For the fourth year, we are working with HeartShare St. Vincent’s Services to provide gift cards for young people leaving foster care. This is especially important for those who have children themselves. You can give online or drop off a check in the collection box or with the rectory.
The American Dream Program provides students in foster care with robust academic, social-emotional, and career development supports from middle school through age 26. The ADP Scholars have big dreams, and our one-on-one coaching model helps them make plans for their futures and provides them with the tools they need to be successful. Navigating adulthood without a supportive family can be devastating. The American Dream Program is there to fill in gaps and help our young people reach their full potential.
Our parish has several opportunities to give gifts to children this upcoming Christmas season:
Toy Drive: In what has been a strong ten-year tradition, we are partnering with the Custom House, to support the Catholic Charities toy drive. The toys and baby items collected will be brought together in a “toy store” for parents to choose which toys they think best for their children. Please place your toys in the rear of the Church.
Gift Cards: For the fourth year, we are working with HeartShare St. Vincent’s Services to provide gift cards for young people leaving foster care. This is especially important for those who have children themselves. You can give online or drop off a check in the collection box or with the rectory.
Support Families in Need: HeartShare St. Vincent’s Services has:
120 families currently living in shelter; 500 families who are at risk of losing children to foster care; and 400 children living away from their parents in foster care.
Their everyday struggles are hard to comprehend. Let’s come together and bring joy to as many families within our community as possible this December. Join us, and sponsor one of our families.
The first part of today’s gospel is far from riveting. A list of obscure Roman officials and a Jewish priest is not as compelling as the ministry of John the Baptist. Yet it is extremely important, and it is necessary for us to examine it closely because it tells us that Luke is writing a history of a Jewish prophet, indeed 2 prophets.
He first outlines the political geography of Jesus’ world, noting the date through the reign of the emperor and the emperor’s representative in every place that affected Jesus. He then adds the current local religious leader. This is critical. He does not begin with “once upon a time” or “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away”. Luke is writing history and we must read his gospel and the acts of the apostles accordingly.
This is not a myth or legend which may give us a window into truth such as the first chapters of the book of Genesis. It tells the story of a real person, Jesus, who lived at a certain place, Judea and Galilee, who preached a message, the coming of the kingdom of God, and who was killed for this teaching. Should any of these not be factual, then Luke is either a dupe or a liar. His concept of writing history would not be the same as ours. The speeches for instance will all sound the same, because he will make them conform to certain rules. They are not verbatim, and would not be expected to be. But his audience knew what was important and could not be made up for any reason. His immediate audience would have especially understood that if Jesus did not literally die and rise this book is meaningless at best and malicious at worst.
On Sunday, December 5, 2021, join us in person or online for the 2nd Sunday of Advent.
Our current Mass times are:
9 AM EST – Morning Mass – in person
11:15 AM EST – Community Mass – in person and livestreamed online
7 PM EST – Evening Mass – in person
Watch the video live or on replay via YouTube Live by clicking in the window above. Subscribe to our YouTube channel atyoutube.com/stcharlesbklyn .
The readings will be from Cycle C.
Entrance: The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns – 414
Readigs and Responsorial Psalm – 996
Offertory: Christ, Be Our Light! – 590
Communion: Ready the Way
Closing: Sing Out, Earth and Skies! – 577
The Gather 3rd Edition Hymnal/Missals are available for use in the church – pick one up as you enter and return it after Mass. Instructions on how to use the hymnal missal are available here: https://www.stcharlesbklyn.org/hymnal-missal/ .
Today’s readings are also available to read online at the USCCB website https://bible.usccb.org .
Please follow the instructions of the ushers, and observe all of the posted health precautions so that we can continue to worship together safely.
Advent is an unexpected and unwanted liturgical season. Yet, although no early Christian would have created Advent it is necessary, helpful, and potentially joyful. Let us look at why.
Advent means coming. It is often assumed that this is the coming of Jesus at his birth. This is less than half correct. Most of the prayers and readings for Advent are directed to Jesus’ return. Advent is divided into two sections “Early Advent” which extends from today to Dec 16th. Here, the attention is clearly on the Jesus’ return and the establishment of the Kingdom. As you have probably noticed, the Sunday readings for the last two weeks have also dwelt with this theme. The Nativity is emphasized only from the 17th to the 25th of December. We are clearly being called to look at and for the return of Jesus.
We are sad to announce the passing of long-time parishioner and lector Robin Curtis. Funeral arrangements are:
Wake: Thursday, December 2 10:30 AM – 12 PM at St. Charles. Funeral: Thursday 12 PM at St. Charles. Burial: Greenwood Cemetery, immediately following.
Eternal rest grant onto her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her.
The funeral Mass will be livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person. You can watch the Mass live or on replay via YouTube by clicking play on the video below.
As Francis Chin summarized recently at Mass, our parish has been able to maintain its financial health during the pandemic and during extensive repairs and renovations of the church and rectory.
While the parish financial situation is positive, our current collections do not cover our weekly operating expenses. This means we must use rental monies to cover our costs, which is not a sign of a vibrant parish community. The rental monies the parish earns from leasing the school and rectory are earmarked to maintain and renovate the church building and the parish house which we would not otherwise have the funds to do. The renovation work is still very much in progress. That is why we need to bring in sufficient parishioner contributions to cover the costs of running the church, the parish house, and our spiritual and other programs. And these costs (heat, AC, cleaning, salaries, benefits) do increase each year.
