1st Sunday of Advent - November 29, 2020
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Call the parish office (818) 889-1279 to add a name of a loved one who is in need of prayer.
At the death of a loved one, kindly notify the Parish Center at your earliest convenience to schedule the funeral rites. Pastoral Office (818)889-1279 or email [email protected]
November 25, 2020
My dear parish family,
HAPPY THANKSGIVING! In the midst of all the challenges and difficulties associated with the pandemic, political upheaval, and economic uncertainty, we still have a great deal to be thankful for! You may want to begin your day by thanking God at Mass at 10:00 in Outdoor Church. We will also be live-streaming the Mass from 8:30 a.m. on. Check it out on the parish website. The very word "Eucharist" means "thanksgiving", and we want to give every opportunity to you to receive Communion on Thanksgiving Day. So we will also be making the Eucharist available at 1:00 if you drive into the second driveway off of Foxfield (between the church and the school). We'll be there distributing Communion at 1:00, and will continue until there is no car left in line.
And HAPPY NEW YEAR! We don't have to wait 'til the first of January to greet one another this way. This coming weekend we begin an entirely new liturgical year with the First Sunday of Advent. Advent is our season of preparation for the coming of the Lord-not only as He came to us on that first Christmas a couple of thousand years ago, but also as He will certainly be coming again: in glory, at the end of time. This Advent will be like no other we've experienced. And, if we're not careful, these weeks of preparation could simply be another few weeks when we get newly-in-touch with our Inner Grinch. But let's make a (liturgical) New Year's resolution right now: Welcoming Jesus in some new way into our hearts and into our homes will be our main order of business during these precious weeks... Read More
RECONCILIATION During Advent Line forms under the patio next to the rectory or by appointment call 888-889-1279. During Advent Reconciliation will be available Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 5pm.
Adopt-a-Family 2020 Our annual Christmas Adopt-A-Family program reflects what is so special about our community. With an abundance of caution due to COVID-19, this year’s program will be a little bit different. The changes include: a pause on all physical gift giving to protect from group gatherings and ... Read More »
Recycling for the Homeless Thanks to all parishioners and friends who dropped off their plastic bottles and aluminum cans in the first Recycling Drive-Thru collection. The redemption refund totaled $471 which will contribute to a nice project for our homeless brothers and sister locally. Please continue to collect your items for the next drive-thru on Saturday, December 12 from 9-10 a.m.
Jesus: Encountered. Loved. Served.
32032 W. Lindero Canyon Rd., Westlake Village, CA., 91361 | (818)889-1279
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November 19, 2020-Los Angeles Archdiocese Update https://lacatholics.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Covid-19-Updates-for-Parishes-and-Schools-20201119-Ltrhd.pdf
July 19, 2020 Update-MASS IS CELEBRATED OUTDOORS BETWEEN THE MUSIC ROOM AND YOUTH ROOM
Sunday Mass 8am, 10am and 12 noon (8am Mass is recorded for viewing at anytime for your convenience). Weekday Mass Monday - Friday 12 noon. COVID precautions (masks, social distancing, 100 person limit on attendance
Archdiocese’s emergency preparedness webpage: Visit lacatholics.org/emergency, for the most updated information and resources on limiting the impact of the coronavirus in our communities of faith.To receive updates on the coronavirus or other ADLA news and information, please visit this webpage or text ADLA to 84576.
Spiritual Communion Available When Unable to Receive the Eucharist: Please click on the following link https://www.dolr.org/article/those-unable-receive-eucharist-can-have-spiritual-communion
Those unable to receive Eucharist can have spiritual communion By Abbot Jerome Kodell, OSB / Subiaco Abbey
In his encyclical, "Ecclesia de Eucharistia" ("A Eucharistic Church"), in April 2003, Pope John Paul II encouraged the practice of spiritual communion, “which has been a wonderful part of Catholic life for centuries and recommended by saints who were masters of the spiritual life.”
Spiritual communion isn’t as much a part of the Catholic vocabulary and consciousness as it was in the past, though it is just as real an opportunity for eucharistic grace as it ever was. Ironically, the encouragement of actual reception of the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass and the routine availability of eucharistic Communion today, a wonderful development begun in the time of Pope Pius X and emphasized by the Second Vatican Council, may have helped cause this other eucharistic gift to be overshadowed in our time.
What is spiritual communion? St. Thomas Aquinas described it as “an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the most holy sacrament and lovingly embrace him” at a time or in circumstances when we cannot receive him in sacramental Communion. The Catechism of the Council of Trent devoted a special section to spiritual communion in its program of renewal in the late 16th century. In the past, instruction manuals gave as the most familiar situation, the need of a mother to stay home from Sunday Mass to care for a sick child, thereby missing the opportunity for Communion.
In such cases, the mother could make an act of spiritual communion, uniting herself with the Mass in her parish church and receive the spiritual benefit of Communion. The opportunities for receiving spiritual communion are limitless, but particular circumstances make it appealing in our time. Today there are many Catholics who may not be able to receive Communion because of a marriage not recognized by the Church. Often they are in a process of getting their marital status rectified, but until that is done, they cannot participate.
But they are not prohibited from receiving Communion spiritually and receiving strength from the grace of the sacrament during a waiting period which is often painful. As the availability of priestly ministry decreases, daily Mass becomes more and more scarce, and some communities may not regularly have even a Communion service on Sunday. In our mobile society, people who otherwise might be at Mass are frequently on the move.
Spiritual communion needs no special instruction; it only requires the same disposition as the actual reception of the sacrament and a turning to Jesus with the heart. These days as we experience a renewal of eucharistic adoration, those who come to spend time in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament are receiving spiritual communion, even though they may not have called it by that name.
Prayer of Spiritual Communion
No particular prayer or formulary is required, though there are acts of spiritual communion in Catholic prayer books to help focus a proper intention. One of the most popular is that composed by St. Alphonsus Liguori:
“My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Blessed Sacrament.
I love you above all things and I desire you with all my heart.
Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally,
I ask you to come spiritually into my heart.
I embrace you as if you were already in my heart
and unite myself to you completely.
Please do not let me ever by separated from you.”
Flocknote is an online platform that Bishop Barron has chosen to offer access to his digital library: Word on Fire ENGAGE. Our parish has purchased a subscription so parishioners are able to access Word on Fire videos from a computer or cell phone – anytime - for free! Fr. Jim hopes everyone will take advantage of this amazing gift to our parishioners!
There are 2 easy ways to connect (pick one):
Text STOP to 84576 to stop txt notifications at any time. Text HELP for help. There is no charge for this service, but your carrier message and data rates may apply. View privacy policy & conditions at www.flocknote.com/txt. For questions, please contact the Faith Formation office 818-889-0612.
Footprint Friday: A Free Tool to Monitor the Online Footprint of Your Student. This tool helps parents monitor their student's social media presence every Friday in less than 5 minutes. Read more.
Over the next few weeks, we will be working on setting up new advertisements for businesses in our annual Stewardship Directory. If you are interested in learning more about placing an ad in our bulletin, please contact Travis Lawmaster at 310.684.3118, or by email at [email protected]. Placing an ad in our bulletin raises visibility for your business in the community, and functions as a charitable donation to the parish also, which helps us tremendously. We thank all of our current and future advertisers for their support, and encourage our parish members to patronize their businesses. For more information please contact the Parish Administrator, Barbara Farmer [email protected].
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