Advent Mission Chamber Concert
Christmas Giving Tree
The St. Vincent de Paul Society needs your help. A Christmas Giving Tree has been set up next to the St. Anthony Statue. The ornaments on the tree have names and ages of children along with their Christmas gift wish. We also will be helping the Veterans and needy in our community that frequent our food pantry. If you can, please pick an ornament from the Tree then return the gift with the ornament and place under the tree by Sunday, December 14 following the 10:30am Mass. … [Read more...]
Poinsettias!
Poinsettias in the Sanctuary during Christmas make for a beautiful display. We appreciate a donation in memory of departed loved ones whose names will be recorded in the bulletin and on the parish website. Thanks for helping us decorate the altar! … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – December 7, 2025
John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said: A voice of one crying out in the desert, Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. (Mt 3:1-3) The Christmas Season can often be a time of anxiety for us. There’s so much to do, so much to prepare. We have cards to write, homes to decorate, presents to buy, parties to attend, year-end reports to finish, etc. etc. etc. And when it’s all over, we let out a big sigh and enjoy ourselves. Then we clean up. And then we prepare for the next holiday, whether it’s New Year’s, Mardi Gras, or perhaps a Superbowl party... Sometimes it seems like it never ends. Surely, we know that we’re called to … [Read more...]
St. Andrew, Apostle November 30
According to the Gospel of John, Andrew was originally a disciple of St. John the Baptist. When John pointed to Jesus and said, “behold the Lamb of God!” Andrew left John to follow Jesus. Because of this, Andrew is traditionally known as the first disciple of Christ and the one who introduced his brother, Peter, to the Lord. After Our Lord ascended into Heaven, St. Andrew preached the Gospel in Greece and Turkey. He was put to death on a cross shaped like the letter X, to which he was tied rather than nailed. He lived two days in that state of suffering, still preaching to the people about the Messiah. … [Read more...]
Signup for Keeping Vigil in the Basilica
signupgenius.com/go/9040A4FA8AC29ABF49-60647373-keeping#/ … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – November 30, 2025
Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come. (Mt 24:42-44) A lot of times, the analogies of Jesus are just that – analogies. But sometimes they hit closer to home. At times, we have had problems with security at St. Stephen Church. We have had incidents where people have tried to get into our church by breaking door handles and even using pry-bars. Every time we put up our pro-life signs in front of the church, someone steals them. We’ve had chalices and even a collection bag stolen. And then … [Read more...]
The Advent Wreath
The Advent wreath is a set of four candles which are lit each Sunday of the Advent Season. Three of the candles are violet-colored, and one is rose-colored. The violet candles symbolize faithful expectation, and the rose candle symbolizes joy and hope. These colors mirror the colors of the priest's vestments used during the Sundays of Advent. In earlier times, the season of Advent had stronger penitential and ascetic aspects, and a relaxation of disciplines was offered on the third Sunday of Advent, called Gaudete Sunday, from the Latin for "rejoice", the first words of the Introit. This turn is reflected in the shift from violet to rose. One violet candle is lit on the first evening of Advent (a Sunday). On successive Sundays, the second violet candle is added, then the rose candle on … [Read more...]
Advent Liturgies
With Advent here for next four Sundays, I want to call attention to changes that we may observe in the liturgies. Advent has a twofold character: it is a time of preparation for the Solemnities of Christmas, in which the First Coming of the Son of God to humanity is remembered, and likewise a time when our minds and hearts are led to look forward to Christ's Second Coming at the end of time. For these two reasons, Advent is a period of devotion and expectation. The liturgical color for Advent is violet, just as it is in Lent. Both seasons prepare us for great feast days. And like Lent, Advent is meant to include an element of penance in the sense of preparing, quieting and disciplining our hearts for the full joy of Christmas. “During Advent the floral decoration of the altar should be … [Read more...]
