Dear Parishioners,

I wanted to remind you that as of this weekend, the first Sunday of Advent, we will once again be offering the Precious Blood of Christ for you to receive through the use of the communion cup. This option comes from the office of the Bishop who writes, “After proper consultation with my advisors from the Catholic Medical Association, I am lifting the restriction on the use of the Communion Cup that was implemented during the pandemic as a precautionary measure in order to protect the public health. The distribution of the Blood of Christ to the faithful is now an option…effective immediately.” He also quotes from the American Journal of Infection Control which has said that “the risk for infectious disease transmission by a common communion cup is very low, and appropriate safeguards—that is, wiping the interior & exterior rim between communicants, use of care to rotate the cloth during use, and use of a clean cloth for each service—would further diminish this risk. In addition, church may wish to consider advising their congregations that sharing the communion cup is discouraged if a person has an active respiratory infection (ie, cold or flu).” Again, receiving from the cup is entirely optional as the full presence of Christ is received when one consumes the sacred host alone.

Though I am writing this a full week before Thanksgiving, you will be reading it after the holiday so I hope you enjoyed the time spent expressing gratitude to God and to others for all the blessings we receive. As we enter into Advent this weekend, we focus initially on the 2nd coming of Christ in the future, where Christ the King (celebrated last weekend) will finally come to bring to fulfillment the kingdom established by Christ at his first coming, when he became flesh. This second coming of Christ should bring us hope, not fear, as we wait and long and pray for the end to all sin and evil, so that we may live forever in the happiness of God’s kingdom. Perhaps that sounds like a fairy tale or an impossible dream—but it is the promise of Christ which I believe in completely. It is worth remembering, celebrating & praying for as we enter every year into these days before Christmas. Of course, the hope of the eternal kingdom began with the birth of Christ the King in time, on our earth. And that is what we also prepare to celebrate during Advent. As we pray during the blessing of the Advent wreath, may He come quickly and not delay!

I’ll include here a blessing for an Advent wreath that you can use at home, which comes from the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops:

The use of the Advent Wreath is a traditional practice which has found its place in the Church as well as in the home. The blessing of an Advent Wreath takes place on the First Sunday of Advent or on the evening before the First Sunday of Advent. When the blessing of the Advent Wreath is celebrated in the home, it is appropriate that it be blessed by a parent or another member of the family.

Lord God,

Let your blessing come upon us as we light the candles of this wreath.

May the wreath and its light be a sign of Christ’s promise to bring us salvation.

May He come quickly and not delay. We ask this through Christ our Lord.