers, Lighthouse Catholic Media, Ignatius Press and Word on Fire. Catechism and Personal Faith Formation are at the fingertips of every parishioner.” This is FREE for St. Raymond’s parishioners who are registered with FORMED.ORG. If you have not registered, just go online to www.straymonds.formed.org.
Fox’s Saints? Fox News feature “Fox Nation” is presenting a 4-part series called the “Martin Scorsese: The Saints,” produced by that famous Hollywood director. I haven’t seen these yet, and don’t know if I will. You see, to me Scorsese, who calls himself a Catholic, will always be the fiend who gave us the blasphemous and nauseating movie, “The Last Temptation of Christ.” My concerns about the series are confirmed by various reviews I’ve seen from trusted Catholic media reviews. And apparently the series includes commentary by a group of liberal “experts,” including the infamous LGBTQ-Jesuit Fr. James Martin.
So, I probably won’t be watching the series. If you want a good movie to watch this Advent, go to Formed.org (above) and watch “Mary of Nazareth”—excellent!!
Just Plain Stupid. Did you see this story? Just be clear: this is a really, really bad and borderline evil idea. In my opinion. From “The Pillar”:
“A parish church in Switzerland has introduced an “experimental art installation” into the confessional in which people can interact with an artificial intelligence program meant to imitate Christ.
“The installation, titled Deus in Machina, was introduced in St. Peter’s Chapel, the oldest Catholic church in the city of Lucerne, in August ahead of the parish’s centenary this month…
“Installed in one of the parish confessionals, people can interact with a hologram representation of Jesus which, according to one user account, addresses users with “Peace be with you, brother” regardless of the sex of the person and encourages them to discuss “whatever is troubling your heart today.”
“The program encourages people to “think critically about the boundaries of technology in the context of religion,” according to the team, who have also insisted that putting the installation in a confessional was a practical decision meant to encourage “moments of intimacy” with the hologram, but not meant to suggest Catholics attempt to use the program as a substitute for the sacrament of penance.
“According to Schmid, the AI program has been trained in sacred scripture and on theological texts taken from the internet, leaving open the possibility it could offer biblical interpretations or spiritual advice at odds with Church teaching….
“Schmidt said that he was not bothered by reports that the program gave “trite,” “clichéd” answers in response to spiritual questions, reportedly reminiscent of a “motivational calendar.”
“…While the installation appears to have garnered some interest at the parish, the decision to use the program to simulate Christ, albeit without pretensions to making it authentically human, let alone divine, is still likely to attract some controversy…”
Thanks. I received many responses to requests about the need for a 5pm Sunday Mass. Although a few folks asked for it, most recommended against it, citing many of the problems I had outlined in my column. So, I’ve decided to not make that addition to our schedule. Thanks to those who gave me input.
Oremus pro invicem. Fr. De Celles