0596 ext.  258. Merci Beaucoup!

BLESSING OF HOMES 

       One popular religious tradition since the Middle Ages has been associated with the feast of the Epiphany:  the blessing of homes with Holy Water and incense.  The ritual calls for a priest to mark, with chalk, the outside of the main door with the initials of the Magi names and a

code of the current year, connected with crosses:  C+M+B+2008.  Another explanation of the initials (C + M + B) is that they are the first letters of the blessing:  Christus mansionem benedicat (“May Christ bless this house”). If you would like your house to be blessed by the priests, please contact Fr Wiener or  Father Zak to arrange a date and time.

HOLY MASS INTENTIONS:

We still have empty spots for Holy Mass intentions in February. If you would like to have Holy Mass celebrated for your intentions, or for your loved ones; living or dead; please contact the Parish Office.

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS—Invitation to Join

All men of the parish – 18 and older – are invited to inquire about membership in the Knights of Columbus.  Please contact Parish Office. You will be informed about the first meeting.   Please  inform others. More information about the Knights of Columbus  can be found on the internet: www.kofc.org

This Sunday:

Begin of the Novena 

in Preparation of the Feast of 

St. Francis de Sales

 with Bishop Vigneron

On January 29th, 2008 the Church celebrates the feast of St. Francis de Sales, Doctor of the Universal Church, Bishop, founder of the Visitation Order (of which St. Margaret Mary was a member), patron of Journalists, co-patron of the Diocese of Oakland and of the Institute of Christ the King. In preparation for this joyful event we will pray a novena, starting on the 20th of January and ending on January 28th, after the Mass celebrated in the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite. During the Masses we will receive guest homilists who will teach us about the "Doctor of Charity", who led so many souls to sanctity, so that we may be well prepared for this beautiful feast of our patron. We are especially grateful and honored that His Excellency, Bishop Vigneron, will be with us during Mass on the 23rd of January 2008 at 6:00 pm to preach about “St. Francis de Sales as co-patron of the Diocese of Oakland”. Other priests who will talk in the homilies about St. Francis during this important novena are Fr. R. Schenk O.P., Fr. A. Ramelow O.P. , Fr. L. Goode, Fr. W. Young and the Vice-Provincial of the Institute of Christ the King in the United States, Fr. K. Lenhardt. Please come and pray with us to our beloved patron!

St. Francis de Sales: Patron of all Writers

Encyclical by Pope Pius XI 1923

In the first place, and this the most important of all, each writer should endeavor in every way and as far as this may be possible to obtain a complete comprehension of the teachings of the Church. … They should pay particular attention to literary style and should try to express their thoughts clearly and in beautiful language so that their readers will the more readily come to love the truth.  …  We take this happy occasion, after mature deliberation and in full knowledge, by Our Apostolic authority, to hereby publish, confirm and declare by this encyclical, everything to the contrary notwithstanding, St. Francis de Sales, Bishop of Geneva and Doctor of the Church, to be the Heavenly Patron of all Writers.

Liturgical Calendar

for the

Trad. Latin Mass

Extraordinary Form

of the Roman Rite

Sunday January 20

Septuagesima Sunday

Epistle: 1 Cor. 9:24-27; 10:1-5

Gospel: Mt. 20:1-16

Monday January 21

St. Agnes

Virgin + Martyr

Tuesday January 22

SS. Vincent + Anastasius

Martyrs

Wednesday January 23

St. Raymond of Panafort

Confessor

Comm. St. Emerentiana

The Most Reverend Bishop of Oakland,

Allen H. Vigneron, will assist at Solemn High Mass and deliver the homily on

“St. Francis de Sales as co-patron of the Oakland Diocese”.

Thursday January 24

St. Timothy

Bishop + Martyr

Friday January 25

Conversion of St. Paul

Apostle

Saturday January 26

St. Polycarp

Bishop + Martyr