Jan 12, 2024

Greetings,
As you come into church this weekend you will notice our Christmas decorations are still up. There is some debate about exactly when the Christmas season is over. If you are a merchant, it ended on the last day you were open before Christmas. For some, Christmas is one day, and the next day barren Christmas trees are found on the devil strip. There is, of course, the Christmas Octave that celebrates Christmas over eight days. Then there is the twelve days of Christmas immortalized in the song of the same name. This would bring one to the Epiphany and  indeed many places in the world end the Christmas season on this date.

Around the world in our history, different celebrations were held in conjunction with Christmas to mark the birth and divinity of the Christ child. These include Epiphany, the Baptism of the Lord and the Miracle at the Marriage Feast in Cana. For such reasons, some places (including some close by) leave the parish decorations up until February second, the Feast of the Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple. The Bishops of the United States, however, have agreed to the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, (at least
officially in the U.S.) be the last day of Christmas in the United States.

Thank you to everybody who worked so many hours and used their brawn and creativity to make our parish so beautiful for the Feast of the Nativity! And another advance thank you to those who will be here again this Sunday putting it all away. You bring joy to so many people. 

Also, a great big thank you to all who do the hidden work around the parish to make Christmas a smooth success. God bless you for your diligent, quiet work. 

Thank you also to everyone who helped contribute to your parish coffers over Christmas in a special way. As I compose this letter to you on Monday morning, I’m looking at the beautiful snow falling on our property (which my phone says was not happening). As much as I love it, every time it snows it costs your parish about a thousand dollars in snow removal and salting. Thank you for helping as you can.

IN OTHER NEWS:

ST. SEBASTIAN DAY: Next weekend we celebrate our Patronal Feast Day. Make sure to stop and see the annual display we have up for our Feast Day. This year it will feature a Roman Army arrowhead from the 300s which is about the time of St. Sebastian.

PASTA DINNER: Tickets are on sale after all Masses this weekend for next weekend’s St. Sebastian Feast Day Pasta Dinner on January 18. Tickets purchased in advance are a must. There will be no tickets at the door. Tickets are $5 per person or $20 per family. Doors open immediately following the 4:30pm Mass. I hope to see you there!

AWAY: I will be leaving on a continuing education trip next Sunday, January 19 as part of the diocesan training to assist the seminary form transitional deacons. I will return the following Friday, January 24.

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL: You are needed to make this event great! Volunteers are still needed to host a cultural or ethnic food group. Please contact Erin Ereth at 440-478-9156.

God bless,
Fr. Valencheck